Early Spring Lawn Care To-Do List

Clean up debris, twigs and small limbs that may have blown out of trees in your lawn over winter.

Rake up matted, dead spots where excess winter moisture may have allowed gray snow mold to invade the lawn.

Mow off dead top growth, allowing sunlight to penetrate to the crowns of grass plants and “kick start” spring growth.

Fertilize the lawn with a fertilizer/pre-emergent product to maximize early spring growth while laying down a chemical barrier which will be important in minimizing crabgrass and other annual grassy weed invasions.

Before mulching landscape beds, be sure to rake up and remove old, rotted mulch and other debris, accumulated over the winter.

While fall is the very best time to plant grass seed, if you are willing to keep the seedbed moist, you can get reasonable results by over-seeding any dead and winter-killed areas in Spring.  When planting seed or laying sod in Spring, be sure to apply “starter fertilizer”, high in phosphorus, to maximize quick root establishment and growth.

Sharpen the outer one inch of your mower blade before you begin mowing the lawn. Dull blades damage grass plants and create an unsightly, brown look as blades are shredded, not cut cleanly.

Clean and check out your lawn sprinkler now, before it is needed. Poor sprinkler operation leads to uneven water distribution and results in inconsistent color across the lawn.

If you are doing the lawn work yourself, take a close look at your lawn spreader and spray equipment. Uneven applications are a major cause of poor weed control and, when your spreader is not used properly, you may well end up with a stripped lawn.

Importantly, now is the time to plan your lawn care program. If you are not thrilled with the prospect of doing all the product planning, purchasing and lawn work, consult and experienced lawn care operator now. When selecting a service, there is NO substitute for experience and knowledge.