Chicago Home and Lifestyles – 4 important garden tasks to prepare for Spring

Around the Chicago area we’ve been enjoying a bit of nicer weather – and then winter came back with a vengeance! But thankfully, spring is just around the corner. That means we should be thinking about the lawn and garden chores that need to be done as soon as we get some (stable) warmer weather! 

Prune those bushes. Bushes and shrubs need to be pruned before new growth takes hold. Do not remove more than 1/3 of the plant. Cut out any diseased or broken branches. Remove suckers (growth that comes from a junction of two branches). Check for overgrown branches with little foliage. These are usually located in the center of the bush. Cut them off at ground level. Make sure you have a good sharp pruner. 

Rake your lawn. Do a light rake on the lawn. This will fluff up the grass, and you will get rid of all that debris that ends up on the grass over a long winter. Rake up any leftover plantings and dispose of them away from the garden. It’s best not to use any of this for mulch as it can have disease or fungus from the previous season. Pull any visible weeds, trying to get as much of the root as possible. Lay down a good 1-inch layer of mushroom compost. This will enrich your soil for this summer’s plantings. 

Take preventative measures. Early spring is also the time to apply pre-emergent weed control. This is usually labeled as crab grass preventative. It needs to be applied before these weeds emerge as it makes a barrier to stop them from growing. The best time to do this is as soon as temperatures are in the upper 60s for 4-5 days. 

Prepare for rain. Check all your outside drains to ensure they are clear and free flowing. Be a good neighbor and take care of the sewers in the street closest to your home to prevent street flooding. There will be lots of spring rain coming soon and we want to keep that water away from the house. The heavy rains help us to find any low spots we have in the landscape. Anywhere you see water pooling needs attention. Spots on the lawn are easy. If it’s a relatively even lawn just add topsoil to the low spots. Other areas may need to have the water diverted in another way like a small stone lined trench to take the rainwater away. 

Do you have any other spring tasks to do around the house and landscape?

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago