When you live in Columbus, wanting to have a beautiful summer lawn is something you might be striving for. However, knowing when to treat and fertilize your yard is better than knowing how much to use. Because the weather is so uncertain in Ohio, the temperature can reach 70 degrees in February but snow in April, it essential to know when the right time is.
If you start doing spring yardwork too soon, then you could kill new grass or crush it. If you wait too long, then you’ll pass prime application time for lawn needs.
When is the right time?
Because of the weather changes, you’ll need to wait until your grass is almost all green before starting any yard work. But, you also don’t want to wait to apply grass seed or a weed control product until its too late in spring. Here are some spring lawn care tips to ensure a beautiful lawn in Columbus.
1. Raking
You will need to take your lawn to remove any thatch build-up from the long winter months. Thatch is dead grass which is in small pieces and creates a barrier in your yard. The barrier will block out air, moisture, and sunlight from reaching your lawn. When the grass has dried out, then you can rake all thatch, debris, and leaves which has been accumulating throughout the winter. This will help to encourage new growth and separate grass shoots which are already growing.
2. Aerate
If the ground in your yard had become compacted due to heavy foot traffic, then it will be difficult for new grass to grow. What an aerator does is remove small plugs of soil from your turf. This lets more air, nutrients, and water enter the ground. You don’t need to do this every year but, depending on how much your soil is compacted and how much thatch you have, it might need to be done every three to five years.
3. Soil Test
Performing a soil test on your lawn is essential to find out the level of your pH. If your soil is too acidic, then you may need to apply lime. Lime will neutralize the acidity in your soil. When your soil is too acidic, moss and weeds have the ability to take over your lawn, plus, it impedes fertilizers from working correctly. The neutral level would be seven since the pH scale goes from zero to fourteen.
4. Fertilize
When you fertilize your lawn in the spring, you will fertilize more lightly than you do it the fall. Because the new shoots of grass are tender, you need to feed sparingly. Once the grass is actively growing and is green, then you can treat it with a slow-release, well-balanced fertilizer. When you apply a slow-release fertilizer, it will encourage your lawn’s health, growth and will reduce the risk of fungus and turf burn.
5. Weed Control
If you apply pre-emergent herbicide too soon in Columbus, then it will prevent your grass from growing as well as weeds. But if you wait too long and weeds start showing up, then it’s too late. The best time to apply pre-emergent is after the forsythia has finished blooming. If you want through coverage, then using a spreader is your best bet. Plus, since the chemical in a pre-emergent is activated by water, it will remain effective for several weeks once it soaks into the ground.
6. Mow
Cutting the grass more than one third its height is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Cutting your lawn short so you won’t’ have to mow as often won’t give you thicker grass. The more often you mow, will result in a more beautiful thicker lawn because you aren’t cutting off much grass. If your grass is mowed too short, this could result in brown spots or bare spots. This is because it depletes the lawn of the energy reserves it needs to grow properly.
It’s crucial in the spring to time lawn treatments accurately to get the best results for a better, healthier lawn. For more information on proper care, visit our Columbus lawn care page to get connected with a professional!
Featured image: Zillow
Related Posts
