4 Tips for a Great Lawn This Spring

1.      Fertilize- While this may seem like a no brainer, there are a few things you want to consider when picking out the right food for your lawn. First and foremost is to identify what type of grass you have. For instance, southern states will have warmer climate grasses such as St. Augustine or Bermuda, while states in the Midwest such as Illinois, Missouri, Kansas or Ohio will have different species of grass such as Zoysia. After identifying the type of grass you have, the next item to take into consideration is the time of year and what season you are in. Often times in the spring, most fertilizers used are ones that will provide some of the nutrients grass needs to initially begin to grow after the winter time temperatures. Some fertilizers even contain a pre-emergentweed control; which brings us to the next tip.

2.      Weed Control- The spring time is when most all plant life begins to grow, including weeds. While you have many options of products to use to kill existing weeds, your best plan of action is to keep weeds from even appearing. It is much more difficult, and costly, to control weeds that have sprouted. Pre-emergent herbicides are products designed to inhibit broadleaf weeds from developing. Products such as Oryzalin, can be applied directly to lawns or flower beds without any fear of damaging existing plant life.

3.      Kill the Bugs- Preventative bug maintenance is just as important as preventative weed maintenance. There are many manufacturers of granularbased insecticides that you can broadcast over your lawn to provide protection from all matters of insects for months at a time. If you live in the south and battle fire ants, there are even a few products available that will kill fire ants in your yard for an entire year! You will have to call a professional though; the products used can only be sold to professionals with an applicator’s license. Whatever product you choose to go with, if it is a granular based product just remember they all need to be watered in. Usually ¼” to ½” of water is sufficient.

4.      Limit Water Usage- Just like animals have learned to adapt to different environments, your grass will do the same. When the heat of the summer finally arrives in late June, your water bill will undoubtedly rise. So, the spring time is a perfect opportunity to “train” your lawn. Limit the amount of water you put on the lawn to help it adapt to a drier climate. While your grass may not grow as fast, it will still look great and continue to survive when the warmer months finally hit. The Midwestern states saw a massive drought in 2012 and grass that saw no moisture was as dry and as crackly as one can imagine. The lawns that were watered fared well but their owners did not. Training your lawn to survive on less water can ensure its sustainability without drowning you in high water bills.