CNBNews

By the time February arrives, it can seem like spring will never come. But, there is no time like the present to start planning lawn and landscape projects for backyarding.

The TurfMutt Foundation offers these suggestions to help you get a jumpstart on spring:

Map out a plan for improving your outdoor living room.
The family yard is an extension of the home, providing a place for families to gather and for kids and pets to play. More than three quarters of Americans who have a yard (76%) say the family yard space is one of the most important parts of their home, according to a recent poll commissioned by the TurfMutt Foundation and conducted online by The Harris Poll.

What would enhance this space for your family? An outdoor kitchen, firepit, pergola, and patio are bigger ticket items that you should start planning and saving for now. Enhanced landscaping is another alternative.
Determine which plants are best for your climate.
Selecting the right plants, trees and shrubs for your climate zone is important for keeping maintenance to a minimum and maximizing benefits to the environment and ecosystem. 
Check out the USDA’s plant hardiness zone map to determine which plants are most suitable for your area now to make shopping at your local nursery more productive this spring.
Take stock of your lawn and landscape tools.
Does your outdoor power equipment need to be serviced before the spring season? Or maybe you were living in an apartment and now need to purchase a lawnmower, edger or leaf blower for your home. Now’s a good time to take care of these tasks so you will be ready to roll come spring.  
Decide now if you need professional assistance.
You might be able to take on your outdoor living room improvement project on your own. But if you think you might need professional assistance, line up professionals and obtain bids. This will put you a step ahead of the spring rush!

For more tips, sign up for Mutt Mail, a monthly e-newsletter with backyarding ideas and all the news from the TurfMutt Foundation. To learn more about creating the yard of your dreams, visit TurfMutt.com.

About the TurfMutt Foundation
TurfMutt, which celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2024, was created by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s (OPEI) TurfMutt Foundation and has reached more than 70 million children, educators and families since 2009. Championed by Foundation spokesdog, Mulligan the TurfMutt, and through education partners such as Scholastic, Discovery and Weekly Reader, TurfMutt has taught students and teachers how to “save the planet, one yard at a time.” Today, TurfMutt is an official USGBC® Education Partner and part of their global LEARNING LAB. TurfMutt has been an education resource at the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Green Apple, the Center for Green Schools, the Outdoors Alliance for Kids, the National Energy Education Development (NEED) project, Climate Change Live, Petfinder and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2017, the TurfMutt animated video series won the coveted Cynopsis Kids Imagination Award for Best Interstitial Series. TurfMutt’s personal home habitat was featured in the 2017-2020 Wildlife Habitat Council calendars. In 2024, the Great Lawn at Louisville’s award-winning Waterfront Park on the Ohio River was renamed the TurfMutt Foundation Great Lawn as part of a $1 million sponsorship. More information at www.TurfMutt.com.