How Can I Care for My Lawn in Early Spring?

Spring Lawn Care Tips to Grow Your Lawn

For most, spring is a time for growth and renewal. This is especially true for home and landowners who are ready to master the art of landscaping. However, to help achieve a perfect lawn full of thick summer grass, these same individuals must prepare their land accordingly in spring. Below are 5 tips that should be followed when looking to effectively care for one’s lawn in early spring.

1. Test the pH Level of the Soil

Depending on the geographical location of the lawn in question, home and landowners will need to determine which conditions are best for creating a healthy growing environment. This should involve testing the soil’s pH levels, either through the help of a lawn care service or a home test kit.

2. Check the Thatch Level

Underneath each lawn is a layer of decomposed plant material known as thatch. And while a small layer of this material can be helpful, too much of it can harm the overall health of one’s lawn due to its tendency to harbor disease and insects. If home and landowners are looking to dethatch their lawn, it is recommended that they use an aerator to ensure the soil has better access to oxygen and water.

3. Make Sure to Use a Good Amount of Fertilizer

After an aerator is used to create a path for oxygen, water, and nutrients to reach the soil, fertilizer should be applied to the lawn. This is a crucial piece of spring lawn care as it replenishes the reserves that are used by the soil throughout the winter. Fertilizer should be chosen based on the lawn’s pH levels, as well as the natural conditions of the soil, and applied with a spreader, such as what is offered by John Deere.

4. Don’t Cut Too Much Off the Top

Before mowing one’s lawn for the first time of the season, make sure the grass is dry to the touch and no less than 3-4” high. Once these conditions are met, operators must take care to not cut any more than ⅓” of the grass length.

5. Upcycle Grass Clippings

After they cut their lawn, home and landowners are encouraged not to throw away their grass clippings, but to upcycle them instead. Grass clippings left on the lawn decompose in less than two weeks and when they do, they act as a great fertilizer or manure supplement. This process is also known as “grass-cycling” because it reduces the amount of yard waste piling up in landfills while also benefiting lawns everywhere.

For more information regarding John Deere lawn care equipment and attachments, contact your local John Deere dealer.

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