Winter weather has the potential to cause serious damage to our lawns. Frigid temperatures reek havoc on grass, plants, and flowers. With spring comes warmer weather and conditions in which lawns and foliage can really flourish if properly tended to. Caring for your lawn in spring is not difficult and regular attention to your lawn may prove to be exactly what your lawn needs in order to be in tip-top shape throughout the season. Your lawn may just end up being the envy of the neighborhood.
If you want to have an immaculate lawn for spring, follow these easy, important steps:
Tune up your lawn mower: Everything from changing the oil, air filter and spark plug, making sure that your mower is clean will ensure that it is functioning properly.
Spend some time raking: When it comes to preparing your lawn for new growth, the first step you should take is to rake. Raking helps break up something called thatch: the layer of dead turfgrass lying between the healthy vegetation of the grass above and the root system and soil underneath. If this layer becomes too thick, it can pose problems for your grass.
In addition to raking in the fall, do not become complacent and ignore your lawn in the spring time. In fact, because winter weather can cause so many damage to your lawn, it is especially important to rake in the spring in order to remove all of the dead blades of grass from the winter. Another benefit of raking is that it may help to prevent something snow mold, which is a lawn disease that makes it extremely difficult for new, healthy grass to penetrate the diseased areas. Raking can fix this.
Get a Lawn Aerator. A lawn aerator creates openings in the turf which allows both water and air to get through the soil and reach the grassroots. It is important to note that spring may not be the ideal time to do this because aeration holes provide a perfect opportunity for weeds to grow. You don’t want to spend your spring cleaning up all of those weeds that could potentially damage your lawn.
Assess your Soil
Grass likes a neutral pH level. So, if you ever see moss coating the ground, it may be a sign of acidic soil which can be neutralized by adding ground limestone. This process does take some time as the liming holds gradually.
Overseeding
If your lawn has a lot of bare patches due to consistent heavy traffic, it may be in need of grass seed. Grass seed will help your grass grow more efficiently. Once you pour seed over existing grass, apply a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. Once the grass germinates (typically after 5 weeks), apply quick-release nitrogen fertilizer.
Fertilize
Although it is important to fertilize, you want to be careful when you do it. Too much fertilizer in spring may lead to disease and problems with weeds. Many lawn experts recommend a lighter feeding in the spring and a heavier feed in the fall.
Apply Postemergent Herbicides (Or Pull Weeds)
If you do not want to spend a lot of time and energy pulling weeds, consider applying a postemergent herbicide to kill your weeds. It is more effective to use one for broadleaf weeds. Do this in the fall rather than the spring. However, reaching down to the root of the problem by weeding may prove to be more effective long-term.