Spring Lawn Care Tips

Bring on the sun

Spring is just around the corner and soon it will be time to start preparing your lawn for the upcoming season. If you're looking forward to the warmth of spring, but dreading the back breaking yard work, let Quality Cut Lawn Care do the work for you. We offer a full range of services that includes spring clean ups, organic fertilization, weed control, insect control and more. If you are planning on performing the task yourself, keep the following tips in mind...

Dethatching
Perhaps the most neglected aspect of spring lawn maintenance is dethatching. Thatch is a layer of organic matter, living and dead, which occurs between turf grass and the soil surface. Thatch over ½ inch thick is considered excessive and creates a favorable environment for pests and disease. It also causes a poor growing environment for grass roots and can hinder some lawn care processes.
 

Dethatching also allows you to check for snow mold. Snow mold symptoms consist of roughly circular patches of dead, matted grass. It may be difficult for new grass to spring up through the matted patches, but a light dethatching is typically enough to resolve the issue.
 

Lawn dethatching can be done manually or with a commercial dethatching machine. Whichever method you use, the result is the same: the thatched is pulled up and deposited on top of the grass. Thatch should then be cleared away to allow the new grass to breathe.
 

Manual dethatching (deep raking) takes hard work and patience. Mechanical dethatching is easier, but the equipment can be unwieldy and complicated. Hiring a professional to handle your first dethatching job may be the best choice.

Fertilizing
Applying fertilizer in the spring reinforces your lawn’s root system and provides it with the extra nutrition it needs to get off to a healthy start. Spring grass uses nutrients stored over winter to grow. Fertilizer helps the grass start out strong in the spring and grow thicker and healthier all season long. If you’re concerned with using chemicals on your lawn or simply want healthier soil, slow-released organic based granular fertilizers offer an excellent alternative to the liquid, chemical fertilizers used by most lawn care companies. Liquid fertilizers often release too much nitrogen too quickly causing grass to spurt and dry out. Organic based granular fertilizer releases gradually; allowing the roots to grow more uniformly. They also feed essential micro-organisms in the soil, improving the overall health of your lawn.

Applying Preemergent Herbicides
Fertilization in spring should go hand in hand with the application of preemergent herbicides. Preemergent herbicides fight off weeds before they have a chance to take over your lawn by forming a protective barrier in the top inch of soil which helps prevent crabgrass and other weeds from sprouting and continues to protect your lawn throughout the season. One crabgrass plant is capable of producing thousands of seeds, which are tracked from yard to yard by the wind, animals, and even people so annual Preemergent applications are the best way to ensure a beautiful, crabgrass free lawn year after year.

Aerating
One of the most common spring lawn maintenance myths involves aerating. Lawns that are subjected to high levels of traffic may eventually start to show signs of decline. In such cases, your lawn is probably suffering from compaction. The best way to avoid compaction is by aerating each fall when weed seed germination is at a minimum.

Overseeding
Another common spring lawn care mistake is overseeding. Unless your lawn is overwhelmed by bare patches, overseeding should be postponed until fall when the new grass won't have to compete with crabgrass. If you do choose to overseed in the spring, it is also recommended that you apply a slow-release nitrogen fertilizerto help promote growth.