How You Can Prep For Your Spring Gardening Now

Spring is in the air, and it's almost time to start gardening... almost! However, if you're impatient to get started, there are plenty of things you can do now. Here is a quick checklist of things our real estate agents recommend for getting a jump start on your garden and on your home's curb appeal.

• Organize your shed. Wherever you keep your gardening supplies, now is a great time to get in there and start organizing. Most likely this space has been neglected all winter, and your gardening tools and potting bench may even be buried beneath winter items such as snow shovels and bags of salt. Store the winter stuff for next year and start organizing the gardening tools, so they're accessible.
  
  
• Get your tools and supplies ready. Make a list of things you need, check what's in your garden shed, and restock on items such as topsoil, fertilizer, and seed starting supplies. Now is also a great time to check or prep your irrigation system. Make sure all your tools are working, and do any needed maintenance, such as sharpening blades or oiling hinges.
  
  
• Clear your garden beds of weeds and debris. Cleaning up your garden beds is the first step before you can plant. Get rid of any dead weeds from last year, any debris that has blown into the garden over the winter, and any winter mulch you had over your garden beds.
  
  
• Set up new planters and garden beds. Planters are one of the fastest and easiest ways to add curb appeal to South Bend homes for sale in the spring. This is also a great time to build any raised garden beds you plan on adding for the year.
  
  
• Prep the soil. Your garden beds have sat all winter long, and now they probably need a little attention before spring plants start going in. Till the soil if needed and add a layer of freshly composted soil if you have it, or purchased topsoil if you don't. A layer of mulch on top of everything will help keep moisture in and reduce watering throughout the spring and summer.
  
  
• Check your compost bin. Now is also a good time to do any maintenance on your compost bin. Once you harvest finished compost, be sure to set up the bin for the coming season. Check the structural integrity of the bin and do any needed repairs, give the remaining compost a good stir, and do any other needed maintenance.
  
  
• Prune trees and shrubs. Some pruning should be done in the fall, but now is also a good time to prune trees and shrubs, while you can see the general shape of the branches unobscured by leaves.
  
  
• Divide bulbs. Does your garden feature perennials such as tulips, daylilies, and irises? These perennials can stop flowering due to overcrowding as they make new bulbs under the surface. Now is a good time to divide the bulbs to ensure you get flowers this season.
  
  
• Do any early planting. Do you have anything you want in the ground now, such as shrubbery or seeds? Once you've prepared your garden beds and organized and prepped your garden shed, you can start a round of early planting.

Getting started on these tasks now will give you a jump start on your garden and help add curb appeal as we come out of winter. For more tips on adding curb appeal in spring or to start your search for your dream home, contact us today.