Spring Lawn Care Mistakes

Seeding in the Spring

Seeding during the spring often leads to undesirable results for the homeowner. What factors in the spring hinder your seeding results? Some important things to remember is there are a lot of active weeds to compete with the new seed in the spring and weed control cannot be applied to the areas you seeded. Also, the most stressful time of year for your cool season turf is right around the corner: summer heat! Let’s discuss more.

A lot of broadleaf weeds are actively growing during the spring, any new grass seed you put down will be directly competing with the broadleaf weeds for space to germinate. The areas you would seed in your lawn are typically small patches where you can see the soil. Due to the lack of plant competition in the bald areas, this creates the perfect environment for weed growth. Additionally, weed control can potentially harm new seed and immature plants, so the weeds can’t be treated until the new grass plants mature.

The summer temperatures in New Jersey can greatly affect the new grass seed. We can experience heat influxes as early as May, and if there is a heat wave with temperatures over eighty degrees for a week, this can be enough stress to cause damage to the young plants. The summer is very stressful on grass plants, especially young grass plants that have not developed an extensive root system like the other areas of established turf.

Misapplying Fertilizer

When applying fertilizer to your lawn, it is important to apply the right amount; both not enough and too much can have consequences to the appearance of your lawn. Be sure to read the directions on the fertilizer label you purchase and apply accordingly. Before you begin, it is important to have a general understanding to the size of your lawn. If you don’t know the size of your property, we recommend measuring first so that you apply fertilizer at the correct rate.

In the spring, it is very important to remember that soil temperature is what brings the turf out of dormancy, not applying fertilizer. Be careful not to over fertilize in an attempt to bring the turf out of dormancy, this will only happen when soil temperatures rise.

Not Servicing Your Mower

Mowing damage is common and easily avoidable. We recommend having your entire mower serviced at the start of the growing season. Servicing your mower will have the blades sharpened, engine checked, rotary looked at and oil changed. Sharp mower blades provide a clean cut off the top of plant. Dull blades can tear, shred, and bruise the ends of the grass plants which weakens the plant. This type of injury can also be a spot for disease to enter the plant. Having the engine and rotary checked is also critical to protecting your lawn. If the rotary runs too slow, this will lead to leaf injury when mowing.

Mowing Too Short

In the spring and summer months, healthy grass grows fast! It might seem tempting to mow your grass short so the frequency in which you have to mow is decreased; however, mowing the grass too short can have an impact on the health and appearance of your lawn. The best grass mowing height in our service area is about 3 – 3 ½ inches in length and when mowing the lawn, mow off only 1/3 of the grass plant at a time. By removing too much of the grass blade at one time, it can weaken the plant which in turn will reduce its ability to withstand other environmental issues such as disease, surface feeding insects and even invasion of broadleaf weeds.

Not Applying Crabgrass Pre-Emergent

Crabgrass is an annual grassy weed that is a problem in most home lawns in our service area and around the country. This weed typically grows in stressed areas of the turf; including thin or bare areas and can become a headache to treat after it becomes established in your lawn.

When it comes to treating this undesirable plant, prevention has more success than post emergence control. Turf experts recommend applying two rounds of crabgrass pre-emergent in the spring; one between the months of March or April, and the second round four to eight weeks after the first. The crabgrass pre-emergent applications create a barrier in the soil that controls the plants once germination starts.

Applying Weed Control Too Early

When purchasing a fertilizer from a home improvement store, it is normally going to come with a broadleaf weed control competent to it as well. We recommend waiting to apply this broadleaf weed control until after the weeds become active in your lawn. Applying the fertilizer and weed control mix before the weeds are present on your lawn provides no control of future broadleaf weeds. Broadleaf weed control for common weeds like dandelions only work after the weed has emerged.

Conclusion

We certainly all make mistakes, let us help you avoid some common lawn care mistakes so that you can achieve a healthy and great looking lawn. If you have any questions regarding spring lawn care, and are in our service area, give our office a call or request a free estimate online.