Cleaning, dusting, sorting, de-cluttering – these are the tasks that most homeowners have on top of their to-do list come spring. But as the snow melts and the days get warmer, another thing that homeowners should think of is giving their lawn some TLC.
With the harsh weather and freezing temperatures in winter, your grass probably received a good beating. Even during the last few weeks of winter, the snow left on your lawn could be unforgiving. The pressure from the piled snow can damage new grass. With chunks of ice left on your lawn, it also means that the grass isn’t getting the sun’s rays, which is essential to its growth. A sure way to get healthier, greener grass in spring and throughout summer is hiring pros to take care of your lawn. Some spring lawn care services to consider are aerating, fertilizing, seeding, weeding, and lawn mowing. But before we talk about why these lawn care services are essential, let’s talk about timing.
When do I start with spring lawn care?
Timing is essential if you want to maintain a healthy lawn. You can’t just walk around your yard to carry an inspection as soon as the ice melts. Doing this can make the soil compact and destroy the grass’s regrowth before it even has the chance to mature.
Watering too early can also do more harm than good, especially if the soil hasn’t soaked up the excess moisture from winter. It’s essential to wait for the grass to soak up some sun first for a few weeks before you start watering.
As weather conditions vary each year, there is no specific date to determine the best time to begin taking care of your lawn in spring. The good news is that there are some signs you can look out for to help you decide that it’s time to work on your lawn.
- You should see any water buildup or muddy areas on the lawn;
- Make sure that the grass and soil are entirely thawed;
- Grass should start growing actively;
- And temperatures should consistently average over 40 °F.
What are the lawn care services I should get in spring?
You might feel frustrated after seeing your grass looking matted and having some bald spots even after taking care of it in the fall. But before you do anything rash, the good news is that grass is more resilient than you think, and with a bit of help from the pros, your grass can come back to life, and it will be green and lush in no time.
Here are some spring lawn care services to consider:
Aeration
Lawn aeration is a necessary process you should do if your soil suffers from compaction and if you have lawn thatch. Soil can usually become compacted by heavy lawn traffic or the ground having low water retention (during winter or summer).
Aeration is where the soil is perforated with small holes, allowing water, sunlight, and other nutrients to easily penetrate the grassroots. This will help the roots grow deeper and promote a healthy lawn. Aeration is another thing you should do if you live in a place with clay soil, as this type of soil can become easily compacted.
If you’re planning to have your lawn aerated, the best time to do it is during the growing season, which is early spring or early fall for cool-season grass and late spring for warm-season grass.
You can call lawn care contractors near you to have this scheduled before the demand for this service increases in spring.
Applying Fertilizer
After being deprived of sunlight and being frozen and covered in snow for months, your grass will be “hungry” come spring. You will need to feed it with fertilizer to get the vital nutrients that are not naturally found in the soil.
Ideally, professional lawn care services will take a soil sample to test and see what nutrients are present in it. This will help identify what nutrients the soil lacks to be properly fed.
For cool-season grasses, spring feeding the lawn is usually done when the temperature is around 55°F. This is when the grass is no longer dormant and is actively growing. Note that fertilizing is also all about timing, and you shouldn’t have your lawn fertilized when the temperature is too hot. A professional lawn care service provider would know the ideal time to feed your turf.
Overseeding
Winter can cause damage to your lawn, and you might be left with bald patches when springtime comes. To cover these ugly spots and make your yard look lush again, you need to overseed (or also called reseed) your grass. Other benefits of overseeding include:
- Reducing soil erosion
- Lowering the risk of attracting pests and disease
- Increasing the thickness of the lawn
Although fall is the most ideal time to overseed your lawn, the weather in spring also allows the seeds to germinate. Again, timing is vital, so you need to make sure that the seeds are already well established on the ground before the hotter temperatures of summer come.
Another thing to remember is that seed choice matters when it comes to overseeding. You will want to have a more diversified lawn as this will promote a garden ecosystem to form, which benefits your lawn and the environment.
Weed Control
Although white clovers and dandelions are a pretty sight to see, these weeds are invasive and can ruin your grass. When weeds take over your lawn, they will take up all the essential nutrients – this means your grass won’t be able to get water and sunlight that it needs to grow healthy. Because of this, your lawn will be hungry and will be more prone to disease.
The best way to prevent weeds from getting a foothold is to attack them even before they pop up. Weeds will grow when the temperature is consistent around 50 to 55 °F. You need to wait until the soil’s temperature reaches 50 °F before applying weed control.
Professional lawn care services will apply pre-emergent herbicide in early spring to prevent weeds from germinating and growing. Pre-emergent herbicides aren’t effective on weeds that have started to grow – so again, timing is key. Weed control experts will know when is the best time to apply this.
Lawn Mowing
Did you know that mowing high and often can also help with weed control? As the temperature starts to rise, weeds will also begin to grow. You want to cut high so that you get the weeds out of the way and will allow your grass to grow taller and stronger.
A word of warning, you have to be careful not to start mowing your lawn too early. You have to wait until the grass has developed strong and healthy roots. A clear sign that the grass is ready for mowing is when it reaches at least two inches tall. Also, remember to stick to the old rule of cutting not more than one-third of the grass blades. Mowing too short can spell disaster for your lawn as it makes your grass vulnerable to heat, leading to dry and discolored lawns.
Unfortunately, to have an envy-worth lawn, you have to give consistent care to your grass, such as mowing the lawn every week and using the right techniques while doing it. If you want to ensure that you get the best results for your lawn, it is good to consider hiring professional lawn mowing services. Doing this will almost guarantee that your lawn is given the right care it needs.
What are the things I can do for my lawn this spring?
Besides the things mentioned above and hiring a professional to do them, there are some things that you can do for your lawn this spring.
- Prepare your lawn mower – If you have a mower at home and you prefer to cut the grass on your own, one thing you have to do in early spring is to give your mower an annual tune-up. If you have a gas-powered mower, you want to make sure that the oil, air filter, and spark plug are replaced. The good thing is that these parts and supplies can be easily found in home depots or hardware stores and are also inexpensive.
An area to check on your unit under the mower deck. You want to make sure that this is clear of any buildup so the lawnmower will work properly. Also, before using the mower, ensure that its blades are kept sharp, or if not get a replacement. Using dull blades to mow will only tear the grass instead of cutting it – which means bad news.
- Remove winter debris – Before you begin with spring lawn care, make sure that you remove any winter debris that’s on your grass. No matter how you prepared your lawn in autumn, there is a huge chance that sticks, leaves, and other debris have made their way into your lawn. Clear your lawn before anything else to make maintaining your grass much easier.
- Water your lawn – Watering your lawn is essential for your grass to grow, but again, you have to wait for the weather to become consistently warmer and dryer before you begin watering. Careful not to overwater as this will cause the grass to turn yellow or have bare spots. Stick to the rule of watering the grass to an inch of water every week.
Achieving a lush lawn doesn’t come easy. For grass to be green and healthy, it requires hard work and some expertise. Hiring lawn care and lawn mowing services will save you time, is cost-effective (no need to purchase lawn care equipment and supplies), plus you could enjoy a wide range of services that your lawn needs. If you’re looking for reliable professional lawn care services – click here.
