Last Updated: April 2026

Spring Landscape Tips

Spring Landscape Tips

Need some spring landscaping tips for motivation? With these Five Spring Landscape Tips, you can improve the appearance of your property, increase the value of your home and, best of all, make your neighbors jealous!

Step 1: Clean Up

The first thing you must do to prepare for any spring landscaping project is to clean up the lawn, beds and garden. Pick up all branches that may have fallen during the winter, leaves and debris that may be on the lawn, in the garden or beds, and clean up the area you are preparing to work with.

Step 2: Sharpen your Mower Blades

Remember, you only need to do this if you do your own lawn mowing. If you winterized your lawn mower and didn’t sharpen the mower blades, sharpen them now. There are plenty of professionals that can do this for you for a fee of around $20 to $30. If you plan on doing this yourself then make sure to remove the spark plug before attempting to take the blades off.

Extra Spring Landscape Tips—Sharpening

Sharpening your mower blades will help you cut the grass instead of tearing it. Tearing the grass blades can cause an unsightly tan or brown color to a freshly cut lawn. It also can promote fungus development.

Step 3: Set a higher mowing height

Make sure to mow your grass high. For warm-season grasses, such as Bermuda or St. Augustine, the height should be 3/4 inch to 1 inch after being cut. For cool-season grasses, such as bluegrass or fescues, the height should be 2-1/2 inches to 4 inches high after being cut.

Step 4: Plant and Feed

If you plan on planting new grass seed or installing sod, make sure you do not apply any pre-emergent with the early spring lawn treatment. Just apply a balanced organic based fertilizer in these areas.

If you plan on waiting until the fall to do your annual grass planting or sod installation, then I advise you to apply a crabgrass barrier pre-emergent plus fertilizer to the lawn. A natural pre-emergent plus fertilizer is corn gluten meal.

For all plants and garden vegetables, make sure the soil is in the proper condition for planting. I would advise a soil test before planting anything to make sure you know what nutrients the soil is deficient in.

Extra Spring Landscape Tips—Planting

Add organic matter or compost to the soil at the time of planting to improve the soil structure and to promote deeper roots. This will mean less stress from insects, disease and heat. It will also result in a lower water bill, as you’ll need to water these areas less.

Step 5: Mulch

Apply a 4-inch layer of fresh mulch over all beds to help reduce the amount of weeds that will pop up. Hand pull or carefully spray a glyphosate product such as Roundup on any weeds that have emerged after mulching.

Extra Spring Landscape Tips—Mulch

If you would like to use a natural non-selective weed control, then try using a vinegar or citrus oil based product. Be very careful not to spray any desirable plants though.

BLC Yardworks is full of additional Spring Landscape Tips. We offer mulching and spring cleanups, planting and more. Contact us for more information!

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start spring landscaping in the Fox Valley area?

In the Fox Valley — including Oswego, Yorkville, and Naperville — most spring landscaping tasks can begin in late March or early April once soil temperatures rise above 40°F. Early spring is ideal for pruning, edging beds, and applying pre-emergent herbicides. Hold off on planting frost-sensitive annuals until after May 15, the general last-frost date for the area.

What are the most important spring landscaping tasks for Illinois homeowners?

Cleanup is the highest priority: remove winter debris, cut back ornamental grasses, and edge garden beds. After cleanup, assess any frost heave damage to hardscape, check for tree and shrub winter dieback, and top-dress beds with fresh mulch. Applying a slow-release fertilizer to turf in late spring sets your lawn up for a strong summer in the Illinois climate.

Should I hire a landscaping contractor for spring cleanup or do it myself?

For basic cleanup — raking, light pruning, and mulching — many Fox Valley homeowners tackle it themselves. However, for larger projects like bed renovation, hardscape repairs, or new plantings, a professional contractor like BLC Yardworks can complete the work faster and with the right equipment. Getting on a contractor’s spring schedule early (January–February) is key, as crews fill up quickly in the Oswego and Yorkville area.

Related Resources: Landscaping Services • Yorkville Landscaping Contractor Guide • Request a Free Quote

Written by BLC Yardworks — Fox Valley hardscaping, landscaping, and water feature contractors serving Oswego, Yorkville, Plainfield, Naperville, and surrounding communities since 1999.