Planting Mulch and Other Must-Do Yard Tasks for Late Spring

Purple and pink hydrangeas against black fence on white home
Image: Rock & Rose Landscapes

Don’t let weeds and overgrown perennials wreck your curb appeal.

Ahhh, spring is in full bloom. 

Help your yard show off its full glory with these mulching, weeding, and pruning tasks.

#1 Divide Summer- and Fall-Flowering Perennials

Have your begonias gotten too big for their beds? Divide and transplant summer and fall bloomers (including coneflowers, sedums, and asters) before they begin flowering. You'll fill out your flower beds (great for curb appeal), thereby crowding out weeds before they even get started.

#2 Get Your Mulch On

Garden with freshly planted flowers awaiting mulch

Once the soil has warmed up and dried out, spread a fresh layer of mulch. It will make your landscape look even more manicured and help suppress weeds.

You don't want to mulch before this, however, or it could make the soil too damp and cold for your plants to grow.

#3 Weed the Garden

Extended hand holding uprooted weed, chasing black cat

Now's the time to pull 'em up by hand: when they're finally above ground but still small enough that a good yank will deliver roots and all. This keeps weeds from spreading and minimizes your summertime maintenance.

#4 Plant Container-Grown Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials

Dog sitting beside large, potted tree against brick wall

With frost long gone from the forecast, you can finally get container-grown trees and plants into the ground. (Many species, including large evergreens, can't be sold bare-root, so now is when you'll start seeing more of them in your local nursery.) Keep in mind that in many areas, the soil is now too warm for bare-root plants to thrive.

#5 Prune Spring-Blooming Shrubs

Purple lilac bush against orange vinyl siding

Keep lilacs and other spring beauties going strong every year by pruning them right after they finish flowering. A little trim this time of year will promote new growth without risking next season's blooms.

Related: Trees You Should Never Plant in Your Yard

Author photo of Amy Howell Hirt
Amy Howell Hirt

Amy Howell Hirt has written about home design for 13 years. Her work has been published by outlets including "The Home Depot," "USA Today," and Yahoo! Homes. She previously served as home and garden writer and columnist for "The Cincinnati Enquirer."