When winter is over, lots of people start thinking about the joys their garden offers. But before it is so far, there are a couple of things you need to do. You could for instance purchase supplies for your garden late in summer or early in fall, when most garden stores have sales. You also need to protect trees and shrubs.

First thing you have to do when spring arrives is to clean up after winter. You can do this when the grass is no longer sopping wet and planting beds are not any longer a sea of mud. Use a rake to remove dead growth, stray leaves, twigs and other debris. This way, you’ll allow light and air to reach the soil level. You can also touch the plants and remove leaves that look ill, so that they won’t affect the rest of the plant. This way, you’ll allow light and air to reach the soil level.

If you have a lawn, follow the suggestions made in my article on lawn aeration and the choice of seed. Aeration brings fresh air into the soil. Bare or damaged patches in the lawn need to be re-seeded.

The protection with guards and burlap on trees and shrubs needs to come off. Trees need no more protection in the better season. When you leave them on, the three or shrub won’t get enough air movement around the base and that can cause rot of the bark.

Rose bushes will also be protected in winter and need removal of their protection in spring. The roses also have to be pruned in this season.

When talking about shrubs, if you want them in another spot of your garden, it is advisable to transplant them before they’ll begin to leaf out. You can best use a scheme for this. This can already be made up in winter, and will make for some nice moments when you decide where the new plants and shrubs will be located.

Fruit trees, magnolias, crabapples and other shrubs need pest control. You can use an organic pest control method when the buds are swelling but the leaves haven’t opened yet. Best apply pest control when the temperature is between 4° and 21° Celsius (40-70 Fahrenheit).

Spring is also the right moment to check your lawn mower and sharpen the blades. Sharp blades will cut better through the grass. You can also make a start with the reparation of fences, bean poles, trellises for the climbing plants.

Resist the urge to start digging in your flower beds too early. You could damage the structure of the soil. To decide whether the soil is dry enough, you pick up an handful and that should fall apart, not stick like glue to your hand. When the soil is dry enough, you are allowed to dig and add compost or manure in preparation of planting.

And getting on top of your weeding now means less work later. Weeds are easier to unearth in spring, because their roots are still shallow.