Spring Gardening Checklist to Help the Summer Garden Thrive

Are you feeling that pull back to the garden—the itch to dig in the dirt and watch something beautiful grow? This spring gardening checklist is here to help you get a head start on all the essential tasks that will set your summer garden up for success.

After a long winter, there’s nothing quite like seeing those first signs of life—tiny green shoots pushing through the soil, buds beginning to swell on the trees, and seeds starting to sprout. The garden is waking up, and it’s calling us back.

There’s a simple joy in slipping on your gardening gloves, stepping outside, and breathing in that fresh, earthy air. Whether you’re planting, pruning, or prepping the beds, these early spring chores are more than just to-dos; they’re the beginning of something beautiful.

In this post, I’m walking you through a practical spring gardening checklist filled with the essential projects to tackle now, so your garden will be thriving when summer arrives. Let’s get those tools out of the shed and make this season one to remember.

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Why Are Spring Gardening Projects So Important?

Spring is when everything starts to wake up, and your garden is no exception. Tackling a few key projects now can make all the difference in how your garden performs later in the season.

With cooler temps and plenty of moisture, spring gives your plants the perfect head start. Seeds are ready to sprout, roots are eager to stretch out, and it’s an ideal time to prepare the soil, trim back overgrowth, and set your garden up for success.

A little work now—cleaning up beds, feeding the soil, and staying on top of early maintenance—means stronger, healthier plants that can better handle summer’s heat, pests, and dry spells. Think of it as giving your garden the best possible foundation for months of growth and color ahead.

Spring Garden Projects

1. Assess Your Garden
2. Address Hardscape Issues in the Spring Garden
3. Clean-Up Garden
4. Prepare Garden Soil
5. Mulch and Fertilize
6. Control Weeds
7. Divide and Transplant Perennials
8. Transplant Evergreen Shrubs in Early Spring
9. Split Dahlia Tubers
10. Pruning and Shaping Plants and Trees
11. Cut Back Evergreen Outdoor Ferns
12. Trim Ornamental Grasses
13. Pinch Back Annual Flowers
14. Plan Your Garden Beds
15. Spring Planting
16. Start Seeds Indoors
17. Companion Planting
18. Pest and Disease Management
19. Protect Your Garden from Deer
20. Practice Slug Maintenance
21. Harden Off Flowers Before Transplanting
22. Support Your Flowers
23. Garden Tool and System Maintenance

20 Spring Garden Projects to Make Your Garden Thrive

Now that spring is in full swing, there’s plenty to do to get your garden growing strong. Follow along with this spring gardening checklist—20 simple but important projects that will help your garden shine all summer long.

Assess Your Garden After a Long Winter

Before jumping into your checklist, take a slow stroll around the garden.

This is your moment to reconnect, with each plant, each path, and each corner that’s been resting through the colder months. Notice what made it through the winter and what needs a little extra care. Keep an eye out for damage to plants, raised beds, trellises, fences, or other garden structures.

This quiet walkthrough also helps you get a sense of what’s ahead. Maybe you spot spots that need replanting, new garden bed ideas, or areas where weeds are already creeping in. Taking stock now will make the rest of your spring gardening tasks feel more purposeful and manageable.

Address Hardscape Issues in the Spring Garden

Spring is a great time to take care of any hardscape repairs before the garden gets too busy.

Check fences, decks, raised beds, window boxes, trellises, and arbors for signs of winter wear and tear. If anything is cracked, leaning, or coming apart, now’s the perfect time to fix it, especially while the soil is still too cold or wet to dig into.

Thinking of adding something new this season? Early spring is also ideal for building new structures, like a fresh garden bed or a charming arbor.

As temperatures start to warm, don’t forget to freshen up any wood surfaces with a new coat of paint, stain, or sealant. A little maintenance now will help everything look polished and hold up beautifully through the growing season.

Preparing Your Garden for Spring

Clean Up the Garden Beds and Outdoor Spaces

One of the biggest jobs on any spring gardening checklist is giving the garden a good clean-up. It might not be the most glamorous task—but it’s one of the most important.

Start by clearing away fallen leaves, broken branches, and any other debris winter left behind. Cut back last year’s perennial growth to the ground, and tidy up garden beds, decks, and patios so everything feels fresh and ready for the season ahead.

If your spring bulbs have finished blooming, you can remove the spent flower stems. Just be sure to leave the foliage in place—it’s still feeding the bulbs for next year’s blooms. Wait until the leaves turn brown and pull away easily before clearing them out later in the season.

This is also a great time to clean and disinfect garden tools, birdbaths, containers, and water features. A simple solution of one part bleach to five parts water does the trick. Taking these extra steps now can help keep pests and diseases at bay while giving your garden a clean slate.

Prepare Your Garden Soil for a Healthy Season Ahead

A thriving garden starts from the ground up—literally. Before planting anything, take time to build up your soil. It’s one of the most important steps on your spring gardening checklist.

After a long winter, your garden soil is ready for a refresh. I like to mix in plenty of organic matter each April, especially fish compost, to help recharge the beds. You can also use well-rotted manure or other compost to add valuable nutrients and improve texture.

As you enrich the soil, you’re also inviting earthworms and other helpful organisms to do their work. They’ll naturally mix the organic materials deeper into the soil, creating the perfect environment for roots to grow strong and healthy.

It’s also smart to test your soil’s pH to see where things stand. A quick test can help you decide which amendments to add so you’re giving each plant exactly what it needs to thrive.

SHOP SOIL TESTS

Here is a list of the benefits of compost for your garden soil.

Find out more about preparing garden beds for the growing season.

Mulch and Fertilize for Strong, Healthy Plants

Mulch is like a cozy blanket for your garden. It helps lock in moisture, keeps the soil temperature steady, and cuts down on weeds that compete for nutrients and space.

Spreading a fresh layer of mulch around your plants in spring means less watering and weeding later on. Plus, it gives your beds a tidy, finished look that makes everything feel fresh and ready for the season.

Alongside mulching, it’s a great time to give your garden a nutritional boost. Organic fertilizers add the essential nutrients plants need to grow strong roots, lush leaves, and vibrant blooms. Every garden is a little different, so choose a fertilizer that matches your soil’s needs, especially if you’ve done a soil test.

Think of this step as giving your plants both protection and nourishment, supporting them from the ground up so they can thrive all season long.

Keep Weeds in Check Early On

If your garden is anything like mine in early spring, the weeds seem to pop up faster than anything else, especially here in the Pacific Northwest. Getting ahead of them now is key to giving your plants the best chance to grow without unnecessary competition.

Weeds can steal water, sunlight, and nutrients from your flowers and veggies, so staying on top of them is important. The trick is to catch them before they flower and go to seed. Otherwise, you’ll be pulling them all season long.

A fresh layer of mulch can make a big difference. Not only does it help your soil stay moist, but it also smothers weeds by blocking the light they need to grow.

Combine that with regular weeding sessions, especially after a good rain when the soil is soft. That’s when it’s easiest to pull them up by the roots, and keep them from coming right back.

Spring Gardening Tips: Dividing, Splitting and Transplanting

Divide Perennials and Transplant to Other Garden Spaces

One of the most rewarding spring gardening tasks is dividing perennials. Not only does it help keep your plants healthy, but it also gives you more plants to use throughout your garden, without spending a dime. And who doesn’t love free plants?

Early spring is the ideal time to divide and move perennials that have outgrown their space. A good rule of thumb is to divide plants in the opposite season of their bloom, so spring and fall bloomers get divided in early spring, while summer bloomers wait until fall. That way, you avoid interrupting their flowering cycle.

Here’s why dividing perennials is so beneficial:

I look forward to this chore every spring. It feels like the garden’s way of giving back. Those extra clumps from overgrown perennials become new additions to other beds, containers, or even neighbor’s gardens. Win-win!

Transplant Evergreen Shrubs in Early Spring

If you need to move an evergreen shrub to a new spot in the garden, early spring is the perfect time, just before fresh growth begins. This gives the plant time to settle in and start establishing roots while the weather is still cool and mild.

Fall is also a good time to transplant, especially in warmer climates, giving roots a chance to reestablish before winter sets in.

If you’re moving deciduous shrubs, aim for early spring or fall while they’re still dormant. Transplanting during dormancy helps reduce stress on the plant and increases the chances of a smooth transition.

A little planning now can go a long way in helping your shrubs thrive in their new home.

Split Dahlia Tubers for More Blooms and Stronger Plants

If you grow dahlias, spring is the time to dig up and divide your tubers, a simple step that leads to healthier plants and even more beautiful blooms come summer.

Dahlias grow from tuberous roots, and splitting them each year is a great way to multiply your plants. Start by checking for any rotted or diseased tubers and remove those so they don’t affect the healthy ones.

When you divide the clump, look for tubers that have an “eye” or growing point—those are the ones that will sprout into new plants. By separating and replanting just the healthy tubers, you’re giving your dahlias the best chance to thrive and bloom even more.

It’s a little spring chore that pays off in big, colorful rewards all season long.

Trim, Prune, and Pinch for Healthier Growth

Pruning and Shaping Plants and Trees

Spring is the perfect time to give your garden a little haircut. Pruning away winter-damaged branches and spent blooms helps redirect your plant’s energy into producing fresh, healthy growth and more flowers.

Shaping your trees and shrubs does more than just improve their appearance. It also helps with airflow and allows more sunlight to reach the inner branches. This can reduce the risk of disease and encourage fuller, lusher growth throughout the season.

Whether you’re doing a light trim or a more detailed prune, a little spring attention goes a long way in setting your plants up for a beautiful and productive year.

Cut Back Outdoor Ferns to Make Way for New Growth

If you grow evergreen ferns in your garden, now’s the time to give them a fresh start. Ferns don’t hold onto their fronds forever—most only last about a year. As new growth begins to emerge in spring, the older fronds start to brown and die back.

Use clean, sharp pruners or loppers to cut away the tired, older fronds. This simple task helps refresh the plant and gives those bright, feathery new fronds plenty of room to shine.

Trim Ornamental Grasses in Early Spring

Ornamental grasses add texture and movement to the garden, and spring is the ideal time to give them a trim.

Wait until the risk of frost has mostly passed and you can spot new green growth at the base. Then, cut back the old foliage to just a few inches above the ground. This helps encourage healthy new blades to push through and keeps your grasses looking tidy and vibrant as the season gets going.

Pinch Back Annual Flowers for Fuller Plants and More Blooms

Pinching might sound like a small task, but it makes a big difference, especially for summer annuals that naturally grow with a branching habit.

By snipping just a few inches off the top of young plants when they’re about 8 to 12 inches tall, you encourage them to send out multiple stems from just below the cut. This results in bushier plants with more flowering stems and longer, stronger stems, perfect for cut flower gardens.

It’s a simple step that pays off with more blooms and a fuller-looking garden all summer long.

Planting Your Garden

Plan Your Planting for a Garden That Grows Beautifully

This is where strategy meets creativity, and honestly, it’s one of my favorite parts of the spring gardening checklist. There’s something so satisfying about picturing the season ahead and thoughtfully placing each plant where it will thrive.

Start by thinking about the basics: sunlight, water, and soil preferences. Matching plants to the right conditions gives them a better chance to flourish and keeps your garden looking its best with less effort.

Also, think about timing. Try to stagger your plantings and choose varieties that bloom at different times so your garden puts on a colorful show from spring through fall.

Whether you’re sketching out garden beds or simply imagining where everything will go, this step sets the tone for a thriving, well-balanced garden.

Get Planting: Cool-Season Annuals and Vegetables

Once the ground starts to warm up, but while there’s still a chance of frost, it’s the perfect time to plant cool-season annuals like primroses, violas, and pansies. These early bloomers bring cheerful color to the garden and can handle those chilly spring nights.

If you’re planting a vegetable garden, start with cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, kale, and other leafy greens. Save heat-loving veggies like tomatoes for mid-to-late spring, once the soil is truly warm—those tender plants don’t like cold feet!

Don’t forget about crop rotation when planning your veggie beds. Rotating plant families from one year to the next helps keep your soil healthy, reduces the chance of disease, and limits pest problems. It’s a simple, natural way to create a more productive and sustainable garden without relying on chemicals.

With a bit of thoughtful planning and the right timing, your spring planting sets the stage for a delicious and colorful season ahead.

Start Seeds Indoors for a Head Start on the Season

Starting seeds indoors is one of the best ways to get a jump on the growing season—especially for flowers that take a little longer to mature or for gardeners in regions with shorter summers.

By sowing seeds inside, you’re giving your plants a cozy, controlled environment to sprout and grow strong before facing the outdoor elements. It’s a great way to protect delicate seedlings from unpredictable weather and hungry pests early on.

You can start germination several weeks, or even months, before your last expected frost date. This gives your flowers a healthy head start so they’re ready to take off as soon as you transplant them outside.

Whether you’re growing cut flowers, herbs, or veggies, seed starting is a rewarding project that can lead to earlier blooms and a more productive garden.

Try Companion Planting for a Healthier, Happier Garden

As you plan out your beds this spring, don’t forget about companion planting. It’s a simple, natural way to boost plant health, improve flower and vegetable production, and even cut down on pests.

It’s not just about what you grow, but where you grow it. Placing certain plants next to each other can help them thrive by enhancing growth, attracting beneficial insects, or repelling common garden pests. At the same time, keeping incompatible plants apart ensures they don’t compete or negatively affect one another.

In vegetable gardens especially, companion planting can make a big difference in how well your crops perform, and it’s an easy technique to weave into your garden planning.

With a little strategy, your garden can work smarter—not harder.

Spring Gardening Projects to Protect Your Plants

You knew this would be on the spring gardening checklist, right? Keeping plants healthy means staying ahead of pests and diseases, and spring is the time to set the tone for the season.

Keep an Eye on Pests and Disease Early

Catching issues early is one of the best ways to protect your garden. A quick daily stroll through your beds can help you spot chewed leaves, unusual spots, or signs of stress before they turn into bigger problems.

Healthy soil and good plant care are the best preventative tools. Choose disease-resistant varieties when possible, and give your plants the right spacing, sunlight, and water to stay strong.

For pest control, consider natural solutions first, like encouraging beneficial insects (hello, ladybugs!) or using organic sprays when needed. These methods help keep your garden in balance while still being kind to the environment.

A little effort now can mean fewer problems later, and a garden that stays vibrant and thriving all season long.

Keep Deer from Snacking in Your Garden

Deer are adorable—until they’re munching through your flower beds. If you’ve ever come outside to find your favorite plants nibbled down to the stems, you know exactly what I mean.

As soon as new growth appears in spring, it’s time to put your deer protection plan in place. I like to use a deer repellent spray on calm, dry days when there’s no wind or rain in the forecast. Motion-activated sprinklers can also be surprisingly effective for keeping deer on their toes (and out of your garden).

The tricky part? This isn’t a one-and-done job. Deer management is something you’ll want to stay on top of all season long—through spring, summer, and even into fall. A little consistency goes a long way in keeping your garden safe (and intact!).

When creating a garden plan this year, consider planting more deer-resistant plants for a more manageable garden. Here are a few ideas:

SHOP FOR DEER RESISTENT SPRAY

Stay Ahead of Slugs in the Spring Garden

If you garden in the rainy Pacific Northwest, you know all about slugs. These sneaky little pests love damp, shady spots and often do their damage overnight, leaving behind nothing but shredded leaves and a slimy trail.

The first step in slug control is tidying up their favorite hiding spots. Clear away piles of wet leaves, dense ground covers, stones, and any leftover garden debris. Keeping things neat and open not only makes your garden look better. It also exposes slugs to sun, wind, and hungry natural predators.

For plants that slugs love most (I’m looking at you, dahlias, hostas, marigolds, and zinnias), I like to sprinkle organic slug bait regularly throughout the season. Products like Sluggo contain iron phosphate, which is effective at controlling slugs and safe for pets, people, and helpful garden creatures.

Staying ahead of them now helps protect your plants as they grow and saves you from bigger problems down the line.

SHOP MY FAVORITE SLUG BAIT

Harden Off Seedlings Before Moving Them Outdoors

If you’ve been growing seedlings indoors or in a greenhouse, or even overwintering plants, they’ll need a little adjustment time before heading out to the garden full-time.

This transition process is called hardening off, and it’s a must for protecting your plants from transplant shock. You’ll slowly introduce them to the outdoors by gradually increasing their exposure to sunlight, wind, and temperature changes over the course of a week or two.

Start by placing them in a sheltered, shady spot for a few hours each day, then slowly increase their time outside and move them into brighter conditions. By the end of the hardening-off period, they’ll be ready to thrive in your garden beds.

It takes a little extra effort, but it’s one of the best ways to set your seedlings up for success.

Give Your Flowers the Support They Need

Some of the most stunning flowers in the garden, like dahlias, delphiniums, and snapdragons, also tend to be the most top-heavy. Without the right support, they can bend or break under the weight of their blooms, or after a windy spring storm.

That’s why it’s a good idea to put a support system in place as you plant. Whether you use stakes, cages, netting, or even a DIY trellis, giving your flowers something to lean on early will help them grow upright and strong all season long.

A little support now means fewer headaches (and snapped stems) later.

You can choose from a variety of support methods for your plants.

I use trellises for sweet peas, netting for snapdragons, stakes for irises, and the corral method for dahlias. Grow-through supports are perfect for peonies.

Check In on Garden Tools and Systems

Sharp, clean tools make every garden task easier, and healthier for your plants. So let’s make sure garden tool maintenance is firmly on your spring gardening checklist.

Start the season by giving your tools a good cleaning to remove dirt and rust. Sharpen blades on your pruners and shears for cleaner cuts, which help plants heal more quickly. Don’t forget to oil any moving parts to keep everything running smoothly and rust-free.

It’s also a good time to test your irrigation systems. Check sprinklers and drip lines to make sure they’re in good working order before the dry summer days arrive.

Take stock of other garden gear too, like shade cloths, plant ties, row covers, and replace anything that’s worn out. Ordering supplies now means you’ll be ready when summer kicks into full gear.

Most Common Questions About a Spring Gardening Checklist

What Month Do You Plant Tomato Plants?

Tomatoes love warmth and are sensitive to cold, so wait until nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 50°F (10°C). A soil thermometer can help confirm when the ground is ready.

For most gardeners, tomato planting falls between late April and early May, depending on your local frost dates.

In warmer climates, you might plant as early as February or March, while cooler regions may need to wait until late May or even early June.

What are the Easiest Vegetables to Grow in Your Garden?

Here are some beginner-friendly (and rewarding!) veggies to try:

When Should I Start Spring Gardening?

That depends on your local climate, but here are a few universal tips:

How Often Should I Water My Garden in Spring?

Spring watering depends on weather, soil, and plant needs:

When Should I Plant New Flowers in the Spring?

Timing depends on the type of flower and your region:

Final Thoughts on Your Spring Gardening Checklist

Spring is such a hopeful time in the garden—everything is waking up, and the possibilities feel endless. By taking care of these spring gardening projects now, you’re giving your summer garden the best chance to grow strong, healthy, and beautiful.

From preparing the soil and dividing perennials to planting cool-season crops and protecting your flowers, each task on this checklist plays a role in setting the stage for months of color, growth, and garden joy ahead.

Whether you’re planting for the first time this season or picking up where you left off last year, I hope this checklist helps guide and inspire your spring garden routine.

Here’s to dirty hands, blooming beds, and a garden that thrives from spring through fall.

Happy gardening!

Until next time,

Happy Spring Gardening!

I’m a self-taught hobby gardener. Everything I share on my blog is my opinion and what worked for me.

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