The Homeowner’s Guide to Lawn Care in the Spring

Here’s the bad news first: by neglecting spring lawn care and mower maintenance, you may end up paying for it the rest of the year. The good news is that the simple lawn tasks required in the spring don’t involve nearly as much work as the sole task of mowing through the summer months.

On the contrary, the following five suggestions for spring lawn care are quite simple to implement. In addition, there are a few tasks mentioned below that are better performed as part of your fall lawn care, if you can hold off that long.

Preventative Raking

Raking is usually the first task for spring lawn care. Although you may have raked thoroughly in the fall, raking in the spring is done for more than just removal of leaves. This task is important for controlling thatch, too. There’s another good reason for spring raking - it’s a great time to look for matted patches in your lawn or areas that require some TLC.

Look for Compaction

If your lawn endures high levels of traffic season after season, it will eventually show signs of compaction. For one, when scanning your lawn for compaction, check for the presence of moss. The number one remedy for compaction is lawn aeration, which is recommended to be performed in the fall. However, a spring check means you can set aside time for lawn aeration in the future.

Tune-Ups or New Equipment?

You already have rigorous summer mowing on the horizon, so why make spring mowing harder than it has to be? It can be discouraging to work with a push mower or riding lawn mower that doesn’t start up readily or runs poorly. If you’re experiencing such frustrations, it might be time for a tune-up or replacement. Spring is also a good time to check your trimmer and lawn edger to make sure they are ready to take on warm season lawn maintenance.

If these problems are recurring, it might be time to get a new riding lawn mower, push mower, trimmer, or lawn edger. Before deciding on one of these, research to find ones that are best-suited for your landscaping needs. Two great brands to look into include Stihl® and Toro®, which are both available at Big John’s in Kalispell, Montana.

Fertilize

You can fertilize your lawn organically by using mulching mowers and compost. However, if you prefer chemical fertilizers, Scotts® provides a schedule to follow for fertilizing your lawn. Most experts recommend a light feeding in the spring and a heavier one in late fall for cool-season grasses. Fertilizing too heavily in the spring can result in disease and weed problems.

Apply Pre-Emergent Herbicides

Fertilizing in spring should go hand-in-hand with the application of pre-emergent herbicides, which address weed control before seedlings can even emerge. Remember, too, that overseeding in the spring is incompatible with the application of most pre-emergent herbicide. Consider doing that in the fall instead.

Lawn and Garden Stores Near Me

Spring lawn revamping doesn’t have to be a burden. With the right equipment from Big John’s, spring lawn care can be a breeze! Contact our team of experts in Kalispell, Montana today to learn more tips and tricks for maintaining the best lawn in the neighborhood.