These early spring lawn care tasks can help you give your lawn the boost it needs.
A beautiful and healthy lawn demands attention during all seasons. While spring is still a few weeks away, you can start preparing today for the first early spring lawn care tasks. Some of these tasks are things you can do for your lawn during the end of winter to help it enter the next season successfully. If you are ready to launch into the growing season with a smart head start, remember these tips and consult with Scientific Plant Service to plan the treatments your landscape needs this spring.
Protect Your Lawn During the Final Weeks of Winter
The end of winter is the time to protect your lawn from potential weather extremes and foot traffic. Keep your driveway, sidewalks, and landscape paths clear of snowfall or ice so that people have a safe place to walk that isn’t over your grass. You should also avoid shoveling snow onto the lawn, which can suffocate the turf. At the end of winter, break up any piles of ice or snow and spread them around to help them melt faster. This will help new grass grow in spring as it has easier access to sunlight.
Groom Your Grass at the Start of Spring
Winter is a difficult time for any lawn. Early spring lawn care tasks can help your grass perk up again. At the start of spring, lightly rake your yard to “wake up” the turf. Once the soil dries, clear away any leaves or dead grass using a regular leaf rake. This can help break up matted areas and improve airflow among the blades. If the soil is muddy, wait to rake. If you rake when muddy, you risk damaging the grass as you walk on it and work.
Help Your Grass Get Some Air
Two of the most critical early spring lawn care tasks are aeration and seeding. An aerator bores small, shallow holes into the ground to break up the soil and provide adequate space for your grass to grow by accessing fresh air and nutrients more easily.
When you aerate in early spring, you give your turf more space to flourish and avoid soil compaction during spring and summer.
Encourage New Growth by Overseeding
If you have a patchy lawn due to winter damage, you may want to overseed your lawn. Typically, overseeding in fall is best because your new turf has less competition with weeds. Spring is the next best time of year to overseed and may be necessary if winter weather damaged your lawn. If you do so, you will need to monitor the new growth and water when the rootzone is dry.
Apply Nutrients for Spring Growth
You can help your lawn recover from the harsh winter by applying fertilizer at the start of spring. At Scientific Plant Service, our program includes early fertilization in spring, which provides the nutrients your turf needs for growth. The application also provides a treatment that prevents weed germination during the peak weed growth season.
Scientific Plant Service Is Your Go-To Source In Landscape Healthcare
Scientific Plant Service, located in Baltimore, is a privately owned corporation, chartered in Maryland in 1957 by Frank J. Burke. We started as a full-service Arborists specializing in the care of shade trees and ornamental shrubs, but today we are a Lawn Care company that is a huge part of the community. From aquatic environments and snow management to deer and mole control, SPS has services tailored specifically for your lawn and landscape.
We offer services in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia, including: Harford, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Calvert counties in MD, as well as Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church in VA. For more information, contact us online, or call us at 410-321-0970. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.