It’s National Lawn Care Month! That’s right, a whole month just for your lawn’s care. This month is meant to bring awareness on the benefits of your lawn and to give tips on how you can better take care of it. Our lawns are a great benefit to us which is why we should take the time and effort to take care of our grass. Honestly, when you think about it, if we have a National Smocking Month than we owe it to our yards to have a national month where we are reminded to take care of our lawns. (If you’re in the dark about what smocking is, it’s an embroidery technique used so that fabric can stretch. And yes, there is in fact an entire month dedicated to that as well.)
Grass not only produces oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide for us, but it cools the temperatures around us, reduces storm water runoff, controls soil erosion and can increase the value of your property. This is just to give you an idea of some of the main benefits of grass. In actuality it does so much more than just those examples. For a list of all the different benefits our lawns can provide check out the National Landscape Association of Landscape Professionals website
So what can you do for National Lawn Care Month? Use this time to prepare your lawn for the summer ahead. Your lawn is just waking up from its winter time nap and it’s going to need immediate attention to be in good shape for summer.
- To start, test your soil: Soil should be tested every 3 to 4 years, so it’s not entirely necessary that you test it but if you’re going to test your soil, spring time is a great time to do it. As long as the ground is still not frozen this is an ideal time to test your soil because it gives you time to analyze the results and apply fertilizer as needed. You can test your soil either professionally, using CSU’s testing lab , or using an at home kit. If you’re not sure how to test your soil you can try Lowes’ home soil testing kit. They’ve also got more information on how to do-it-yourself on their website.
- Clean any and all debris off of your lawn: Winter may have brought in some unwanted rocks, sticks, leaves, etc. Take a few minutes to clean it all up. Use a leaf or gardening rake to gather it all and rake any dead grass you have as well.
- Mow Short and Bag it: Mow your grass as short as possible without scalping your lawn to get rid of dead grass. This is not only healthy for your grass, but will give it a more attractive look. Remove the clippings by bagging or raking to help prevent early spring thatch buildup.
- Aerate: You should aerate your lawn twice a year -spring and fall. However, if you can only do it once a year, spring is definitely the time to do it. Aeration will help release compaction and allow air, water and nutrients to reach deep in the soil all the way to the roots.
- Fertilize and Water: Once your sprinkler has been on for a week to ten days, you can begin your first application of fertilizer for spring. The key here is to make sure you are fertilizing on one of the lightest settings and to fertilize more often. We recommend fertilizing every 6-8 weeks to ensure your lawn will thrive throughout the summer. After you fertilize, you can resume your normal watering schedule.
That’s it! If you would like more information, tips and resources for National Lawn Care Month you can visit National Landscape Association of Landscape Professionals. Happy lawn care month!
