How To Prepare Your Lawn for Spring
Spring, by technicality standards, has actually begun. The changing weather indicates that we’re not far from consistently warm weather, green grass and blooming flowers. If you’re like the rest of the population in suburbia, keeping your lawn the greenest on the block is probably a priority. Follow these five tips and see how to prepare your lawn for a healthy spring and summer season!
Don’t Begin Prematurely
Your lawn is on a natural cycle, and regardless of the weather outside, it may not be ready to come out of it’s dormant stage quite yet. It’s important to wait until you see a little green peeking through that mass of dead grass from last season. The reason behind this is because your lawn is fragile in the beginning stages of the season. The roots are just forming and can be easily damaged by too much stimulation.
Clean It Up
The first step, when you and your lawn are ready to begin, is raking. It’s important to clean up all that dead grass from last season and give the new grass a chance to grow and flourish. During the winter season pounds and pounds of snow can build up on the grass and cause a thick overcoat of dead grass to form from being packed down. Raking can loosen that up and in turn give the new grass a chance to grow up and out.
Do Soil Tests
Over the winter season the pH level of the soil in your yard can change. If the soil pH levels are too acidic your grass may have a hard time growing. Most generic home improvement stores sell tests that you can do yourself to determine the acidity of your soil. If the soil is too acidic you may spread a little lime over the area to neutralize acid.
Fertilize if Necessary
If you fertilized the previous fall, you may not need to fertilize your lawn a second time. Depending on the climate that you’re dealing with and the type of grass your lawn is consisted of, you probably don’t need to fertilize a second time. If you have warm season grass a second application may be okay.
Weed Prevention
Spring is a good time to prevent those pesky weeds from popping up in your lush outdoor carpet. Preventing weeds before they even start growing is the best way to deal with them. You may choose to apply an herbicide in early spring, but use it sparingly, as it can damage the newly growing grass.
Overall, these simple steps can get you started on your spring lawn care. That should set you up for a beautiful and lush summer lawn!