How To Prepare A Lawn For Spring
Spring has finally arrived, presenting the ideal opportunity to rejuvenate your beautiful lawn. It’s the season when lush greenery and vibrant blooms come to life. After spending months dormant beneath the snow, your grass and plants crave the care they rightfully deserve.
As summer approaches, there are vital steps to remember for maintaining the health and appearance of your plants. Following the correct procedures for your lawn is essential; the last thing you want is for it to become a neglected mess. Ensuring that your hard work yields results is key. Continue reading to discover the fundamentals of preparing your lawn for spring.
Final Winter Pruning
Winter presents the perfect opportunity to prune trees and shrubs while they are in their dormant state. Before you dive into spring lawn preparations, ensure you've utilized the winter months to enhance the appearance, growth, and resilience of your plants and trees through careful winter pruning. Exercise caution to avoid mistakenly cutting the wrong shrub or branch, as excessive damage can hinder the tree's ability to regenerate properly.
If the tree has faced harsh weather, pest damage, or severe pruning, consider adopting a gentler approach to pruning. Trees under any form of stress may respond to pruning differently, so it's essential to be mindful of their condition.
Applying Fertilizer
Fertilizing your lawn in the spring sets the stage for a thriving summer season. Not only does it revive your grass, but fertilizers also supply essential nutrients that bolster its resilience against heat and drought during the warmer months.
You can opt for either organic or chemical fertilizers. For organic fertilization, compost and mulching mowers are excellent choices. Mulching mowers recycle grass clippings, cutting them and returning them to the lawn to decompose, thus providing natural compost. Chris Starbuck from the University of Missouri highlights that returning grass clippings can meet up to 25 percent of your lawn's total fertilizer requirements. These clippings are rich in nutrients, containing approximately 4% nitrogen, 2% potassium, and 1% phosphorus.
Creating compost from yard, garden, and certain food waste offers a valuable soil amendment that supplies essential nutrients for plant growth. While compost is an excellent foundation, maintaining a consistent fertilizer schedule is vital for a healthy lawn. However, be cautious—excess fertilizer in the spring can trigger disease and weed issues. Additionally, if you've done yard work in the late fall, your lawn might still be drawing from the fertilizers applied during that time. For a personalized fertilizer schedule tailored to your lawn's needs, contact Hackmann Lawn.
Managing weeds with the application of pre-emergent herbicide.
The initial germination of weed or crabgrass seeds occurs when soil temperatures hit
55-60 degrees Fahrenheit. To prevent these undesirable weeds from taking root, it's crucial to apply a pre-emergent herbicide before the temperatures reach that threshold. Timing is key in this process; if applied too late, the crabgrass pre-emergent won't be effective, making it significantly more challenging to eliminate them once they sprout. Exercise caution with weed killer during the spring, as excessive use can harm your lawn more than it helps. If you're uncertain, consider consulting a professional.
As spring ushers in new growth, it's essential to prepare your plants and lawn adequately by establishing a consistent mowing and fertilization routine. Reach out to us at (636)688-6647 to get started!
