STARTING YOUR LAWN OFF RIGHT IN 2023
Spring is here! It may not quite feel like it yet, but the trees and shrubs have already started blooming, the grass will begin to green up, and the temperatures will start getting consistently above 70. Most of us will all be thinking the same thing… It is time to pull the lawn mower out and get the yard back in shape. Lawn Care season has begun!
PREPPING YOUR LAWN BEGINS NOW
Before getting too much closer to Spring, there are some things you should be doing now in order to insure your lawn has the best chance at joining the “yard of the month club”. Preparations before growing season, while the grass is still dormant, are critically important for your turf’s performance the rest of the year. Here are some helpful hints to help you achieve the lawn you want, and make the neighbors green with lawn envy.
SPRING CLEANUP
A Spring Cleanup is a great starting place for prepping your lawn for success. Included in a Spring Cleanup are things like, blowing and removing leaves from the lawn and from flower beds. It also involves checking the sprinkler system to be sure all the heads are intact, the clock is functioning properly, and that there are no leaks or problems under the ground. Spring Cleanups are also a great time to trim any dead branches out of trees and shrubs.
It is also wise to apply a pre-emergent herbicide to the lawn and to planting areas, while temperatures are still cool and the grass is dormant. Pre-emergents are a great addition to your lawn care program. These helpful and environmentally friendly products will keep those early summer weeds from taking over.
Another consideration, at this time while the grass is dormant, should be post emergent herbicides for cool season or “broadleaf” weeds. Applying a broadleaf weed killer during the dormant season greatly increases the accuracy of a weed control program and reduces the risk of harming beneficial grass species. This is especially true of hard to kill species such as nutsedge, crabgrass, and dallisgrass.
AERATION
Aerating the lawn in the early spring helps to relieve compaction issues and gives the root system of your lawn some stimulation. Although you will want to wait until after any threat of freeze to apply fertilizers, aeration increases the success and effectiveness of the first fertilizer application. As the spring rains begin, aeration allows pore space in the lawn to better absorb water and reduce run-off.
MOWING & MAINTENANCE
Mowing the lawn at the right time is beneficial to the health of not only the grass, but its root system as well. Mowing should begin around the first or second week of March. Mowing at this time does several, helpful things. First, it pulls the excess thatch where insects and fungi hibernate in the winter, up to the top to be removed. Next, taking a small amount of grass clippings off the top stimulates root activity and aides in an even and uniform green-up. Finally, it leaves the lawn looking fresh and clean of debris.
Following these simple hints will greatly increase your chances of realizing expert level lawn performance from your grass. As spring approaches and the growing season with it, hiring a lawn care provider, like Mow Managers, to perform these essential steps is a great way to make sure your lawn stays on a maintenance schedule as time and attention is of the utmost essence. We hope these tips from our lawn care professionals get you excited about your lawn this year!
