Spring Lawn Care Tips

Spring lawn care is one of those chores I look forward to every year, mostly because it’s the start of the warm weather season, and because it’s exciting to be outdoors in the yard again, trying to make my yard look great for the coming season.

Early Spring Lawn Care

Early spring lawn care involves a few definite steps which should be taken in order to ensure that you have a great-looking lawn for the entire summer and fall, and so you can take pride in having maintained your lawn at a really healthy and visually appealing level. After having watched the snow fall for several months (and having to shovel it out of my driveway!), I am always more than happy to step out into warmer air, and start re-connecting with my lawn and my yard.

Spring Lawn Maintenance Best Practices

Over the years, a number of best practices have become known regarding spring lawn maintenance and care, and if you incorporate these into your own routine this spring, you can count on having a great-looking lawn all throughout the year. Here are some of the best practices which everyone should have on their last for spring lawn care tips:

• Raking – a good spring raking will gather up all the leftover dead leaves from last fall, as well as any blades of grass which didn’t survive the winter. Raking will also help remove matted grass clumps which are promoted by snow mold, and which can smother new growth.
• Over-seed – if you have any bare spots on your lawn, or any spots where the grass is quite thin, you should over-seed these, ideally in late spring. At the same time that you do your over-seeding, you should also apply a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer, to give the new grass a good jump start.
• Aerate – aerating is essential for keeping your lawn healthy, and the best time to do this is in the late spring, so your lawn has adequate oxygen mixed into the soil.
• De-thatching – spring is by far the best time to de-thatch your turf, and cool season grasses should be de-thatched as early as possible, while warm season grasses should be de-thatched later in spring. Check out TurfTime Equipment’s line of heavy-duty dethatchers!
• Weeding – use pre-emergent herbicides if crabgrass has developed on your lawn, so that you can prevent any of last year’s seeds from germinating. This is one of those time-critical operations which you have to get to in spring. As weeds begin to appear in your lawn, you should either dig them up, or treat them with an all-in-one product that weeds and feeds at the same time.
• Fertilize – springtime fertilizer should be applied about three weeks after your grass start greening up. Don’t get over-zealous and fertilize too early, or you’ll just be feeding the weeds. It’s also possible that you might trigger blade growth before the grass roots have started to take hold for the spring, and support growth adequately.
• Watering – if you live in an area where you get frequent springtime showers, this won’t be much of an issue. However, if you live in a mountainous or dry region, you may need to supplement any natural rainfall with some additional watering. Be careful not to over water, because it’s always best to let your grass green up naturally. Only add water if your grass is looking dehydrated, or if rains have been scarce during the spring.
• Mowing – you can begin mowing when the ground is dry enough, and when grass blades are long enough that mowing is appropriate. Avoid the temptation to mow your grass too low, because that can encourage weeds to germinate, and it also promotes shallow root development, which can lead to stress in the event of a drought.

Easy Spring Lawn Care Tips

By taking some helpful steps early in the springtime, you can ensure that your lawn will grow healthy, and look lush and green all season long. Some of the steps which should be taken for spring lawn maintenance can only be done effectively during this time of year. With a little bit of effort early in the season, you can have a fantastic-looking lawn the entire rest of the year, and all that will be required throughout summer and fall are some occasional mowings. As you’re recovering from the cold weather of winter, invest a little time in taking good care of your lawn, and you’ll reap the rewards all the way till next winter.

For all your spring lawn care equipment needs, contact TurfTime Equipment!