Monday's Household Assignments-get your yard ready for spring?

It was looking like spring. My crocuses had pushed their heads up out of the ground and promptly got them frozen off from our March snow storms last week. At least my daffodils survived.
None the less, it was a reminder to think of spring and get the yard ready. This is the time to do it while it's cool and comfortable to work outside.

• Take a walk around your yard and look for any dead or broken branches and limbs that were damaged over the winter and remove them. It's easier to see and remove them now before the leaves come out and block your view.  Remove deadwood from bushes as well. 
• Clean up those flowerbeds. Cut back any dead plant material and work some compost into the soil. This is also the time to plant your summer bulbs like dahlias and lilies.  Weed now. One weed pulled now could save you pulling 100's later in the season. 
• Place a new layer of mulch in your beds and around trees to help conserve soil moisture during the hot summer months. 
• Throw a layer of compost over your vegetable garden and till the soil to get ready for planting. Get your onions and potato sets into the ground. 
• Set up your appointment to power up your sprinkler if you have someone else do it. 
• De-thatch your yard! Use a rack and really dig down to get all of the old dead grass out from around the base of your lawn so that fertilizer, water and sunshine can get down to the base of the grass.
• Have your yard aerated  if you have heavy thick soil. Most yard companies can do this for around $25 to $50 depending on the size of your yard. They take a machine that stamps plugs out of your yard leaving behind holes which allow the fertilizer and water to really penetrate to the deep roots of the grass for a healthy thick lawn this summer. 
• Take the time to hose off the front porch and sweep down any spiderwebs and dead leaves stuck on the ceiling and walls of your porch. 
• Wipe down the front door and any window ledges you can see as you approach your home. 
• Check that front welcome mat. Is it looking a bit worn and tired. Freshen it up by washing it or buying a new one. 

Enjoy some sunshine and vitamin D while you get your yard ship shape and ready for spring and summer.