Susan's Lawn Gardens

It’s never too early to start Spring lawn care and maintenance. So what if it’s raining cats and dogs or there’s a howling blizzard outside.

Tools need sharpening and equipment needs… something. Besides, you have high hopes that Spring is right around the corner. Ah, beautiful spring bulbs, plum blossoms, and flowering dogwood. You can already see it… by heaven, you can smell it!

Well, almost.

But right now, it’s time to revive your trusty old Spring lawn maintenance tips clipboard. Don’t forget the new seed company calendar, and your old-fashioned number 2 pencil… well sharpened (or are you a whittler). Anyway, pull a stool up to the work bench, and let’s get started.

Tip #1 – Fertilize your lawn…

The general rule of thumb (make that “green” thumb) for a lawn care fertilizing schedule is:

Apply fertilizer 4 times per season
First application should be 30 days before the growing season starts
Space the remaining 3 applications 60 days apart

This will span Spring, Summer, and early Fall. Remember to use a formula suited to the time of year. For example, Spring lawns require fast above-ground growth, but Fall lawns require strong root growth to survive the Winter.

Tip #2 – Aerate the soil under your lawn…

Before this can be done, northern lawns need to achieve a ground temperature of 50F, while southern lawn ground temperatures can be 70F. Remember, grass varieties developed specifically for your location wake up when Nature does its thing… so be patient.Watch the weather channel, or another source for this vital information, and mark your calendar for this first major Spring lawn care chore. Referring to the previous 1-3 years’ calendars is often helpful for “guess-time-ating”.

Tip #3 – Revive trouble spots in your lawn…

There may be worn areas from the previous year, or patches that didn’t survive the winter.Decide whether to seed or sod these spots, and give them special attention until they’re well on their way. It’s worth the extra lawn care and maintenance because healthy lawns discourage weeds and other pests.

Tip #4 – Water your lawn and save money…

wateringYes, you read that right. Proper lawn care watering promotes a healthy lawn and ecosystem. From your wallet’s point of view, the lawn you don’t have to remove and replace means money in the bank. As does the effect of a cool lawn on air conditioning bills.

Keep in mind also that aerating your lawn early in the Spring guarantees improved drainage.

Root growth is encouraged by this deep watering… which translates into your lawn being able to survive on 1 inch of water per week, even in drought conditions.

Another neat benefit is water no longer runs off your lawn and into the street. Of course your streets won’t be as clean, but your wallet will certainly be happier!

Tip #5 – Mow your lawn the RIGHT way…

Interestingly, mowing is the most misunderstood and probably the most incorrectly performed part of lawn care and maintenance.

The ideal lawn height is 2.5″ to 3.5″… any shorter and you risk sun scald and a solid growth spurt of weeds!

Taller grass looks and feels better, is healthier, develops strong roots, and combats weeds quite effectively.

Well, your new lawn maintenance calendar should be pretty well filled up by now… fertilizing, aerating, reviving, watering, and mowing are all scheduled.

Meanwhile, since you’re waiting for the snow to melt or the rain to stop, there’s always tools and equipment to work on…

Somehow, right now lawn care and maintenance doesn’t seem like a chore. Those flowering dogwood blossoms falling onto a newly mowed, green lawn will be worth it!

Susan Nelson Hopkins is a reformed gardener and lawn lover. She is resigned to the inescapable fact that we all must conserve water and do our part to protect the environment. But she has learned that this doesn’t preclude lovely, healthy gardens… and lawns. Her tip… less is more! Check out the rest of Susan’s Lawn Gardens. She is also webmaster of Susan’s Bird Gardens and several more gardening sites and blogs.