- 1. Test Your Soil<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Manage Weeds<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Mow the Grass<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Water As Needed<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Fertilize to Encourage Grass Growth<\/a><\/li>
- 6. Aerate to Reduce Soil Compaction<\/a><\/li>
- 7. Overseed Your Grass<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
1. Test Your Soil<\/h2>
When springtime rolls around, start with a soil test. You can either send in a soil sample to the UT Extension’s Soil, Plant, and Pest Center<\/a> or conduct a DIY soil test with a soil test kit. To send a soil sample to UT Extension, collect samples about 6 inches deep from 10 different spots around your yard. <\/p>
Once you receive your soil test report, you can determine which nutrients your soil lacks and what type of fertilizer or soil amendments your lawn requires. Memphis soil is typically silty and well-drained. It is also very fertile, which makes it excellent for supporting lawn and garden growth.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
<\/strong>\u2013 How to Use a Soil Test Kit
<\/a>\u2013 How to Prepare a Soil Sample for Testing: 5 Simple Steps for Accurate Results
<\/a>\u2013 How to Read a Soil Test Report<\/a><\/p>2. Manage Weeds<\/h2>
![\"Person](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/spray-herbicide.jpg?wsr\")
Spraying pre emergent herbicide. Photo Credit: plo<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> To manage unsightly weeds in your lawn, apply pre-emergent herbicides<\/a> in early March<\/strong> before summer weeds like crabgrass begin to sprout. Apply when soil temperatures consistently hit 55 degrees. <\/p>
Here are common Memphis weeds you might spot in your lawn:<\/p>
- Crabgrass<\/li>
- Dallisgrass<\/li>
- Dandelions<\/li>
- Goosegrass<\/li>
- Yellow nutsedge<\/li> <\/ul>
If weeds still pop up in your yard, hand-pull them. For larger infestations, spot-treat with post-emergent herbicides when air temperatures are between 65 and 85 degrees.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong><\/p>
\u2013 Guide to Weed Control in Your Yard<\/a>
\u2013 Applying Post-Emergent Herbicides to Your Lawn<\/a><\/p>3. Mow the Grass<\/h2>
Whether or not you winterized your lawn mower<\/a> before putting it into storage last fall, inspect your mower before you do your first mow. At the very least, you\u2019ll need to reconnect the spark plug wire, replace the fuel (if you drained the tank in the fall), and sharpen your mower blades.<\/p>
Mowing usually begins in March<\/strong> as grass emerges from dormancy, although this depends on the weather.<\/p>
Here are a few key mowing tips for spring:<\/p>
![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_ls-one-third-rule-illustration-1.jpg?wsr\")
Infographic by Juan Rodriguez <\/figcaption><\/figure> - Leave grass clippings on the lawn:<\/strong> As grass clippings decompose, they act as natural fertilizer, returning nutrients to the soil.<\/li>
- Follow the <\/strong>one-third mowing rule<\/a>: Never cut off more than a third of the grass blade in a mowing session.<\/li>
- Change your mowing pattern every time you mow:<\/strong> Mowing in a different direction each time prevents ruts in your lawn.<\/li> <\/ul>
Here are the recommended mowing heights<\/a> for the most popular grass types in Memphis:<\/p>
- Follow the <\/strong>one-third mowing rule<\/a>: Never cut off more than a third of the grass blade in a mowing session.<\/li>
- Leave grass clippings on the lawn:<\/strong> As grass clippings decompose, they act as natural fertilizer, returning nutrients to the soil.<\/li>
- 2. Manage Weeds<\/a><\/li>
![\"Infographic](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/aeration-1.jpg?wsr\")