We get it—you take pride in your lawn! And spring is the best time to prepare for the growing season. Proper spring lawn maintenance will prepare your lawn for the heat of summer and ensure it stays healthy and beautiful. If you’re ready to get outside and prep your lawn, here is a short checklist for spring.
Lawn Maintenance Checklist for Spring
Before you find yourself elbow deep in spring lawn maintenance, it’s important to wait until your lawn dries out. If the soil is still very damp and soaked with water, you’ll need to let it dry. If you’re still waiting on piles of snow to melt, using a shovel to spread out the snow can help speed the process along. Once your soil is ready, you can proceed to check off the following items on this list.
- Prepare your lawn equipment. It’s likely been a while since you’ve used your lawnmower, so early spring is a great time to sharpen the blades and change the oil in your mower. You may also want to prep any other lawn equipment, such as your lawn edger or weed trimmer.
- Test your soil. Sending a soil sample off to be tested can help you measure the nutrients in your yard and take action to correct any problems that will limit your yard’s growth. Having your soil tested can also help you establish lawn fertility goals and work with a team of lawn care professionals to achieve them.
- Rake and remove debris. Gently rake your lawn to remove debris like dead leaves and other organic materials. Some areas of your lawn may need to be aerated or dethatched so you’ll want to take note of this.
- Mow lower to remove the dead tops of the grass. Set your lawnmower to cut lower than usual so you can remove the dead top portions of the grass. Dropping your mowing height to about 2 ½ inches will yield the best results. Mowing any lower could expose the soil to more sunlight which will result in more weeds. It can also damage the crowns (or the growing point of the grass), causing slower growth in the spring.
- Apply pre-emergent herbicide. As soon as the soil temperature in your yard reaches a consistent 55 degrees, you can apply a pre-emergent herbicide. This will provide annual control of weed growth. Some types of pre-emergent weed control also include fertilizer, so you’ll want to check this to prevent over-fertilizing. If you choose to fertilize your lawn, it’s best to do so in late spring.
- Overseed bare spots. For cool-season grass, it’s best to seed once the ground is no longer frozen and the soil is not too wet. Warm-season grass should ideally be planted when the soil temperature is consistently in the 60s and there is no longer a threat of frost. You may not need to take this step every spring, but if your lawn needs it, overseeding can be very beneficial to enhance your lawn’s appearance.
Need Lawn Maintenance Help This Spring?
If you need help with your lawn maintenance this spring, the professionals at Nixa Lawn Service are happy to help! Call today to learn more about our lawn maintenance services and recommendations.
