As the weather begins to warm up, many homeowners turn their attention to their lawns. Spring is a critical time for lawn care, as it sets the stage for the rest of the growing season. To help get your grass off to a healthy start, we have put together some lawn care tips and tricks that will have your yard looking lush and green all season long.
Lawn Care Tips & Tricks For Healthy Spring Grass
There are a lot of different techniques and tricks to help get the most out of your lawn, starting with the basics in Spring. But other more advanced elements can help keep your grass looking healthy throughout the year and should be looked at straight away. Lush Lawn recommends following all the steps below, as well as testing the pH balance of your soil.
A soil test helps to diagnose what nutrients are needed, and the pH levels of lawns can vary greatly from house to house in Southeastern Michigan, making it an important first step before the growing season kicks into gear.
Another good tip for spring is to start mowing your lawn only when the temperatures have warmed enough so your soil is warm and dried out. Doing so before can cause untold stress, and you should also take precautions not to trim too low, as this will expose the root system and leave it open to further damage. Other tips and tricks to ensure your grass care regime starts on the right foot:
Clean Up
The first step to a healthy lawn is to clean up any debris accumulated over the winter months. This includes fallen leaves, branches, and other debris that may have come onto your lawn. Raking up this debris will allow sunlight and air to reach the soil, essential for healthy grass growth.
Aerate
One of the most important things you can do for your lawn is to aerate it. Aerating involves poking holes in the soil to allow the best mix of air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the ground and reach the roots of the grass. This is especially important if your lawn gets a lot of foot traffic, as compacted soil can prevent the grass from getting the nutrients it needs to thrive.
Fertilize
Fertilizing your lawn in the spring is essential for healthy grass growth. Look for a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen, as this will help promote green, leafy growth. Weeds suck up any nutrients around them, leaving your grass to starve, so ensuring that you’re fertilizing your lawn will help to alleviate this issue, even before you start controlling what is growing.
Watering
Maintaining a healthy lawn means following a proper watering schedule. In the spring, you should water your lawn deeply but infrequently. This means giving your lawn a good soaking once or twice a week rather than a light watering daily. This will encourage your grass to grow deep roots, which will help it withstand drought conditions later in the season.
Control Weeds
Weeds can be a major problem for any lawn, so it's important to control them before they take over. Use a pre-emergent weed killer in the early spring to prevent weeds from germinating, and pull any existing weeds by hand or use a post-emergent weed killer. Combating invasive weeds early protects your turf from extensive damage. Lush Lawn is a weed control company that recommends homeowners invest in a lawn care treatment program that protects from invasive weed pests and fertilizing for maximum health.
Overseed Your Lawn
Overseeding your lawn can help fill bare patches and create a lush, green lawn. Always choose a high-quality grass seed appropriate for your grass type and climate, and apply it according to the manufacturer's instructions. Water your lawn regularly after overseeding to ensure the new grass seed germinates and grows.
Maintain Your Lawn Equipment
One of the smaller but still important jobs is to ensure you maintain your lawn equipment so it can be used year-round. Starting your maintenance tasks and finding one of your key pieces of equipment is heading for the scrap pile rather than the great outdoors can push back your schedule for spring. Look to maintain your equipment so that you can follow your plans for this spring without any extra worries or costs.
Work With Lush Lawn
We can help with your essential lawn decisions and determine how best to revitalize your yard in the Spring. To get a free estimate, contact Lush Lawn today.