Spring is in the air!
Well, almost. While we still have several weeks until the official start of spring, it’s never to early to be prepared.
Although spring lawn care is much less intense than fall lawn care, it is just as—if not more—important. Correct care and maintenance in the spring will ensure that your lawn is prepared for the intense summer months. Here are some steps you should be taking to make sure your lawn is ready to grow.
1. Rake your grass.
Raking may be the bane of your existence in the fall, so you’re probably not too happy to hear it’s a necessary step in the spring as well. A deep raking will remove the dead blades and thatch from your grass. It will also comb through any matted patches. New blades of grass have trouble getting through thatch and matted grass. Raking will allow the new grass to come through with minimal obstacles.
2. Overseed bare patches.
While fall is actually the best time for overseeding, if your lawn got a lot of traffic over the winter, you may need to overseed in the spring. This just means spreading seeds over bare patches of grass. This works best when done in combination with aerating.
3. Control crabgrass.
Control the growth of crabgrass by using a pre-emergence herbicide. This will prevent the crabgrass seeds from germinating. If you notice crabgrass in your lawn before you are able to apply an herbicide, it’s not too late. Some control is better than none, so still use an herbicide. But if you do need to overseed your lawn, skip crabgrass control. The herbicide will not only prevent crabgrass from growing, it will also prevent your new grass from growing.
4. Don’t water right away.
There is generally enough rain fall in the spring to keep your lawn watered. If your lawn shows signs of being thirsty, that’s okay. It will cause the roots to move deeper into the ground in search of water which will prepare it for the dry summer months.
5. Consider fertilizing.
If you fertilized in the fall, then there shouldn’t be a need to fertilize in the spring. Warm season grass may need a thin layer of fertilizer, but cool season grass will generally be okay. However, if you didn’t fertilize in the fall, then wait until your grass is actively growing before applying a few light applications of fertilizer.
