The Spring Landscaping Checklist: What to Do and When

Spring has a specific rhythm in Connecticut, and the most common landscaping mistake is rushing it. Starting work too early — before the soil has dried and the grass has begun active growth — damages what you’re trying to help. Here’s the right sequence.

March: Assessment Only

The ground is still saturated and soft in early spring. Walking on it compacts soil and damages grass that’s just waking up. In March, limit activity to:

• Removing debris and fallen branches
• Cleaning up winter damage to beds (frost-heaved plants, broken stems)
• Planning the season’s projects while the ground is still telling you what needs attention (wet spots, settled areas, heaved pavers are all most visible when the ground is saturated)

April: First Active Work

By mid-April, soil has dried enough in most years to support foot traffic and light machine work.

• Spring cleanup: Cut back remaining perennial debris, clean beds, edge lawn-bed transitions
• Check hardscaping: Look for pavers that settled or heaved over winter, inspect stone walls, check retaining wall drainage
• Prune shrubs: Prune summer-blooming shrubs (they bloom on new growth). Do NOT prune spring-blooming shrubs (lilacs, forsythia) until after they bloom — you’ll cut off the flowers
• Apply pre-emergent weed control to turf before soil temperatures reach 55°F (when crabgrass germinates) — timing is critical

May: Full Spring Operations

The primary spring season.

• Mulch planting beds: Wait until soil has warmed before mulching — early mulching keeps soil cold and delays plant growth
• Plant trees, shrubs, and perennials: The prime planting window; soil is warm, frosts have passed, rain is generally consistent
• Fertilize lawn with a spring balanced fertilizer (not a high-nitrogen pusher — that causes excessive top growth at the expense of roots)
• Overseed thin areas if not done in fall — soil should be above 50°F for germination
• Address hardscaping repairs identified in April — settle and set them before summer outdoor use begins

What Not to Do in Spring

Don’t aerate too early. Spring aeration is beneficial but should happen when the soil has dried and grass is actively growing — not in saturated March soil.

Don’t fertilize dormant grass. Fertilizer applied before the lawn is actively growing simply leaches into the soil rather than feeding the plant.

Don’t prune spring-blooming shrubs before they bloom — a common and expensive mistake. Lilacs, azaleas, forsythia, viburnum, and rhododendron all bloom on the previous season’s growth. Prune them in May or June, after blooming, not in early spring.

Don’t plant tropical or tender plants before frost risk has passed. Fairfield County’s average last frost is mid-April, but late frosts into early May occur in cold years.

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MRO Landscaping provides complete spring cleanup and landscape services throughout Fairfield County. Contact us to schedule your spring service.