![]() Warm-season grasses are best aerated in early- to mid-summer when the grass is actively growing and can quickly recover from the aeration process. Grass needs air and good drainage, so it’s important to aerate your lawn regularly. The best time to dethatch your warm-season grasses is in late spring using a power dethatcher. Thicker thatch can block water, air, and nutrients from reaching the roots. It helps maintain soil moisture and temperature. South Region - Warm-Season Grasses Don’t let thatch stifle your lawn!Ībout a half-inch of thatch is helpful. As a rule of thumb, we suggest fertilizing your lawn with Milorganite around Memorial Day. Check out this site, which allows you to check the soil temperature in your zip code. Deep roots help your lawn better withstand drought conditions in the heat of summer.įertilize your lawn with Milorganite in mid-May after the last chance of frost or freezing has passed, generally, when daytime temperatures are consistently in the 60s and soil temperatures are in the mid-50s. Don’t fertilize your lawn too soon in Spring!įertilizing your lawn too early in spring encourages grass to focus on shoot growth at the expense of growing strong roots. I should really heed my own advice.)īare patches should be overseeded in the early- (but not too early) to mid-spring to allow the new grass to establish itself after the threat of freezing and before the summer heat. Ugh! (Yes, I was too eager to get into my yard. Last year in Wisconsin we were surprised by 3” of snow in mid-April, which killed all of the newly germinated grass seed I had planted. If bare spots are patched too early in spring, there’s the potential for a heavy frost or even worse-snow-to kill the newly germinated grass seed. But is it time to patch those bare spots with seed? No. You've noticed bare spots in your lawn that need to be re-seeded. It’s the first really warm weekend in spring, and you’re excited to get out into the yard. Don’t seed or patch bare spots too early! Wait until the growing season is winding down to dethatch your lawn. The best time to dethatch cool-season, northern grasses is late summer to early fall, when the grass is actively growing. Spring is the least desirable time to use a power-dethatcher to rid your lawn of that layer of dead plant material that’s on the surface of the soil. It will help get Milorganite into the soil and nourish your lawn more quickly. It’s also a good idea to rake before you start mowing or fertilizing. It removes winter debris and allows you to identify trouble spots, thin or bare patches, and damage caused by diseases, pests, and insects. Lightly raking your lawn in spring is a great way to examine its condition. ![]() Don’t forget to give your lawn the once-over! Avoid a lot of walking or playing on your lawn until it’s had an opportunity to dry out. Heavy traffic significantly compresses the soil and damages sprouting grass. Lawns are often saturated with water in spring from melting snow and rain. “Don’t tread on me” was the now-familiar motto on an American Revolution flag and it’s also my suggestion for protecting your lawn this spring. Speed-up melting by raking or shoveling to spread the remaining snow. Lingering snow can suffocate the grass beneath as well as cause snow mold. If you’ve had a lot of snow in your area this past winter, you may still have piles of melting snow. Northern Region - Cool-Season Grasses Don’t allow snow to suffocate your lawn! ![]() If the mulch is okay, you can supplement it to a depth of 3-4”. Remove any diseased or suspected mulch and replace it. Don’t let pests ruin your landscape!ĭiseases, pests, and insects may have made their winter homes in the mulch in your landscaping. Maintain, repair, and replace as necessary. It’s also a good time to take a look at all of your garden tools. If you’re more of a DIY person, we have suggestions for maintaining your mower. Take your mower in for a tune-up, particularly to sharpen the blade! Dull blades tear grass blades leaving them susceptible to disease and drying out, which is why a sharp blade is so important. ![]() Check out this map if you need help determining if you have cool-season or warm-season grass. Here are several things we don’t want you to do or forget to do for a healthier lawn, landscape, and garden this spring. No matter where in the country you live now is the time to assess your lawn and soil and prepare for the season ahead. Never Do This to Your Lawn: Spring Edition By Jaime Staufenbeil - Milorganite Agronomist
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