Spring is fast approaching, and you are ready to welcome the season of life and hope. This ultimate spring lawn and garden checklist for Kansas City homeowners will make sure your curb appeal and backyard are equally prepared for the new season. If the list feels long, don’t fret: you can always trust one of the best landscape companies in Kansas City to handle these maintenance and cleanup tasks.
Spring garden care with cleaning and pruning. Photo: Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping
General Tasks
Start with these general tasks that cover the entirety of your front and backyards. Getting them out of the way allows you to focus on specific areas of your lawn and garden afterward.
Remove Debris
Remove debris, branches, dead plants, and trash that might have flown into your yard. Not only does this immediately improve your landscape’s look and feel, it also gives you a clean ground to inspect your hardscape and softscape for maintenance needs.
Deweeding
Deweeding is one of the most tedious but necessary tasks in the spring yard cleanup. Remove weeds from your flower beds, under the trees, in your lawn, around retaining walls, and in the seams of your pavers. You can then lay down new weed barriers or spray weed repellent to prevent them from coming back.
Inspect Your Sprinklers
You should hire a professional sprinkler servicing company to inspect and service your sprinklers, especially if you’ve had a harsh winter. The inspection usually checks fixtures, electrical, and plumbing for signs of damage, clogging, and other problems.
Check for Damages on Fixtures, Retaining Walls, Walkways
Look for damage in retaining walls, walkways, patios, decks, and decorations. Repair or replace them as needed. You can DIY minor repairs but should always work with a professional for more structural issues or larger damaged areas.
Clean Your Hardscape
As part of your winter hardscape maintenance, you should’ve resealed your hardscape if needed. This makes spring cleanup really simple. Start by blowing off hard surfaces to remove any leaf litter or debris. You can also hose down your decks and patios or use a pressure washer for a more thorough cleaning, and your hardscape will be shiny as new. However, if your hardscape has extra details or complicated surfaces, it would be best to hire a professional cleaner for the job.nance task yourself.
Our team maintains plant health for our landscape maintenance clients, including cutbacks, pruning, and trimming. Photo: Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping
Garden and Plant Checklist
Your garden beds might need the most work depending on the complexity of your landscape. However, proper cleanup of garden beds before spring can help ensure beautiful, healthy plants in the later season.
Cutback Perennials & Grasses
By early spring, most of your perennials should be sprouting. This tells you how far to cut them back. For early-blooming perennials, you might be able start the cutback as early as February. Be sure to wait until you start to see new leaves sprouting so you don’t overcut and kill your plants!
In the meantime, don’t forget you also need to cut back ornamental and sedge grasses. However, since each grass is different when it comes to the length to cut back to, depending on its variety and age, it’s best to hire a professional landscaper to handle all cutback tasks.
Check for Damages on Plants and Trees
Check for damage on plants and trees and decide your next steps. Most damage to trees should heal naturally with minimal intervention. However, if any large branches (or trees themselves) are at risk of falling, they should be removed immediately. Damaged plants that are beyond rescue should be replaced with new ones.
Mulch
Compared to weed barriers or chemical sprays, installing or replenishing mulch in your flower beds is a healthier way to prevent weeds while providing essential protection for your vulnerable plants. It also retains moisture for your plants that will be well-received in drought conditions.
Fertilize Flower Beds
Make sure your flowers have enough nutrients to feast upon by fertilizing your flower beds. Fertilizers should be added after new growth is observed, but not when there is still a significant risk of snow. For the Kansas City metropolitan areas (zone 6b), mid-March would be your safest bet for fertilizing. Fertilize your beds when the soil is moist, such as right after a light rain, and during the cooler hours of the day.
Plant Seasonal Flowers
If you’re starting your flower bed from scratch this year, you can start gathering flowers before spring arrives. Kansas City has a wide variety of local nurseries and plant shops that carry ready-to-plant spring plants. You can also start from seeds, although that will take much longer. Before flowers bloom.
Lawn care in spring is crucial to ensure you have a lush, green lawn once the temperature warms up. Photo: Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping
Lawn Care Checklist
The perfect, lush lawn takes love and diligence. We recommend working with a lawn care professional for your ongoing service needs. However, if you’d rather perform the pre-spring checkup yourself, here are the basic tasks you should cover.
Seed Bare Patches
Nobody likes a spotty, bald lawn. That’s why you should seed any bare patches once you notice the unevenness in your lawn. There are many brands of pre-mixed repair packages that already come with seeds, fertilizer, and mulch.
Note: Be careful applying any pre-emergents in areas with new seed as it will counter act your efforts.
Mow Down the Grass to Approx. 3 Inches
Mowing your grass down can stimulate healthy root growth, and in-return keeps your lawn greener. It also prevents the grass from shading the soil, which can lead to more aggressive weed growth.
Fertilize Your Lawn
Avoid fertilizing and seeding at the same time. Instead, the best time to fertilize your lawn is determined by the type of grass you have. Kansas City’s weather allows a variety of cool- and warm-weather grass to grow. A fail-safe rule is to fertilize lightly in early spring.
When the weather isn’t suitable for softscape landscaping, it’s often a good chance to work on your hardscape projects. And what’s a better place to start than thoroughly inspecting your existing structures? In this winter hardscape maintenance guide, we’ve listed out the things to look out for on your patios, pools, and decks so you can catch problems early for repairs.
Our team often works on patio construction projects during winter when softscape work is not feasible.
Maintenance Checklist for Patios
What about your patios? Whether they serve as an outdoor kitchen or just a place to hang out and chill, patios often take a lot of wear and tear throughout the year. Here are what to look for when you check your patio for maintenance needs:
Pavers: Check your pavers for cracks and discoloration.
Flooring: If you have a wood patio, check for squeaking floors and loose boards.
Furniture: Look for damage on any patio/porch furniture.
Structure: Inspect the woodwork around your patio for signs of structural damage. This is best done by a pro.
Drainage: Have a pro inspect the drainage system at least once a year.
Roof: Hire a roofer to inspect your patio roof for any damage.
Winter Patio Maintenance You Can Do Yourself
While more in-depth maintenance and repair should always be done by an outdoor structure contractor, you may consider doing some of the easier tasks yourself:
Sweeping and Cleaning: First, sweep and clean your patio of all leaves and debris. Then you can hose-clean or pressure-clean your patio yourself. However, if your patio needs resealing, it’s best to hire a professional.
Gutter cleaning: If you feel comfortable working at heights, it’s not too hard to clean the gutters yourself. However, a pro can tell you if anything is wrong or needs repairs.
Covering up the furniture: While you don’t always have to move patio furniture indoors during winter, you should cover it up with weather-proof tarps for protection.
Repainting: If your patio has painted areas, you can repaint any discoloration or chipped paint yourself.
Maintenance Checklist for Pools
While most maintenance work for swimming pools should happen weekly and monthly, it doesn’t hurt to do more in-depth examinations during the winter season. Also, winter is the perfect time to revamp or build a new inground pool if that’s been on your mind for a while.
Pool Deck: Look for significant damage like missing pavers, cracked surfaces, broken stones, etc.
Pool Basin: Looking for cracks, dents, failing surface finishing, and other signs of major issues.
Water Features: If your pool comes with fixtures like fire bowls, inspect them to make sure they are functioning properly.
Mechanics: Have a contractor check your water pump and other mechanics.
Filter: Check your chemical filters and add new ones, especially if you haven’t done so during pool seasons.
Winter Pool Maintenance You Can Do Yourself
While swimming pool maintenance can be labor-intensive, you could opt for doing it yourself if you are comfortable with the work:
Cleaning: Before you put your pool back into use, thoroughly clean and disinfect it.
Check water balance: Ensure the pH and other water parameters are within proper ranges.
Put in new filters: If you didn’t do that in the winter, you’ll likely want new filters before the weather warms up again.
Cover up: Cover your pool and any decorative water features not in use to protect them through winter.
Our team often builds decks and other hardscape during the winter.
Maintenance Checklist for Decks
Look for clear signs of damage on your decks, including broken pavers, cracked wood and beams, obvious leaning and tilting, etc. If your deck is properly sealed, you likely only need to do a quick cleaning before spring comes. Every 2 to 3 years, you should hire someone to reseal your decks. You should also check your deck drainage system to make sure it is functioning properly before the spring rain season. If your deck includes an outdoor kitchen, you might want to have all the equipment inspected before putting it back to use in the Spring.
A newly constructed retaining wall by Royal Creations Architectural Landscape in 2026 Winter
Maintenance Checklist for Retaining Walls and Pathways
Retaining walls and pathways are both essential elements in your landscape, offering structural and aesthetic values.
For retaining wall maintenance, look for clear signs of soil movement and physical damage to the wall. Check for missing rocks, chipped surfaces, and any clear signs of leaning and erosion.
For pathway maintenance, first confirm you don’t need to reseal your pathway. Then, look for fading and discoloration, lost sand between pavers, and surface damage. If everything looks normal, you may only need to do a thorough cleaning of your pathway before the spring.
Should I schedule hardscape construction in the winter?
Contrary to popular belief, winter is actually a great time for hardscape construction in Kansas City and around. As long as the weather permits, you can easily work on new construction or upgrade existing outdoor structures. If you can get everything done during winter, you’d be able to enjoy your outdoors to its fullest once the weather warms up.
Shrubs come and shrubs go, except for the hardy ones. Hardy bushes are amazing landscaping elements for most homes in Kansas City since many of them are evergreen. Others present different visual elements throughout the year, transitioning from lively shrubs to colorful blooms. If you’re considering adding some hardy bushes to your landscaping, here are our top 8 favorites to choose from.
What are Hardy Bushes
Most hardy shrubs are perennials, but not all perennials are equally hardy. Hardy bushes are known for their resilience against temperature and weather conditions, and are generally low-maintenance.
Kansas City’s weather has two extremes: high temperatures during the summer, accompanied by excessive storms, and low temperatures during the winter, with or without snow. This type of weather poses significant threats to your plants.
With hardy bushes, you can ensure your landscape is never completely bare and lifeless, even during the highest heat or the freezing winter.
How to Choose Hardy Bushes for Landscaping
Hardy bushes come in various sizes, shapes and colors. Some are early blooming perennials, others may change color drastically throughout the year. To choose the best species for hardy bush landscaping, consider the following elements:
Mature size: Some hardy bushes can expand rapidly, making them less suitable for those with a small backyard.
Height and shape: The bush’s height and shape determine where it fits best in your landscape. Taller bushes can be used as edging or separators, and lower bushes can be used as accents under larger trees or along water features.
Texture: Some hardy bushes have a rigid, hard texture, whereas others may look smoother.
Growth Habits: Some bushes may take a longer time to mature. They also have specific temperature requirements to reach their prime.
Colors: Some bushes change colors throughout the year, while others may remain green. You should also be mindful of their flower color to create the most harmonious landscaping in your yard.
What is Kansas City’s Hardiness Zone?
The USDA Hardiness Zone System categorizes different regions according to their average annual minimum temperatures. This zoning helps you identify what plants will thrive in your area.
Kansas City is in hardiness zone 6a, with an annual minimum average of -10°F to -5°F. In the zoning system, the smaller the number, the harsher the condition. Therefore, any plants that can survive a hardy zone of 6 or below will do well in Kansas City.
Boxwoods
Boxwoods are a staple in the landscaping industry and are the number one selling plant for landscapes. Originally from Europe and Asia, many varieties of these shrubs are available. They are all evergreen and grow into a dense, thick shrubs. Our favorite varieties are Green Velvet and Graham Blandy. Both are very hardy, especially when established. The first winter is the most challenging, so make sure they are watered correctly. As a bonus, they are deer resistant.
Green Velvet
Green velvet boxwoods are low, round shrubs great for small hedges. The dark green leaves hold their color all year. In the spring, light green foliage and white flowers make an appearance. These naturally rounded shrubs can be pruned into any shape you want.
Graham Blandy
Graham Blandy boxwoods are tall, skinny-shaped evergreen shrubs that are great for flanking entryways or for screening air conditioners and meters. They are a wonderful accent shrub in the landscape to create some height in tight spaces.
Fine Line Buckthorn
Fine Line Buckthorn is a great woody shrub for entryways and screening meters or air conditioners or even summer privacy around the pool. It is deciduous, so it will lose its leaves in the fall. However, buckthorns have a light, airy texture and are a little bit softer than boxwood. They are also less maintenance than tall boxwoods. The leaves become yellow in the fall before dropping off for the winter.
Spirea
These super-hardy shrubs are great for bringing interest to a spot in your landscape. They are rounded and have very nice flowers. Spirea is deciduous, so it will lose its leaves in the fall. Their flowers attract bees and butterflies. Our two favorite varieties are the Double Play Doozie and the Gold Flame.
Double Play Doozie
This modern cultivation is a showstopper at all seasons and can thrive from Zone 3 to 8. Its deep red foliage emerges in early spring, and flowers begin to form in late spring. The flowers vary from deep red, bright magenta, to violet-pink and glowing purple. Since the Double Play Doozie is seedless, all its energy is directed towards flowering throughout the year.
Gold Flame
The leaves of gold flame spirea are bronze-tipped in the spring, then turn yellow-green, and then turn red in the fall. Clusters of red flowers appear in the summer. Gold flame is a super hardy shrub.
Butterfly Bush
Butterfly bush is a deciduous shrub with long, narrow, sage-green leaves and numerous flowers. The colorful, cone-shaped flowers bloom in the summer, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies in swarms. Butterfly bushes come in many colors, from pinks and purples to dark purple.
Our two favorite variations are:
Pugster Butterfly Bush: known as the bluest blue of all butterfly bushes and comes with a honey-like scent; suitable for hardiness zone 5-9.
Miss Molly: the closest to red of any butterfly bush; a fun summer shrub that looks good in any landscape.
Hydrangea comes in various sizes and styles and is loved by many for its wide variety and rich, abundant appearance. Most hydrangeas can thrive in hardy zones 5 and 6, with some varieties that can survive temperatures as low as zone 3. Hydrangea flower’s colors vary depending on the soil’s acidic level.
Hydrangea macrophylla Let’s Dance Blue Jangles
Let’s Dance Blue Jangles is a medium-sized shrub. The color of the flowers can go from solid green to fuchsia to pink-lime to violet blue. When people mention hydrangeas, this is usually the type they are referring to. These yield lasting summer blooms and rich foliage.
Hydrangea quercifolia Alice
Hydrangea quercifolia, commonly called oakleaf hydrangea, features an upright form with broad-rounded, suckering, and multi-stemmed shrubs. They typically grow between 4 and 6 feet tall, although some may grow up to 8 feet tall under the right conditions. Most Alice varieties grow around 5 to 6 feet and bloom white flowers in summer.
Hydrangea paniculata QuickFire
Paniculata hydrangeas are the hardiest and can thrive even in hardy zone 3. These hydrangeas have arching upright branches topped with large, cone-shaped flower heads. Paniculata hydrangeas like full sun, well-draining soil, and are very low maintenance. The blooms start off creamy white in early summer and gradually turn into different shades of pink or pomegranate red.
Photo: Chic Charlie Photography
Dogwood
Dogwood is generally hardy and the many species of dogwood’s hardiness varies from zone 2 to zone 10.
Flowering Dogwood
Flowering dogwood is one of the most common flowering trees in Kansas City. They are typically between 15 and 30 feet tall with pointy petals that are white or pink. Flowering dogwood thrives in zone 5 or higher.
Red Twig Dogwood
Officially known as “Cornus Arctic Fire,” the red twig dogwood is one of the hardiest dogwood variants and can thrive in hardiness zones 3 and above. Red Twig Dogwood is loved for its dark red stems, which truly look like burning flames, especially one your yard is covered with snow.
Crape Myrtle
Crape myrtles come in various heights. In the south, they can grow even bigger, as you see in the image above. In Kansas City, they tend to stay under 8’-10’ because of our colder climate. Crape myrtles leaf out in late May or June and have bright flowers in pinks, purples, and reds. They shed their thin gray bark, which adds texture and interest to your landscape. Crape myrtles often have multiple trunks.
Do not give up on your crape myrtle plants in early spring, as they often don’t come out until late. Water them deep in the fall and protect them in the winter, and they will be a hardy showstopper in your garden. They are also great substitutions for roses if your roses tend to suffer from pests and diseases.
Ninebark
Ninebark has a nice, rounded form with small white flowers that appear in clusters in the late spring. After the flowers, red capsules appear, which turn brown in the fall and remain throughout the winter. Ninebarks have green leaves with red highlights. The leaves turn yellow in the fall. The bark of the ninebark peels off, showing layers of bark that are reddish to light brown, increasing the shrub’s interest. Our favorite varieties are Amber Jubilee and Coppertina.
Amber Jubilee
The leaves are red to purple when they grow in the spring. In the fall, the leaves turn yellow, orange, purple, or red before falling off for the winter. The flowers are white with yellow centers. Amber Jubilee was named to honor Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee.
Coppertina
Coppertina has copper-orange leaves with soft pink flowers. This shrub makes a dramatic specimen or an excellent hedge. Coppertina is drought-resistant once established. This is a good shrub for problematic areas in the landscape..
Outdoor lighting can significantly improve the aesthetics and safety of your backyard, making the outdoors more accessible during the dark hours while keeping your home a beautiful sight even when nobody is around. Here are 12 great backyard and patio lighting ideas for Kansas City homes.
1. Free Standing Solar Light Posts
Free-standing solar light posts are one of the easiest outdoor lighting options anybody can DIY in their backyard. They come in various designs and heights, with most models varying from $70 to $300. Some higher-end wrought iron light posts may cost over $500 per post.
Most solar light posts come with a stake that goes into the soil. Others might come with a weighted, enlarged bottom so they can sit directly on your patio.
2. Bistro Lights
Bistro lights have become increasingly popular, especially among younger homeowners. The French bistro atmosphere adds a hint of foreign romance to any property, whereas the industrial-style bistro lights resonate with Kansas City’s profound industrial history.
Plug-in or battery-powered bistro lights can be installed on patios, using exterior outlets as direct power. Solar-powered bistro lights can be dangled above pathways to provide more sophisticated overhead lighting than traditional options.
3. Lighting Along Pathways
Regardless of what type of pathways you have, adding lighting along your walking paths is always a good investment. For walkways leading up to the house, opt for classic, bold, and significant designs to improve your curb appeal. Meanwhile, you can choose more creative options in the backyard to complement the surrounding landscape.
4. Fairy String Lights
Who says string lights are for holidays only? Neutral color string lights can be used year-round as decorative accents inside tree crowns or wrapped around patio and stair railings. Thin string lights are also one of the most affordable patio lighting options, costing less than $20 for a 4-pack of 130-foot, solar-powered lights.
5. Chief’s or Royal’s Themed Lights
Kansas City loves its sports, and red and blue color-ed lights are not the hardest to find. Get some colored lights, plus a decent lighted sign for your favorite team, and voila! Now you can showcase your love for sports in your backyard.
6. Color-Changing Lights
Outdoor color-changing lights are perfect for setting the mood right, regardless of the season. We recommend using low-voltage outdoor lighting with automated color-changing programming. Our favorite product is FX Luxor, which provides one of the widest ranges of color options using an RGBW LED color board.
If you only want to have the color-changing effect at certain spots, LED low-voltage bulbs are perfect for that. These are individual bulbs that can be programmed separately, allowing you to have different colors at different places in your backyard.
7. Starlight Projector
If you’re only looking for patio lighting for special occasions, a starlight projector is the perfect option. Some projectors can also serve as Bluetooth speakers. Imagine having a long week, then stretching out on the patio with your favorite movie soundtrack and stars floating around you: wouldn’t it be perfect?
8. Night Glow Pebbles
Glow-in-the-dark pebbles absorb sunlight during the day and glow at night. They come in different sizes and colors, and cost as little as $20 per 200-piece bundle. You can lay these pebbles into paver joints, or sprinkle them into the grass or in your flower beds. Most nightglow pebbles are made with resin. While they’re abrasive-proof enough for people to walk on them, they should not be mixed into a gravel driveway.
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9. Renaissance Style Lanterns
If you’re a fan of Tudors, Bridgerton, and other period historical dramas, Renaissance-style lanterns could be a wonderful addition to your backyard and patio. Most of these solar-powered lanterns can be mounted directly to exterior walls or fixtures. Some come with a sturdy chain that can be hung over strong tree branches or posts to be installed into the ground.
These lanterns usually feature a bronze or wrought iron finish and intricate embellishments. Some models use clear glass, whereas others use frosted glass for a gentler lighting effect.
10. Mushroom and Botanical-shaped Lights
Looking to make your backyard a bit more playful? Solar-powered lights come in various shapes nowadays, but mushroom lights are definitely one of the most popular designs. Common designs include frosted glass mushroom stumps and colorful amanitas. These lights work as path lights, but can also be scattered along bushes and flower beds.
11. Lighting Up Your Water Features
If you have water features in your backyard, lighting them up could bring a unique view at night. Some of the lighting options mentioned above, such as night glow pebbles, also work well in water features. Alternatively, you can hire a professional outdoor lighting company to install the right type of lighting for your waterfall or backyard pond.
12. Lanterns With Cutout Patterns
Instead of a glass or open design, these lanterns are enclosed by metal panels with cutout patterns. When light shines through these panels, they cast the geometric shape or decorative design onto their surroundings. These lanterns are primarily decorative and should be used in areas without too much foot traffic because the shadows they cast can sometimes make it harder to see your surroundings.
After you’ve fertilized your newly seeded lawn, watering is the next step to ensure proper grass growth. Overwatering can drown or wash away your new seeds, whereas under-watering can kill the seeds in drought, especially with Kansas City’s heat. This article will tell you how often you should water a newly seeded lawn, a reseeded path, or an overseeded lawn, how long to water each time, and the factors that may affect your watering schedule.
How Often Should I Water Grass Seeds?
Generally speaking, you should water new grass seeds two to four times a day during the germination period, and once a day after germination until the grass has sprouted.
Once the grass has sprouted, you need to adjust your watering schedule accordingly:
Weeks 1-2: once a day with a 1.5-inch soil moisture depth.
Weeks 3-4: once a day, with an additional watering during hot and dry days.
Weeks 5-6: Give your seeded area a 40-minute soak every other day, then 2 to 3 times a week.
Weeks 7-8: 1 to 1.5 inches of water once or twice a week
The best time to water a newly seeded lawn is early morning. The cooler temperature allows moisture to penetrate the soil before evaporating. Water again in late afternoon or early evening.
How Long Should I Water Each Time?
If this is your first time watering the seeds, water for 5 to 10 minutes, then switch to a mist nozzle to prevent washing seeds away. Afterward, aim to keep the top 1.5 inches of your lawn moist via manual watering using a garden hose.
Factors Affecting the Watering Schedule
The watering schedule for a newly seeded lawn depends on the following factors:
Size of the lawn: The size of your lawn can affect your watering frequency. For larger lawns, you may want to break it into smaller sections and develop a rotating watering schedule.
Type of grass: Cool-season grass requires more watering during hot weather. Warm-season grass needs less water in the fall as they enter dormancy.
Soil quality: If your soil doesn’t have the best drainage, you will water less.
Climate: Kansas City’s heat waves can arrive early and unexpectedly. During high heat periods, you might need to water a little extra to protect your new grass.
How to Water an Overseeded Lawn
Overseeding is a common method used to increase the grass density for an existing patch by planting new seeds on an established turf. When watering an overseeded lawn, ensure the topsoil is moist enough for the seeds to germinate, while also providing the established grass with sufficient water.
For the topsoil, gently water twice a day for 5 to 10 minutes each time. Then, deep water once a week to ensure the existing turf gets enough water.
How Often Should I Water a Reseeded Bare Patch
Water the reseeded patch two to four times a day with one-eighth to a quarter inch of water until germination. Then, slowly reduce the watering frequency. Don’t forget to water the rest of the lawn following your regular schedule.
How Often Should I Water a Newly Seeded Lawn
Water the lawn two to four times a day, 5 to 10 minutes each time. Continue with this schedule until the seeds germinate, then reduce watering to ensure a 1.5-inch moisture depth.
With proper watering, your seeds can begin to grow in 10 to 14 days. Some grasses may take longer to germinate, ranging from 14 to 21 days.
