Five Steps for Easel Spring Grass Care

While spring is in the air, the first crocuses and daffodils appear to mark the arrival of spring. Also, these early signs mean that your lawn needs to be prepared.

The best time to take care of your lawn depends on the weather in your area. If there is snow in your area, start when you are certain the snow has stopped. Alternately, start working in the yard when the nearby forsythia and lilac bushes start to bloom.

In most areas, Always Green Landscaping homeowners must complete certain tasks in the spring in order to preserve a healthy lawn for the remainder of the year. If you write down these steps, you’ll be off to a good start.

Steps for Spring Lawn Care

Think of this as a lawn spring cleaning. However, it is best to wait until the lawn begins to turn green, which indicates that the grass blades have established solid roots and are actively growing, as turfgrasses are somewhat brittle and susceptible in the early spring.

Rake thoroughly but gently with an adaptable leaf rake to aid in the separation of dense cover. If you notice a lot of stuck grass blades, you may have snow mold, a lawn disease. Raking can make it easier for new grass to get through these matted areas, which may be hard for it.

If it is necessary, aerate your lawn if it receives a lot of traffic, such as a lot of running and playing in the same area. The soil may compact as a result of this.

Air and water can enter the soil and reach the roots of the lawn by drilling holes in the turf with a lawn aerator. You can use a hand aerator or rent a lawn aerator from a big-box hardware store if your lawn is small.

Even though the circumstances may necessitate it, spring is not the best time to move air through the yard. If the soil is compacted to the point where grass cannot grow, spring aeration may be required.

However, spring aeration is generally discouraged due to the aeration holes’ favorable conditions for weed seed growth. The primary seeds that germinate in the spring are grass weeds, particularly crabgrass, and the movement of air throughout the yard works them up and provides an ideal habitat for them.

Aerate if Necessary:

If you have to aerate in the spring, try to do so around Memorial Day, before the weeds turn into seeds but after they have started to grow.

Examine the Soil Moss on the ground may also indicate acidic soil. Soil’s acidity or alkalinity can be measured using the pH scale, with a value of 7 representing soil that is completely neutral. The pH of an alkaline soil is greater than 7, while the pH of an acidic soil is less than 7.

Because grass prefers a pH that is neutral, your soil might grow moss if it is significantly outside this range. A wide range of soil amendments can be used to restore the pH to a level suitable for grass growth. For instance, adding ground limestone is a common method for raising the pH of acidic soils. However, this is not a quick fix due to the gradual onset of the liming.

Send a sample of your soil to your local helpful expansion office to determine the causticity of your soil before adding revisions. Based on scientific evidence, the cooperative extension office is a free educational resource that offers assistance in agricultural, horticultural, and other areas of expertise. By calling, looking at their website, or going to your local extension office, you can determine how much lime you will need for each square foot. To apply the lime, you will need a manure drop spreader.

Examine the Soil:

Soil that is too alkaline can also cause problems with lawns. A top-dressing of compost or elemental sulfur may be suggested by your extension office to lower the pH of extremely alkaline soils.

Overseeding:

Grass seed may be required to fill in uncovered areas in a yard that are a result of dog spots, heavy traffic, or neglect. Overseeding is the practice of sowing seeds over the existing grass. Apply a starter fertilizer, which is a nitrogen fertilizer with a slow release, when overseeding. Keep the new seed moist until it grows and develops properly. You can begin applying quick-release nitrogen fertilizer as usual after the grass has germinated and sprouted for five weeks.

While overseeding the entire lawn is common to keep the lawn thick and healthy, it is also possible to apply seed only to the visible bare patches. This could also be a way to plant new types of grass seed in your lawn. For instance, if you’ve recently lost some overhanging trees, overseeding your yard with a radiant grass blend can help your previously sparse yard continue to thrive.

While overseeding is best done in the fall, you can do it in the spring if your grass needs a lot of help. With some crabgrass emerging to remove the manure, be prepared to fight.

Organically fertilize lawns by topdressing them with compost or by using a mulching mower to turn lawn clippings into a nutritious nitrogen source. However, for those who prefer the quick-acting effects of chemical fertilizers, the ScottsMiracle-Gro company offers a widely accepted schedule for fertilizing lawns that includes a spring feeding.

Fertilize:

However, many experts advise feeding cool-season grasses less in the spring and more heavily in the fall. Assuming that you prepared your grass in the pre-winter, it will in any case have manure to benefit from in the spring, which can bring about sickness and weed issues.