Spring Gardening Chores: Essential Tasks to Jumpstart Your Garden

May 15th is officially the day we can start planting annuals in our Zone 5b garden—and as I’m writing this, today is the day! It’s going to be 87 degrees!

That said, I’ve already been out in the garden thanks to our unseasonably warm weather. I’ve been hedging my bets and getting a head start on spring garden prep. But planting pretty flowers isn’t the only thing that needs attention this time of year.

In this post, I’m sharing the essential spring gardening chores we tackle at our small home in northern Illinois to set the stage for a healthy, vibrant garden all summer long. These tasks cover everything from vegetable garden prep to perennial bed maintenance and yard work.

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Clean Up the Garden for Spring

Here in northern Illinois (Zone 5b), we often experience a deep freeze in late fall—sometimes before all the leaves have dropped. That means a full spring garden cleanup is necessary before we can begin planting and mulching.

Vegetable Garden Prep

Over the winter, the soil in our raised beds settles and compacts. Each spring, we amend it with a rich mix of organic topsoil, composted manure, sand, and peat moss. This refreshes the beds and gives us that fluffy, nutrient-rich foundation we need for planting vegetables.

We also check our drip irrigation system every spring. This year, there were so many leaks in our old soaker hoses that we decided to overhaul the system. We upgraded to a more efficient drip irrigation setup with emitters that water each plant individually. The cut flower garden uses small sprinklers for broader coverage, and a few beds still use drip lines. It’s a little complex now, but Handy’s been having fun channeling his inner mad scientist to get it just right!

To suppress weeds and retain moisture, we mulch our vegetable beds with clean straw. It worked wonderfully last year—weeding was almost non-existent—so we’ll be doing that again.

Perennial Bed Maintenance

Spring is also the time to give our perennial beds some serious love and attention. Here’s our checklist:

• Cut back dead stems, broken branches, and any lingering hydrangea blooms.
• Rake out leaves and debris that collected over the winter.
• Divide and transplant overcrowded perennials such as irises, daylilies, bee balm, and hellebores.
• Apply natural deer repellents (I started a month ago, but they’re still nibbling, so I’m upping my game).
• Remove dandelions and other invasive weeds that have crept in. Our lawn is dandelion-free thanks to a toxin-free treatment plan, but the weeds always seem to migrate into my flower beds from neighboring yards.
• Once everything is cleaned, divided and replanted, new plants put into the gound, we apply a 6-inch layer of mulch to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and give the beds a finished look.

General Yard Work

Spring yard maintenance always keeps us busy. This year’s checklist included:

• Raking up leaves and clearing fallen branches and twigs.
• Mowing the lawn for the first time this season.
• Cleaning out the gutters (it’s not glamorous, but it’s necessary!).

We also make time to freshen up the outdoor living spaces—washing down patio furniture, spraying off rugs, and prepping garden décor for the season.

Start Planting Early Crops & Prep Seedlings

This week I direct-sowed seeds for cool-season crops that thrive in early spring: lettuce, spinach, snap peas, radishes, beets, and carrots. These hardy veggies love chilly nights and help kickstart the season.

Indoors, I started sweet peas, cucumbers, and zucchini from seed during the winter. Now that the risk of frost is past, I’m hardening them off outdoors and will be transplanting them into the garden this weekend.

What’s Next on the Garden To-Do List?

There’s still plenty to do, but things are shaping up beautifully. Here’s what’s coming up next:

• Planting all of my containers and patio pots with bright, cheerful annuals.
• Ordering and spreading mulch for the perennial beds.
• Power-washing all the outdoor furniture and garden rugs (one of my favorite satisfying chores!).

Final Thoughts: The Beauty of Spring Gardening

Spring gardening is equal parts hard work and hopeful anticipation. When you put in the effort now—clearing, prepping, planting, and protecting—you get to enjoy the rewards all summer long.

I’m already dreaming of warm evenings in the backyard, glass of wine in hand, surrounded by blooms and buzzing bees.

If you garden in Zone 5b or a similar climate, I’d love to hear how your spring prep is going. What chores are on your must-do list this season? Let me know in the comments!

Peace and Love,

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