You Can Prep Your Lawn For Spring

As winter begins to wind down, your thoughts may turn to your lawn which has been lying dormant for the past several months. Before you know it, your grass will begin to assume that unmistakeable green tint, signaling that spring has arrived.

Weeks before winter begins to transition into spring, you may want to prep your lawn. You can’t do anything until the snow has melted, but the moment your lawn clears you can begin the process to ensure that your lawn is green and strong throughout the warmer months. If you hire lawn service to do the work, then you’ll be visited at the right time to have your lawn cared for. For everyone else, keeping up with a schedule means being diligent to follow the four steps we have outlined here. Fall behind and you’ll have more work to do later in the season.

1. Lawn clean up. Much debris has accumulated on your lawn including branches, leaves, sticks and trash. Dispose of these items according to your town’s recycling and garbage pickup procedures.

2. Remove thatch. Dead organic material that accumulates on your lawn is known as thatch. Grass clippings of one-half inch or less can help your lawn retain moisture, but dead surface roots and fibrous material should be removed. Use a metal dethatching rake to clean your lawn. Do not add diseased material to your compost heap.

3. Attack crabgrass early. — Well before crabgrass has the opportunity to emerge, you’ll want to apply a pre-emergent herbicide just as your soil begins to warm. Your timing will vary and depend mostly on where you live. For example, if you live in central Maryland then you’ll apply pre-emergent in late March. Check with your state’s extension service to find out the best time to do this work locally.

4. Seeding & fertilizing. — Several weeks to a month after applying your herbicide, you’ll want to overused your lawn. Add fertilizer as soon as your grass begins to grow. Again, check with your extension service to determine dates for your area. Expect to apply a second round of fertilizer later in the season.

Approximately three weeks after fertilizing, you’ll cut your grass. By this time it should have grown significantly and should be cut to no lower than a 2-inch height according to the Colorado State University extension. Heights can vary according to the type of seed planted; read the directions on your grass seed bag for correct cutting heights.

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