The best things you can do to quickly overhaul your lawn during any season

When you buy a new house, the first thing that most of us do is focus on the interior, whether that means renovations, painting, or simply deciding where to place your furniture. But, dedicating some time to do some quick maintenance to your yard can really make your house feel more like a home. Landscape expert Owen Reeves is sharing his top tips to getting your new yard in the best shape in both spring and fall. 

Spring

1. Remove any ugly/undesirable plants from the garden, especially perennial weeds.
2. Overseed and fertilize the lawn.
3. Edge beds where they meet the lawn.
4. Top dress garden beds with compost or a compost-rich garden soil mix.
5. Install new plant material, including annuals. (Purchase new planters for annuals)
6. Mulch beds.
7. If in early spring, prune late-blooming shrubs like hydrangea, roses and rose of sharon. All other shrubs should be pruned immediately after their bloom. Trees are best pruned in summer/winter.

Fall

1. Remove any ugly/undesirable plants from the garden, especially perennial weeds.
2. If early fall, overseed and fertilize the lawn. If late fall, just fertilize with a winterizing fertilizer.
3. Install new perennial plant material. Fall is a time to buy plants, tons of sales and great planting weather.
4. Prune non-spring blooming shrubs and lightly prune hedges.
5. After leaf drop is complete, hire a contractor to clean out gutters and downspouts. Often overlooked and important.