Spring Lawn Care Preparations

Spring Lawn Preparations

As Spring approaches it’s a good time to talk about spring lawn preparations. Having a healthy attractive lawn doesn’t happen over night and it certainly doesn’t happen without a good deal of preparation.

In this article I’d like to go over some of the lawn care and maintenance information that I’ve written about in the past. Not all of these topics are related to spring lawn care, however, spring time is certainly a good time to come up with a year long lawn care program.

Soil Testing

Soil testing is very important if you want to manage your lawn care efficiently. Simple soil tests give you information about the acidity of your lawn along with mineral properties so you can properly fertilize. The soil test report will tell you what type of fertilizer is best for your lawn along with a fertilizing schedule. You can have your soil tested by taking soil samples to your local University Cooperative Extension Office.

Lawn Fertilizing

Fertilizing your lawn is an important step in maintaining a healthy lawn. Results from my soil tests gave me the exact information I needed to properly fertilize our lawn. I fertilize in the spring, mid-summer and fall in order to keep our lawn looking and growing well. It’s really important to follow the manufacturers instructions. I’ve found the information on the Scotts Grass Seed site to be very useful when learning about proper fertilizers.

Lawn Mowing

Mowing is one of those activities that I really enjoy. It’s a time for me to be outside and gather my thoughts. It’s really important to buy a good quality mower that’s properly sized for the yard you have. I recommend John Deere riding mowers and Lawn-Boy push mowers. I also recommend that you mow your lawn in a different pattern each time. This will keep your lawn looking great and your neighbor’s wondering if you work for a baseball team!

Lawn Aerating

Aerating your lawn is also an important lawn care project. Aerating helps oxygen and nutrients get into the soil deep enough to promote strong root growth. I’ve seen significant improvements in our lawns growth from aerating. Aerating is best done in the fall or spring prior to rapid grass growth. If you’re interested in learning more about lawn aerating then check out my lawn aerating tips.

Overseeding

Overseeding is another really important lawn care project that works best in spring and fall. All lawns need new seedlings in order to continue growing with a nice thick look. I’ve found that overseeding works best when combined with lawn aerating. Lawn overseeding after aerating is the easiest way I know how to get grass growing when a lawn already exists.