While the bitter cold winter frost starts to melt away, most homeowners are anxious to head outdoors when it warms up. Sometimes this generates a mad scramble to fertilize and seed lawns once temperatures begin to rise around early March. So, it should be important to know that, in general, the month of March is too early for an effective spring lawn care, especially when regarding fertilization and weed control. This is mainly because of the possibility of cold weather returning that may disrupt all premature lawn care activities, hence the need to wait until such time when the first warm temperature has been sustained for some time.
Timing to Fertilize
The perfect timing for fertilizing your lawn in the spring season is usually after April 1. It does not help the turf grass to apply fertilizers when it is still early in the season and conditions are similar to those during late winter. This is because the soil is too cold for good growth to take place, and thus any spring lawn care is relatively useless. Secondly, early fertilization can result in a lush growth of grass when it is in its highly vulnerable stage to cold stress and thus stresses the grass instead of developing it healthily.
To avoid this, ensure that your spring lawn care program is timely to the climatic changes in your area. In an attempt to make fertilizers more effective, use those that are with slow-release nitrogen sources. These types of fertilizers are usually labeled as IBDU, sulfur-coated urea, triazone, methylene urea, and even natural organic fertilizers. This type of formulation will tend to feed the grass over a period of time rather than immediately, which is pretty ineffective in cooler temperatures.
It is critical to apply no more than 1 pound of active nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn when fertilizing. That is, a 20-5-10 fertilizer mix must be used at an application rate of 5 pounds to deliver the 1 pound of needed nitrogen.
The other critical best practices in fertilizing involve cleaning up spilled fertilizer that falls onto non-lawn areas such as sidewalks and driveways. Fertilizers can easily be washed off this hard surface and get carried away with massive runoff. These runoffs eventually impact the quality of the groundwater-a threat to our water supplies. Cleaning up excess fertilizers helps not only in environmental conservation but also assures you that your effort toward lawn care is not a waste.
Seeding: The Best Practices to Take Care of Your Lawn this Spring
Springtime over seeding can also be a rewarding job if it is undertaken with due care and caution. Pre-planting, you shall have to evaluate your soil condition. A soil test is considered crucial for spring lawn care. A soil test shall provide you with an idea of what type of soil amendments need to be applied, based on the test results. Suitable soil amendments do work a lot of magic for your turf, keeping it healthy and full of vitality.
The next step after soil evaluation is grading the area you intend to seed. Proper grading is one of the most important things that help in maintaining the lawn even. The grade must slope away from the buildings so that the water will not pool or create future drainage problems. Grading can be performed, if necessary, prior to seeding in order to save complications after it is done and to result in a healthier lawn with time.
Next to grading, after it is complete, the selection of the proper seed mix is the most important thing. The type of seed you will choose depends mostly on what your lawn will serve. If your aim is to create a more pleasing landscape for show, then you may want to consider choosing an improved variety mix of Kentucky bluegrass. This type of grass has a darker color and is denser, so it would be appealing for your lawn.
Besides, timing the seeding about the right weather condition is necessary. Generally, late spring can offer a soil temperature that may be conducive to seed germination and establishment. Younger grass plants are nurtured in this period of time, so be prepared for water and care until they have reached an established period of time.
Conclusion
In the end, proper timing and suitable techniques do work well for spring lawn care. Proper fertilization and seeding with consideration will not only help the health of your lawn but also contribute towards environmental sustainability in general. By waiting until mid-April for fertilizing and conducting a soil test prior to seeding, you are setting up your lawn for success. These preparations will have your lawn thriving through the spring months to come and beyond, transforming your outdoors into a colorful and lush environment.
