Illustration by Kathleen White
1. Clean up Planter Beds, Pots and Gardens
Remove weeds and fallen leaves, and get started on composting the remnants. (The best time to spread compost on your garden is in the fall.)
2. Store Your Winter Gear
Get hold of a storage bin to put away the bulkiest of your winter clothes, and give away
anything that you won’t wear again.
3. Give Your Skin a Treat
It’s easy to mix up salt or sugar scrubs at home. Give yourself a little pampering and get your skin ready for the more revealing spring weather.
4. Get in the Zone
The USDA has an online hardiness zone map to help determine what you can plant early in the season. Type in your zip code and find out which Philadelphia zone you’re in—we span over two. Depending on where you live, you can start seeds for putting cool weather crops such as broccoli, carrots and onions into the ground in April.
5. Get Your Pets Back on Preventatives
Most vets recommend that flea and tick preventatives be used all year. If you stopped during the winter, protect your pets now.
6. Tune Up Your Bike
The dirt and salt that has built up on your bike can interfere with proper gear shifting and braking, and your tire tread might be too tired to hold out for much longer. Visit your neighborhood bike shop so they can give your bike a safety check and make sure you’re ready for an accident-free spring.
7. Make Your Own Disinfectant
It’s time for spring cleaning (see our guide on Page 45), but not for bringing toxic cleaners into your home. It’s easy to whip up a batch with ingredients from the grocery store.
See recipes on Page 55.
8. Check for Winter-Induced Damage Around Your Home
Winter storms can wreak havoc on simple home systems. Check for damaged gutters, downspouts and steps that may have finally cracked.
9. Skip the Cut Flowers
If you’re prepping the house for the spring holidays, get daffodil and hyacinth blooms that you can plant to rebloom next year.
10. Choose Your Farm
Hooking up with a community supported agriculture program to deliver food or flowers every week is a great way to keep the kitchen stocked while supporting the growers directly. Check out our CSA guide on Page 19 to learn about new programs.
