As your New England lawn comes out of dormancy and begins to green up, it will be important that you are prepared with the right spring lawn care tips. The practices you implement now will help set your lawn up for success.
Lawn care in the spring can require a lot of different tasks and it can feel a bit overwhelming.
That’s why we’ve rounded up this helpful guide to get you started.
New England Lawn Care in the Spring: What to Do
Lawn care can be complicated, but we’ve got your back.
Here are some of the most important spring lawn maintenance services you’ll want to ensure are done.
Prevent and Address Weeds
Spring lawn weeds can be a major source of frustration. But when you include weed prevention and treatments in your spring lawn maintenance checklist, those pesky invaders won’t have a chance to ruin your time outside.
Crabgrass is one of the most hated weeds largely because it’s such an aggressive grower. It can quickly take over a lawn if given the chance.
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That is why we use pre-emergent products to help prevent certain weeds, like crabgrass, from germinating.
These products create a barrier that stops germination from occurring. It’s a proactive approach that plays a really important role in preventing certain weeds, like crabgrass. It’s a vital part of lawn care in the spring. Unfortunately, pre-emergent products do not work on all varieties of weeds, which is why other weed control products are so important.
While pre-emergent will prevent a lot of crabgrass, there is always going to be some breakthrough. Post-emergent products will help to control crabgrass breakthrough.
Fertilize Your Lawn for Healthy Growth
Lawn fertilization is another important part of lawn care in the spring.
Fertilizer will help feed your grass plants giving them the necessary nutrients to grow and thrive. This is especially important during the spring when nutrients are actively needed (and used) for growth.
When it comes to the success of fertilization, you want to make sure that you are using an organic-based lawn fertilizer with both micro and macronutrients to support your lawn’s best health.
At Seacoast Turf Care, we take a scientific approach to our fertilization services. We’re not just dumping fertilizer on your lawn and hoping for the best. We’re making expertly calculated application decisions.
Lawn Care in Spring Should Include Proper Watering
It’s important to make sure that your lawn is receiving ample water in the spring and summer. Proper watering will be a key to your lawn’s success.
Established lawns typically require around one to two inches of water per week. In the springtime when it is rainy, Mother Nature might be supplying that. But during periods of drought, you may need to step up your watering efforts.
When watering your lawn aim for a deep soak that will allow the water to reach deep down to the root zone.
It’s also important that you avoid watering late in the day or at night when water left sitting on the lawn can lead to fungal growth. Instead, aim to water the lawn during the early morning. This will provide ample time for the water to reach your lawn’s roots before it evaporates.
New England Lawn Care in Spring May Require Dethatching Your Grass
All lawns tend to have some thatch. Thatch is simply the layer of dead grass that builds up on your lawn that lingers right towards the top of the soil. When there are limited amounts of thatch, it can be highly beneficial for your lawn in that it acts more as a form of mulch.
However, when there’s too much of it, water can get backed up and saturate the area and the added moisture can cause fungus and prevent air from reaching your grass. Some grass can brownout and not come back at all.
Dethatching can be performed with a simple convex rake if you have only minimal thatch. However, for bigger jobs, a power rake (or vertical cutter) should be used.
Spring Lawn Maintenance Includes Proper Mowing
Mowing is another important aspect of spring lawn care in the Northeast. As the lawn actively grows, you’ll want to make sure that you are cutting it properly.
While lawn mowing isn’t rocket science, people do commonly make mistakes that can be detrimental to their lawn’s health. For instance, people commonly mow their lawn too short which can stress it and cause it to turn yellow.
The exact cut height will depend on the grass type growing in your lawn. Mow on the higher side and keep up with it frequently. It’s better to mow more often, making less invasive cuts.
It’s also important to mow the lawn with sharp blades and a level mowing deck. The equipment that you use to mow will definitely have an impact on your results.
Preventing Spring Lawn Problems
As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is why spring lawn care in the Northeast should also include problem prevention. Lawns are subject to a number of potential issues including disease and insect concerns.
Fortunately, when you work with a lawn care professional, you’ll know that they’re keeping a watchful eye on your property. That can make a huge difference in catching potential problems early on before they become serious.
Partnering with Lawn Services in Southern NH, ME, and MA
Lawns can be complex. But when you work with a lawn care professional, you don’t have to handle it all on your own. You’ll be able to hand over your lawn care woes and have them tackled by a professional who knows exactly what your lawn needs.
They’ll also be able to provide helpful guidance on services that you might be doing yourself (like watering and mowing) so that you’re setting your lawn up for success. At the end of the day, the best lawns are a partnership between a lawn care professional and the homeowner.
Of course, the key is to hire a great lawn care provider.
At Seacoast Turf Care, serving Southern New Hampshire, Southern Maine, and Northeastern Massachusetts, we can handle all of your spring lawn care needs (as well as throughout the season). We perform soil testing for every new customer and then again every three years (because lawns change). This is because we know that science-based lawn care is the surest path to great results.
If your goal is to have a great-looking lawn, then it’s important that you invest in the best lawn care services. That means working with a company that will help set you up for success.
Want to learn more about what makes us a great choice for your lawn care needs? At Seacoast Turf Care, we service NH towns near Stratham, North Hampton, Exeter and many more. Get lawn care pricing for your Southern NH, Southern Maine, or Northeastern Massachusetts property.
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