Spring Spruce Up
Lawn care tips and service recommendations to get your lawn started for the season and maintain it throughout the summer.
Quick Start Shopping List
Grass seed
Mulch
Fertilizer
Weed Control
Pest Control
Lawn mower oil, oil filter, air filter and spark plug
Annual Lawn Care Guide
March
Form landscaping plan for spring and summer. Fill in low spots with soil. Check lawn equipment to ensure all equipment is in proper working condition. Buy supplies early so when project time approaches they are on hand. Submit lawn for soil test to monitor the PH levels.
April – May
Pick up yard debris. Repair lawn along road, driveways, sideways from winter damage from snowplows and shovels. Dethatch lawn. Aerate soil. Overseed and fertilize.
May – June
Receive soil test results and adjust soil PH level as recommended. Weed control. Pest control if needed.
June – August
For summer mowing trim lawn cutting only 1/3 off top of grass, leave trimmings. Water in early mornings — soil needs 1 inch per week. It is better to soak a lawn once or twice a week than to provide shallow watering daily.
August – October
Repair bald spots from summer heat. Reseed if needed.
Dethatch lawn if thick.
Weed control.
October – November
Fertilize. Pick up leaves. Mow until grass becomes dormant.
3 Key Steps to Great Lawns
Aerating Soil
One of the most important and most neglected steps of lawn care. An aerated lawn will be greener, easier to maintain and have fewer pest and disease problems. Lawns need aerating if there are worn areas, water puddles or when the soil is compacted.
Dethatching
It is best to dethatch lawns before the peak growth cycle. It is easier to dethatch in the spring because the thatch is easier to remove.
To start dethatching, slightly moisten the soil, mow to the lowest recommended height and mark obstacles like sprinkler heads. Dethatch lawn with bladed tool and rake the debris. If the thatch is thick don’t remove all in one day. Immediately following the dethatching fertilize and water to help the lawn recover faster. If dethatching is done in the fall, complete the process at least 30 days before the end of the mowing season.
Overseeding
It is much easier to plant seed over an existing lawn than to dig up or start from scratch Overseeding can be applied to the entire lawn or specific areas. To overseed, trim the grass as low as possible. Rake up the clippings. Cultivate soil with a power rake to thin the lawn and expose soil. Apply new seed. Power rake again to work new seed into soil. Apply a starter fertilizer. Keep lawn moist until new grass sprouts.
Lawn Mower Maintenance
Spring Tune-Up Checklist
• Change the oil and oil filter
• Check, clean or replace air filter
• Change the spark plug
• Sharpen and balance the blades
• Remove engine shroud
• Lubricate the controls
• Check battery charge, clean around terminal connections
• Check tire inflation
• Fill with fresh fuel
Before every use
• Check fuel level
• Check oil level
• Check tire inflation
• Check for loose or worn parts
After every use
• Clean clippings from underside of mower and top deck
Start Composting
Compost is decomposed organic material.
Great for the garden
Using compost in the garden helps improve the soil structure yielding a healthier garden and more productive plants. Compost provides all the essential nutrients needed for plant growth.
Environmentally responsible
Managing a compost pile reduces the amount of solid waste going to the land fill and reduces your dependency on chemical fertilizers.
Get started
Dedicate an outdoor space that is convenient to the garden and the source of raw materials. Materials to throw on the compose pile include grass clippings, manure, kitchen scraps (fruit, vegetables, coffee grounds, tea bags), leaves and weeds.
For more information on composting visit:
http://www.thegardenofoz.org/composting101.asp
Lawn and Home Maintenance
Here are just a few ideas to get you started on spring cleaning for your yard and home.
Inside
Sweep out garage
Sort items sitting around for organizing or donations
Clean window screens
Deep clean carpets after winter wear
Outside
Clean porch and railings
Scrub decks and patio
Clean walkways and driveway
Wash outdoor furniture
Patch, replace and paint worn wood on home and fences
Lawn
Prune trees and shrubs
Cut back perennials and pull old annuals
Thin out crowded plant/flower beds
Fill in bare spots
Rake leaves
Support Local Journalism
Support Local Journalism
Readers around Craig and Moffat County make the Craig Press’ work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.
Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.
Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.