Follow These 3 Tips To Have A Beautiful Lawn This Spring

A lawn can take a beating over the cold, winter months. If you live in an extremely cold area, your lawn could also be damaged. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to make sure you have a beautiful lawn this spring, three of which are listed below. 

Rake and Clean

Do not walk on your lawn until it has thawed, or you can damage the grass. Once it has thawed, you need to rake and clean the lawn before you mow for the first time. There may be thatch on the lawn, which is matted grass and leaves. This thatch builds up and prevents air and water from reaching the roots. Purchase a new rake if you have an old one. Plastic or aluminum rakes work best for removing thatch and cleaning up the lawn. These rakes are more lightweight than other materials and are durable. 

Walk over the grass and look for sticks, built-up leaves, rocks, etc. and remove them. During snowstorms, things will blow on your lawn, especially if you have a bad blizzard. There are some things that could damage your lawnmower. Once you have raked and cleaned, you can then mow your lawn for the first time. 

Aerate the Lawn

Soil can become compacted over winter, and grass cannot grow well in compacted soil. Water will not soak through the soil to provide the roots with water. One way to take care of this is to aerate your lawn. Aerating breaks up the soil using special equipment. You can purchase an aerator at a home improvement store. There are some aerators that you push, much like a push mower. There are also other aerators that you can connect to the back of a lawnmower if there is a hook. 

There is a spike aerator that punches holes through the soil. There are also plug aerators that remove plugs of soil. If you choose this type, you can leave the plugs sitting on the lawn as they will break down naturally.

Fertilize the Lawn

Fertilize your lawn a couple of weeks after the grass turns green and starts looking healthy. Water the lawn a couple of days before you apply the fertilizer so you do not burn the roots. Purchase fertilizer at a garden center. Choose fertilizer based on the type of grass you have. You also have to consider the climate where you live and any problems you may be having, such as with weeds.

Contact a professional to learn more about spring lawn care.