8 Spring Revival Tips for Your Lawn

A good portion of the U.S. saw more snow than they wanted this year, including Middle Tennessee! Now that temperatures are up, we can address the lawn. It has been dormant for a few months, and now is the time to give turf a little attention.

It's not just your grass that has sat virtually unused, think about your outdoor furniture and gutters too. These will need a good cleaning to prep for the spring rains that are on the way.

Follow these 8 tips and you'll give your lawn the best shot at greening up quicker and staying weed free and green all summer long!

1. Inspect your lawn. Take a walk around your lawn and note any debris laying around, bald spots that need to be addressed, any weeds that have sprouted, and anything unusual. Does your lawn look better or worse than last spring?

2. Inspect trees and shrubs. Now is a great time to treat trees and shrubs with a systemic insecticide. Your average insecticide only treat the surface killing only the insects that are on the outside of the plant or tree. A systemic insecticide goes inside and targets not only surface insects but boring insects as well. It also protects the tree or plant from future attacks by insects.

3. Fertilize your lawn. Lawns receive fertilizer very well in the early spring. Think of it as a bear eating everything in sight once they rise from hibernation. Your lawn is craving nutrients! Use an organic based fertilizer to reduce the amount of nitrogen and pesticides traditionally used.

4. Use compost. Now is a great time to spread compost on your turf. If you happen to have hefty thatch built up, consider lightly raking grass to get rid of excess grass, leaves, and general build up. Once this is gone, lay the compost. This can be a light layer to give grass the boost it needs going into the spring and summer growing seasons!

5. Start on the weeds. Broadleaf weeds are upon us! We've seen henbit popping up and the rest (like crabgrass) are not far behind. Stay on top of them and treat with a pre-emergent now. Then, as you see them pop up, treat or pull as needed.

6. Repair any bald spots. We've talked about bald spots before. It's important to address them quickly. Weeds love any opportunity to sprout and a bald spot is a perfect environment. They get plenty of room and sunlight! Make sure to repair bald spots

7. Get out the mower. Smell that? It's the fragrance of freshly cut grass! It's time to get out the mower and look it over. Hopefully, it was put away properly for winter, but if not, now is the time to make sure it's in tip top shape. Clean and sharpen blades, check gas and oil, and run it for a few minutes before the first cutting.

8. Clean gutters. Spring rains can cause problems if your gutters are filled with fall and winter debris. When water can't go through the drainage system, it will find another way. Be sure to clean them out every spring to prevent nasty water damage to your home!

Start working now to give your lawn the best shot at greening up and staying green all summer long! If some of this sounds confusing or complicated, call us! Pure Green's experts are here to answer questions!