Spring Landscaping Guide for Bend, Oregon

Spring in Bend arrives later than most people expect. While the calendar says March, Central Oregon's last frost typically falls in mid-May — and the soil stays cold well into April. Here's our month-by-month guide to getting your Bend landscape ready for the growing season.

March: Assess and Plan

March is the time to walk your property and assess winter damage. Look for frost-heaved pavers, broken irrigation heads, winter-killed plants, and areas where snow mold may have developed on your lawn.

This is also the ideal time to schedule spring services — aeration, fertilization, irrigation activation, and any hardscape repairs. Our schedule fills up fast in April and May.

April: Cleanup and Early Prep

Once temperatures are consistently above 40°F, it's safe to start spring cleanup. Remove dead plant material, rake out thatch, edge beds, and apply pre-emergent weed control before soil temperatures reach 55°F.

Hold off on planting annuals and tender perennials until after May 15th — Bend's average last frost date. Native and cold-hardy plants can go in earlier.

May: Full Spring Mode

May is the busiest month for Bend landscaping. Activate your irrigation system, aerate your lawn, apply spring fertilizer, and plant after May 15th. This is also the best time to install sod if you're starting a new lawn.

If you're planning a hardscape project (patio, retaining wall, walkway), May is a great time to get on our schedule for a summer installation.

Spring Landscaping Checklist

• Walk property and document winter damage
• Schedule spring irrigation activation (after last frost)
• Apply pre-emergent weed control (before soil hits 55°F)
• Spring cleanup: remove debris, edge beds, rake thatch
• Core aerate lawn (May–June)
• Apply spring fertilizer after aeration
• Plant after May 15th (last frost date)
• Inspect and repair hardscape (pavers, walls, walkways)
• Check and adjust irrigation heads