You stand there, staring into the cold eyes of your adversary. For months they have been taunting you and now, in their fall from grace, they attempt to deny their fate. You approach your foe with a renewed confidence- the last snowman of winter. You watch as he slowly melts away and imagine hearing its silent screams. With its last moments, it defiantly raises its arm/branch and flips you the bird before fading away.

Folks, welcome to Spring!

Okay so it was a little over dramatic, but you try growing up with Winters where your nostrils stick together every time you breathe. Love it or hate it, Winter is gone and Spring is here. It’s a season of new beginnings and with that, new projects. Why not get them started the right way, with the right apps on your BlackBerry? The sooner you tackle them, the sooner you can enjoy Spring before Summer comes along.

How does your garden grow?

Now that your lawn isn’t covered by a few feet of snow anymore, it’s time to make it look beautiful again. If you’re looking for more functionality out of your garden, you may want to look at growing a fruit or vegetable garden. Back in Ontario, my Mom has both and she’s pretty proud of each of them. Growing up, it was pretty easy to run outside and pick out tomatoes, rhubarb, cucumber or anything else she was growing. It sure beat running all the way down to the market. Instead of asking my Mom what her gardening secrets are, I can pick up the Sierra Club: The Earth Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards.

This application is a collection of information on gardens presented in a quiz type format. As you answer questions, you’ll gain knowledge as to what type of plants to work with, their benefits and more. Do you think a garden full of Venus Fly Traps is a good idea? I think I’ll name one Audrey II. Sierra Club: The Earth Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards app is available for $4.99.

Let's talk lawn

Sometimes you may find that your garden may spill over into your lawn. All those pretty yellow flowers...hey wait a minute! Those are dandelions! To most, maintaining a lawn is just as important as maintaining a home. Whether it’s a regular trim each week or even a carefully calculated fertilizer distribution strategy, you want to make sure the grass is always greener on your side. The University of Georgia came up with the Turfgrass Management application to help you out, regardless if you are managing a golf course, a landscaping business or even a lawn no bigger than a parking space. You’ll have access to a wealth of knowledge on growth regulators, insecticides, as well as images and recommendations. I couldn’t find any information on pink flamingos, but I would recommend against them. Turfgrass Management is free, but there is an annual subscription of $19.99.

There’s no place like home

With the change of seasons, typically changes come around the house. Ideas of renovations, repairs and redecorating begin to come to life. In other words, prepare for another long day in Ikea. Before you start blindly tearing down walls, you may want to make sure you plan and prepare. Buying too much material is costly, while buying less material than you need, forces you to cut corners or drive to the store. Home Improvement Calculator will help you estimate what you need with greater accuracy. You can calculate how many tiles you need for a room, how much paint to cover a wall or even how much gravel for a path. Too bad it won’t tell you how many beers it’ll take to get your friend to help you. Home Improvement Calculator is $4.99.

Did your neighbor ‘borrow’ your level and ‘forget’ to give it back? If you’re in a pinch, you can turn your Storm into a level. I know there are a fair number of level apps out there (free or otherwise), but this one stood out to me. The Level and Ruler application offers its assistance as, you guessed it, a level and a ruler. On your screen, you’ll have access to horizontal and vertical levels, angle indicators and two rulers (inches and centimeters). Level and Ruler is available for $3.99.

I can’t wait for our son to be old enough to hold the flashlight while I’m working. It’s a precious bonding moment between parent and child, as long as they shine it in the right frikkin place! BerryTorch illuminates the darkness as one of the many flashlight apps available. It uses both the backlight and LED to light the way. The problem is, some kids have enough trouble focusing. Give them a BlackBerry as a flashlight and they’ll become so enthralled in brick breaker that you’ll be working in the dark anyway. BerryTorch is free.

Clearing clutter (or adding to it)

Skis, boots and shovels; all are packed away as the seasons change. Lawn gnomes are dusted off, ready to be put back out. While you’re in your storage area, it’s a good time to figure out what you have. Star Home Inventory can be used as a detailed list of your household items. The application captures brand names, cost, store information and can categorize the items to suit your organizational habits. It’s much easier than venturing into that spooky, creepy attic to figure out what’s up there. Star Home Inventory costs $9.99.

Now if you’re looking to add to the chaos without costing a lot of money, you’re probably going to hit Craigslist. I mean, someone has to be selling a pink bearskin rug right? With the SearchCraig app, you can search for, and reply to, Craigslist postings. You can also look up the original post, should the need arise. SearchCraig is free.

No more cabin fever

You’ve been cooped up all winter basking “in television’s warm glowing warming glow“. Now it’s time to stretch your legs, step outside and add some colour to your sickly pale complexion. But how can you leave your tv behind? How can your trusted friend, who has been there for these cold winter months, be so easily abandoned? You won’t be left behind with the TiVo DVR Scheduler. You can program your shows and view channel listings wherever you have your BlackBerry. With multiple search options and categories, you can easily set it and forget it. TiVo DVR Scheduler is free.

Fore!

Once the ground has thawed (and it loses its rotten dog poo smell), it’s time to hit the links! Don’t forget to take your BlackBerry along. Just make sure the rest of your work is done before you play. Besides keeping in touch with the office and closing deals on the way, it should help you improve your game. Greenfinder Golf GPS is your ultimate rangefinder. While others may think you’re working on your BlackBerry while playing, you can view various distances – from hazards and shot distance, to numerous green distances; all from over 10 000 courses. Greenfinder Golf GPS requires an annual subscription of $39.99.

Alternatively, you can check out AccelGolf to be your caddy. The application functions as a scorecard for up to four players and can record stroke by stroke entry. It also works as a rangefinder and a leaderboard. You can log into the AccelGolf website for a more in depth analysis, so you can improve your game. The AccelGolf application is free.

As always, please leave your comments as to which of these apps you are using or would use. Or, maybe you can share an app that will help you in your own Spring cleanup.