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Spring Lawn Care
Seasonal lawn maintenance covering mowing, fertilization, weed control, watering, soil health, and pest management for cool-season and warm-season grasses. Includes organic and synthetic approaches with regional timing guidance.
📅 Created: 2/8/2026, 5:24:13 AM
- Keep thatch below half an inch and mow at proper height to prevent disease 5
- Reduce brown patch risk by avoiding excess nitrogen and night watering 4
- Prevent dollar spot with adequate nitrogen and morning watering 4
- Rake snow mold patches lightly and fertilize for recovery 4
- Treat chinch bugs with bifenthrin and rotate active ingredients 4
- Detect chinch bugs with the coffee can float test 4
- Apply trichlorfon (Dylox) as curative if grub count exceeds 5 per sq ft 4
- Check for grubs by lifting brown turf and counting per square foot 4
- Use beneficial nematodes as organic grub control in late summer 3
- Apply chlorantraniliprole (GrubEx) in April or May as preventive 5
- Limit lime to 50 lbs per 1,000 sq ft per application 4
- Core aerate compacted soils in fall rather than spring 4
- Use kelp extract to reduce drought and heat stress 3
- Apply humic acid to improve nutrient availability 3
- Target soil organic matter of 3 to 5 percent 4
- Topdress with a quarter inch of compost after aeration 5
- Apply elemental sulfur to lower soil pH above 7.5 3
- Apply pelletized lime to raise soil pH below 6.0 4
- Test soil every 3 years for pH and nutrient levels 5
- Send a soil sample to your county extension lab 5
- Avoid overwatering in rainy springs to prevent shallow roots 4
- Watch for wilting as the sign to water not the calendar 4
- Use a smart irrigation controller for automatic adjustment 4
- Install a rain gauge to track natural precipitation 4
- Adjust watering frequency for sandy versus clay soils 4
- Use the tuna can test to measure sprinkler output 4
- Water early morning before 8 AM to prevent fungal disease 5
- Target 1 inch of water per week including rainfall 4
- Water deeply and infrequently to encourage deep roots 5
- Let the lawn green up naturally without early irrigation 5
- Install sod for larger spring repairs that need immediate coverage 3
- Skip pre-emergent on any areas you plan to seed 5
- Use perennial ryegrass for the quickest spring germination 3
- Apply starter fertilizer at seeding time 4
- Cover seed with a thin compost layer for moisture retention 4
- Keep new seed consistently moist for 2 to 3 weeks 5
- Choose grass seed that matches the existing lawn type 4
- Loosen compacted soil and remove dead grass before seeding 4
- Patch small bare spots with seed and compost in spring 4
- Overseed cool-season lawns in fall not spring when possible 5
- Never apply pre-emergent if you plan to overseed 5
- Increase mowing height to shade out weed seedlings 4
- Use a split pre-emergent application for season-long control 4
- Maintain thick healthy turf as the best natural weed defense 5
- Pull weeds by hand before they set seed 3
- Spot-treat broadleaf weeds with a 2,4-D herbicide 4
- Apply corn gluten meal as an organic pre-emergent 3
- Use dithiopyr (Dimension) for pre- and early post-emergent control 4
- Use prodiamine (Barricade) for long-lasting pre-emergent control 5
- Apply pre-emergent when soil hits 55°F for 3 consecutive days 5
- Apply a balanced starter fertilizer when overseeding 4
- Use a soil test to determine actual nutrient needs first 5
- Fertilize warm-season grasses only after full green-up 5
- Keep spring nitrogen rates low to prioritize root growth 4
- Match fertilizer timing to soil temperature not the calendar 5
- Topdress with compost as a natural slow-release fertilizer 4
- Apply corn gluten meal as organic fertilizer and mild pre-emergent 3
- Use Milorganite for slow organic nitrogen 4
- Apply a slow-release synthetic fertilizer in late spring 4
- Wait until you have mowed twice before fertilizing 5
- Never mow wet grass 4
- Use a reel mower for cleaner cuts on low-cut warm-season lawns 3
- Alternate mowing direction each session 4
- Mow every 5 to 7 days during peak spring growth 4
- Mow warm-season grasses at 1 to 2 inches 4
- Mow cool-season grasses at 3 to 4 inches 5
- Bag clippings on the first mow then mulch thereafter 4
- Follow the one-third rule for every mow 5
- Lower mowing height one notch for the first cut only 4
- Wait until grass reaches 3 inches before the first mow 5
- Clear drainage areas and low spots to prevent pooling 3
- Clean and inspect mower, trimmer, and edger 4
- Calibrate your spreader before any spring applications 4
- Wait for warm-season grass green-up before disturbing 4
- Dethatch cool-season lawns in early spring if needed 3
- Check thatch layer and plan dethatching if over half an inch 4
- Remove snow mold patches by light raking 4
- Walk the lawn to assess winter damage and compaction 4
- Sharpen mower blades before the first cut 5
- Rake debris and leaves once the ground firms up 4