The Ultimate Spring Yard Cleanup Checklist to Get Your Lawn Ready for the Season

Winter in Delaware can be harsh on our yards. Once the snow melts and temperatures rise in early spring, homeowners are often left with a lawn and garden full of leaves, twigs, and other debris. Spring cleanup isn’t just about tidying up; it’s an essential part of lawn care that prepares your outdoor space for a vibrant growing season. By tackling a comprehensive spring cleaning checklist, you’ll set your lawn and garden up for a healthy year and boost your home’s curb appeal. This ultimate spring yard cleanup checklist will guide you through all the essential tasks—from pruning trees and shrubs to refreshing your garden beds—so you can prepare your yard for spring. With some planning and effort, you’ll have a beautiful landscape design to enjoy all season long.

Before you begin, make sure your gardening tools are ready for action. Sharpen the lawn mower blade and your pruners, check that any power equipment (like a trimmer or blower) is fueled up, and gather essentials like gloves, a rake, and lawn bags. Having everything prepared beforehand will make spring cleanup go much smoother.

Pruning is one of the first major tasks in a spring yard cleanup. Late winter or early spring is the ideal time to prune trees and woody shrubs because most plants are still dormant. Start by removing dead, damaged, or diseased branches damaged by winter storms or heavy snow. Thinning out crowded branches and cutting back overgrown limbs will improve air circulation and sunlight penetration, helping your trees and shrubs stay healthy. Trimming hedges and ornamental bushes will keep your landscape neat and encourage fuller growth. For flowering shrubs, timing is key: spring-blooming varieties that flower on old wood should be pruned immediately after they bloom, whereas summer-blooming shrubs that flower on new wood can be pruned in early spring. A good pruning session clears the old growth to allow vigorous new shoots on your trees and shrubs.

Once pruning is done, focus on cleaning up the debris that has accumulated across your yard. Even if you raked in the fall, it’s common to find stray leaves, twigs, and pinecones scattered across your lawn and garden beds after winter. Grab a sturdy rake and start collecting all that material. Removing this layer of litter is crucial—dead leaves left on your grass can smother new growth and create conditions for mold or pests. By clearing it away, you help your lawn breathe and allow sunlight to reach the soil, warming it up for spring. Pay special attention to the yard’s corners and areas around planting beds where the wind might have piled up leaves. As you rake, pull up any sprouting weeds so they don’t get a head start on the season. It helps to pile the debris onto a tarp, which makes it easier to drag and dispose of. With the sticks and leaves gone, your yard will look tidier.

With the yard cleared of debris, you can revive your lawn. Use a stiff rake to remove thatch (the layer of dead grass and roots) and lift any matted grass, which helps the lawn breathe and green up evenly. If the soil is compacted you may also want to aerate by poking small holes to improve drainage and root growth. Next, repair any bare or thin patches by loosening the soil and overseeding with a matching grass seed. Spring is a good time to reseed cool-season lawns if you keep those spots watered. You should also feed your lawn with a slow-release fertilizer to boost the grass and apply a pre-emergent herbicide for weed control to stop crabgrass and other weeds before they take hold. When it’s time for the first mow of the season, make sure your lawn mower is tuned up so it cuts cleanly. Set the mower blade around 3 inches high to avoid cutting the grass too short. Mowing too low (scalping) can weaken the turf and invite weeds. It’s best to mow when the grass is dry, and instead of bagging the clippings, let them fall to recycle nutrients back into the soil.

After caring for your lawn, turn your attention to the flowers and planting beds. Start by clearing out dead leaves, fallen twigs, and dried plant stalks from last season. Cut back any perennials or ornamental grasses you left standing over winter so they can send up new growth. Also, pull any early weeds that are popping up so they won’t overrun your garden. Once the beds are cleaned, improve the soil and start spring planting. Loosen the soil and mix in some compost or fertilizer to add plant nutrients. If your perennials have become crowded, spring is a great time to divide them and replant the extras elsewhere. You can also plant new additions now. Finally, top off the beds with a layer of fresh mulch (about 2–3 inches) to help conserve moisture and block weeds while giving the garden a neat, finished appearance.