Spring is here! Some states may still have overnight frost, but daytime temperatures have started to warm up for many regions. April is the perfect month to focus on those “get ready for summer” projects like pressure washing the patio, cleaning off the outdoor furniture, detailing the outdoor grill or tidy up the front porch. Painting, plumbing and handyman projects are also popular in April as homeowners are finally able to attend to those tasks that they may not have been able to complete over the winter. Spring cleaning tasks loom large in April, so do spring allergies, so make sure you’re watching your indoor air quality as you clean. We’ve compiled a great list of suggested to-do’s for this month. Which home projects will you be doing this month?

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Interior Maintenance Tasks

Stay on top of these monthly tasks:

  1. Check and replace furnace filters every 3 months (schedule an HVAC professional)
  2. Wipe down and dust surfaces  (find a house cleaner)
  3. Turn over mattress every 3 months
  4. Clean range hood filters, wash fan blades and housing (schedule a house cleaner)

April is the perfect month to:

  1. Take down storm windows and reinstall original screens (schedule a storm window contractor)
  2. Check interior walls and ceilings for water damage  (find a water damage specialist)
  3. Check your sump pump for proper operation  (call a sump pump expert)
  4. Close your fireplace damper if you are done using it for the season (hire a chimney sweeper)

If you have time, do this:

  1. Clean pillows
  2. Switch out cool-weather bedding with warm-weather bedding (find a household manager)
  3. Vacuum and shampoo rugs  (schedule a carpet cleaner)
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Exterior Maintenance Tasks

Stay on top of these monthly tasks:

  1. Check foundation walls and wooden areas for termites (find a pest control contractor)
  2. Clear debris from gutters and roof (call a gutter cleaning contractor)

April is the perfect month to:

  1. Turn outside faucets back on (find a landscape manager)
  2. Wash windows and window screens (hire a window cleaner)
  3. Pressure wash the driveway, walkway or patio (hire a pressure washing contractor)

If you have time, do this:

  1. Clean siding with mild soap and water (schedule an exterior cleaning professional)
  2. Check wood surfaces for weathering; repaint if necessary (find an exterior painter)
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Landscaping Maintenance Tasks

April is a great month to walk around your property and see spring-blooming plants in full force. Because each region and climate has its own variety of plants and foliage, it’s a great idea to get to know which Plant Hardiness Zone you are located in. If you don’t see your city below, visit Plant Zones and enter your zip code. Use this information to gain greater detail about when to plant, when to prune or to find out what types of plants will grow best in your location.

ZONE 4

Minneapolis, MN (Zone 4a)

  • Plant cool season crops (onion, beets, lettuce, spinach, carrots, etc.)
  • Rake debris from the lawn, over seed any bare spots
  • Place growth supports next to top-heavy plants
  • Remove winter mulches from plants
  • Spray shrubs with dormant oil spray to control insects
  • Deadhead spring flowering bulbs as blooms fade
  • Fertilize woody ornamentals
  • Prune grape vines, remove dead/weakened vines as necessary
  • Plant bare root roses, onion sets, lettuce & spinach

 

ZONE 5

Chicago, IL (Zone 5b)

  • Clean up leaves and debris in the garden
  • Transplant shrubs and small trees before buds open
  • Cut down ornamental grasses, Russian sage & lavender to ~6 inches tall
  • Prune Forsythia after it finishes flowering
  • Fertilize evergreen shrubs
  • Fertilize the lawn and apply weed-killer if desired/needed
  • Divide perennials as they emerge (daylilies, hostas, iris, etc.)
  • Fertilize roses with a systemic fertilizer
  • Plant some cold-tolerant vegetables & flowers
  • Plant summer flowering bulbs if warm enough (dahlias and gladiolas)

Indianapolis, IN (Zone 5b)

  • Fertilize houseplants as new growth appears
  • Start seeds of warm-season plants indoors (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc.)
  • Remove winter-damaged ground covers
  • Divide/transplant hardy perennials
  • Allow foliage of spring-flowering bulbs to ripen before cutting back
  • Remove winter covering form roses; prune & fertilize as needed
  • Sow seed for cool-season crops (peas, lettuce, spinach, carrots, etc.)
  • Plant seedlings for cool-season crops
  • Plant asparagus and rhubarb crowns
  • Plant certified potato sections/seed tubers
  • Plant strawberries, raspberries & other small fruit
  • Apply a pre-bloom, multipurpose orchard spray to fruit trees

Denver, CO (Zone 5b)

  • Replace cool-season annuals with sturdy, heat-loving bloomers
  • Plant warm-season vegetable crops (high-desert: wait 2-4 weeks)
  • Continue to plant container-grown trees, ground covers, perennial herbs & flowers
  • Fertilize roses, citrus trees, fuchsia, avocado trees & irises
  • Lay down a 3-inch layer of mulch before summer heat arrives
  • Keep plants (especially newly planted) well-watered
  • Adjust irrigation timers to deliver the same amount of water more frequently
  • Monitor garden for pests: aphids, snails, spider mites, ants; treat as necessary
  • Mow frequently and high to discourage weeds

Boston, MA (Zone 5b)

  • Rake your lawn to make room for new growth
  • Cut back ornamental grasses, butterfly bush & Russian sage
  • Spot spray/hand-dig dandelions
  • Sow seeds indoors: cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, squash, lettuce
  • Sow seeds outdoors: carrots, chard, beets, radishes, lettuce
  • Fill spring pots with flowers that love cool weather (pansy, viola, snapdragon)
  • Plant asparagus and rhubarb
  • Start fertilizing roses
  • Watch for and remove early spring weeds
  • Bring indoor potted herbs outside
  • Set up stakes/tripods to support climbing pea plants

ZONE 6

Cleveland, OH (Zone 6a), Detroit, MI (Zone 6b), St. Louis, MO (Zone 6a)

  • Plant cool season crops (onion, beets, lettuce, spinach, carrots, etc.)
  • Rake debris from the lawn, over seed any bare spots
  • Place growth supports next to top-heavy plants
  • Remove winter mulches from plants
  • Spray shrubs with dormant oil spray to control insects
  • Deadhead spring flowering bulbs as blooms fade
  • Fertilize woody ornamentals
  • Prune grape vines, remove dead/weakened vines as necessary
  • Plant bare root roses, onion sets, lettuce & spinach

New York, NY (Zone 6b), Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6a), Washington DC (Zone 6b – 7a)

  • Rake your lawn to make room for new growth
  • Cut back ornamental grasses, butterfly bush & Russian sage
  • Spot spray/hand-dig dandelions
  • Sow seeds indoors: cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, squash, lettuce
  • Sow seeds outdoors: carrots, chard, beets, radishes, lettuce
  • Fill spring pots with flowers that love cool weather (pansy, viola, snapdragon)
  • Plant asparagus and rhubarb
  • Start fertilizing roses
  • Watch for and remove early spring weeds
  • Bring indoor potted herbs outside
  • Set up stakes/tripods to support climbing pea plants

ZONE 7

Baltimore, MD (Zone 7a), Philadelphia, PA (Zone 7a)

  • Rake your lawn to make room for new growth
  • Cut back ornamental grasses, butterfly bush & Russian sage
  • Spot spray/hand-dig dandelions
  • Sow seeds indoors: cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, squash, lettuce
  • Sow seeds outdoors: carrots, chard, beets, radishes, lettuce
  • Fill spring pots with flowers that love cool weather (pansy, viola, snapdragon)
  • Plant asparagus and rhubarb
  • Start fertilizing roses
  • Watch for and remove early spring weeds
  • Bring indoor potted herbs outside
  • Set up stakes/tripods to support climbing pea plants

Atlanta, GA (Zone 7b)

  • Check irrigation system for leaks/malfunctions
  • Plant container-grown perennials (Autumn sage, Brazilian sage, etc.)
  • Continue to sow seeds of lettuces and garden greens weekly
  • Sow seeds of heat-tolerant greens to extend the harvest window
  • Check for and control cutworms
  • Prune azaleas immediately after flowering if needed
  • Replace mulch around azaleas, camellias & roses, and on planting beds
  • Move overwintered tropicals outdoors
  • Plant new or stored tubers into the ground, 2-3 inches deep
  • Plant heat-loving annuals when danger of frost has passed
  • Mow regularly; remove only 1/3 of total blade growth
  • Check trees weekly for insects (spider mites, aphids, whiteflies, etc.)
  • Control seasonal pests: ants, cockroaches & spiders

ZONE 8

Portland, OR (Zone 8b), Seattle, WA (Zone 8a)

  • Check irrigation system for leaks/malfunctions
  • Plant cool-weather spring vegetables (onions, snow peas, spinach)
  • Trim back daffodils 6 weeks after bloom
  • Plant fuchsias, red hot pokers & phygelis to attract hummingbirds
  • Plant native red-flowering currant
  • Prune hedges and pull weeds

Dallas, TX (Zone 8a), Houston, TX (Zone 8b)

  • Check irrigation system for leaks/malfunctions
  • Plant container-grown perennials (Autumn sage, Brazilian sage, etc.)
  • Continue to sow seeds of lettuces and garden greens weekly
  • Sow seeds of heat-tolerant greens to extend the harvest window
  • Check for and control cutworms
  • Prune azaleas immediately after flowering if needed
  • Replace mulch around azaleas, camellias & roses, and on planting beds
  • Move overwintered tropicals outdoors
  • Plant new or stored tubers into the ground, 2-3 inches deep
  • Plant heat-loving annuals when danger of frost has passed
  • Mow regularly; remove only 1/3 of total blade growth
  • Check trees weekly for insects (spider mites, aphids, whiteflies, etc.)
  • Control seasonal pests: ants, cockroaches & spiders

ZONE 9

Phoenix, AZ (Zone 9b)

  • Replace cool-season annuals with sturdy, heat-loving bloomers
  • Plant warm-season vegetable crops (high-desert: wait 2-4 weeks)
  • Continue to plant container-grown trees, ground covers, perennial herbs & flowers
  • Fertilize roses, citrus trees, fuchsia, avocado trees & irises
  • Lay down a 3-inch layer of mulch before summer heat arrives
  • Keep plants (esp. newly planted) well-watered
  • Adjust irrigation timers to deliver the same amount of water more frequently
  • Monitor garden for pests: aphids, snails, spider mites, ants; treat as necessary
  • Mow frequently and high to discourage weeds

Sacramento, CA (Zone 9b), San Jose, CA (Zone 9b)

  • Check irrigation system for leaks/malfunctions
  • Plant cool-weather spring vegetables (onions, snow peas, spinach)
  • Trim back daffodils 6 weeks after bloom
  • Plant fuchsias, red hot pokers & phygelis to attract hummingbirds
  • Plant native red-flowering currant
  • Prune hedges and pull weeds

Tampa, FL (Zone 9b)

  • Prune hedges and pull weeds
  • Check irrigation system for leaks/malfunctions
  • Prepare and fertilize new annual (vegetable and flower) beds
  • Transplant tomatoes and annual flowers
  • Direct-sow beans, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, pumpkin, squash & watermelon
  • Plant herbs after the danger of frost has passed
  • Support tall perennials with stakes/supports
  • Fertilize fruit and nut trees
  • Check trees weekly for insects (spider mites, aphids, whiteflies, etc.)
  • Control seasonal pests: ants, cockroaches & spiders

ZONE 10

Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)

  • Continue to plant container-grown trees, ground covers, perennial herbs & flowers
  • Continue to plant warm-season annual flowers & vegetables
  • Plant corn, green beans, cucumbers, squashes, & other heat lovers (if you haven’t already)
  • Continue to mow frequently and high to discourage weeds
  • Detach warm-season lawns once lawn starts to grow if necessary
  • Fertilize your lawn
  • Fertilize roses, citrus & avocado trees, fuchsia, and irises
  • Deadhead fading flower blossoms
  • Stake tall plants that will need the support later
  • Harvest vegetables when they’re young and tender

San Francisco (Zone 10a)

  • Check irrigation system for leaks/malfunctions
  • Plant cool-weather spring vegetables (onions, snow peas, spinach)
  • Trim back daffodils 6 weeks after bloom
  • Plant fuchsias, red hot pokers & phygelis to attract hummingbirds
  • Plant native red-flowering currant
  • Prune hedges and pull weeds

Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Zone 10a)

  • Prune hedges and pull weeds
  • Check irrigation system for leaks/malfunctions
  • Prepare and fertilize new annual (vegetable and flower) beds
  • Transplant tomatoes and annual flowers
  • Direct-sow beans, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, pumpkin, squash & watermelon
  • Plant herbs after the danger of frost has passed
  • Support tall perennials with stakes/supports
  • Fertilize fruit and nut trees
  • Check trees weekly for insects (spider mites, aphids, whiteflies, etc.)
  • Control seasonal pests: ants, cockroaches & spiders