Spring Lawn Care
Spring Lawn Care
Control and thatching through raking will be your first task of spring lawn care. A thatch build-up of more than 1/2 inch is considered excessive.Thatch is the reason why it is recommended that you rake leaves in the fall. A deep raking will not only remove leaves but it will also remove thatch, too. Even if you followed this advice in fall, it is still recommended to do a spring raking. Raking at this time, will remove grass blades that have died over the winter, which will eventually become thatch.
Take a good look at the lawn in spring and see if there are any matted patches where the grass blades are all stuck together. This can be caused by a disease known as "snow mold." New grass may have difficulty growing through these matted patches. A light raking should solve this problem. When you're confident that the snow season, most of us never had one, is over…….. begin raking. Next applying preemergent herbicides, such as Dimension or Barricade should be done sometime between the time the local forsythia bushes stop blooming and the time the local lilac bushes start blooming.
Spring Lawn Care Tip #2 Lawn Aeration:
Check for Compaction. If your lawn is subjected to high levels of traffic year after year, it may eventually start to show signs of decline. In such cases, your lawn is probably suffering from compaction.For instance, the presence of moss plants signals compaction. Lawn aeration is the remedy for compaction. The experts recommend postponing lawn aeration until fall. Plan on setting aside some time in the fall to aerate and take care of this problem.
Spring Lawn Care Tip #3: Liming
a The presence of moss plants also signals acidity. Grass likes a neutral soil pH. You can solve this problem by liming your soil. But don't expect a quick fix, the effects of liming are slow to take place.First send a soil sample to your local county extension to determine the extent of your soil's acidity. The county extension will also be able to advise you on how much lime per square foot you'll need. Apply the lime using a lawn spreader. If your lawn has been doing fine and shows no signs of suffering from acidity, don't apply lime. Liming is only a corrective measure, not a preventive measure. A soil that is too alkaline will also cause your lawn to have problems, so too much lime is just as bad as not enough.
A sturdy snow shovel (SN1000) and maybe even a snow blower. Snow blowers have been selling out but if you find one, buy the two stage model, which tests show move heavier snow better. Then you will also need; extra fuel for snow blower, snow shovels with plastic blades they are best for porches and decks. Rock salt, calcium chloride and sand to melt the ice & snow. A warm hat, scarf and gloves for working outside. If you need to venture out and drive somewhere The Red Cross suggests, that most injuires during snow and ice storms result from from car accidents, so stay off the roads if possible. Keep a full tank of gas so your car is easier to start. It is also advisable to keep the phone number for road assistance in your wallet plus these essentials in your car: Warning lights, hazard signals or flares, a jack & lug wrench, jumper cables, or a portable battery booster, flashlight, shovel, blanket and warm winter hat.