Spring Lawn Tips

As winter winds down, now is the time to start thinking about getting a great looking lawn for this year.  An excellent alternative is to call your local lawn care service and let them take care of it.  If you are going to use a lawn maintenance and mowing service, it’s a good idea to have them start in the late winter or early spring.  Most lawn care programs have a maintenance schedule that builds upon itself and the best results are achieved by following that schedule throughout the year.

If you are going to tackle your own lawn care this year, spring is the time to lay a good foundation for the rest of the year.  The first thing you need to do is give the yard a good raking.  This will get rid of any leaves that fell after fall raking and any other debris that has landed on the lawn during the winter.  It will also help remove some thatch and allow air and light to penetrate into the lawn.

Then next step is to adjust the ph of your yard.   Take a few soil samples from various locations throughout the yard and have them tested by your county extension agent.  Apply lime as needed to bring the ph to the proper level.  Your extension agent will be able to tell you how much lime to apply.

After adjusting the ph, you should apply a spring fertilizer that is right for your type of lawn.  Your lawn and garden center can help you choose a good spring fertilizer.  Finally, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to control crabgrass.  These will also be available at your local lawn and garden center.  Now your yard is ready for the growing season!