Spring is a season of new beginnings and rejuvenation. It’s also a great time to focus all your efforts on your lawn and make it better than your neighbor’s.
Winter creates conditions favorable for the growth of weeds, alters pH of the soil, leads to protruding plants, and leaves bare spots.
With the onset of spring, the air loses its winter chills and the slushy snow starts melting.
The ice-kissed landscapes recede and get beautified with vibrant colorful and fragrant flowers. This is the perfect time to get your lawn ready for spring.
If you’re serious about your lawns, then it should be your top priority!
Here’s a fun fact for you!
According to the Professional Lawn Care Association of America, Americans spend around $6.4 billion a year on lawn care.
So is your lawn ready to welcome spring? If not, here’s what you need to do.
5 Extremely Simple Steps to Prepare your Lawn for Spring
It is said that a beautiful lawn doesn’t happen by itself. So how do you create a yard of your dreams then?
Here are a few steps for spring lawn preparation that will guide you about lawn care.
1. Raking the Lawn
The first step in spring lawn care is raking.
Once your lawn dries, rake the leaves off the lawn. Also get rid of the thatch – undecomposed grass or stems that died over winter.
This keeps your lawn tidy and healthy as well.
A layer of leaves when on top of your grass will invite pests and diseases. It will block essential nutrients like sunlight and water from reaching the grass and also restrict fresh air flow.
Moreover, if the leaves are left on the lawn for a longer period they will prevent new shoots from emerging.
2. Check for Compaction
High-levels of traffic can make the soil densely packed. It is also known as compaction.
One indication of compaction is moss growth. You can confirm it by inserting a garden fork into the ground.
If you are not able to go deeper than two inches, then the soil is compacted and you should aerate it.
Knowing the best time for aeration is also important.
Lawn with cool season grass is to be aerated in early spring or fall and that with warm season in late spring.
You can rent lawn aerators, but ensure you don’t aerate soil that is dry. Always aerate moist soil.
3. Liming the Lawn
Grass needs a neutral pH. If the acidity in soil is more, you’ll notice moss growing all over.
To neutralize the soil, you have to lime it. Spring is the best time to test for liming.
To know if your lawn needs liming, you can take it to any garden center.
Liming the lawn if it is not required will waste your time, money, and give you nothing more than an unhealthy yellow lawn.
#SDPProTip
Overseeding is recommended in spring only if it’s done early enough. This will give seedlings sufficient time to mature before the onset of summer.
4. Fertilizing
‘When to fertilize the lawn?’, is a common question asked by many.
Although fertilizing your lawn is advised in spring, it shouldn’t be done too early.
In the early spring, the grass invests its energy in root development. Fertilizing this time will divert it to leaf development, which isn’t required at this stage.
Fertilize in late spring when you see green grass beginning to grow. Always apply a lighter feeding as excessive fertilizer can cause weed and disease problems.
5. Applying Preemergent Herbicides
Crabgrass begins to thrive in spring. Preemergent herbicides can prevent the weed even before the seeds germinate.
But if you decide to overseed in spring, keep in mind that preemergent herbicides can inhibit the growth of grass seeds as well.
If you cannot postpone overseeding till fall, and are keen about preemergent herbicides, look for Tupersan herbicide. It won’t kill your grass seeds.
Spring is around the corner, so why not start prepping your lawn on time this year?
If you do need professional help, you can get in touch with a lawn care expert near you on Same Day Pros.
You’ll find an exhaustive list of top lawn care companies in your area. You can also look for them on the Same Day Pros app, available for Android and iOS.
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