Taking Care of Your Grass After Winter

Following a long, cold winter, the idea of going outside on the very first warm day of spring and raking the thatch and winter debris off your lawn seems like a good cure for cabin fever.

But hold that rake! Whilst a bit of lawn work might be great for what ails you, working on your yard too early after the snow melts is likely to harm your turf.

Right up until grass dries out, raking is most likely to tear out grass and leave wide open areas in your lawn’s canopy in which weeds will find a home.

Mowing is likewise inadvisable so early in the spring. It’s additionally not necessary, as grass roots are not going to start growing before average everyday temperatures regularly hit 40° Fahrenheit. The blades or leaves of turf won’t show any development till the typical everyday temperature is around 50°.

Even stepping on the grass whilst the ground is still wet from the melted snow could do some damage merely by compacting the soil.

Grass roots, like leaves, have to breathe, and 1 of the great things with regards to the bone-chilling snow-filled winters in numerous states is that the ground is broken up as dampness caught in the soil gets frozen and thaws. That leaves cracks and crevices in the earth that help to drain excess moisture, and let your lawn to breathe.

When you walk on, rake, or mow your lawn too early during the spring, you are compacting the soil, slowing the drainage and blocking the roots of your lawn from easily breathing.

If you detect grub harm from last fall, there is not a good deal you are able to do about that in the spring either. Grub management is ineffective unless carried out in late summer or fall. In spring the grubs have already done the damage to your grass, and they are fairly resistant to insecticides.

Fertilizing your lawn is best left till late spring, although if you must do it earlier, you can pick a slow-release formulation with at least 25% nitrogen in water-insoluble form. But, , you’ll want to wait till your grass has dried out for greatest results.

Tags: Lawn Care