Does your yard crave some attention this spring? No stress! There’s still a chance to care it up. Nurturing your yard in spring isn’t tricky, but it’s crucial for a rich, flourishing season. When spring kicks in, the initial blossoms signal it’s time to get your yard ready. The ideal moment for yard duties varies by location. If there’s snow, kick-off once it ends. Alternatively, sync with local flora like forsythia or lilacs starting to bloom. As your yard rouses for spring, lavish it with the spring green lawn care for a year of strong growth. Tackle a few uncomplicated tasks to aid your yard in warding off weeds, ailments, and dry spells this year.
Spring Green Lawn Care Tips
Discover the easy spring green lawn care tips for freshening your lawn this season. We’ve got them all for you to choose what suits your lawn best.
1. Clear away winter’s mess with a gentle rake.
Winter’s wild weather can shower your lawn with leaves, twigs, and debris. Start the sprucing by using your trusty garden rake to tidy up, leaving just the grass behind.
Consider scarification for a deeper cleanse. This involves carefully going through your lawn to remove organic matter that could harm it. Maybe you already learned to do this in the fall, but a lighter round won’t hurt if needed. Do it only when the grass is growing again, and the soil is warm, ensuring a proper recovery for summer. Mow first to clear initial debris.
There’s likely thatch or moss buildup if you can’t see the soil. Use a metal grass rake for removal, promoting better air circulation and water filtration, resulting in a healthier turf. Scarifying might initially make the lawn seem thinner, but it comes back denser. Post-scarification, moss control helps dehydrate and eliminate moss plants.
2. Aerate if possible
Using a lawn aerator can create openings in the turf, allowing water and air to enter the soil and reach the roots. You can rent one at a hardware store or use a hand aerator for smaller lawns.
It may compact the soil if your lawn faces heavy activities, like frequent running and playing in one area. While spring isn’t the best time for aeration, certain situations may call for it. Compacted soil hindering grass growth might necessitate spring aeration.
If spring aeration is unavoidable, consider doing it around Memorial Day, post-weed growth, but pre-seeding.
3. Check the Soil
A moss-covered ground may signal acidic soil. Soil pH, measuring acidity or alkalinity, uses a scale. Neutral soil scores 7; acidic soils are below 7, while alkaline soils go beyond.
Grass thrives in a neutral pH. If your soil is far from this, moss may take over. Various modifications help adjust pH for ideal grass growth. Ground limestone is common for acidic soil but is a gradual fix.
Before changing, send a soil sample to your local cooperative extension office, a free resource for science-backed advice. They’ll guide you on lime application after assessing your soil. A fertilizer drop spreader is handy for this.
4. Seed the Lawn
A patchy yard, caused by dog play, walking, or lack of care, could benefit from a sprinkle of grass seeds. Sprinkle them on the current grass. Add slow-release nitrogen (beginner’s plant food) while spreading seeds. Keep the new seed damp until it sprouts and grows actively. Five weeks later, start regular fertilization with quick-release nitrogen.
You can target visible bare patches or overseed the whole lawn for thickness and health. This also introduces new grass varieties. For instance, if shade trees are gone, overseeding with sunny grass helps your once-shaded lawn thrive.
Fall is best for overseeding, but in a lawn emergency, spring works.
5. Feed Your Lawn
Lawns enjoy organic nourishment through topdressing with compost or a mulching mower turning clippings into nitrogen.
Fertilizing promotes robust lawn growth. The right fertilizer, chosen based on grass type and climate, supports health. Apply spring fertilizer three weeks post-greening or after a couple of mowings. Applying too early feeds weeds and causes runoff.
Water your lawn days before fertilizing to prevent root burns. Select fertilizer based on grass type and persistent issues. Avoid over-fertilizing by following product directions. Combat crabgrass with a fertilizer containing a preventer in early spring. Afterward, wait as per product instructions before applying weed killer.
For common weeds, use weed and feed in 60-90°F temperatures. Water first, avoiding rain forecasts within two days to prevent washing away. A dense, healthy lawn naturally resists weeds. Shaded grass roots endure the summer heat. Use a spreader for even fertilizer application.
Follow product instructions for amount and reapplication timing. Some experts advise lighter spring feeding and heavier fall feeding for cool-season grasses, preventing disease and weed issues.
6. Apply herbicides
Using herbicides becomes crucial to stop weeds from taking over your lawn in spring. Not all weeds go away the same way. Depending on their type—annual or perennial—you’ll choose pre or post-emergent herbicides.
Crabgrass, a persistent annual weed, demands both types’ attention as it starts attacking lawns when temperatures rise. Pre-emergent herbicides tackle weeds before they sprout, creating a soil barrier that stops seed growth. Avoid core aeration if you’ve used pre-emergent herbicides; it breaks the shield, reducing its effectiveness.
Note that these herbicides can hinder grass seed growth. If you plan on overseeding, avoid traditional pre-emergent herbicides. Wait until early fall for effective overseeding with turfgrass seed.
7. Spring Weeding
Dandelions, those bright yellow flowers, pop up stubbornly every spring. Remove their cheerful stems before seeds form to defeat this weed. Alternatively, go all out and yank them by the roots using a tool that ensures the entire root is out, preventing regrowth. Numerous weed-popper tools exist, making the job easier.
Choose one targeting broadleaf weeds to zap those dandelions. If you’re an eco-friendly gardener steering clear of pesticides, manually pluck dandelion greens.
Spring hosts other intruders like chickweed, white clover, wild violets, and more. Expect these after dandelions, usually showing up in late spring and lingering into summer.
8. Lawnmower
Springtime signals the mower’s call. Give it a thorough check; it screams for attention if it struggles to start. Annual tune-ups work wonders. Start mowing dry ground with sufficiently long grass. Avoid mowing too short; this invites sunlight to the soil, sprouting weeds. Set the height to trim only a third of the blades. Longer grass aids deep, robust roots but might need more frequent mowing.
Refer to your mower’s manual for grass-specific settings. Mow early evening for cooler temps and dryness. Avoid rain or wet conditions; mowers struggle, creating uneven cuts with wet grass clumps.
Change mowing patterns to prevent ruts and one-directional bending. Mow as needed, not by a fixed calendar. Spring and early summer often demand more frequent mowing than later in the growth phase. Sharpening the mower blade tops the tune-up list. Regular honing ensures the blade slices through grass, fostering a lush green lawn, not one with shabby brown tips.
9. Lawn watering
Lawn watering involves using a garden hose to supply water. Springtime irrigation needs differ across areas. Typically, grass requires an inch of water weekly, either from rain or via a garden hose, sprinkler, or irrigation setup.
To prevent evaporation in hot late spring and summer, water early, preferably before 10 a.m. When watering, aim for depth to promote lengthy, sturdy roots. A method to check for watering necessity is stepping on and off the grass to observe blade responsiveness. Slow bounce-back, wilting, curling, or faded color signals it’s likely time for watering.
10. Remove grubs
All the hard work’s done, but grubs could be lurking. Grubs, those pale, voracious beetle larvae, love munching on grassroots in spring. Traditional insecticides with chemicals, can exterminate these pests. Want an eco-friendly approach? Try milky spore powder or neem oil, or unleash beneficial nematodes.
Milky spore powder is deadly for grubs. They munch, and bacteria reproduce, killing them in three weeks. Neem oil, an organic pesticide, deters grubs and stops beetles from laying eggs.
Beneficial nematodes are a grub’s nightmare. Their gut’s bacteria kills a grub in one to two days. Remember, these organic methods may cost more than chemical alternatives.
Which Time of Day is Best to Fertilize a Spring Lawn?
- Fertilizing your lawn in spring is best during the early evening.
- Applying it when the sun’s harsh can scorch your grass.
- Evening application, when the grass is dry, is optimal, but check if your fertilizer suits wet grass.
- Always follow label instructions; many fertilizers need post-application watering.
- Apply fertilizer after mowing to let it work between cuts.
- Mowing frequency in spring is approximately once a week for a tidy, classic lawn.
However, if you’re into a wilder garden style, skip mowing until summer for a more relaxed look.
Conclusion
For many, a lush lawn becomes a garden gem as the weather turns warm. We crave flawless, emerald-green grass—ideal for lounging, barefoot strolls, or patio gazing. To make the dream a reality, preparation is vital. As with this guide you have gained knowledge of spring green lawn care regardless of your garden’s size. So give your grass the optimal kickstart for summer, ensuring a scenic haven for your outdoor moments.
