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Spring is here! The birds are singing and the flowers are blooming! The time has come to bring your yard back to life!

First things first, especially if you’ve recently bought your home, walk around the yard and pick up trash (don’t forget your gloves!) You’ll want to be sure your yard is free of debris prior to getting to work.

The nice thing about yard work is you can take your time. Whether you want a dream yard with a garden and water feature or you want simple and understated, you have plenty of time to get the job done. The best thing to do, especially if you’re a beginner landscaper, start with the basics —a few trees, a mailbox garden, or a small garden patch can make your yard pop!

If certain things in your yard cause mowing to be an annoyance (fence, mailbox, signposts, etc) here’s a tip, dig up the grass around them, and lay landscape fabric and mulch instead.

Before you overhaul your landscape, eliminate weeds as soon as possible so they won’t grow and take over your new beautiful lawn and garden. Their seeds and roots survive everything short of a nuclear event so be sure to get rid of every one.

Chemicals can kill the “good” grass, so digging is your best option. To protect your existing plants and grass, find a good, weeding tool and remove the weeds one by one, replacing with new turf as you go.

If you have more weeds than grass, it might make more sense to start over with new turf. When deciding on which type of grass you’d like, be sure to pick one that’s most appropriate for your region and yard.

There are three ways to get rid of the old turf — digging (this takes work), smothering (this takes time), or using an herbicide. The last method is usually the easiest, but you’ll be stuck with a dead lawn for a while, and you might harm the soil in the process.

Before you know it, your yard will be looking magnificent! Take your time, start with the basics, don’t bite off more than you can chew, and if all else fails call your local landscaper or Clemson Extension Center for help! Happy Gardening!