That\u2019s why spring lawn care is so important here.<\/p>
- 1. Clean Up Your Lawn<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Reseed Bare Spots<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Aerate the Ground<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Get Your Mower Ready<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Apply Fertilizer<\/a><\/li>
- 6. Block Weed Growth<\/a><\/li>
- 7. Water Your Lawn<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
1. Clean Up Your Lawn<\/h2>
Think of this as an outdoors version of spring cleaning.
Give your lawn a good \u2013 but gentle \u2013 raking to remove dead grass or other plant debris that landed there through winter.<\/p>Our Chicago winters can be brutal, so look for lawn damage from rock salt \u2013 brown, discolored, dead, or thin patches \u2013 along the edges of sidewalks, driveways, and roads.<\/p>
To repair this salt damage to your turf, you\u2019ll need to flush as much salt from the grass roots, apply gypsum to neutralize the salt, topdress, and overseed the affected areas. <\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
— Signs of Salt Damage to Your Lawn
<\/a>— How to Repair Salt Damage on Your Lawn<\/a><\/p>2. Reseed Bare Spots<\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/lawn-grass-overseeding.jpeg?wsr\")
A hand scattering grass seed over bare patch. Photo Credit: CreativeSuburb<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> After winter, your grass may have a few thin spots (unrelated to salt) that you can fill in by spreading new grass seed.<\/p>
But what kind of grass seed? The Chicago Botanic Garden recommends:<\/p>
- For full sun areas:<\/strong> a mix of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass.<\/li>
- For shady areas: <\/strong>fine fescues<\/li>
- Part sunny and part shady areas:<\/strong> Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and a fine fescue.<\/li> <\/ul>
Once you have the right grass seeds, prep your lawn\u2019s bare spots by roughing up the soil. Add a slight mound of topsoil or compost, then sow your grass seed. <\/p>
See Related:
<\/strong>— How to Repair Thinned Areas and Bare Patches<\/a><\/p>3. Aerate the Ground<\/h2>
![\"Infographic](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/aeration-1.jpg?wsr\")
Infographic by Juan Rodriguez<\/figcaption><\/figure> Core aeration is the most common method of poking holes in the ground to better allow absorption of nutrients and oxygen. This helps reduce soil compaction and thatch.
Fritz, from the Chicago Botanic Garden, recommends aerating the ground twice a year, in spring and fall.
Note:<\/strong> Renting an aerator from Home Depot costs about $110 a day, or LawnStarter customers can book aeration in Chicago<\/a> easily online or in our app.
See Related:
<\/strong>— What is Aeration? [Video]<\/a><\/p>4. Get Your Mower Ready<\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/lawn-mower-blade-1.jpg\")
Sharpening lawn mower blade. Photo Credit: isuaneye<\/a> \/ iStock<\/figcaption><\/figure> Prepare your mower for the Chicago grass-cutting season, which typically starts in late April or early May.<\/p>
Here\u2019s what to do:<\/p>
- Sharpen the blades of the mower and clean the underside of the deck. <\/li>
- If you have a gas-powered mower, replace the oil and spark plugs and clean or replace the fuel and oil filters. <\/li>
- For battery-operated lawn mowers, charge the battery. <\/li> <\/ul>
Set your lawn mower\u2019s height to the right height for your grass type, the University of Illinois Extension Office recommends. Keep it that height all season, the U of I Extension adds. <\/p>
University of Illinois Recommended Grass Heights<\/h3>
- For shady areas: <\/strong>fine fescues<\/li>
- 2. Reseed Bare Spots<\/a><\/li>
![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/18654293279_29de3fea46_c-1.jpg\")
![\"Automatic](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/watering-grass.jpeg\")