Let’s be honest that lawn maintenance is not an easy job! Those lush green, healthy neighborhood lawns result from months of preparation and effort. While you may not achieve such a lawn overnight, some steps will surely take your lawn to the next level. Early spring is the perfect time to start caring for your lawn as it grows with new growth. At this time, you can prepare your lawn to the vision you have, which means you can clean up, fertilize, plant, and shape it according to your liking. Your treatment at this time will form the base of its growth and nourishment through the summer period. This is the time to look into lawn care tips for spring, grass, plants, and fertilizers best fit for your soil and environment.
If you haven’t started yet, you have less to worry about! We will guide you on all the needed lawn care tips for spring. These will help you attain that picture-perfect lawn for summer so you can spend each day outside having BBQs and playing garden games.
Tips to Prepare Your Lawn for Spring
Signs of early spring, such as daffodils, crocuses, bumblebees, and slow bloom around you, tell that it is time for lawn care. The efforts you will put into your lawn during this time will give your best results throughout the summer season. From cleaning the lawn to aeration and fertilization, here is a guide to everything you need to do for a lush green lawn. So get started with these lawn care tips for spring.
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Clean Up & Rake
The first thing you need to do is to rake the lawn since it will be filled with dead leaves, debris, twigs, and thatch from the winter weather. Using a leaf rake, you can gather all the debris into piles. Once all the debris is in piles, get a tarp and rake it in. This will make it easy to carry and move it all out. When all the debris is cleared from your lawn, spread ¼ thick aged compost on it. This will help your soil recover and enrich it with nutrients.
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Mow & Neat the Lawn
Now it is time for you to take out that mover and put it to use. Assess its working conditions, and make sure it has a sharp blade to prevent turf damage. Moreover, tune your mover; check for an oil change, fitting grease, air filter, carburetor, blades, and clean underside. Once all its components are working correctly, you can get to mowing. Cut the grass carefully; whatever lawn growth you have, do not cut it too short. Once you reseed and the new lawn grows, you can give it a proper trim. After mowing, you can trim the borders of the lawn using an edging iron tool or lawn sheers. You can reshape or trim with them to give a brighter look to your lawn.
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Provide Weed Control
Weed control is essential after all the clearing and cleaning up is done. It will stop further weed growth that eventually takes over your lawn and destroy the plants. You can apply a pre-emergent [1] herbicide for annual weeds; it will act as an antibiotic and reduce the crabgrass, dandelions, and other weeds. The pre-emergent herbicide must be reapplied after three months as its effectiveness lasts. You can use the post-emergent herbicide for perennial weeds. Although if you prefer a chemical-free lawn, then there are ways you can harvest and make weed control at home [2].
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Aerate & Fertilze Evenly
This step will make all of your efforts give the best results in the form of a healthy growing lawn. Aerating boosts the nutrient absorption rate of your lawn, and fertilization gives it the minerals it lacks. Together, they ensure the soil is healthy for quicker and thicker grass growth. Aeration is a simple method of poking holes throughout the lawn so that water, air, and nutrients can circulate to the roots. You can do this by pushing a garden fork into the ground, leaning it back, and pulling it out. Do this every 3 to 4 inches apart throughout the area.
Fertilizing is an essential part of lawn care spring. Once aeration is done, you can apply a slow-release fertilizer to your soil. With a slow-release fertilizer [3], your lawn will get nutrients over an extended period, so you will not have to apply it again and again. You can also use organic fertilizers such as compost or mulching mover. Applying fertilizer in spring prepares your lawn to have full bloom in the summer.
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Reseed Throughout
By now, you have made an excellent base for your lawn, meaning the soil is ready for plantation. As the goal is to have a thick, lush green lawn, you must reseed it. Reseeding will not only fix the bald patches of the lawn by will give it thickness. Sprinkle a layer of seed throughout the lawn. Then gently rake in the bald areas to loosen up the soil. Add a layer of extra seeds, lightly rake it with the soil, add water, and cover the area with hay to prevent birds and weather to wash them away. After a few weeks, you will see the grass coming into these areas.
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Water the Grass if Needed
All lawns need regular watering during the summertime. In the spring, much watering is not required; usually, intermittent showers are sufficient to provide for the lawn. Although if there is less rain during your springtime, then you can water in the early morning. Watering in the midday causes quick evaporation, and watering in the evening can lead to an infestation of diseases.
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Consider the Environment Before Planting
You have to take care of the lawn, and it will look great and ready for summer in a few weeks. It is time to decide what plants you want in your garden for summer. To select the type of plants you want, consider the environment and soil you have. Plant growth is affected by soil type, sun and shade patterns, winds, and proximity to water[4]. Once selected, prepare the soil and start planting them.
FAQs
1. What are the most essential lawn care tips for spring?
The most important step in your lawn care spring is weed control and fertilizer application. When you do both of them thoroughly, you prepare your lawn for healthy and faster growth. Therefore using a herbicide to control weeds helps stop damage to the grass and plants. Applying a fertilizer enrichens your soil to support healthy growth.
2. When is the right time to prepare the lawn for spring?
You should start preparing for spring once the frosty weather is behind. This means that when the soil starts to warm up, the grass is out of its dormant period, and you start seeing signs of early spring, such as daffodils, crocuses, bumblebees, and slow bloom around.
3. What time of the day should I apply fertilizer in spring?
Fertilizer can be too strong for your lawn if applied in the sun. It can burn your lawn. Therefore, you can apply it around the evening time. During this time, less moisture will also be, giving your lawn a better coating. However, some fertilizers work best with wet grass, so follow its instructions before applying.
4. How should I decorate my lawn during spring?
Adding colors in spring will liven up your lawn and motivate you to keep working on it. For this, get the spring season followers with red, blue, pink, and orange colors. You can also get painted pots or paint them yourself for spring. Moreover, you can get painted pottery and ornaments for your lawn.
References:
[1]https://lawnlove.com/blog/lawn-care-pre-emergent-herbicides-how-when-to-apply/
[2]https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/gardens/planting-and-maintenance/make-your-own-natural-weed-killer
[3]https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/what-is-slow-release-fertilizer.htm
[4]https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/environmental-factors-affecting-plant-growth