The 411 on post-winter garden prep

Lawns and gardens can bear the brunt of winter weather and are often in need of tender loving care by the time spring arrives. Here’s how to prepare your garden for the months ahead:

Assess the damage – even if winter was mild, gardens might still have suffered some damage. Inspect garden beds and any fencing or barriers designed to keep wildlife from getting into the garden. Before planting, fix any damage that might have impacted plants over the winter.

Clear debris – Remove fallen leaves, branches and even litter that blew about on windy winter days before planting season. Make sure to discard any debris to ensure they don’t come back.

Turn the greenhouse into a clean house – Cleaning a greenhouse in advance of spring can help gardeners evict any overwintering pests that can threaten plant life once spring gardening season arrives. A thorough cleaning, which should include cleaning the inside of greenhouse glass and washing flower pots and plant trays also can prevent plant diseases from surviving into spring.

Check for pests – speak with a local gardening professional to determine if there are any local pests to look out for and how to recognize and remove these pets from gardens. Pests may hibernate in the soil over the winter and such unwelcome visitors can make it difficult for gardens to thrive come spring and summer.

Assess plant location – if plants, flowers or gardens have struggled in recent years or never grew especially vibrant, then gardeners may want to assess the location of their plant life before spring gardening season begins.