My monthly to-do list was compiled from a variety of sources over the years, some that I don’t remember, but also from The Virgin Home-Owner’s Handbook by Hap Hatton & Laura Torbet (out of print) and Month-To-Month Gardening, Utah
Regular, routine home, yard, and lawn maintenance can prevent serious and costly repairs. Taking just a few hours a month can keep your yard and lawn looking good and keep your home running smoothly.
- Saw off broken branches on trees and shrubs. Remove dead branches.
- Gently sweep snow off trees and shrubs after snowstorms.
- If there is no snow, rake the lawn.
- Check your lawn mower and garden tools. Clean the lawn mower and wipe down the surface with a coat of light oil. Check the instruction book about checking the oil, changing spark plugs, etc.
- Clean and, with a flat file, sharpen lawn mower blades. Sharpen spades, shovels, hoes, and any other edged garden tools. Tape any cracked handles, and give them a general cleaning up.
- Before they start to bud out or bloom, prune shrubs. Do not remove more than one-third of the growth. Prune evergreen trees and shrubs. Prune fruit trees, raspberries, and grapes.
- Get outdoor furniture ready for spring and summer. Remove any rust and corrosion from iron and aluminum furniture. Replace any canvas, fix up any furniture that broke last season.
- Check metal roof flashings around chimneys, vent pipes, dormers, and at junctures of different roof angles to see if it’s adequate to protect you from April showers.
To find out what to do in your garden in March, check out Sunset, The Utah Rose Society, Vegetable Planting Times, USU Cooperative Extension Gardening Tips, and the J & L Gardening Calendar.
You may also want to check out these free classes offered by J & L Garden Center as well as these classes (some free some not) offered by the USU Cooperative Extension.
