6 Spring Tips To Get Your Lawn Summer Ready

6 Spring Tips to Get Your Lawn Summer Ready

The weather this winter is giving people whiplash with all the freeze thaw cycles, t-shirt weather one day and snowing the next. Spring is often just as unpredictable, but a healthy lawn doesn’t have to be. Soon the sun will be shining reliably, the ground will dry and tiny green shoots of all varieties will begin popping up. Here are 6 things you can do to ensure a green healthy lawn this summer.

Raking

Even if you were meticulous about raking leaves before the cold weather arrived last fall, your sprouting lawn will benefit from a good raking. Not only will you gather up any stray remnants from last year, you’ll separate the grass shoots to avoid clumps, break up thin patches of thatch, and stir up the dirt to discourage mold and decay.  This annual spring ritual can also help you identify ruts and bumps in your lawn for later treatment and where overseeding is most needed.

Aeration

Aeration is especially important in high traffic areas, but this will benefit your entire lawn by fighting compaction and opening up air and water pockets for nutrients and root growth. Be sure the ground is thawed before having this done. For best results, aeration tines should penetrate fully. When the ground is still frozen close to the surface, aeration will bring only minimal benefit.

Overseeding

If aeration is the bread, overseeding is the butter. Aerating your lawn without overseeding is a missed opportunity to encourage a thick healthy lawn. You’ve opened up pockets for new growth, if you don’t plant grass, the weeds will move in. Grass seed doesn’t mind the cold, but it won’t handle repeated freeze thaw cycles well, so be sure not to plant grass too early to ensure optimal results.

Soil Testing

If you haven’t had your soil tested, this is a wise investment if you want a healthy thick lawn. Over time, even as seasons change, the ph in soils can change. Take the guess work out of why your grass doesn’t look its best by learning what your soil needs more of to promote active growth.

Fertilizer

Adding a slow-release fertilizer early in the spring helps promote growth and root spread in your lawn. Choosing the right fertilizer is essential because you can damage your lawn with the wrong application. Applying fertilizer too early or too late minimizes the impact. For optimal results, apply when your grass begins growing actively (which will happen when soil temperatures reach more than 17 degrees).

Mowing

After a spring tune up on your mower, there’s nothing that kicks off the summer gardening season like the first time out cutting the grass. Be sure not to cut your grass too short (leave at least 1/3 of the blade) as short grass promotes weeds and stunts root growth. Taller grass has a better root system, tolerance for heat, and helps keep essential moisture in the soil.