Preparing Your Lawn for Spring? Here are 5 Easy Steps

Spring is in the air and looking out from the window and seeing the first crocuses or daffodils return confirms just that. Now that winter is over, it’s lawn maintenance time.   

We all know how harsh winter can wreak havoc on your lawn, shrubs, and trees. Months of lying dormant under a blanket of ice and snow have made them weak and hungry.  It’s time to put away the snow shovels and start thinking about lawn maintenance.   

So, respond to nature’s spring wake-up call, and prepare your lawn for a year of healthy growth with the spring lawn care it needs to help it thrive. Follow these simple lawn care tips to bring them back fuller and lusher than ever.  

Lawn Care Maintenance; How To Get The Best Lawn? 

Step 1- Clean Your Lawn 

It’s a no-brainer, really! Before you start your spring lawn preparation project, you have to clean the twigs, leaves, and other debris gathered on your lawn over the winter. 

Use A Rake 

You should rake the lawn, especially if it has lingering fall leaves and dead grass blades from winter. Moreover, spring raking will also loosen matted grass clumps caused by snow mold, which can smother new growth.  

Tip: For best spring lawn care, do not rake when the soil is soft and muddy. You might pull up the grass crowns. If you don’t like raking, an air blower is a great alternative.  

Step 2- Apply Fertilizer, Weed Killer, and Pre-Emergent 

When it comes to spring lawn maintenance, it is wise to go with a combination of fertilizer and pre-emergent in the beginning. You will want to use pre-emergent in order to prevent crabgrass while your spring grass will receive fertilizer. Keep in mind that you will need to apply these products again after 6-8 weeks.  

Therefore, it is best to use a combination of pre-emergent and weed killers in one application, which will be both cost-effective and sufficient to reduce the time needed to apply them. 

Best to always consult with your lawn care maintenance professional beforehand to achieve the best results for your lawn. 

Tip: Mow Early and Often 

Don’t mow your spring grass once a week! A lawn that is not mowed frequently has a chance of being damaged due to the lawnmower blades. The best tactic is to prevent more than ⅓ of the leaf blade from the surface at a time. That means mowing more than once a week over the first six weeks of spring, based on the weather.  

Step 3- Aerate Your Lawn Regularly 

Proper aeration is essential for a truly healthy lawn. It can resolve the problem of compacted soil. The frequency of lawn aeration depends on the type of soil and how your lawn is used. 

Why do you need Lawn Aeration?  

• Improves the overall health of your lawn 
• Keeps thatch accumulation in check 
• Prevents pesticide and fertilizer runoff 
• Develops a healthy layer of topsoil beneath the grass 
• Accelerates better absorption of irrigation and rainfall 
• Strengthens grassroots 
• Assists in a smoother movement of nutrients, water, and oxygen through the soil 

 Aerating from late spring to early summer will ensure your lawn is at its best. For cool-season grasses, fall is the best time for lawn aeration. But, if you forget to aerate your lawn, don’t worry. You can always include this in your early spring lawn preparations. 

Step 4- Overseed Your Lawn In Spring 

When to overseed lawn in spring? For best spring lawn maintenance, overseeding late in spring is the right approach. Whereas for cool-season grasses, fall is the best time for overseeding.  

However, if you live in colder areas, spot-seeding small areas in the spring can get you satisfactory results. 

Tip: When you overseed lawns, apply slow-release nitrogen fertilizer to ensure vigorous lawn growth. After 5 weeks, apply a quick-release nitrogen feed to give lawns a boost.  

Step 5- Water Your Lawn 

When it comes to spring lawn maintenance, the lawn irrigation needs may differ from region to region. 

In the spring, lawns need to be watered more frequently than they are in the winter. In the Southwest, irrigation should be increased with the rising temperatures. Spring winds are also common in the Southwest, and spring rainfall is scarce in mountain areas.  

In the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and North areas, the spring rains usually provide enough moisture to awaken lawns. So, best not to get tempted and over-water your lawn.  

Allow the spring grass to green up naturally. Irrigate only if necessary or if there is a lack of rain or signs of dehydration in the grass. 

How To Get A Great Lawn?  

Now that you know the steps to spring lawn maintenance planning, some of you might be wondering how to prepare the lawn for spring properly.  

Well, to start with, you should always have a sound spring lawn care plan in place before the actual preparation work begins; this will help you work in an organized manner and avoid any last-minute mishaps. Next thing is that you shouldn’t forget to inspect your lawn regularly for possible insect and weed infestations.  

It’s not hard to whip your spring lawn into shape, and our AATB lawn maintenance experts are here to guide you every step of the way. AATB lawn care team offers a complete range of green services for the lawns.  

We know that you want your lawn to be well prepared for the upcoming spring season; it is why we are here to make sure you will get exactly what you desire.  

Besides, as a leading lawn care maintenance company in Iowa, we also ensure to deliver quick responses to your calls and requests. Contact us online or give us a call today to schedule a consultation.