Resources
Barnyards & Backyards
Seasonal Calendar: Spring
Pastures and hay fields:
- Prepare for the irrigation season. Read Ensure your irrigating method isn't all wet from Barnyards and Backyards.
- Clean irrigation ditches of weeds, sagebrush, and other debris
- Lay out hand line sprinklers or gated pipe in the field and look for any damage
- Clean and service pumps and motors as necessary to ensure proper operation before you need them!
- Check drip lines for damage, flush system, and clean screens and filters
- Make any additional repairs so system is ready to go, such as replacing broken pipes,
sprinklers, gaskets, etc.
- If you hay, get your equipment ready.
Gardens and landscapes:
Read Gardening: Vegetables in Wyoming UW Extension Bulletin #1115
Early Spring:
- Start warm-season vegetables and flower seeds inside so they are ready to transplant
when warmer weather arrives (check the packet and last frost dates to determine when
to start). Read Starting plants from seed indoors: The Basics from Barnyards and Backyards.
- Before adding fertilizer or manure to the garden, test the soil for nutrients and
salts. Watch the From the Ground Up video How to Take a Soil Test
- Complete tree, vine, and bramble pruning, and fruit tree grafting prior to bud break
in your area. Start grape vine cuttings in containers inside.
- Fertilize indoor plants as day length increases and bursts of growth occur; nitrogen
for green plant growth, phosphorus for root development, and blossoms, and potassium
for overall good health.
Later spring
Trees and shrubs
- Remove tree wrap from thin-barked trees that were protected in the fall.
- Remove wind and wildlife protection barriers.
- Prune any dead or winter-damaged branches from trees, shrubs, and vines.
- Fertilize trees and shrubs based on soil test results.
- Plant bare-root trees that arrive from wholesalers.
- Treat fruit trees for codling moths and other pests after the correct amount of blossom
drop.
- As fruit begins to develop, thin apples and other spur fruit to increase individual
fruit size and quality.
Perennials
- Remove insulating mulches from roses, strawberries, or other tender perennials.
- Begin dividing and planting hardy perennial plants.
Vegetables and other edibles
- Begin planting out seeds for cool-season garden crops.
- Plant asparagus and rhubarb crowns. Be prepared to wait three years before harvesting
from young crowns and two years for older crowns.
- Plant raspberry and strawberry plants. Allow these plants to establish a good root
system prior to harvesting from these plants, at least the next growing season.
- Plant a successional round of cool-season crops (lettuce, carrots, radishes, spinach,
and other favorites) to extend the harvest season.
- Begin to harden off warm season crops to be transplanted out later.
Lawns
- Start up the lawn mower and add first grass clippings to the compost pile and turn
it for added warmth and decomposition.
- Apply herbicides to control broadleaf weeds in lawns and other areas only on calm
days. Be sure to read, even if you have read them before, and follow label instructions.
As soil and air temperatures really begin to warm:
- Get your hummingbird feeder out and ready for the returning birds
- Plant seeds for beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, and other warm season crops.
- Plant annual blooming flowers and container gardens.
- Begin cutting fresh flowers for use at home or for sharing around the community with
senior citizens or family friends.
