Who doesn’t want their lawn to look beautiful, right? But very few people realize the work they need to put in to get the perfect landscape. There’s one thing you must know about lawn care. If you want your landscaping to turn out as you have envisioned, you need to make the most of every season. And this means getting a head start right before the growing season too.
Yes, most lawn growth will happen during summer. But this does not mean that you have nothing to do for the rest of the season. In fact, if you want a green and healthy lawn during summer, you need to lay the groundwork during spring. So what do you need to do for spring lawn care that will do wonders for its aesthetics? Read on to get some general guidelines.
How To Ensure Spring Lawn Care To Get Desired Results
Before you do anything for your lawn care, you must ensure that you have all your tools sorted and in place. Most people put their gardening tools aside during winter. And when they get to work, they realize most of their tools don’t work or need to be serviced. So the first step to lawn care is ensuring that you have everything ready.
Get your lawnmower out of the garage and wipe the dust off it. After all, you cannot get your lawn back to life without this valuable equipment. Service it if needed to ensure that it’s working perfectly. You might have to replace the air filter and change the oil for this. Once you are sure everything’s set, it’s time to make your lawn look beautiful.
1. Start With Raking
This should be your first step for spring lawn care. You must have noticed a lot of grass blades and fall leaves in your garden that failed to survive the winter. Naturally, you cannot let these dead blades become a part of your lawn’s thatch layer. So you must rake to get rid of the blades and leaves as soon as spring arrives.
There’s another benefit of raking. Snow mold tends to matt the grass clumps, and raking can help you loosen them. The result? You will get smoother growth! So start your lawn maintenance by raking and removing dead grass this spring.
2. It’s Time To Aerate And Dethatch
Aeration is vital to deal with compacted soil. Of course, the frequency of aeration your lawn requires depends on its soil type and use. But remember, if you really want your lawn to flourish, you must aerate it adequately. Additionally, spring is also the time when you should be dethatching the turf.
3. Proceed With Overseeding
Every lawn has thin and bare spots, and yours must be no different. Yes, these spots do stand out like a sore point spoiling your lawn’s look. Fortunately, you can take care of this problem with overseeding. Indeed, late spring is the perfect time to overseed.
Here’s a pro tip. Consider applying a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer after overseeding, and you will be pretty impressed with the results.
4. Don’t Forget To Weed
If you have played close attention to your lawn, you must have realized that crabgrass can be a significant problem that needs to be dealt with at the earliest. Spring is the time to do so. You must prevent the seeds dropped last year from germinating. And for this, you have to apply pre-emergent herbicides.
Take note; the results will only be as you desire if you get the timing right for this application. Luckily, most pre-emergent herbicides come with timing advice on their packaging, so you wouldn’t be at a complete loss.
5. Fertilize The Lawn
This is an obvious step. If you want your grass to be healthy, you need to apply grass fertilizer at the right time. This is usually around three weeks after you notice the grass starts greening. Remember, you shouldn’t use the fertilizer too early during the spring. You will merely end up feeding weeds, leading to fertilizer runoff.
Furthermore, the early application can also cause lush blade growth. So make sure that you apply the fertilizer after you have mowed the lawn a couple of times.
6. Prioritize Watering
You cannot expect your lawn to thrive and flourish unless you provide it with a healthy amount of water. Yes, your yard will get some water from natural rainfall, but you cannot rely only on nature to take care of your lawn needs.
You must have a garden hose or sprinkler system installed to keep the lawn hydrated during the drier months. Typically, an inch of water per week will suffice. But, of course, your region will also determine your spring irrigation needs.
For instance, if you live in arid desert areas or mountains, you will have to water your lawns the same as in winter. The frequency should be increased when the temperature rises. For other regions that have spring rains, there’s sufficient moisture that should keep your lawn hydrated.
7. Mow Your Lawn Regularly
Your lawn should contribute to your property’s aesthetics, and this wouldn’t be possible if its growth appeared all over the place. So make sure that you mow it regularly. Note that the lawn should only be mowed when the ground is dry, and the grass is long enough to be cut.
Don’t mow too low, as this can impede sunlight exposure. If sunlight does not reach the soil, weed seeds can start germinating. Furthermore, it can also lead to shallow root development, which wouldn’t be good for your lawn growth.
8. Think About Post-Emergents
We have already talked about pre-emergents and their role in keeping your lawn healthy. But the thing is, even if you apply pre-emergents during early spring, there’s a chance for weeds to grow in your yard. So sometimes, you might have to invest in a post-emergent solution to ensure that your lawn is not spoiled.
Give Your Lawn The Care It Deserves
There’s something incredibly relaxing about being greeted by a luscious green lawn every time you enter your property. But this requires effort and maintenance.
So make sure that you do everything necessary for spring lawn care to keep your yard healthy. And if you have any queries, don’t hesitate to reach out to experts. Soon enough, you will get a lawn that you love!