A Complete Guide to Spring Lawn Care

 Improve your grass, cut unnecessary practices, and save energy with these essential spring lawn care tips! 

 

It’s so easy to fall into the same lawn care routine, week after week, and year after year, without knowing whether your efforts are helping. Spring is a time to shake things up, learn something new, and establish a good foundation for this season’s lawn care. Here are tips for a spring lawn clean-up and care! 

 

What Should I Do First in Spring For a Lawn? 

The first thing you should do for your lawn in the spring is simply wait. Before you start mowing, raking, aerating, fertilizing, or anything else, wait until the bees, ladybugs, and other precious insects around your yard emerge from hibernation. They may have chosen your lawn, garden, or leaf piles as shelter over the winter. Disturbing them too early means you lose their precious benefits to your garden and the ecosystem of your neighborhood. Once you see bees, flies, and ladybugs outside, then let your spring lawn care regime begin! 

 

Check pH and Clean Tools While You Wait

As you admire the magnificent changes of early spring, take time to sharpen your lawn mower, give it an oil change, and prepare it for the season. Sharp blades give clean, beautiful cuts to your grass rather than dull tears that turn the tips brown. 

It’s also worthwhile to take a pH sample of your lawn soil. When soil pH is within the proper range, plants can absorb the most nutrients from the earth. The ideal range for a lawn is between 6.0 and 7.0. You can amend it as needed if it’s too high or too low. We offer complimentary soil pH tests at our garden center for homeowners!      

 

Clean Up Any Debris on Your Lawn

Once midges are dancing in the evening light and ladybugs have awakened from their slumber, start cleaning up any debris on your lawn. A good old-fashioned rake can clear away thatch, leaves, and twigs and perk up the grass for the new spring. Anything you rake up will be rich in carbon and nutrients and an ideal food to add to your compost pile.

 

When to Start Mowing the Spring Grass 

Bring out the mower once your grass is about three inches tall. On the first mow of the season, cut the lawn slightly lower than usual, about down to two inches. This removes the old grass blades from last year—making your grass look greener, sooner! 

After your first cut, raise the mower height to 2.5 to 3 inches. Keeping the length of your grass long has many benefits. It allows the lawn to grow deeper roots, making it more drought-resistant. It shades out the soil below, preventing the germination of weeds. Plus, longer grass holds more moisture in the soil, reducing the need for watering.   

Note: Letting your grass clippings stay on the lawn is a great way to keep nutrients in the soil and provide a natural fertilizer as it breaks down!

 

When in Spring Should I Fertilize My Lawn in Pennsylvania? 

April or May is a great time to fertilize your lawn for the year. Natural fertilizers stimulate plant growth and feed the micro bacteria of the soil, which helps improve soil fertility and lawn health over time. They also break down more slowly, meaning they’re available in the soil longer. 

Applying a thin layer of compost on your lawn is another excellent way to improve soil fertility and foster long-term lawn health. This only needs to be done every 3-5 years, preferably in the spring or fall.  

 

Repair and Reseed Brown Patches 

Repairing damaged patches of lawn is another key step for spring lawn care. Flush out dog urine patches with water before raking away dead grass, top-dressing, and overseeding. Any other dead patches can be repaired with the same steps, minus the flushing. To ensure success, don’t forget to water new grass seeds twice daily for two weeks.   

Aerate Any Compacted Spots

Aeration is another traditional spring lawn care task. It helps improve compacted soil by bringing more space and airflow to the roots. You don’t need to do it more than once yearly, and it’s only necessary if your lawn surface is too firm and compacted!

 

When you follow these steps to spring lawn care in Pennsylvania, your grass will breathe easier and grow in a way that’s healthier for insects, birds, children, and the whole neighborhood. If you need any supplies, tools, or more advice on your lawn, don’t hesitate to visit our garden center in Glenside, PA today!