When spring approaches, you begin to get that itch to get outside and work on your landscaping once more. You want to get your yard ready for outdoor parties, relaxing evenings watching the summer sunset, and delicious grill-outs and barbecues. However, as it is still winter (with just a hint of spring peeking around the corner), you may wonder what you can do to begin getting your yard ready for spring planting and landscaping. Luckily, if you want to get a head start on your yard this year, there are several steps you can take right now to prepare. So, learn what you can do and get started right away. 

Remove Trees

The winter season can be extremely tough on the trees in your yard, particularly young trees that may have just been planted the previous spring. So, if you have trees that have been ravaged by the winter weather, and are fallen, partially destroyed, or dead, you should take care of them as soon as possible. 

Dead tree removal is not only good for your landscaping, but can also prevent dead trees that are still standing from falling causing damage to other landscaping or even to your home itself. If the tree is still a sapling, you may be able to perform removal yourself. However, if the tree is older and taller, you should contact a professional for dead tree removal services (such as Treetime Inc) to ensure that when the tree comes down it does not land on you, your house, or any other structure you wish to preserve. 

Pick Up Debris And Clean Out Your Rain Gutters

Because the winter is so hard on your trees and landscaping, as the winter season begins to come to an end, you will notice a large number of sticks, twigs, large branches, and leftover fall leaves decorating your lawn. So, before you get to the bulk of your spring landscaping endeavors, clean up your yard of any fallen debris.

The debris does not only collect in your yard, but also in your home's rain gutters. So, on a relatively nice day when there is no snow or ice on your roof, get on up there and remove debris and buildup from your rain gutters. This will ensure that spring rain water flows properly through your gutter drainage system and into your yard and/or rain barrels. 

Formulate A Plan

Finally, once you have taken care of all you can actually do in your yard until the official spring thaw, plan what you want to do with your landscaping this spring. Draw out a diagram of both your front and back yard and fill in what you want to install and plant throughout the landscaping. 

If you are planning a garden, you can also purchase your seeds and begin growing them inside your home. This will get you ahead of the curve in terms of your spring gardening. While your friends and neighbors will be planting seeds, you will be transferring already growing plants into your garden plot. 

As you can see, even though it is not quite spring yet, there are plenty of steps you can take to get your yard ready for the upcoming growing season. So, if you are anxious to get started on your spring landscaping, take these steps to get ahead of the game this year.