Spring training started for our beloved Detroit Tigers already! You know what that means… The spring season is upon us, which means our lawns have to be ready for it just like we do. If you have watched or seen highlights from the Detroit Tigers’ spring season games, you can see how beautiful the field is. 

Today, this blog will provide the necessary steps that need to be taken for you to have a successful lawn during this up-and-coming spring season. You have a short window to prepare for it, but with the help of this blog, and the resources we have here at Barton’s Cutting Edge, we believe that you can do it! And we are here to help! 

There are multiple steps or tasks needed for you to have the best lawn this spring, and we wanted to create a list of those things before we get started. 

Consider this your spring checklist: 

1. Rake
2. Aerate and Overseed
3. Fertilize
4. Herbicide
5. Mowing
6. Watering
7. Secret Ingredient

What do I do to start preparing my lawn for the Spring?

The first step in having a successful lawn this spring is spring clean-up. The term “spring cleaning” also applies to your lawn. So the first thing you have to do is clean your lawn, and rake your lawn. You want to rake all dead leaves and leftover debris from the lawn that took place over the end of the fall and harsh winter season. Oak leaves specifically are quite acidic, and so you’ll want those removed! Once your lawn is clean, we are ready to move on to the next step. 

When should I aerate my lawn? Is overseeding helpful to my lawn?

Aeration should take place in the spring. So now is the time! The great thing about aeration is that with it comes overseeding as well. These combined services you can do to your lawn really revitalize it. Aerating your lawn is crucial for its health. It will allow for the compacted soil of your lawn to open back up, allowing the necessary nutrients and water to reach the roots of your lawn. When the nutrients hit the roots of your lawn, they will rejuvenate your lawn and start the process of bringing it back to its healthy state. 

Overseeding works with aeration because it allows the nutrients to get to the new seeds and start their process quicker. Overseeding will allow you to fill in the bare spots on your lawn and help those spots flourish and get to that healthy and vibrant green color. 

When is the right time to fertilize your lawn? 

Just like aeration, springtime is the right time to fertilize your lawn. The two most important times to fertilize your lawn in the spring and the fall. You want to apply a few fertilizer applications on your lawn per year, depending on your specific lawn. With that said, for the spring season especially, it is recommended you apply a slow-release fertilizer mix on your lawn. This type of fertilizer allows the nutrients in the fertilizer to break down over time, which allows you to wait longer between the necessary applications.

Is herbicide the right choice for my lawn? 

Just like anything else, the herbicide is something you need to research. There are so many different types of herbicides, and some are considered to be harmful to you, your family, and even your pets. Two things are recommended besides doing your research. First, you pull out the weeds you see on your lawn by hand before using herbicide. Second is that if you do use herbicide, after researching what is right for you, make sure you apply it during the day so that you can keep your family and pets away from it for a long while and let it do its thing, without any repercussions. 

How many times should I mow my lawn?

You want to keep an eye on your lawn to determine when and how often you mow. Everyone wants to mow consistently, but what is meant by consistent? The truth is that you want the height of the grass on your lawn to be between two and a half to three inches in height so that it can be its healthiest. You want to make sure you do your trims and mow your lawn to get that height. You never want to take more than a third of your grass height off in one session of mowing, as it will lead to a damaged and unhealthy lawn. 

What is the right amount of water for my lawn?

Another crucial step in having a successful lawn this spring is your watering technique. For a healthy lawn, your lawn should intake an inch of water every week. That includes the rainfall from the very common spring showers. So you have to take into account rainfall when it comes to watering your lawn. You also want to water your lawn during the day so that the water can be absorbed during the afternoon’s peak sunlight hours, as you do not want to reminisce about water at night. Leftover water at night or small puddles formed on your lawn can bring pests and disease to your lawn and deter the progress you have made on the lawn. If you start to see small puddles forming on your lawn, that means that you may be overwatering your lawn. If you have a hard time watering your lawn, look into irrigation systems that might help with that problem. 

How to have a successful lawn this spring? 

It is now time to reveal the secret ingredient. Drumroll, please… It’s professionals! The best way to have a successful lawn this spring is to have a professional handle the process. We can help service your lawn and get all of these factors taken care of so you can enjoy your lawn this spring and into the summer. All these tasks are tedious and require a lot of attention to detail. Most people have a hard time balancing that with family and a career!  

So what we want you to do is call up Barton’s Cutting Edge today and let us help you with all your lawn maintenance and lawn care needs! 

We will give you a free estimate when you call!