While you may have enjoyed taking a break from lawn care over the winter, spring is the time of year to get back to tending to your yard. Your efforts now will largely determine whether you will have a lush, green and healthy lawn come summer, or whether your lawn will be a tell-tale sign that you have not given it the tender loving care it needs to thrive.
From cleaning and fertilizing to aerating and mowing, here are expert-recommended spring lawn care tips.
Clean
Just as spring cleaning is about tidying up and refreshing the inside of your home after winter, spring is also a good time to tidy up your yard. "Remove any leaves, twigs, and debris that have accumulated over the winter," advises Janna Bradley, COO and co-founder of Landscape Management Network (LMN) . She says this allows light and air to penetrate the soil, which promotes healthy grass growth.
Pay
As your lawn recovers from the harsh winter, it needs nutrients to grow thick and healthy again. Brian Feldman, senior director of operations at TruGreen , tells me that fertilizers provide essential nutrients to create a dense, green surface. "This is particularly important for residential soils that lack nutrients needed for optimal plant health," he explains.
However, you must ensure that the fertilizer is suitable for your soil's needs . "It's important to do a soil test first to understand what nutrients are missing," says Bradley. The various essential nutrients can include magnesium, potassium, calcium, copper and zinc. A soil test shows pH and nutrient levels.
Reseeding
During the winter, it is very likely that your lawn will be exposed to both environmental stress and physical damage. For this reason, Feldman recommends annual seeding to keep the grass thick and heavy. "Spring reseeding can improve the appearance of your lawn, but it's not just about putting in the best grass seed," he warns. "The process requires knowledge, specialized lawn care equipment and maintenance monitoring to be successful. » If you're not committed to learning and being diligent, he recommends hiring professionals to care for your lawn.
Identify your grass type
If you don't already know your type of grass, you should identify it before attempting to care for it. Warm-season grasses require different planting, fertilization and care than cool-season grasses.
Warm season grasses
Examples of warm season grasses include: Bermuda grass, zoysia grass, St. Augustine grass and centipede grass. If you have warm-season grass, Feldman recommends feeding it nutrients like potassium in the spring. "Use nitrogen fertilizer only in the summer when the grass is actively growing," he says.
Since warm-season grasses are typically grown in the southern half of the United States, the best time to plant them is in late spring or early summer, during the period of most active grass growth, with temperatures averaging about 80 degrees.
Cold season herbs
Examples of cool-season grasses include Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and fine fescue.
"Cool-season grasses grow most actively in spring and fall, when they need most of their fertilizer," says Feldman. He says the best time to plant cool-season grasses is usually mid to late spring, when temperatures are around 55 degrees. "During this time, enough rain falls to keep the soil moist and facilitate germination, while also providing enough natural light for the grass to thrive and compete with weeds and diseases."
However, if the air temperature is at least 30°C most of the year, Feldman says leaf growth will be significantly slower. Therefore, warm-season grasses thrive best in this temperature zone.
Prioritize weed control
Don't hesitate to start weed control. When they are smaller, weeds are much easier to control. "Start weeding with pre-emergent products designed to prevent weed emergence, typically applied in the spring to reduce crabgrass," Feldman recommends.
enough mulch
Landscaped flower beds are beautiful, but keep in mind that the weeds they contain can find their way into your garden. "Maintaining an adequate 2- to 3-inch bed of mulch around trees, shrubs and flower beds will reduce weed populations," says Feldman.
Beware of the crab
Crabgrass is the number one enemy of a healthy, lush lawn. "Crabgrass is a warm-season annual weed that begins to germinate in the spring and throughout the summer," says Feldman. He warns that the grass grows quickly and if not treated quickly, the grass will quickly take over large areas of lawn.
"Once these wild weeds become established, special post-emergent grass control is required, which can kill the crab once it has already begun to grow," he says. Because it is difficult to get rid of, it is not recommended to let it take root in your lawn.
Ventilate
Aerating the lawn (with a cap or spike aerator) can also be beneficial and relieve soil compaction. "Aeration involves creating small holes in the soil to allow air, water and nutrients to penetrate the roots," Bradley explains.
Cut regularly
When your grass begins to grow this spring, you can start mowing immediately to keep your yard clean. "Keep your grass at the ideal height, which is about 2.5 to 3 inches for most types of grass," says Bradley. He also recommends keeping your lawnmower's blades sharp, as dull blades can damage your grass.
Water if necessary
Unless your lawn doesn't receive enough rain, Bradley says you should start watering in the spring. "It is better to water a lot and infrequently than to water a little and often," he advises. According to Bradley, the best time to water your lawn is early in the morning to prevent fungal diseases.
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