Waking the yard up for spring

Spring yard work is a shopping list with a short window. Grass seed needs warm soil and steady moisture, mulch goes down once the beds are weeded, and stains and sealers need dry days above the temperature on the label. Measuring the areas once and working out every quantity up front means one trip to the store, or one bulk delivery, rather than five.

This planner goes in the order the jobs depend on each other: lawn and soil first, then beds and mulch, then watering, then drainage and the hard surfaces.

Step 1: Repair the lawn

Rake out dead thatch, fill low spots with topsoil and overseed bare patches. Spread the seed at the rate on the bag and keep the area damp until it has sprouted. For a whole new lawn, compare sod and seed first.

Step 2: Refresh beds and mulch

Weed first, then edge the beds and spread mulch to the depth you want. Raised beds and planters settle over the winter, so top them up with fresh soil before planting.

Step 3: Set up watering

Water deeply and less often, rather than a little every day. If you are adding or fixing a sprinkler system, count the heads from the area and the spray radius, and collect rain from the roof for the beds.

Step 4: Clear the gutters and drains

Winter leaves and debris block gutters and downspouts. Clear them, check that water runs away from the foundation, and if a low spot stays wet, a French drain is the usual fix.

Step 5: Refresh the deck and the paving

Clean the deck and let it dry before staining. On a paver patio, top up the joints with polymeric sand once the surface is clean and dry, and reseal an asphalt driveway in settled dry weather.

Before you start

• The length and width of each lawn area, bed and hard surface.
• Your soil temperature and the last frost date for your area.
• Mulch depth and bed edges decided before you order.
• A dry weather window for staining, sealing and paver joints.
• Gutters and downspouts clear before the spring rains.

Mistakes that cost people money

• Seeding before the soil has warmed, so the seed sits or washes away.
• Piling mulch against tree trunks and the house siding.
• Staining or sealing a deck or driveway that is still damp.
• Watering a little every day instead of deeply and less often.
• Buying mulch and soil in bags when a bulk delivery would be much cheaper for the area.

Frequently asked questions