Spring lawn maintenance involves a lot more than mowing. If not taken care of quickly, crabgrass and other pesky weeds can get out of hand before you know it.
Here are some spring lawn care tips to help you.
Crabgrass prevention
Crabgrass spreads like crazy and can quickly take over your lawn. This draws away moisture and nutrients resulting in a messy-looking lawn.
Crabgrass typically begins to germinate in the Columbus area around April 20-25. Pre-emergent herbicides are typically applied between March 15 and April 25.
For most lawns, pre-emergent herbicides for crabgrass don’t need to be applied every season. If the lawn is dense and if crabgrass wasn’t a problem in recent seasons, an herbicide application might not be needed. If the opposite situation is the case, then an application could be in order.
Crabgrass prevention will also help to let your grass grow longer. The crabgrass seeds are blocked from the sun and have less chance to germinate.
When to fertilize
The normal recommendation for fertilizing turfgrass is four times a year. Fertilizing a lawn is an easy way to thicken it up as well as to help fight weeds. Weeds take over when the lawn thins out. So follow a good fertilization schedule to keep the grass healthy.
The first application is in April and usually coincides with an application of pre-emergent herbicide if there are issues with crabgrass.
The second application is in late May and can be with a broadleaf weed control.
The third application is in early September and the fourth is in late November.
Late November seems like a crazy time to fertilize turfgrass but it’s the best. Roots are still actively growing and taking in nutrients. At this time, they are storing up the nutrients for spring. In the spring, turfgrass tends to green up earlier and takes off stronger.
Hold off on watering
It is best to wait until late spring or early summer to begin watering.
Waiting until the weather is warm and dry to water is good for your lawn because it stimulates roots to grow deeper to find water. Deep roots are important to help your lawn survive the hot, dry days of summer.
When you do start watering, make it a deep weekly soaking to further promote root growth. The one exception is if you seeded your lawn. In that case, follow the recommended watering procedures.
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