In most of North America, spring has sprung. The trees and flowers have awakened from their winter slumber and the grass is growing once again. After spending the chilly months inside, the gardener within us is thrilled to be outside, digging in the dirt, planting new seeds and soaking up the much needed fresh air and sunshine. Springtime is a time of new growth and renewal and, with some tender loving care, your yard and gardens will bless you with their beauty through the fall.

Healthy, flourishing lawns are best able to overcome weeds and resist pests and drought. Early spring feeding is one of the keys to healthy grass throughout spring and summer. Use a good lawn food and sprinkle it on after the growth has started. It is best to do this when the grass is dry; before springtime rain is ideal as the rain helps the nutrients wash down to the growing roots. Two or three days after lawn feeding, rake through the lawn taking care not to tear it and loosen up the thinning areas. These areas then need to be reseeded right away, as bare areas invite weeds. Regularly walk through your yard looking for signs of pest and disease and treat them immediately. As your lawn begins to grow, make sure to keep your mower blade sharp and mow high. This will help prevent injury to your lawn and keep it stronger and better able to ward off bugs and disease. For more lawn care ideas, please check out Backyard Gardener.com and Organic Lawn Care.

Spring bulbs are beginning to make an appearance. All the hard work digging and placing them in the ground last fall is now rewarding you with their beauty. Although bulbs are fairly low maintenance, some special care is needed to keep them coming back year after year and keep them looking beautiful. When the bulbs first begin to grow in the spring, they can benefit from a light application of a high-nitrogen fertilizer. As they are growing, keep them watered and remove the wilted blossoms from the tulips, daffodils and others larger bulbs as soon as they begin to fade. This will help keep the plants' energy focused on maintaining a strong bulb and also encourage it to produce offset bulbs under the ground. Allow smaller bulbs, such as muscari and hyacinth, to go to seed. This will help form larger and fuller drifts of the little flowers in the following years.

Whether the bulbs are small or large, resist the urge to remove the green leaves until they have completely died back. This is always a difficult one for me, as I want to immediately "clean up" my garden bed. However, I remind myself that it is important for the leaves to remain, as they are the source of nourishment for the bulbs, which are already preparing next year's flowers. The bulbs also need a little extra food for growth, so feed them with a complete fertilizer right after they have finished flowering. Once the foliage has turned yellow, they no longer need extra watering and should be allowed to dry out. For further help and information on spring bulbs, turn to Better Homes and Gardens: Gardening with Bulbs and Tulip World.

In most of North America, springtime is the ideal time to plant garden seeds. Once the danger of frost has passed, it is safe to put those tiny seeds into the soil. Planting in springtime gives them a full growing season to get their roots deep before winter arrives again. Prepare your soil first, adding extra nutrients as needed. When planting a garden, I find the results the most satisfying if I plant in succession. For example, I might plant two rows each of radishes, lettuce, spinach and peas. Then two weeks later I plant another two rows of each. This keeps my harvest spread throughout the summer, rather than giving me 600 radishes all at one time. Also, some vegetable such as peas and spinach prefer earlier planting times, as they do not do well in the heat of the summer. Other plants like summer squash, corn and tomatoes will grow quite well in the heat if given the proper water.

Once your garden is growing, spend an hour or two each week in upkeep. Fertilize, water and weed the plants to keep them healthy through their growing season. As the seedlings begin to grow, regularly thin them to the required amount to ward off over-crowding. Crowding weakens your plants and will invite bugs and disease into your garden, two things which are definitely unwanted in my own garden. Better Homes and Gardens and The Garden Web are two excellent sources for planting zones, care of individual vegetables and flowers and any other garden related questions you might have.

Springtime is a time of growth and renewal. After winter's long dreary days, the beauty of the green foliage and the colorful blossoms is a much anticipated time. Enjoy the growing season and make sure to take a little time to sniff the fragrant flowers and roll in the lush lawn with the kids and pets.

Lynette is a wife, stay at home mom to four, chef, taxi driver and computer techie wanna-be from the Pacific Northwest. Her husband is always trying to work on their backyard, but sadly it looks like the exact opposite of what you would want in your own lawn and garden.