Lawn Care Tips for Early Spring?

Answer 1

It's still a bit nippy out there, but the snowbells and crocuses are peeking their little heads out of the ground and the birds are beginning to return. Yes, spring has sprung and it's time to get out there and do a little early spring lawn maintenance that will get your lawn the head start it needs to look lush and beautiful all spring and summer. The following lawn care tips for early spring will help make your lawn the envy of the neighborhood.

Rake your Lawn

Raking the lawn in early spring accomplishes several tasks. First, it removes any leaves that fell after the fall raking. Secondly, raking in the early spring will remove thatch. Thatch is a layer of dead grass that accumulates just above the surface of the soil. If the thatch is not removed, this layer of dead grass will block water and nutrients from reaching your lawn's roots. Finally, raking in the early spring will remove matted patches of grass caused by snow mold. If these patches are not removed, newly planted grass will have trouble breaking through these patches.

Aerate the Lawn

If your lawn is subjected to heavy traffic (most suburban lawns are), the soil is likely to become compacted over time. Compaction causes excessive water and nutrient runoff, which is bad news for your lawn as well as the groundwater supply. The good news is that aerating the lawn is an easy solution to this problem and will help get water and fertilizer down into the roots of your lawn where it belongs and out of the groundwater supply where it doesn't.

The process of aerating the lawn involves poking holes in the soil and removing plugs of soil from the ground. This can be done with a simple push aerator or a tow-behind core aerator that can be pulled behind a riding mower. Core aerators are commonly available at local rental centers.

Check the Soil pH and Apply Lime if Needed

If you see moss plants growing in the soil in early spring, it's a sign that you have acid soil. Lawns prefer a neutral pH, so you will want to remedy this situation. However, don't just blindly spread lime without knowing how much you will need as this may cause the soil to become too alkaline, which is not good for the lawn either. Instead, before applying lime, take the time to take a soil sample to your local county agricultural extension office. The agricultural extension agent will analyze the soil and advise you as to how much lime should be spread per square foot of lawn.