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If you are in quest of finding when to start yard work in spring, then you have placed your hands on the right page. When spring is knocking at your door, you can witness it by the small daffodils and crocuses. At the same time, it also warns you to prepare your lawn for the growing season. Spring keeps you and your lawn busy, doesn’t it?
Do you think preparing a lawn is not a cup of tea? Well, why don’t you stick to this article to discover when to start treating your lawn and how to fix your lawn in spring?
This year, make sure your lawn and lawn mower is ready before you prepare lawn for spring!
Spring Lawn Care Schedule
Most people always struggle to create a proper schedule and execute it well. On top of that, they remain confused about when to start yard work in spring. Here we have penned down the best spring lawn care schedule only for you.
Preparing a lawn is a never-ending job. There are some hard and fast rules to give a perfect look to your lawn. There is no shortcut at all. Nothing seems easy at the beginning, right? It takes a shitload of patience and discipline to shape a lawn.
Rather than wasting your spring doing random work, why don’t you spend your time doing some productive work? If you are planning to hire an expert to assist you in your lawn care, hold on for a minute. Why do you want to spend some bucks if you can get it done by yourself?
Let’s take a closer look at-
How To Prepare Lawn For Spring?
1. Clean Up Your Yard
Raking should be your priority. You should always keep your hands on first.
If you think that it’s not necessary to clean up the yard as no trees are shedding their leaves, you are probably making a mistake. Raking not only removes the fallen leaves but also cleans up the thatch.
In case the term ‘thatch’ is new to you, it’s a layer just below the green vegetation of the grass and extends up to the root system. It contains dead turfgrass tissue.
Proper inspection and assessment are required. Spring raking also uproots the patches of grade blade.
Dethatching is an important part if you have over-fertilized your lawn for years. Dethatching lawn helps in aeration, better absorption of nutrients, and most importantly, allows your lawn to drain better.
2. Aeration Is Mandatory
Soil compaction is quite common if your lawn gets heavy traffic. Running, jogging, and playing over the same spot for a long time may lead to soil compaction. To get rid of it, aeration is mandatory.
Although spring is not the appropriate time to aerate your arena, if the condition of your lawn says so, then you can’t help aerating your lawn.
You may ask why aeration is avoided in spring because the weeds start to germinate, most probably in spring. When you loosen up the soil, their seeds get mixed well and get distributed equally. Thus, it provides an ideal condition to grow better.
3. Assessment Of Soil
It’s important to test the soil beforehand. Healthy soil gives a strong foundation to your lawn. Spring is the perfect time to keep your hand on it. Assessment mainly includes determining the pH and nutrient level of the soil.
When it comes to pH, 7 indicates a neutral state. Soil becomes acidic when pH goes below 7 and it becomes alkaline above 7. You can buy an at-home soil test kit to assess the soil on your own. Or else you can send soil samples to your local cooperative extension to assist you in the same.
To your surprise, these local cooperative extensions offices offer you scientifically based assistance in agriculture and horticulture free of cost. All you have to do is to contact them either via mail or call.
When your soil becomes alkaline, it signifies potential and serious lawn problems. In this case, you might have to address elemental sulfur in your soil to lower the pH.
4. Proper Maintenance Of Lawn Mower
It’s not only your lawn that has to be taken care of but also your lawn mower too. If you want your lawn mower to respond well and stay active for years, then it’s better to maintain it properly.
5. Don’t Overseed Your Existing Lawn Until Fall
Overseeing is intended to fill the bare spots. Once you complete raking and amending the soil, you can apply seeds throughout your lawn. Overseeding the entire lawn is a good idea. It lets your lawn dress up a healthy, lush, green, and thick look.
Although spring is not the appropriate time to do it. Fall is an ideal time. If your lawn is in dire need of a makeover, then it’s wise enough to overseed your lawn in the spring itself. But if possible, it’s better to avoid overseeding in spring.
6. Apply Fertilizers, Pre-Emergent Herbicides
Here, you have got multiple options. You can either spray them individually or else as a combination. You can buy any good-quality organic fertilizer for your lawn. Make sure to use the optimum amount of fertilizer. Too much or too low fertilizer can lead to several weed-related problems.
If you want your lawn to remain thick and healthy then it’s better to use herbicides too. If the weeds come out every six months, you have to use the herbicides once in six months just before the weeds start to grow.
If weeds have overgrown your whole lawn, then it’s better to go for over-spraying of herbicides, or else spot-spraying would be fine in case of fewer weeds. Pre-emergent herbicides are very effective.
Use a proper combination of fertilizers and pre-emergent herbicides to treat your weeds well. Using their fixed-dose combination will not only help you reduce the cost but also save time. You can use walk behind salt spreaders to properly & evenly spread the fertilizer.
7. Trim The Trees
The trees look good when they come into shape. Ideally, you should trim the trees just before their leaves and branches come out.
8. Apply A Few Inches Of Mulch
If you are planning to apply a layer of mulch, then that’s pretty impressive. It can make your garden look more beautiful. Mulch can be made out of composting shredded leaves or bark.
How to Prepare a Lawn Mower for Spring?
Not only your lawn, but your lawn mower also needs some attention too. If you expect your Lawn Mower to function well for a longer period, then you must know the tips and tricks behind its maintenance.
You can follow these basic steps to keep your lawn mower ready for your lawn-
1. Tune Up Your Mower
You have to see whether it’s properly working or not. It would be wise to look at the air filter and the engine beforehand for safety reasons. If necessary, then try to introduce a new air filter. In addition to that, you have to grease the fittings, clean the carburetor as well.
If you find out your lawn mower needs multiple tune-ups in a month, then it’s better to replace it rather than using it anymore.
2. Change The Oil
Don’t put too much oil in the engine. Always make sure to replace the remaining oil. Drain out the extra oil in a container, repair the plug and refill the crankcase.
Still not sure check out our guide on how to change lawn mower oil
3. Sharpen The Blades
It’s mandatory to sharpen the blades at least twice a year. Don’t use a blunt blade to get your work done. They won’t serve your purpose properly. Take out the blade, sharpen it well and replace it. While your blade is out, don’t forget to clean the underside part.
4. Clean The Lawn Mower From Top To Bottom
You have to use a strong tide of water to clean the parts. Rub and brush all the parts very well. While cleaning, make sure to take out the grass on the underside of your lawn mowers deck.
5. Lubricate All The Moving Parts
If you want your lawn mower to run for a longer period, it’s mandatory to lubricate the wheel bearings and all other moving parts. Make sure to wipe off the excess oil at the end. Lubrication prevents friction, wear, and tear of the active parts.
6. Investment
When it comes to investment, you have to spend a decent amount of money to keep your lawn mower in proper shape. Optimum investment can let you use the lawn mower in the long run.
Spring Lawn Care Tips
These are some basic tips and tricks. You can easily follow them to fix your lawn in spring. Here we have divided spring lawn care tips into two parts-
- Early spring lawn care tips
- Late spring lawn care tips
Early Spring Lawn Care Tips
- Start your lawn preparation right from raking. Rake your lawn properly to loosen the grass blade
- In the first place, clear debris from your lawn
- Apply a few inches of mulch to maintain soil moisture and temperature
- Dethatching your lawn is always a good idea. If your lawn is over-fertilized, then you might have to dethatch your lawn to keep the grass and soil healthy. If your lawn seems completely healthy, then you should not have to dethatch your lawn
- Mow early and mow often. You should do mowing only when your grass needs it
- Start mowing if and only if the ground is dry
- If possible, try to avoid aeration in spring. It may encourage the weed to redistribute its seeds and germinate in a better way
- When your soil becomes alkaline, you might have to apply elemental sulfur to your soil to lower the pH.
- Try to overseed the bare areas in your lawn
- Use a combination of fertilizers and herbicides to save time as well as money
- Don’t forget to check the pH and nutrient level of your soil
- Stick to a fixed height and mow your lawn according to that
- Tune-up your mower
- After you are done with mowing, don’t forget to clean up your mower
Late Spring Lawn Care Tips
- Wipe out the weeds
- Water regularly, don’t forget to feed
- If weeds have overgrown and spread to your whole lawn, then it’s better to go for over-spraying, or else spot-spraying herbicides would be fine in case of fewer weeds
Spring Lawn Care Services
Long story short, it’s very easy to take care of your lawn. All you have to do is to complete the steps systematically. It mainly includes-
- Aeration
- Soil amendments
- Seeding
- Mowing
- Weed control
- Fertilization
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How To Prepare A Lawn For Spring?
Clean up your yard, start aeration, assess soil, avoid overseeing until fall and use organic fertilizers and pre-emergent herbicides to treat weeds.
How To Prepare A Lawn Mower For Spring?
You have to stick to some specific trial and error tests to prepare your lawn mower for spring. All you have to do is check the oil quality, air filter, blade, engine and, clean the lawn mower from top to bottom and lubricate its moving parts.
What Are Some Tips For Spring Lawn Care?
A few tips for spring lawn care are to mow early and often mow, clear debris from your lawn, wipe out the weeds, apply a few inches of mulch to maintain soil moisture and temperature, tune-up your mower fertilize well, and water the lawn regularly.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article has served your purpose and answered all your queries regarding how to prepare the lawn in spring. What are you waiting for? Spring is just around your corner. Make sure to prepare your lawn right before the time.
