This page contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure below for more information.
As an option to caring for and maintaining a lawn, consider these options first, before continuing to read:
* https://sustainableamerica.org/blog/why-you-should-plant-a-front-yard-veggie-garden/
* https://gilmour.com/grass-alternatives-backyard-lawn
* https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2017/07/26/comic-why-you-should-turn-your-yard-into-a-mini-farm/ (hat tip to Raíces Eco-Culture)
Caring for your lawn in the spring can make a difference in the coming summer and fall months. Much of this will depend upon the region that you live in.
Here are some helpful tips and resources to get you started with your spring lawn care.
There are eleven planting zones and some states can have an overlap of zones.
In the North, the climate can be colder – even in the spring – than it is in the other regions. So you have to adjust how you treat your lawn based on the outdoor temperature. Your spring lawn care should begin when snow and icy conditions are no longer a weather issue.
If you live in the South, you’ll want to pay attention to your specific climate region because the spring temperatures can be noticeably different than that of the North. You can usually begin spring lawn care earlier than your northern neighbors, around March.
The first step is to remove any lawn debris. You’ll want to remove dead leaves or waste that didn’t decompose.
You can do this by raking. This gets up any leaves that have fallen to the ground and died, but it also can help keep your lawn free of thatch.
SPONSORED:
* TALITARE Garden Bow Rake
* Decorlife Adjustable Leaf Rake Set (15 Tines and 9 Tines Rakes)
* Gardzen Large Leaf Scoop Hand Rakes
Thatch is made up of the stems and roots that didn’t complete a decomposition process. You’ll find thatch right around the top of the soil. For people who did a thorough raking job in the fall, the thatch buildup isn’t as thick.
If you leave thatch, it can create patchy areas in your lawn because the new grass can’t push through to the surface. Check for areas of the lawn that has portions of soil that may have suffered any damage and repair those.
The next step after raking is to aerate the soil. In the mild weather states, the spring is the time that you must aerate the lawn. You can buy or rent the equipment to do this with.
SPONSORED:
* Yard Butler Lawn Coring Aerator Manual Grass Dethatching Aeration Tool
* Fiskars Telescoping Rotary Cultivator
* Rolling Lawn Aerator 18-inch Garden Yard Rotary Push
You want to aerate your soil to keep it from becoming compacted. Soil compaction happens when there’s pressure applied to the surface of the soil. This can be caused by items on the lawn, such as lawn furniture, equipment or children’s toys, or by people or animals walking across it.
Aerate the lawn and reseed any damaged areas. Usually weed control is taken care of in the fall. Once the weeds actually push out of the ground, it’s too late for preventative care and you have to go with an herbicide that takes care of weeds after they’ve started growing.
Next, you want to check your soil’s pH level. Make sure that you get the soil tested. What you’re looking for is a pH level of 6.5 to 7.
While some items do well with soil that’s more acidic, a higher pH level can kill off certain types of grass.
SPONSORED:
* SONKIR Soil pH Meter, MS02 3-in-1 Soil Moisture/Light/pH Tester
Check the lawn for areas where the grass may have been worn away or is brown. You’ll need to treat those areas. This is where you can over-seed, but seeding is something that you really want to save for the fall. You’ll also need to keep the seed moist.
Next, you’ll need to fertilize.
Some people fertilize the minute that spring officially begins, but you want to wait until April or May, depending on your region, before you fertilize. If your lawn is still more brown than green, you want to wait until it has a higher area of green over brown. Fertilizing helps your grass make it through the winter.
Use a slow release fertilizer for best results.
SPONSORED:
* EcoScraps Slow-Release Fertilizer (Recycled Nutrients, Organic Matter)
* Scotts EZ Seed Patch and Repair Sun and Shade
Spring is the time of the year where the weeds just seem to flourish regardless of what region you’re in.
You’ll want to remove the weeds either manually (see our previous post about Grampa’s Weeder – The Original Stand Up Weed Puller Tool) or by using an herbicide. If you use an herbicide, make sure to check if the product treats weeds before or after they sprout.
Spring is also the time to work on taking care of diseases associated with lawns. You’ll want to treat your grass, as well as any shrubs that you have.
The southern states are known for a higher level of moss growth and spring is the time of year when moss can spread rapidly. If you don’t get this growth under control, it can cause damage to your lawn.
You’ll also want to change out the mulch around your landscaping too. Pests and disease can make a home in mulch over the winter.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS (sponsored):
* Everything Lawn Care
* The Organic Lawn Care Manual
* The Lawn Bible: How to Keep It Green, Groomed, and Growing Every Season of the Year
* Lawn Care for Dummies
You might decide that lawn care is not for you and you want to lay turf down instead. Spring would be the perfect time to undertake that project as well.
SPONSORED:
* Grotrax Biodegradable Grass Seed Mat – Quick Fix Roll
JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
Share your tips and lawn and garden photos! Email us at lawnandgardeningideas@gmail.com or join the conversation on our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/529039281374820/
SPONSORED:
Thinking of selling your home, buying, renting or investing?
Contact:
EVA ABREU, REFERRAL AGENT
KP EDGESTONE REALTY
76 Main St., Suite 1, Matawan, NJ 07747
732-307-3200 Office
908-866-6576 Direct
www.kpedgestone.com
Disclosure: Per FTC guidelines, this website may be compensated by companies mentioned through advertising, affiliate programs or otherwise. Please note that LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com has financial relationships with some of the merchants mentioned on the website. LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com may be compensated if consumers choose to utilize paid links and advertisements located throughout the content on this site and sales may be generated for the said merchant. You are not obligated to click on any link or buy any products that are advertised. Any references to third party products, rates or websites are subject to change without notice. Please do the appropriate research before participating in any third party offers.
