What is involved in spring lawn care?
Part of spring lawn care involves clearing away the ravages of winter. Equipped with your rake and pruning shears, take an exploratory stroll around the property. Look closely for any plants that didn’t survive. Prune damaged or dead branches from trees and bushes, and remove twigs or leaves you find lingering on the grass.
What are the best tips for spring lawn care?
Yard cleanup Part of spring lawn care involves clearing away the ravages of winter. Equipped with your rake and pruning shears, take an exploratory stroll around the property. Look closely for any plants that didn’t survive. Prune damaged or dead branches from trees and bushes, and remove twigs or leaves you find lingering on the grass.
When is the best time of year to treat your lawn?
It all starts with a great spring lawn care plan. Spring is the best time of year to treat your lawn with pre-emergent weed control. Pre-emergent is designed for application before the targeted weed germinates in your lawn, and it is an effective preventative method for controlling annual grassy weeds.
Is your lawn ready for spring lawn care?
Spring is the time to get your lawn in optimal shape and ready for the summer season. Early spring lawn care ensures a fresh-looking, healthy lawn for the summer months and a lush and green lawn you can enjoy during the nice weather.
What should you treat your lawn with in the spring?
Apply grass fertilizer for spring roughly three weeks after grass starts greening (that usually corresponds to the time following two or three mowings). Apply lawn fertilizer for spring too early and you risk feeding weeds and creating fertilizer runoff.
What should I do to my lawn in early spring?
Early SpringEarly Spring. Tune up your mower. ... Clean up. Walk around and pick up twigs, branches, and any trash that winter (or the kids) tossed onto your lawn. ... Repair bare spots. ... Wipe out dandelions. ... *don't apply to newly seeded areas until after the 4th mowing; wait 4 months to plants seeds after applying.
What should I put on my lawn in April?
LawnsLightly fertilize all cool-season lawn grasses (such as fescue and bluegrass). ... Begin post emergent weed control.Apply pre-emergent herbicide or corn gluten to prevent crabgrass and other annual weeds.Top-dress lawns and patch bare spots.Lawns will be very soggy, so treat them gently and avoid too much traffic.More items...
What is the best fertilizer for early spring?
Best Lawn Fertilizer for Early SpringNitrogen helps with the production of chlorophyll, a chemical needed for photosynthesis. (This element often requires the highest volume for your lawn.)Phosphorus helps your lawn develop healthy roots and stems. ... Potassium helps your lawn resist drought and disease.
When should you start treating your lawn?
The best time to prepare your lawn is in the late fall just before it goes dormant for the winter. If you treated your grass properly during the fall, it has had all winter to germinate and prepare itself to grow heartily as soon as the temperatures begin to rise.
Should you fertilize lawn in spring?
Most people apply a dose of lawn fertilizer in the spring, followed by one or two more applications during the growing season. If you are going to fertilize your lawn, do not do it too early in the season. The best time for that first application is late spring, just as the green grass is beginning to grow eagerly.
When should I apply 10 10 10 fertilizer to my lawn?
Apply the first dose in early spring when you see the first new growth. Add new doses at 30-day intervals. You may choose to add one fall dose if the growth is particularly slow. For ornamentals and other plants requiring a balanced NPK fertilizer, add the first dose in early spring after the risk of frost has passed.
What are the numbers for spring fertilizer?
In the spring, apply a 20-5-10 fertilizer mix. Be careful not to apply to early as fertilizer can easily burn vulnerable grass. Keep in mind that there are other things you can do before it's time to fertilize. In late May or early June, before the heat of the summer arrives, apply some slow release nitrogen.
What to do when your lawn is bare?
Overseeding is the process of sowing seed over existing grass. Apply a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer (starter fertilizer) when you overseed.
Why is aerating the lawn in spring not recommended?
Generally, though, spring aerating is discouraged because the aeration holes provide a perfect spot for weed seeds to germinate. Lawn weeds (especially crabgrass) are the first seeds to germinate in the spring, and aerating the lawn stirs them up and gives them an ideal home.
What does spring mean on a lawn mower?
Spring also means it's time to get out the lawn mower and give it a once over. Start it up; stubborn start-ups are a sign that it might be due for a tune-up. Give your mower a tune-up once a year. In three easy steps, you can get your mower back in tip-top shape.
What to do if your lawn mower needs a tune up?
If your lawnmower needs more than a tune-up, then consider getting a new one . Among the key tune-up tasks is sharpening the mower blade. A regular sharpening will ensure the blade severs, rather than tears, the grass plants, leading to a nice green lawn rather than one with ragged brown tips.
Why is my lawn getting compacted?
If your lawn gets heavy traffic, such as lots of running and playing in the same spot, this can cause soil compaction. If you see moss, which thrives on compacted soil, you can get rid of it, but you need to look deeper into its root cause. In this case, it's usually compacted soil that needs aeration .
How long after grass sprouts can you fertilize?
Five weeks after the grass germinates and sprouts, you can begin a normal fertilization routing using quick-release nitrogen fertilizer. It is possible to apply seed only to the visible bare patches, but it is also quite common to overseed the entire lawn to ensure that the lawn remains thick and healthy.
When should I fertilize my lawn?
However, many experts recommend a lighter feeding in spring and a heavier one in late fall for cool-season grasses. Too much fertilizer in spring can lead to disease and weed problems. And, if you fertilized in late fall, then your lawn still has fertilizer to feed on in spring. The Spruce / David Karoki.
What is the best time to take care of a lawn in spring?
Early spring lawn care ensures a fresh-looking, healthy lawn for the summer months and a lush and green lawn you can enjoy during the nice weather. As the growing season begins, your grass will be in prime condition to thrive come spring – if taken care of properly with correct spring lawn maintenance. When it comes to early spring lawn care, you ...
Why is spring the best time to care for lawns?
That could be a sign of lawn disease. That’s why spring is the perfect time to focus on preventing lawn disease and keeping your grass healthy. Proper lawn disease prevention can rejuvenate your yard. Our Lawn Maintainer Care program will help prevent lawn disease and lawn pests throughout the year.
What is grass cycle?
Grass-cycling is the process of leaving grass clippings on the lawn. Instead of bagging the clippings, let them spread out on your lawn to recycle grass elements back into the soil and to help your lawn retain more water. This process can help give your yard a boost at the beginning of the spring season.
Why choose a lawn doctor?
Why Choose Lawn Doctor? Spring is the time to get your lawn in optimal shape and ready for the summer season. Early spring lawn care ensures a fresh-looking, healthy lawn for the summer months and a lush and green lawn you can enjoy during the nice weather.
How does soil enrichment help your lawn?
Soil enrichment can also reduce damaging salts from the root zone and improve soil aeration. #9: Watch your thatch level. When soil becomes compacted over time, it restricts the grass’s access to vital nutrients and makes it difficult for the soil to absorb water. Your lawn can also accumulate thatch.
Why fertilize in spring?
Spring fertilization helps your lawn replenish and build a robust root system. The right time to apply fertilizer and the right type of fertilizer to use both depend on where you live and what the growing conditions are like, so be sure to follow the directions carefully.
Can snow be left on lawn?
Wind, rain, and snow can leave de bris on your lawn. In addition, the snow can hide some of the debris until spring.
What to do with lawn in spring?
Part of spring lawn care involves clearing away the ravages of winter. Equipped with your rake and pruning shears, take an exploratory stroll around the property. Look closely for any plants that didn’t survive. Prune damaged or dead branches from trees and bushes, and remove twigs or leaves you find lingering on the grass.
How to dethatch dead grass?
Dethatch the lawn by giving it a good once-over, using either a lawn rake with stiff tines or a special dethatching rake ( view on Amazon ).
Is it important to cut corners in spring?
All are important. Remember that cutting corners now could mean that at the peak of summer, you’ll be spending your weekends making up for spring lawn care oversights. In other words, it’s in your best interest to act now.
When is spring lawn care?
Spring Lawn Care & Maintenance For March, April and May. Spring is an important season in the lawn care calendar. At this time of year, your lawn will need extra care and attention to help it recover from the rigours of winter. Feeding, removing moss and regular mowing will create a lush, healthy lawn heading into the summer.
How long does it take to do lawn care in spring?
The Lawn Care Treatments For Spring. Understand that (depending on the weather) you’ll normally have a good 8-10 weeks to complete all of these jobs so don’t be in a rush to do them all at once. You might not even need to do all of the jobs on this list.
How to help grass grow back after a weed problem?
If you don’t overseed, you’ll leave bare patches in your lawn for weed seeds to settle and germinate. Often replacing a moss, thatch or compaction problem with a weed problem.
How long does it take for moss to kill grass?
However, for most of us, there will be at least some moss to get rid of. Apply your chosen moss killer and wait for a good 7-10 days while it gets to work. You’ll see the moss turn black as dies off.
Why is spring important for lawns?
As I mentioned, spring is an important season for lawns. There’s quite a bit of work to do in order to to help it recover from the cold temperatures of winter. The work you do now will also prepare it for a different kind of stress that comes with the summer. And again, there’s no need to rush.
Why is it important to feed your lawn?
Feeding your lawn is essential to replace these nutrients as they help with root establishment and growth. Without them, your grass won’t be as healthy as it should be which could lead to problems in the hotter, dryer summer months. It also won’t look as good as it could.
When is the best time to take care of a lawn?
Spring is an important season in the lawn care calendar. At this time of year, your lawn will need extra care and attention to help it recover from the rigours of winter. Feeding, removing moss and regular mowing will create a lush, healthy lawn heading into the summer.
1. Wake The Lawn Up
I like to wake the lawn up from winter by doing a light raking to the lawn and then running the lawn mower over the lawn on a lower setting than normal to cut off some of the brown tips from the grass from the cold winter weather.
Pre-Spring (AKA Winter)
During the winter while your lawn is dormant don’t fertilize, dethatch, or put down pre-emergents on the lawn – your lawn isn’t ready for these things unless you live in a very warm southern or coastal climate where your grass never goes dormant.
Mid-Spring – Mid April to Late May
This is the time to apply products like Sea Kelp for the purpose of stimulating new and deeper root growth before the heat of the summer arrives.
Late Spring – End of May to Early June
Apply a grub worm preventative like Scotts GrubEx. This will prevent grub damage to grass root systems later in the summer and early fall and will discourage burrowing animals such as moles who sometimes enter yard space to eat the grubs living under the soil surface.
Basic Spring Maintenance
Each of these topics will be discussed at length in future posts here on the site and in videos over on the Turf Mechanic YouTube channel.
Lead Up to Summer
Plan for a smaller fertilizer application in late Spring instead of mid summer.
Spring Lawn Cleanup
It may not be a lot of fun, but spring lawn maintenance requires a few hours of spring lawn cleanup. It’s tempting to get started on the first sunny day, but it’s critical to wait until the ground is dry or you may compact the soil and damage the tender roots.
How to Care For Spring Lawns
With a few spring lawn care tips, you can have the yard you’ve always dreamed of.
Rake the Yard
Avoid walking or working on your lawn until after the spring thaw, to prevent damaging the grass.
Aerate the Soil
Another way to reduce thatch and the effects of compacted soil is to use a core aerator, which removes plugs of soil so more air, water and nutrients can reach the grassroots.
Fertilize the Grass
Apply spring fertilizer about three weeks after the grass starts greening or following the first two or three mowings. Apply too early and you risk feeding weeds and creating fertilizer runoff.
Seed and Lime the Lawn as Needed
Plant grass seed in bare spots in your lawn or wherever growth is sparse. Consider seeding while applying a slow release nitrogen fertilizer. Early spring and fall are ideal times for reseeding.
Water the Lawn
Spring irrigation varies by region. In general, grass needs an inch of water per week, whether from rain or a spring lawn care routine with a garden hose, sprinkler or irrigation system.
Mowing and Lawn Care Tips
Before mowing in spring, inspect your lawn mower and perform any necessary maintenance, such as changing the oil or spark plugs. Make sure your lawn mower blade is sharp to guarantee a clean cut. Be safe, and always remove the spark plugs before doing any work on your lawn mower.
Dispose of Lawn Clippings as Needed
It's acceptable to leave grass clippings on your lawn unless they begin to form a thick thatch layer. Then remove the clippings and dethatch your lawn as needed.
Dethatching
Soil Testing
- To grow grass successfully, you need the right soil. Most varieties thrive in conditions that are neither acidic nor alkaline. Methods exist to raise or lower soil pH, but you’ve got to know what you’re dealing with. Purchase a soil test kit for around $10 from your neighborhood garden store, or send a soil sample to your local extension office.
Yard Cleanup
- Part of spring lawn care involves clearing away the ravages of winter. Equipped with your rakeand pruning shears, take an exploratory stroll around the property. Look closely for any plants that didn’t survive. Prune damaged or dead branches from trees and bushes, and remove twigs or leaves you find lingering on the grass.
Aeration
- In high-traffic areas, the soil beneath grass gradually becomes compacted and inhospitable to grass roots. Aeration reverses the damage done. Here, using a specialized tool (view on Amazon), wine cork-size plugs are drawn out of the lawn surface, giving roots room to spread and allowing air, nutrients, and moisture to penetrate the soil.
Weed Treatment
- Weed control ranks high among spring lawn-care priorities: If you don’t act against weeds now, before they emerge, you’ll spend the summer battling them—and it’s not a fight you’re liable to win. Prevent weeds from even sprouting by applying a pre-emergent herbicide or explore alternative treatments free of harmful chemicals.
Seeding
- On any bare patches of ground, skip the herbicide and opt instead for grass seed. Be aware, however, that if you’re planting grass in the spring, it’s going to need lots of TLC during the hot summer months—that is, consistent watering and regular weeding—and you’ll most likely have to seed again in the fall.
Equipment Maintenance
- Before the lawn season gets into full swing, inspect all your outdoor tools, including the mower. If necessary, take the machine in for service or give it a tune-up yourself: change the oil, install new spark plugs, and replace the air filter. Also, make sure to have fuel on hand in preparation for the first grass-cutting of the year.