How To Have A Greener Spring Lawn

Do you want your lawn to be one of the first to look green and lush in spring? If so, then you need to start preparing for the next growing season in the fall. The following are the key steps you should take to get your lawn ready to grow.

#1: Aerate

Aerating opens up the soil so that water, oxygen, and nutrients can reach grass roots easier. This leads to healthier and lusher grass. Aerate the lawn in early fall. This gives the soil plugs that are removed time to melt back into the ground naturally before the grass goes dormant.

#2: Mow low

One thing that causes ugly spring lawns is snow mold. You can avoid this issue by mowing the lawn lower during the final fall cutting. Set the mower up to an inch lower than your summer height. This way there won't be long dormant blades of grass to become matted down and moldy.

#3: Seed

A great time to reseed your lawn is in winter, before the first major snowfall of the year. Spreading seed at this time means that the seeds are protected from foraging birds thanks to the snow. It's cold enough that the seeds will remain dormant, but they will be ready to sprout immediately when the grass begins growing again in spring. Thanks to the snow melt and wetter spring weather, you also won't need to worry about frequent irrigation.

#4: Fertilize

A dormant fertilizer application in early winter can also lead to greener grass in a few months. Apply the winter fertilizer before it snows but after the grass has gone dormant for the winter. The nutrients will remain in the soil, ready to begin feeding the grass as soon as it begins to wake up in spring. Although you could wait to apply the fertilizer in spring, dormant fertilization tends to lead to grass that develops a deep green color earlier compared to spring fertilized lawns.

#5: Remove debris

Once the snow melts, take some time to rake up any leaves, pine needles, or other debris left over from winter. These will otherwise mat down the grass or lead to bald spots without any grass due to lack of sunlight. Once the grass begins growing, mow it at the low pre-winter setting one time to remove the dead tops of the grass before switching back to your summer mowing height.

Talk to a lawn service for more help in caring for your grass. Companies like Mr Green Thumb may be able to help meet your needs in this area.