HELLO SPRING!
Spring Gardening Tasks
Tis the season to start living out our winter daydreams filled with green things and gardens!
Here are a few quick tips for getting your garden spring-ready…
Planning Time!
- Review your garden journal from prior year
- Continue planning and prioritizing for your 2026 garden
- Do a garden walkabout, checking hardscape needs, inspecting for pests + weeds, and taking inventory for supplies needed
Garden Maintenance
- Check your sprinkler system on a day when weather cooperates
- Tool time! Clean and sharpen your hand tools and mower if you haven’t!
- Clear drainage ditches, gutters, downspouts
- Clean and sanitize water features
Pests and Problems
- Time for pre-emergent to prevent weed seeds from germinating and horticultural oils for insect and fungi control. Like all treatments, benefits must be weighed against drawbacks as these are not selective applications; desirable seeds and beneficial insects will also be affected.
- Stay on top of weeds and watch for pests and disease. We have had a historically warm and dry winter that will allow overwintering of weeds, pests, and diseases.
Soil
- Test your soil to determine its needs if you haven’t already
- Apply compost if you didn’t do so in the fall; compost improves soil structure, nutrients available to plants, and water flow through soil
- Time to mulch – placing biodegradable mulch over soil can fight weeds, retain moisture, maintain consistent soil temperature, and create a finished look in your garden
- Fertilize around spring flowering plants if your soil test shows nutrient deficiencies
Seeds and Bulbs
- Start seeds and plant cool-season edibles
- Spring bulbs: deadhead and leave greenery to allow plant to make and store food for the next growing season. If you are planning to move bulbs that are crowded or to a new location, dry and store bulbs until fall planting
- Summer bulbs: plant or start cold-sensitive begonias and dahlias in protected area
Plant Care
- Prune summer-blooming plants, berries, fruit trees
- Prune early-spring bloomers after flowering (like forsythia and lilac)
- Cut back winter interest plants like ornamental grasses
- Divide and transplant summer and fall blooming plants
Turf Care
- After cold, soggy conditions have passed: rake lawn, break up thatch, aerate and top-dress with compost if needed, overseed bare patches, and keep 1st mow high
Be aware of Idaho’s sneaky 3rd winter – have cover material ready for tender plants in later spring freezes!
