Spring To-Do List For Maintaining A Lush, Healthy Lawn Year-Round
Prep Your Yard Now
Admit it — you have lawn envy. Everyone craves their own little patch of grassy paradise, whether it’s to boost their home’s curb appeal or to transform a boring backyard into a family-friendly oasis. Get our top steps to keep your yard healthy and lush 365 days a year.
Weed & Feed
Weed and feed is a spring ritual for many lawn enthusiasts but beware of overdoing it. Late spring is the best time to do this; just make sure you actually have a major weed problem before treating your entire lawn. Too many chemicals can stress the plant's roots, putting your lawn at risk during the intense heat of summer. Consider spot-spraying or pulling broadleaf weeds (dandelions) and applying slow-release fertilizer only if needed.
DEAL WITH BARE SPOTS
Once your lawn begins to green back up in the spring, you may notice a few dips or bare spots. Don't panic — you can deal with these areas by flushing the spot with water, raking out any dead grass, then leveling it out with sand and soil, as needed. Reseed with your grass variety and water regularly until the new grass is fully established.
SEED THE LAWN
Whether you’re starting from scratch or nursing an existing lawn back to health, seeding is an important task you want to get right. Early spring is a good time to do this. Just keep in mind that colder soil conditions may slow growth down a bit. You can also seed in the fall if you miss the window!
WATER IT WELL
All grass needs water, and depending on the type of turf you have, that amount will vary. An in-ground irrigation system that operates off a timing system is best for helping to control how much water your yard is getting. Start giving it too much water too early and you could have a soppy mess of a yard. Early spring, while the temperatures overnight are still cool in Houston you won't need to water anymore than 1 to maybe 2 days a week. If rain is in the forecast, turn off that sprinkler and let mother nature go to work.
BEGIN REGULAR MOWINGS
Your yard will need to start being mowed on a weekly basis once we get into mid-spring. The biggest reason mowing becomes so important is because this is when you will see the weeds start moving in. Regular cutting will help keep the weeds at bay.
LEAVE SOME CLIPPINGS
Your grass clippings are essentially a natural mulch for your lawn. Clippings are rich in organic compounds and will help feed your lawn, so don’t bother bagging them up. Just make sure you mow when the lawn is dry so the clippings don’t clump up.
ADD MULCH
Spring is an excellent time to top all beds with a heavy layer of mulch. It keeps the soil moist and cool, but it also blankets out any weed seeds thinking of getting a head start on your perennials.
CONTROLLING WEEDS
Spring is the best time to prevent weeds by using pre-emergent weed control, which work by preventing weed seeds from germinating. Your first application of a pre-emergent herbicide should occur just as the forsythia bushes finish blooming in spring – that should stop crabgrass and other weeds before they have a chance to grow.
FERTILIZE
Resist the urge to heavily fertilize your lawn in the spring. Spring feeding encourages rapid tender growth that will struggle to survive the heat of summer, particularly in drought-prone areas. Fertilize in late spring as soon as the lawn “greens up” and begins actively growing.
INSECT CONTROL
Spring is a good time to address problems with fire ants. Many other insects, such as grubs and mole crickets, may also cause damage to your lawn in spring but are more effectively controlled later in the summer.
It sounds like a lot to tackle on your own, but with a few weekends and a little bit of time, your yard will be looking it best year-round! We also offer a variety of lawn maintenance programs to help the burden of maintaining your lawn off of you. Besides the basics (mowing, weeding, pruning) we also offer items like mulchings, annual color plantings, fertilizing, large plant and tree trimming, herbicides and insecticide treatments as well as landscaping overhauls and smaller cleanups. If you need some help in your yard, just give us a call at (281) 859-2122 or contact us.