Spring Garden Cleanup: What to Do and What to Skip

As winter fades and spring temperatures rise, gardeners feel the urge to get outside and start a spring cleanup. It may not be fun, but it certainly makes an impact.

Spring cleaning your garden is a vital task, but not everything you may have on your checklist strictly needs to be done. Whether you’re helping pollinators and local wildlife or are simply feeling lazy and only want to cover the essentials, there are several tasks you can skip this season.

Here’s what you should focus on this spring, and what you can cross off your garden to-do list.

Do: Remove Disease or Pest-Ridden Debris

The first spring cleanup task you should never skip is removing any plant material showing signs of disease or pest problems. Old foliage harboring fungal spores, bacterial infections, or overwintering insect eggs can quickly reinfect your garden as temperatures warm, leading to bigger problems throughout the growing season.

Be particularly careful with plants that suffered from issues like powdery mildew or leaf blights last season. These fungal problems can easily survive winter in fallen leaves or dead stems, ready to spread as soon as conditions become favorable again.

When handling diseased material, avoid adding it to your compost pile. Instead, bag infected debris and dispose of it according to your local guidelines. When dealing with diseased plants, don’t forget to clean your pruning tools with a disinfectant between cuts. This simple step goes a long way in preventing the spread of problems throughout your garden.

Skip: Removing All Debris, No Matter What It Is

While removing diseased material is crucial, don’t feel like you have to strip your garden beds completely bare during your spring cleanup. A layer of fallen leaves and small twigs actually forms a natural protective mulch that benefits your garden in multiple ways. This natural debris layer insulates soil, suppresses weeds, and most importantly, provides essential habitat for beneficial insects like native bees, butterflies, and beetles.

Many beneficial insects overwinter in leaf litter or inside hollow plant stems. By removing every last bit of garden debris too early, you might inadvertently be impacting these helpful garden friends before they emerge. Native bees, ladybugs, and lacewings (all valuable beneficial insects) often depend on undisturbed areas to complete their life cycles.

Instead of aggressive spring cleaning, adopt a gentler approach. Wait until daytime temperatures consistently reach above 50°F, which gives overwintering insects time to emerge. Then, rather than removing all debris, simply thin it out in areas that look too dense.

You can even redistribute the extra material to bare spots where additional mulch would be beneficial. This supports wildlife while still maintaining a tidy garden ready for spring.

Do: Prune Perennials and Shrubs

Early spring is the perfect time to prune many perennials and shrubs, clearing away dead growth to make way for this year’s flush of new foliage and flowers. Start by cutting back the dried stems and foliage of ornamental grasses and perennials left standing through winter.

Certain flowering shrubs that bloom on new wood benefit from pruning in early spring before new growth really takes off. These plants respond well to quite aggressive pruning, which encourages more abundant flowering and keeps plants at a manageable size.

When doing your spring cleanup pruning, always use clean, sharp tools to make neat cuts that heal quickly. Remember to step back occasionally and assess your progress to avoid cutting back too much. It’s easy to get carried away, especially with shrubs. Rather than overdoing it, create a balanced look that allows for good air circulation while maintaining the plant’s natural form.

Skip: Pruning Too Early

While the urge to tidy everything at the first sign of spring is strong, pruning too early can actually cause more harm than good. In regions where late frosts are common, premature pruning can stimulate tender new growth that becomes vulnerable to cold damage. Those early shoots not only look unsightly but also waste the plant’s energy reserves, which could have been directed toward stronger growth later in the season.

The timing of spring pruning should be determined by your local climate and the specific plants in your garden. As a general rule, it’s best to wait until the threat of hard frost has passed before pruning frost-sensitive plants like roses, butterfly bush, and crape myrtle. In colder regions, this might mean waiting until mid or even late spring for certain plants.

Pay attention to the weather forecast and your plants’ cues. If you see minimal signs of swelling buds or new growth, it’s probably best to wait a bit longer for this part of your spring cleanup. Start with the most cold-hardy plants in your garden and gradually work your way to the more tender varieties as the season progresses.

Skip: Pruning the Wrong Plants

One of the biggest spring pruning mistakes is cutting back plants that flower on old wood. These plants form their flower buds during the previous growing season, and pruning them in spring means you’re literally cutting off this year’s blooms before they have a chance to open.

Classic examples of shrubs that bloom on old wood include many traditional hydrangeas (especially Hydrangea macrophylla varieties like ‘Endless Summer’), forsythia, lilacs, and azaleas. When you notice your neighbor’s shrubs bursting with flowers while yours produces only a few blooms on lower branches, improper pruning timing is usually the culprit.

For these old-wood flowering shrubs, the right time to prune is immediately after flowering, giving the plant enough time to develop new flower buds for the following year. In spring, limit your work with these plants to removing only obviously dead or damaged branches, and make note to do more extensive pruning after their flowering period ends.

If you’re unsure about when to prune a particular shrub, a quick search for your specific variety can provide the guidance you need to avoid disappointing flower displays. Ultimately, it’s better to leave them as is than to prune at the wrong time.

Do: Weed Regularly

Spring brings warmer soil temperatures that trigger not just new plant growth but also masses of opportunistic weeds. Getting ahead of weeds early in the season is one of the most valuable investments of your gardening time. Those tiny weed seedlings that look harmless now can quickly develop into massive problems by the end of the season if left unchecked.

The ideal time to tackle weeds is when they’re young and haven’t yet established deep root systems. In early spring, most weeds come out easily with gentle hand-pulling, especially after a light rain when the soil is slightly damp. For your spring cleanup, focus on perennial weeds and remove the entire root to prevent regrowth.

Developing a habit of spending just 10-15 minutes weeding each time you’re in the garden can prevent the overwhelming backlog that discourages many gardeners. This keeps weeds from becoming established while making the task feel more manageable.

Skip: Extra-Thick Mulch Layers

While mulch is beneficial for suppressing weeds and retaining soil moisture, applying it too thickly in spring can create more problems than it solves. Excessive mulch can actually damage plants at this time by encouraging stem rot and preventing water from reaching the roots. It can also impact emerging beneficial insects, reducing numbers in your garden.

A 2 to 4-inch layer of mulch is ideal for most garden situations. This is thick enough to suppress weeds and retain moisture, but not so thick that it prevents water and air exchange with the soil. When applying fresh mulch in spring, first check how much of last year’s mulch remains. Often you’ll only need to add a thin refresher layer rather than starting from scratch. Keep mulch pulled back several inches from the stems of plants to prevent moisture-related diseases and rodent damage.

Do: Enrich Soil

Spring is the perfect time to replenish your soil after winter snow. Adding organic matter before the growing season kicks off gives microorganisms time to break it down into forms plants can use when they need it most. Well-nourished soil produces healthier plants that naturally resist pests and diseases, along with more flowers and produce to harvest.

Compost is the perfect amendment for soil enrichment, providing a balanced mix of nutrients along with beneficial microorganisms that support soil health. A one-inch layer worked into the top few inches of soil will boost soil structure and create the right texture. For established perennial beds where digging isn’t easy, a light layer of compost mulch gently worked around plants will make a difference.

Different garden areas may need different approaches. Vegetable gardens typically benefit from more generous amendments than ornamental beds with established perennials. A soil test can provide guidance if you’re unsure about your soil’s specific needs.

Skip: Excessive Fertilizing

While adding organic matter to soil is almost always beneficial, hitting your garden with strong chemical fertilizers as part of your spring cleanup can do more harm than good. Many gardeners make the mistake of applying high-nitrogen fertilizers too early, which stimulates lush, tender growth vulnerable to late frosts and pest problems.

Most established perennials and shrubs in reasonably healthy soil don’t need heavy fertilizing at all. Plants forced into rapid growth by synthetic fertilizers often develop weaker growth that is more susceptible to disease and insect damage.

If soil tests indicate specific deficiencies, address those with targeted amendments rather than massive applications of fertilizers. For most gardens, a light application of balanced organic fertilizer worked into the soil when plants show active growth is sufficient.

Vegetable gardens typically need more nutrients, but even there, a combination of compost and moderate fertilizing yields better results than heavy synthetic applications. More isn’t always better when it comes to fertilizer.

Do: Compost Debris

One of the most sustainable practices in spring cleanup is composting garden debris. Those dead leaves, dried stems, and small twigs contain valuable nutrients that can be recycled back into your garden.

When gathering materials for your compost, aim for a balance of browns (carbon-rich materials) and greens (nitrogen-rich materials). An approximately 3:1 ratio of browns to greens creates ideal conditions for decomposition.

Chop or shred larger materials to speed the composting process for quicker use. A lawnmower can be useful for shredding leaves and small garden debris.

Composting doesn’t need to be complicated to be effective. Turn the pile occasionally to introduce oxygen, keep it moderately moist, and by next spring, you’ll have rich compost to feed your garden.

Even a passive cold compost pile that’s rarely turned will eventually produce usable compost, though it takes longer than a more actively managed system. This is the route I chose and as long as I keep adding to it, I always have usable compost available. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see results.

Skip: Composting Everything

While composting is helpful, not everything from your spring cleanup belongs in the compost pile. Being selective about what you compost will save you from a host of problems later on.

As mentioned earlier, plant material showing signs of disease should never go into home compost piles. Most home composting systems don’t reach temperatures high enough to kill pathogens, so diseased material can spread problems throughout your garden when the compost is used.

Similarly, weeds that have gone to seed or those with persistent roots (like bindweed) should be excluded to avoid inadvertently spreading them. Other materials to keep out of garden compost include:

• Very thick branches that take too long to break down.
• Plants treated with herbicides.
• Any non-plant materials like plastics.

When in doubt about a particular plant’s suitability for composting (especially when there may be signs of disease), it’s better to err on the side of caution and dispose of it.

Do: Clean Hardscaping

While plants naturally command much of our attention during spring cleanup, don’t forget the non-living elements of your garden. Paths, patios, steps, garden furniture, and decorative elements all benefit from spring attention.

Begin by sweeping accumulated debris from hard surfaces, paying attention to joints between pavers or stones where soil can accumulate. A quick pressure washing removes winter grime and moss from stone, concrete, and wooden surfaces (just use gentle pressure on softer materials to avoid damage).

Check for loose pavers, broken steps, or unstable retaining walls that may have shifted over winter. Tackle these safety issues before they cause accidents. Garden furniture should be cleaned according to its material.

For your garden wildlife, clean and disinfect bird baths and feeders to prevent the spread of avian diseases. Also, check irrigation systems for winter damage before the main growing season begins.

Spring cleanup chores may not sound exciting—they are called chores for a reason. But the impact they make on your spring garden, and even into summer and fall, is undeniable.