Winter has finally given up its hold on us (at least we hope so) and that means before you know it Spring will be here.
While most all of us anxiously await those longer, warmer days, we also should begin doing a bit of maintenance on our lawns if we want them looking their best this summer.
First of all, give your yard a good once-over. Walk around it, removing any branches or limbs that might have fallen during the winter. Next, start raking, preferably with a metal rake, which will get rid of any dead grass or roots and help prepare your lawn for mowing.
If needed, you should also lime your soil, which can help rid your lawn of moss. Liming can be accomplished by using a fertilizer spreader.
Raking will also ready your lawn for seeding if you have bare patches. Once the dead grass has been removed, add new topsoil and fertilizer and work the seed into the soil and roll with a weighted roller. You should also apply a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer when you seed, then a month or so after the grass germinates, apply a quick-release nitrogen fertilizer. Also, in order to keep the seed from blowing away or from being washed away by rain, mulch by spreading straw over it.
If you have weed issues, like crabgrass, you will also need to apply a pre-emergent herbicide, which should help deal with weeds before seedlings ever show up. However, if weeds do start showing up, tackle them immediately with a post-emergent herbicide.
One more thing: get your mower out and make sure it’s running properly. The last thing you want once you’ve decided it’s time to cut the grass for the first time of the year is for the mower not to start!
And remember to use Evergreen’s 4 Step Do-it-yourself Lawn Care Program.
