Any lawn care pro will tell you that preparation is critical to growing and maintaining the best lawn on the block. To help you prepare and start the season off strong, we put together a list of tips and product recommendations.
Let Your Lawn Thatch Breathe
Over the winter months debris, leaves, and twigs tend to accumulate in our yards. Head out onto your lawn with a yard waste bag and rake to begin cleaning up. As you rake to remove dead grass and thatch, allowing your your to breathe, take note of any thinning or sparse areas that could use a little extra TLC during the growing season. Cleaning up your lawn and exposing the rootzone is especially important if you plan to apply pre-emergent weed control as any debris left behind could interfere with the accuracy and effectiveness of your application.
Prepare the Soil
Soil amendments like Humic DG, BioChar DG and HumiChar can be applied all year round but it is especially important to apply them at the beginning of and during the growing season. By applying amendments in early spring, you begin to support healthy microbial activity, creating the ideal environment for your grass to start off the new growing season in.
Prevent Weeds
Applying a pre-emergent weed control in the spring can help cut down on landscaping time devoted to weed control throughout the year. For your lawn, apply Barricade in early spring prior to soil temperatures reaching 55 degrees Fahrenheit at a four inch depth.
Repair Dead Spots
Revisit the thinning or patchy areas that you noticed during your cleanup. If you need to seed those areas but chose to apply Barricade weed prevention, you'll want to time your planting carefully. Climate determines how long you should wait to seed or overseed after applying Barricade. Refer to the table on near the bottom of our blog, Prevent Weeds All Season Long with Barricade, for more details on timing. When seeding, be sure irrigate and fertilize the areas you’re repairing. New Lawn Starter has an ideal formula for newly seeded areas and adding BioChar DG at the time of planting can aid seed germination. If you prefer a patch repair products, check out All-In-One, which includes seed, mulch, fertilizer and soil amendment in one bag.
Provide Nutrition
As temperatures continue to rise your grass will come out of winter dormancy and begin to actively grow. At this time, you can provide a boost of nutrition through a fertilizer application. Our PGF Balanced 10-10-10 with all quick-release nitrogen and added iron is perfect for spring applications. Or, if you prefer organic products, you can apply our Innova 7-1-2 or Lawnbox Grass Genie 10-0-6.
By taking care of your lawn and soil in the early spring, you’ll have a thick, green lawn to enjoy the rest of spring and into the summer. And, in taking these measures, you’re also preparing your lawn to handle the stress of summer months as the heat, drought, and traffic all increases.
