Spring is a good time to get a jump on your lawn to give it a good start for the coming months. Preparing your lawn in the spring will pay dividends later in the summer.
De-Thatching: If you have not already done so, you should clear any leaves from your lawn in early spring. It is also a good idea to de-thatch your lawn to remove any dead grass. This will allow more sunlight and air to reach the soil and roots.
Aeration: Aerating punches small holes in your lawn so water, fertilizers, and oxygen reach grass roots. Pick a day when the soil is damp but not soaked so the aeration machine can work efficiently.
Pre-Emerge: To prevent weeds like cragbrass from taking over your lawn throughout the summer, spread a pre-emerge herbicide throughout your landscapeing by early March to stop the seeds from sprouting.
Fertilizing: Spring is a good time to fertilize your lawn. Apply fertilizer just as your grass begins its most active growth. For best results, closely follow the application directions on the product. You’ll spend about $50 to $75 per application for an average 1/4-acre lot.
Once the temperatures warm up and your lawn begins to grow, it will be hungry for nutrients. Begin feeding your lawn in late April early May.
The keys to keeping a healthy and happy lawn during the summer months are water and regular mowing.
Your lawn will need at least an inch of water each week, if mother nature is not taking care of this, you will need to supplent with additional watering. If your lawn does not receive at least an inch of water a week, it is likely to go into a dormant stage.
Here are some tips for mowing:
It is best to mow your lawn on a frequent basis, if it gets too high and you cut more than 1/3 of the blade length at once you could cause damage to the lawn.
Set your mower blade height to 3 inches when cutting.
Clean your mower deck on a regular basis to prevent the spread of weeds.
Although it is OK to leave grass clippings where they can decompse and nourish the soil, it is best to remove any large clumps. Regularly rake leaves, twigs and debris from the lawn.
Depending on the type of turfgrass you have, it may go dormant and turn brown during the cooler months. If you wish to keep a green lawn during this time, you can oversead with a winter ryegrass that will dye off once the weather turns warm again.
Winter brings its own cooler weather weeds, so fall is another good time to apply a pre-emerge herbicide.
Keep your lawn free of leaves and other debris during the dormant months. You can use a mulching mower to break up leaves and add the organic matter to your soil, but be sure to clean up any clumps so they don’t kill the grass.
There is not much to do during the winter months for your lawn. Continue to be deligent in keeping the lawn clear of leaves and debris and stay warm!