Spring Garden Prep: Don’t Forget Your Rain Gauge

Spring garden prep is more than buying plants and pulling weeds. A little preparation now can mean healthier plants, fewer watering problems, and a much easier growing season later.

Here are some practical spring garden prep tips — including one small tool many gardeners forget: the rain gauge.

Clean Up Winter Debris Carefully

Remove dead leaves, fallen branches, and matted plant material from garden beds, but don’t rush too early if temperatures are still cold. Pollinators and beneficial insects often overwinter in stems and leaf litter.

Once daytime temperatures are consistently warming:

• Cut back dead perennial growth
• Remove soggy or moldy leaves
• Pull obvious early weeds before they spread
• Rake lightly to avoid damaging emerging plants

Check Your Soil Before Planting

Spring soil can look dry on top while remaining cold and muddy underneath. Working wet soil too early can compact it and damage soil structure.

Before digging:

• Grab a handful of soil
• Squeeze it gently
• If it forms a sticky mud ball, wait a little longer

Adding compost in spring can improve drainage, soil texture, and moisture retention.

Sharpen and Clean Garden Tools

Clean pruners, shovels, and trowels before the season gets busy.

Helpful spring maintenance:

• Sharpen pruning tools
• Oil wooden handles
• Remove rust
• Check hoses for cracks or leaks
• Test irrigation systems before hot weather arrives

Divide Overgrown Perennials

Many perennials benefit from dividing every few years in spring or fall.

Common candidates include:

• Hostas
• Daylilies
• Black-eyed Susans
• Ornamental grasses

Dividing plants improves airflow, reduces crowding, and gives you extra plants for other areas of the garden.

Mulch — But Not Too Soon

Mulch helps conserve moisture and suppress weeds, but applying it too early can keep soil cold longer than necessary.

Wait until:

• Soil temperatures begin warming
• Plants have started actively growing
• Excess spring moisture has drained

A 2–3 inch layer is usually enough. Keep mulch away from plant stems and tree trunks.

Pay Attention to Watering Early

One of the biggest spring gardening mistakes is assuming spring rain provides enough water for everything.

Some weeks are surprisingly dry, especially in windy conditions. Newly planted shrubs, containers, raised beds, and shallow-rooted plants may dry out much faster than expected.

That’s where a rain gauge becomes useful.

Don’t Forget Your Rain Gauge

A rain gauge helps you measure how much rain your garden actually receives so you can water more accurately.

Instead of guessing, you’ll know:

• Whether your garden received a deep soaking rain
• If newly planted areas need extra water
• How much supplemental watering your lawn or beds may need
• When dry stretches begin developing

The World’s Coolest Rain Gauge® makes checking rainfall easy because the floating measurement tube rises visibly after rain. You can often read it from across the yard without bending over or peering into a narrow tube.

Check Rain Gauge Placement

Spring is a good time to reposition your rain gauge if nearby shrubs or trees have grown larger.

For best results:

• Place it in an open area
• Keep it away from gutters and roof runoff
• Avoid overhead branches
• Position it where you’ll actually remember to check it

Prepare for a Busy Growing Season

A little spring preparation makes gardening easier all season long. Clean beds, healthy soil, sharp tools, proper watering, and accurate rainfall tracking all help create a healthier, lower-maintenance garden.

And once spring rains start arriving, a good rain gauge helps you keep track of every drop.