Spring is on its way! With it comes the responsibility of caring for your lawn again. This post will address some of the most common spring lawn care mistakes and explain what you should do instead. Follow our list of dos and don’ts this spring for the best results on your lawn.
Do’s
Test your soil.
Testing your soil will tell you exactly what it needs for healthy grass to grow. Your soil may be compacted or lacking essential nutrients, and testing it will help you create a treatment plan. Upon request, Stewart’s lawn technicians can use a soil probe to determine basic moisture levels and check for compacted areas. This may help diagnose watering issues.
For more detailed soil testing, you can mail a soil sample to USU’s Analytical Laboratories and receive an analysis of nutrient levels, soil pH, and more.
Carefully rake your lawn to clear any debris.
Debris left from the winter can keep your grass from getting the vital sunlight it needs for healthy growth. If you forgot to rake the leaves off your lawn before winter, carefully clear the lawn before fertilizing it this spring. It’s easy to damage the grass this time of year, so if you use a rake, be very gentle.
You should also consider spreading any remaining snow piles to help them melt more quickly. Grass that stays trapped beneath piles of snow is more likely to develop snow mold disease. Clearing debris and leftover snow from the lawn will prepare the grass to grow and prevent it from developing fungal diseases.
Apply compost.
Top-dressing your lawn with compost in the spring will add essential nutrients to your soil, improve texture, and even out the landscape for better mowing. When you top-dress, you can also over-seed to help thicken the lawn. If you choose not to apply compost to your lawn in the early spring, be sure to use a balanced fertilizer once it’s time to fertilize.
Water deeply and less frequently.
You likely won’t need to start watering until May depending on spring rainfall and winter runoff. However, if you need to water due to low rainfall, follow these suggestions:
- Water your lawn deeply (1 to 2 inches of water) about once a week to give it the moisture it needs while promoting deep root growth.
- Water in the morning before the heat of midday using a sprinkler or sprinkler system.
- If it rains, of course, be sure to take that rainfall into account.
Check out our video for more helpful watering insights:
Follow proper mowing guidelines.
You’ll probably only need to mow once a week when the grass starts growing. Follow some of these spring mowing tips for the best results:
- Try to mow in the morning or evening to prevent scorch on sunny days.
- Only mow when the grass is dry.
- Use the mulch setting on your lawn mower to add nutrients to your soil.
Take a comprehensive approach.
Proper lawn care is a science. Balancing general grass maintenance, fertilization, weed control, weed prevention, and insect control can be overwhelming at times. When in doubt, it’s best to hire a professional service like Stewart’s that can handle all of your lawn care needs in one convenient package.
Don’ts
Don’t wait too long to fertilize.
You can get a head start on greening up your lawn if you fertilize when the snow melts. Some fertilizers are specifically designed for early spring and will benefit your grass.
Don’t overwater.
Your lawn doesn’t need much water when temperatures are still cool. If it rains once or twice a week in the spring, you won’t need to turn your sprinklers on until summer or until temperatures are consistently above 85 degrees.
Don’t wait too long to apply pre-emergent.
Pre-emergent is a type of weed control that prevents seeds from growing. Applying pre-emergent in spring can greatly reduce the number of weeds that grow later. However, make sure you apply pre-emergent when soil temperatures are above freezing and before weeds start to grow for the best effect.
You should avoid applying pre-emergent if you plan to overseed because it will stop the grass seeds from growing. If you want to apply pre-emergent but also want to overseed, we suggest overseeding in the fall instead. This will prevent weeds in the spring while ensuring that your new grass seed will grow later in the year.
Call or text our office at 801-226-2261 to learn more about our lawn spraying program and get a free quote!