Season Turf Tips

Spring is not far around the corner. Here are some early season turf tips to help kick-start a beautiful lawn during the prime-growing season. Many lawns across the country are still in their winter dormancy stage or even covered by inches or feet of snow. Nonetheless, it's never too early to start thinking about giving your clients' lawns a kick-start as soon as the first signs of spring have sprung.

Clean it up - As soon as the grass begins to wake up in early spring, remove any accumulated leaves, twigs, thatch and other debris. If there are dead spots in the grass, remove as much dead grass as possible, being careful not to damage any new, growing shoots.

Mow low - To encourage new lawn growth, kick off the season with a lower-than-usual mowing. Be sure to remove the dead top of the grass shoots, as this will encourage the roots to restart growth.

Aerate - If you didn't in the fall, consider aerating the lawn to loosen compacted soil and allow water, nutrients and oxygen to better reach the grass roots.

Reseed - After removing any dead grass, churn up the soil in bare spots, and add some extra top soil if needed. Sprinkle with good-quality grass seed, and keep area well watered until seed germinates and sprouts.

Fertilize - Apply a balanced lawn fertilizer to give your lawn extra nutrients and strength to overcome any damage it might have experienced over the winter. If you have planted grass seed, be sure not to apply a fertilizer with pre-emergent weed killer for at least six weeks, giving your new grass a chance to get established.

Weed - Inspect your lawn as early as possible to assess whether there are any weeds. Remove any scattered weeds by hand, but also apply a good pre-emergent herbicide, again remembering to time this application properly to avoid killing any germinating grass seed you may have planted. Consult your garden center or a lawn service for proper guidance and timing for your area.