Late March: clean up
- Rake out leaves and debris left over from fall and winter
- Pick up sticks and fallen limbs before the first mow
- Cut back ornamental grasses and last year's perennials to a few inches
- Check trees for limbs that cracked in winter storms
Early April: beds and pruning
- Pull early weeds while the ground is soft and they come out easily
- Re-cut bed edges so grass can't creep in
- Prune summer-blooming shrubs now
- Wait to prune spring bloomers like lilac and forsythia until right after they flower, or you'll cut off this year's blooms
Mid-April: crabgrass and the first mow
A common rule of thumb in Indiana is to put down crabgrass pre-emergent around the time forsythia is in bloom, before soil temperatures rise enough for crabgrass to sprout. Make the first mow once the grass is actively growing, and don't cut it too short. Mowing high helps the lawn shade out weeds and handle summer heat.
Late April into May: mulch and planting
Once the soil has warmed, put down two to three inches of fresh mulch and get new shrubs and perennials in the ground. Spring planting gives roots the whole season to settle in before summer heat.
When to call in help
If the list feels long, a spring cleanup covers most of it in a single visit: leaves and debris out, beds cleaned, perennials cut back and edges re-cut. From there, weekly mowing keeps things on track through the season.