Lawn Care Tips for Spring
Lawn Care Tips for Spring
Lawn Care Ideas
Aerate
Over time, soil becomes compacted from thatch build-up, foot traffic, and other environmental factors. Aerating your lawn once a year keeps the soil loose enough that air, water, light, and nutrients can penetrate the soil and nourish the grass’ roots. Aeration, or core aeration, is the process of removing small plugs of soil from your lawn using a specialized machine. These cores are left on the surface and will break down naturally like compost. The series of small spaces give your grass room to breathe, making it stronger and more resilient. The ideal time to perform core aeration is late summer or early fall.
Address Thinning Grass
If you notice thinning or bare patches of grass, you don’t necessarily have to start over from scratch with new sod. Hydroseeding and overseeding are both options that will address problem areas of your lawn. Hydroseeding involves laying down seeds within a specialized mixture, or “slurry,” that nourishes the seeds. Overseeding is exactly what it sounds like: turfgrass seed is scattered over the surface of the soil. Both are good for thickening your lawn. However, if you plan to aerate, overseeding is often done in conjuncture with this service. Overseeding nicely compliments aeration since the grass seeds can easily pill in the gaps left behind.
Make Sure To Mow Correctly
While this may seem like a common-sense part of any lawn care program, many people don’t realize just how important mowing can be. Mowing grass too short or too long can create problems down the road. Mowing too close to the earth can allow weeds to sprout. Weeds thrive in direct sunlight, so keeping your grass at the proper height casts enough shade that weeds can’t grow. Conversely, longer grass can trap too much moisture – the ideal environment that molds, mildew, and fungi thrive in.
Ditch The Garden Hose For Irrigation
Sprinklers are good because they free us up to do other things while our lawn gets watered properly. Sprinklers inevitably end up watering more than the grass. Sidewalks, driveways, and patios often get a good soaking, which of course, wastes water. Having an irrigation system installed will save you time, money, and water. You can set up strict watering schedules, so you don’t have to think about it, and you won’t have a high water bill. A series of irrigation sprinklers will direct water 100% towards the greenery – not the asphalt.
Perform A Soil Test
Lawns need three things when it comes to fertilizer: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. When purchasing fertilizer, you will see these things displayed in a series of three numbers. For example, 2-3-5. Nitrogen helps plant leaves and stems grow strong. Phosphorus nourishes roots, flowers, and fruits. Potassium helps plants tolerate environmental stressors like droughts. Having a soil test performed will help you learn what your plants crave and, more importantly, if the soil will be receptive to it. If your soil pH level leans to the acidic end of the spectrum, it won’t be receptive to fertilizer. In other words, you would be wasting money applying fertilizer that the grass won’t be able to use. If your soil needs a balance, don’t worry. A simple lime application will correct the pH level and, in turn, make it so plants utilize any nutrients you give them.
Start Spring Lawn Care On A High Note – Call Go Green Green Lawn & Tree Care
Make this spring the season you finally get the yard of your dreams. From fertilizer to weed control, the experts at Go Green Lawn & Tree Care will set your yard up for success.
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