When your area (finally) experiences a warm day or two, it's time to get out and do some quick garden/yard cleanup. As much as you may want to delay it - don't. Time slips away and soon it'll be right in the middle of spring and you'll probably wish you had done the cleaning earlier. I know. I've been there, too!

Out of my procrastination over the years, I developed a plan that was easy to implement and results are seen immediately, which (at least for me) is an encouragement to finish this garden task.

Here is my spring garden clean up plan. Following these easy spring garden maintenance tips, you'll be enjoying your yard more in spring and summer. And...appreciating the effort you put in early on.

Even after one weekend...or just one day of spring garden cleaning, you can be on your way to having leaves raked, trees and shrubs pruned and ground ready for planting new plants. A little spring garden maintenance means less yard work later.

Grab some old clothes, gloves and let's get gardening!

• Arm yourself with a rake, weed eater or heavy shears, a tool belt or apron with pockets, basket or pail filled with clippers, gardening scissors, gardening gloves, old cloths for wiping things down, large trash/leaf bags and, if available, a small garden saw.
• Begin on one side of your property or garden and work across the yard and then clockwise around your house and other out buildings beginning with the front/main entrance. The point is to be able to go over all areas of your landscape so that you don't miss plants or backtrack by going over the same area twice.
• I find it easier to do each task below beginning at my start point and pushing through to my designated end. But, you may find it easier to do all tasks in a designated area and then move on.
• Pull out all dead plants, pick up dead or broken branches/trash
• Tackle the larger growing plants, whether trees or shrubs.
• Cut or saw out all branches that are dead, broken, touching or crossing. If necessary, trim for shape.
• Move onto smaller growing plants, such as ornamental grasses (which you will be cutting to the ground with either the weed eater or heavy shears) and, then roses, evergreen herbs, perennials, ground covers, etc.
• After all plants have been pruned, shaped and otherwise cleaned up in an area, rake the clippings into the trash bag and move onto the next area.
• Once these tasks have been accomplished, I like to make adjustments such as moving edging rocks back into place, wiping down outdoor furniture, cleaning bird feeders (any empty bird houses), bird baths, hummingbird feeders.
• Now, it's time to spread out new mulch creating the base for new perennials that will be planted over spring and summer.

By cleaning up an area completely, if you have to stop that day before finishing, you can begin with a new area the next time and you don't have to back track. I find it easier to make sandwiches the night before to munch on. This way when taking breaks, I don't lose focus on my tasks at hand.