Spring is when nature comes back to life. However, to enjoy the growing season, you need to clean up the mess winter left behind. Fortunately, a little preparation and a trip to the home improvement store are all you need to complete the process quickly and efficiently. Here are the steps you need to take before summer arrives.

Do:

Remove fallen foliage.

Regardless of how much effort you make in the fall to rake, leaves and fallen twigs will accumulate over winter. Early spring is the ideal time to remove the debris to ensure it doesn't inhibit your lawn and garden growth. Grab a pair of thick gloves, mulch bags, and a rake, and dispose of the material in your compost pile or at a local yard waste facility. It's also important to pick up any trash that has blown into your yard over winter, but keep it separate from the foliage collection as they do not decompose the same way.

Dethatch your lawn.

Thatch is a term used to describe the dead lawn matter left over from last year's growing season. While a little bit of material helps protect new sprouts, too much smothers the grass. As a result, you need to dethatch the surface to eliminate the dead foliage. Afterward, you can aerate, overseed, and fertilize the grass. Both manual aerators and dethatcher rakes are readily available at home improvement stores, and some sites also offer gas-powered equipment for large yards.

Don't:

Underestimate the value of pruning.

Pruning dead foliage from plants in the spring helps encourage new growth, which results in a healthier, lush garden. Standard pruning shears work for most plants, but you'll need to purchase manual or electric trimming shears for large shrubs and trees with thick stalks. If you're working with thorn-bearing plants, like roses, purchase long, heavy-duty gloves at the home improvement store to avoid injury.

Forget to replace garden mulch.  

Mulch helps keep the soil moist and control the ground temperature, but the material breaks down over time. Heavy winter precipitation can also wash out some of last year's addition. While simply topping off the surface layer handles aesthetic needs, leaving the old mulch behind can prevent new plant growth from coming through. As such, the old layer needs to be replaced with new product. Move last year's mulch to your compost pile or place it in a mulch bag for disposal.

Find the tools and supplies you need to get your yard in excellent shape by stopping by A & R Home Center in Washington, IN. For nearly 50 years, the home improvement store has provided Daviess County residents with high-quality equipment, including power tools, paint, and hardware. Visit the business online to learn more about their lawn and garden supplies, and call (812) 254-7018 if you have any questions.