Tips For A Healthy Spring Yard

Now that spring is here, it's time to get back into our lawn care routine. It's best to start early in order to have a lawn that is beautiful and healthy in the summer. We spend a lot of time outdoors during the warmer months, so we want to make sure our lawns are healthy enough to withstand not only the heat but also people walking across them. A B Pest Control & Insulation has 6 tips to keep in mind this spring to have a beautiful lawn you can enjoy this summer.

1. Mow Regularly

It's best to keep your lawn between 3 - 4 inches from the ground to help protect from weeds and to provide shade. Start mowing your lawn as soon as your lawn needs it and mow it as often as it takes to keep it between the 3-4 inches, which is usually about once a week. However, it's important not to cut your lawn too short either, as that could be just as damaging as letting it grow too tall.

2. Water In The Early Morning

It's best to water your lawn in the early morning, as that's when it's the coolest. While it's cool in the evenings as well, when the lawn is watered in the evenings, water droplets cling to the blades and can't evaporate, which can cause lawn disease. When water sits in the yard overnight, it's the perfect breeding ground for fungus. In addition to watering in the morning, it's best to water the lawn less, but for longer periods of time to allow the roots to grow deeply. 

3. Fertilizer 

The type of grass you have in your lawn will affect when and how you should fertilize your lawn. If you have cool-season grasses, don't heavily fertilize your lawn in the spring. This will encourage rapid tender growth that will struggle to survive the heat of the summer. If your cool-season lawn is in in bad shape, fertilize lightly in the spring with a slow-releasing fertilizer. Save the heavier feedings for fall when cool-season grasses are at their peak growing season. If you have a warm-season grass, fertilize in the late spring as soon as the lawn gets nice and green and begins to actively grow. This is usually after the last frost in April or May.

4. Use Weed Control

Both cool and warm season kinds of grass can benefit from weed control during the spring months. It's best to use a pre-emergent weed control during the spring to prevent the seeds from germinating. The best way to control weeds is to eliminate them before they start to grow.  Keeping the weeds out of your grass helps it not only look good but it keeps it healthy too. 

5. Aerate

The best time to aerate your lawn depends on the type of grass is in your yard. For warm-season grasses, it's best to aerate in the early to mid-summer. For cool-season grasses, aeration is best saved for the fall, however, it can be repeated in the springtime if the soil is extremely compacted. It's best to wait until the lawn has been mowed two or three times in the season so you know it will recover from the aeration.

6. Overeseeding

In the spring, you will need to decide if you want to focus on weed control or lawn seeding. Pre-emergent herbicides prevent grass seed from sprouting as well, so you can't do both. The herbicide usually last up to 12 weeks, which means you'll miss the spring planting season.

If your focus is on filling in bare spots or establishing a new lawn, then follow these steps depending on the type of grass you have. If you have cool-season grasses, they can be planted as soon as the temperature is in the 60s and soil temperatures are in the 50s. Plant as soon as temperatures allow the seedlings a chance to get established before the hot weather hits. Fall is typically the better time to plant cool-season grasses, so use the spring months for patching bare spots and be prepared to keep your lawn well-watered during the summer. Warm-season grasses can be planted when air temperatures are in the 70 and soil temperatures are in the 60s. It's important to make sure the danger of frost has passed. Late spring is the best time to plant warm-season grasses.

If you need help with your lawn care maintenance at the Lake of the Ozarks, A B Pest Control & Insulation is here for you. We can help you have a healthy and pest free yard. To learn more or to schedule your appointment, give us a call at 573-964-1100.

Lake of the Ozarks
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