Lawn Care Tips for Beginners – Getting Ready For Spring

Warm weather is already here, and what does that mean? Well, spring is just days away and the summer comes right after it. People cannot wait for the pleasant weather so that they could spend their afternoons and evenings sitting in the yard, breathing in the fresh air, relaxing. Still, in order to enjoy their surroundings, they have to do some preparatory work.

What are we talking about? Well, about the garden area, of course. No one can fully unwind if they are surrounded by debris. In order to prevent this from happening, it is time to do a little spring cleaning for your yard. In this article, we are going to provide you with the list of things that you should do during this period in order to make certain that you will have the most beautiful garden in your neighborhood until the fall comes.

Rake in the early spring

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Clearly, this is an activity that you should do occasionally, but it is especially important to perform it in the early spring after the snow thaws and the new grass starts to grow. Why? Well if thatch and other materials accumulate, they can prevent the sunlight and water from reaching the grass. Obviously, this is something that can highly endanger its growth.

Make sure to rake the entire area, from one side to the other, and to pick up and get rid of the debris. Remove all the dead plants thus allow the new ones to grow easily and make your garden aesthetically appealing.

Aerate

This chore is going to promote the growth of the grass and improve the strength and quality of the roots. If there is a lot of traffic on your lawn over the year, the chances are that the soil is compacted. How to know if this is the case? Well, the first indicator is moss. If you find it anywhere in the yard, it is time to aerate.

The tools for this task can be rented at the local store, but there is one thing that you have to know. Experts usually recommend this activity to be completed during the fall. However, if you notice this problem during your spring cleaning, obviously you should do it. In addition, professionals also recommend this to be done every 1 to 3 years, but again this is something that depends on the traffic in your backyard, so you might have to do it more often.

Overseeding might be necessary

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This isn’t something that has to be on your to-do-list when it comes to cleaning your garden for spring and summer. Still, if there are some bare spots due to different conditions, you should do the overseeding. What is this? Well, it basically means that you are going to plant grass into the existing soil, without disturbing it. If you believe that this isn’t possible when it comes to your property, you should ask professionals like CT Hydroseeding Services for help.

As you can assume, this is another thing that should be done in the fall, so if there aren’t any reasons urging you to do it now, you should wait a few months.

Don’t forget to fertilize

When it comes to fertilizing, you have two options. You can either go with compost and mulching mowers that are, as you can assume, natural, organic fertilizers. On the other hand, you can go with the chemical ones. Both of these have their benefits and downsides, but you should know that each type of grass requires a special approach.

Nevertheless, there is one thing that professionals agree on. This process should be done during the fall, and only if necessary, and in small quantities during spring. If you over-fertilize the grass in the early spring, many problems can occur like a weed and numerous other diseases.

Again, there is a difference between cool-season and warm-season grass. The former one should be fertilized in the early spring, before it starts growing, and then again in the fall. The latter, which grows during the summer, requires this task to be done in the early and late summer, just before and after its peak season.

Consider applying herbicides

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If in the past, you have had trouble with crabgrass and weed the chances of it happening again are quite high. We are not going to discuss how and why these can be harmful, but instead, we are going to advise you to use preemergent and post-emergent herbicides.

Obviously, you might not need both of these, so you should investigate them a bit further before using them. As you can assume, and depending on the situation and problems you are faced with, the former ones are used before the seeds develop, while the latter is applied in the fall.

Maintaining the garden

Finally, let’s discuss some things that you should do to keep your lawn in perfect condition. The first thing on your list should be mowing. This is something that you should do approximately once a week, but at the same time, it is something that depends on how fast the grass grows. If this is the first time you are going to utilize the mower this year, make sure to check if the blade is sharp enough. One piece of advice – you should leave the grass half an inch longer in the summer. Why? Well, it has to preserve moisture and also provide shade for the roots.

Furthermore, you should prune shrubs and trees. Getting rid of the dead parts of the plant is the only way to promote its growth. Oftentimes, these parts can easily be spotted, but sometimes, you might have to look for them more closely. Also, don’t forget to prune the plants that are near driveway, patio, and so on, because these can be hazardous.

Lastly, install sprinklers. Having this system in your backyard is the only way to be certain the lawn has been watered regularly. When it comes to intensity, you should always water the area slowly so that the plants have the opportunity to absorb it steadily. Another thing – you should set the timer to start the system at night or in the early morning so that the water would reach the roots instead of evaporating in the summer heat.