Lawn Care - Spring Checklist

Lawn care seems to be the activity of choice for homeowners in the spring.  As the days get warmer, people end their hibernation inside their homes to come out, socialize, and work on their lawns.  By using the following checklist, you can make the most of your spring lawn care.

Rake
Even though you thought that raking was just for fall lawn care, it is actually important in the spring, too.  Ever notice that dead grass under all of the green grass in your yard?  That is called thatch, and more than ½ inch of it is detrimental to your lawn.  Rake hard to remove it.  This also reveals any dead spots that were covered by the thatch that you should now treat.

Soil
If you have not already done this as a part of your fall lawn care, take a soil sample and contact your county extension agent to find out how to have it tested where you live.  It may be possible that you need to add lime to your soil to neutralize its pH to help the grass to grow.

Weeds
A common part of lawn care is fighting weeds.  If crabgrass is a problem, you can apply a crabgrass preventative, but this must be done early in the spring.  It is also important not to plant seeds at the same time as killing weeds – you’ll kill your seeds if you do.

Fertilizer
If you fertilized in the fall, you may not need to fertilize as a part of your spring lawn care.  Too much can burn your grass.  However, if you missed the fall fertilization, go ahead and do it in the spring.

Lawn mower
Proper maintenance of your lawn mower is an important part of lawn care.  Remember to remove the spark plugs before working on it for safety –  you may as well replace them now that you have them out.  Sharpen the blades, replace the oil, and check the air filter to make sure your mower is ready to go.

Water
Proper lawn care of course includes watering your yard.  A thorough, deep soaking once a week tends to help the roots grow deeper than several light waterings.  And, Mother Nature often helps with this in the spring with lots of spring showers.

Spring is perfect for lawn care.  Enjoy your time in your yard, but do be sure to spread out the work.  If you do all of your lawn care in one weekend, you actually can do more damage to your yard than help.  Take several weekends to work on your yard, enjoying your time outdoors while caring for your lawn.