- Rake. Spring raking removes lingering fall leaves and grass blades that did not survive winter. ...
- Overseed. Fill bare or thin spots in the lawn by overseeding. ...
- Aerate. Vital for a truly healthy lawn, aeration is the solution for compacted soil. ...
- Dethatch. ...
- Weed. ...
- Fertilize. ...
- Water. ...
- Mow.
What are some tips for early spring lawn care?
Following are some tips for early spring lawn care: what you can do, and, most importantly, what you should wait to do. Remember, with all things gardening, patience is a virtue! Don’t rush onto your lawn. Wet soil and newly emerging grass plants do not mix well with foot traffic and lawn rakes!
What is the best time of year to fertilize lawn?
The best time for that first application is late spring, just as the green grass is beginning to grow eagerly. In early spring, the grass is putting energy into root development. If you apply fertilizer too early, it will divert the plant's energy into leaf development too soon.
How do I prepare my lawn for mowing in April?
Give your lawn its first feed with a spring/summer fertiliser. Grass growth will start to increase in April so you might need to mow a little more frequently. As growth speeds up you can start to lower the mower by a setting each cut.
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 is the first thing you put on your lawn in the spring?
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 should I treat my grass with in the spring?
Soil pH changes over time, so retest yearly until your results are balanced. Afterwards, an established lawn can be tested every three years or so. Spring and fall are the best times to add lime to a lawn that needs it. Use soil test results to know how much lime to apply and follow the directions on the lime package.
What is the first fertilizer to put down in the spring?
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 should I do to my grass before spring?
Winter can make a real mess of your lawn, so start in early spring by cleaning up all of the debris scattered across the yard, including twigs, acorns, stones, branches, litter, thatch, and dead leaves. Use a leaf rake to gather the debris into piles, then rake the piles onto a large tarp.
When should I start treating my lawn?
Give it Nutrients to Grow in the Spring. But you can help your lawn recover from the harsh weather with fertilizer treatment first thing in the spring. After aerating, as soon as the snow melts and outside temperatures reach an average of 55°, give your grass a healthy snack to energize growth for the spring.
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...
When should I put nitrogen on my lawn?
Leading scientists recommend applying nitrogen fertilizers in the spring and fall for cool season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue and Ryegrass, and throughout the summer for warm season grasses like St. Augustine and Bermuda, since this is when the grass plant is actively growing.
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 is the first application of fertilizer?
The best time for that first application is late spring, just as the green grass is beginning to grow eagerly. In early spring, the grass is putting energy into root development. If you apply fertilizer too early, it will divert the plant's energy into leaf development too soon.
How do I fertilize my lawn in the spring?
Fertilize lightly in early spring with either slow-release or quick-release fertilizer. Time your fertilization schedule to use up all the fertilizer before the onset of hot summer weather, when cool-season grasses often go dormant.
How do you take care of a lawn for beginners?
Lawn Care Tips for BeginnersGet to Know Your Soil.Fix Underlying Issues.Know the Best Grasses for Your Region.Seed Right the First Time.Feed Your Grasses Well.Fight Lawn Weeds.Mow for Height and Health.Manage Water Wisely.More items...
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 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 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.
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.
What temperature does crabgrass need to germinate?
Eighty percent of germination will occur when the 0- to 2-inch depth soil temperature is consistently reaching 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can rolling lawns cause soil compaction?
Be careful rolling lawns. Following the recent rains, many areas are still very wet and rolling might actually do more damage than good. Rolling saturated soils can result in soil compaction. Rolling is popular this time of year to flatten out mole tunnels and lumps and bumps from frost heaving during winter, but it’s better to wait until the soils dry then to do it now and risk making a problem worse.
Can you fertilize crabgrass with preemergence?
Many early season fertilizer applications are made in combination with crabgrass preemergence herbicides. If you have fertilizer on hand and are thinking of making an application, wait until the turf has fully greened-up and grown enough that mowing is necessary. Soils are still very cold and until they warm, the turfgrass is not going to be actively growing nor taking up nutrients.
How to warm up a lawn mower in the spring?
Note, too, that a cold mower can be hard to start in early spring. Warm it up by placing it in the sun for an hour or two prior to starting. Enhance warming by placing a dark trash bag over the engine while it’s soaking up some rays. (Remove the bag before you start the mower, though!) Clean up.
How to get rid of bare spots in lawn?
Clean up. Walk over your lawn and gather any twigs, branches or other debris that has appeared over winter. Dispose of trash, and add small twigs and leaves to your compost pile. Then, rake out dead grass. It can also go on the compost pile, unless it contains weeds. Repair bare spots in Northern lawns.
How to refresh trench edges?
If you’re refreshing existing trench edges in spring by digging out soil or mulch that has filled the trench, toss weed-free material onto planting beds as mulch or add it to your compost pile. Apply mulch. Wait until soil has warmed to refresh mulch for the growing season.
What is the best blade height for a lawn mower?
Most turf types thrive with a 3- to 4-inch blade height, which usually corresponds to a mower’s highest setting. Choose a middle setting for Zoysia grass and Centipede grass, and the lowest setting for Bermuda grass and creeping bentgrass.
Is it hard to do spring lawn care?
Spring lawn chores aren't difficult, but they do play a vital role in getting your grass on track for a healthy, productive growing season. Tackling spring lawn care provides a just-right dose of fresh air, sunshine, and exercise—and sets your lawn on its way to season-long glory. Spring lawn chores aren’t difficult, ...
When should I water my grass?
Generally, grass should be watered early in the morning. Watering during the hottest times of the day allows too much water to evaporate, limiting hydration. And watering at night encourages the growth of harmful fungi. Originally Published: March 16, 2021.
Why is it bad to mow wet grass?
Mowing wet grass is bad for several reasons. Leaving clumps of wet clippings could smother the grass beneath. Wet grass can clog the mower, causing it to overheat, and stick to the mower’s underside, which is difficult to clean. And no matter how much traction you think your shoes have, you can easily slip on wet grass.
How tall should my grass be?
Most grass cutting heights are between two and three inches, according to Pennington‘s full list. However, there are exceptions. Just because the grass is looking a little long doesn’t mean it’s time to fire up the mower.
Can you cut grass short?
Cutting grass too short before the end of the season can damage the soil and the lawn mower itself. Short grass also will not do as good of a job blocking the sun, which can dry out the soil and create dead patches.
When is the best time to take care of lawns?
Autumn is often the busiest time in the lawn care calendar as you help your lawn recover from the heat of summer and prepare it for the extremes of winter.
What to do after scarifying a lawn?
Make sure you employ a good recovery program after scarifying. You should also overseed to fill in bare patches left by these invasive treatments. Serious gardeners should top dress their lawns. Also, if you want to sow a new lawn or lay turf, now is the time.
When is the best time to cut worm casts?
November marks the winding down of the lawn care calendar. Keep on top of worm casts by brushing them back into the lawn and removing fallen leaves to reduce their surface activity. If the weather is still good (neither frosty or wet) then set the lawn mower high and give your lawn its last cut of the year.
What is summer lawn maintenance?
Summer lawn maintenance is about keeping on top of the work you did during spring and is really a time to enjoy the longer days in your garden as you relax, with friends and family.
Does lawn take up more time than other plants?
Your lawn takes up more time than any other plant in your garden. So much time in fact, that many people are put off by the work load. By breaking that workload down into a lawn treatment schedule it becomes much less intimidating. Follow this lawn care calendar and you can have a beautiful looking lawn all year round.
When is the best time to fertilize?
Determining the Best Times to Fertilize. Homeowners who prefer organic fertilizing methods might do a single "turf-builder" application in the early fall to build root systems. In the spring and summer, most may omit all fertilizers and rely on the nitrogen from mulched grass clippings to feed their lawn.
What is a pre-emergence herbicide?
Pre-emergent herbicides are a combination of fertilizer and crabgrass control herbicide applied in the early spring. This combination product does not have a full feeding of fertilizer.
Why is my lawn dark green?
A lawn that is a deep, almost blackish green, has been very heavily fertilized. The dark green color comes from a lot of nitrogen-based fertilizer used on the lawn. It is highly likely that some of that fertilizer has run off into the streets, storm sewers, and has made its way into local streams and rivers.
Can you use organic fertilizer on lawns?
2 You can also use organic fertilizers made from natural materials instead of refined chemicals.
Do you need to water your lawn before a storm?
If not, when you apply the fertilizer, you will need to supply your lawn with at least a quarter-inch of water. However, do not apply fertilizer before a massive storm. A rainstorm increases the risk of fertilizer nutrients flowing into storm drains and streams. 3.
Can you return your lawn to the green of summer?
You are not looking to return your lawn to the green of summer. Heading into winter, you can expect a natural slowdown of your lawn's growth and the loss of its green luster. Article Sources. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.
Can fertilizer run off into the water supply?
The main concern is the fertilizer run-off can enter the local water supply. There is good evidence that shows phosphorus and nitrogen from lawn and agricultural fertilizers are contaminating streams, rivers, and groundwater supplies, creating a pressing environmental problem. 1 .
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.