Begin spring garden work with a walk around the yard, then clean the tools and clear what is actually in the way. You can take care of broken branches and winter debris before the busy growing season without stripping every bed bare at once.
What should you do before cutting anything?
Clean and sharpen the tools that went into storage after last season. A look at pruners and other hand tools now is easier than finding a dull blade when you are halfway through the shrubs. As you walk the yard, pick up larger fallen sticks and notice branches that were damaged over winter. For safe work around mowing equipment and other garden tools, see Be Safe Working in the Lawn and Garden.
Lightly raking the grass can lift old growth, but wait if the ground is wet and soft. The point is to remove material that mats down the turf, not to scrape healthy grass or work up muddy soil. Leaves that have broken down in a planting bed may be helping the soil. Clear thick piles that smother new growth, but there is no need to remove every leaf for the sake of tidiness; our leaf-care tip offers another way to use fallen leaves.
Which stems and branches need attention?
Take out broken branches first, then step back to see the natural shape of each shrub before trimming further. Dead perennial stems can be cut back when new growth needs the space, while leaving some standing material longer can provide cover for garden wildlife. Evergreens may need only a light shaping. Do not give every flowering shrub the same early-spring haircut: a hydrangea that blooms on old wood may already carry this year’s flower buds. Our hydrangea pruning guide explains that difference.
Is it time to plant or move shrubs?
Early spring can be a useful time to plant woody plants and to move some established shrubs while conditions suit them. Think about the plant’s size and the new site’s light and drainage before digging. Larger established plants can be difficult to move without damaging roots, so assess the job before starting. It is fine to work through one bed at a time and leave a section undisturbed until you know what is coming up there. Nature’s Friends Landscaping can help with clean-up, planting and the chores that need more than a pair of hand tools.
