Spring Lawn Care Tips to Prepare for the Upcoming Season
Ah, spring. The days get longer, the weather gets warmer, and our lawns awaken from their winter hibernation. After months of very little growth, plant life seems to explode overnight! Unfortunately, green grass and blooming flowers aren’t the only things that will come with the changing of seasons. Weeds, droughts, pests, and diseases can harm your yard before it even gets the chance to grow, so take precautionary steps to ensure the health of your lawn this spring! Now, let’s dive into our top tips for spring lawn care.
Tips for Spring Lawn Care
Although no two yards are the same, these spring lawn care tips will be helpful for everyone:
Tip #1: Evaluate your equipment
The first thing you should do when preparing for spring lawn maintenance is evaluate your equipment. Chances are you haven’t used these tools all winter and don’t know what kind of condition they’re in, so take inventory and check to make sure everything is working properly. Here are some basic tools you’ll need:
- Mower
- Rakes and leaf blowers
- Trimmer
- Seed/fertilizer spreader
- Hose/sprinkler
Tip #2: Don’t start too early
Seeing the signs of your lawn coming back to life can be exciting, but don’t get too eager. Wait until your yard has mostly greened up before you begin to mow, aerate, and plant. It might seem like getting an early start would be helpful, but too much traffic on the lawn could end up killing the grass before it reaches maturity. For more information, read our blog, When To Cut Your Grass For the First Time This Spring.
Tip #3: Rake up any leftover leaves
If there’s any lingering leaves from the fall and winter, rake them up before you do anything else. Leaves and dead grass will contribute to the thatch, a layer made of decomposed material build up that blocks nutrients from reaching your roots. Use a leaf rake, not a garden rake, and only do it when the soil is dry to avoid pulling up any new grass buds.
Tip #4: Use pre-emergent
Weed pre-emergent is a product that kills weeds before they sprout, directly attacking the seeds. Using weed pre-emergent requires little manual labor, making it an easy step you can do yourself! On top of being relatively simple to apply, it also permanently eliminates the weed by attacking it at the root, instead of just trimming it at the surface. If you don’t already have weeds, don’t just assume you’re safe. Stay ahead of the problem and take advantage of pre-emergent.
Tip #5: Overseed the grass
For any sparse spaces in the lawn, overseed! The addition of seed in your yard will not only improve the physical appearance, but it will also improve its health. Overseeding reduces erosion, helps your grass grow fuller and thicker, and also protects against unwanted pests.
Tip #6: Fertilize
No matter what kind of grass you have, it will benefit from fertilizing. Fertilizer can help your lawn recover from soil heavy activity, improve its overall health, stimulate growth, add nutrients, reduce the presence of weeds, and more. Begin this process a few weeks after your grass turns green (if you begin too early, you’ll be feeding weeds, too).
Tip #7: Water your lawn
No matter where you live, grass needs water to grow. If you live in a particularly dry climate, you need to water more frequently than someone whose yard gets regular rainfall. The average lawn needs about one inch of water per week during the growing season, so plan accordingly based on your environment. Check out our blog, DIY: Setting the Perfect Sprinkler Rotation, for tips on how to install an irrigation system that’s right for you.
Tip #8: Mow the grass regularly
A well-manicured lawn is both aesthetically pleasing and good for growth. Cutting grass is beneficial for a number of reasons: pests are driven away, nutrients are more easily absorbed in short blades, and fallen grass can act as a fertilizer in the soil. Things to remember when mowing:
- Don’t mow very short grass, it will result in sparse yards with poor root health
- Mowing during the cooler parts of the day will be easier on your lawn mower
- Only mow when the ground is dry
- Switch up your mowing patterns to avoid compacted soil
- Use a sharp blade
Tip #9: Maintain pest control
One of the biggest threats to your lawn is pests. Common critters like chinch bugs, billbugs, cutworms, and more will feast on your grass, so keep the yard safe by staying on top of your pest control techniques. For helpful pest control resources, we recommend reading these blogs:
Take Your Spring Lawn Care to the Next Level
Maintaining a lush, healthy lawn requires some patience and effort. If you’re not feeling up to the task, Killingsworth Environmental would love to help. We’re committed to protecting lawns from weeds, pests, and diseases while using organic methods to help remain environmentally conscious. Kicking off your lawn care this spring is vital to successful growth throughout the rest of the year. Let our expert lawn care professionals help you!
