Don’t let the cold temperatures and light dusting of snow fool you! Spring is here, and it’s making itself known amid the lighter evenings, the blooming of flowers, and the early buzzing of bees.
We hope you’re excited to welcome spring back into your landscape. Of course, this does mean it’s time to start planning your spring lawn care routine.
In this article, we’ve compiled a quick checklist to help you get started!
Spring Lawn Care in Minnesota
For many landscapers and gardeners in Minnesota, you don’t have to tell us twice that it’s time to get to work! But starting your tasks too early can disrupt the natural life cycle of our region’s grass growth. Something as simple as raking or mowing your lawn too early, for instance, can damage or cause issues for your turfgrass later.
The University of Minnesota offers a helpful lawn care calendar that details the right time to begin maintenance on your landscape.
Late April and early May are typically the ideal times to begin any type of lawn care or treatment. This is usually the time you’ll see your lawn begin to green, and it also puts us close to the last frost of the year.
Preparing Lawn for Spring
Before you begin, make sure your lawn and soil are mostly dry. If it still feels damp, you’ll need to wait a bit longer to avoid pulling out any newly emerging grass or pulling up mud, which will leave you with bare spots.
When it’s ready, you can begin lightly raking your lawn, removing any dead grass or leaves left over from the season prior. This practice also helps lift up the grass blades in preparation for the season.
Remember to Inspect the Area
Just as most homeowners will take the spring season to inspect their roofing systems for any damage caused by the winter, early spring is also ideal for surveying your lawn for signs of the following:
- Snow mold
- Salt damage
- Bare spots
- Standing water
- Rodent damage
It’s important to remember that finding these common lawn issues doesn’t necessarily mean a remedy is always needed. For instance, most snow molds will recover on their own while many bare spots fill in much better once the weather warms up from the sun.
Additionally, evidence of rodents doesn’t always mean it’s time to sound the alarm. In fact, some don’t cause any lawn damage at all. Therefore, it’s a good idea to make note of these issues and keep on eye on them throughout the rest of the season to see if they improve on their own.
This is also a good time to inspect your soil’s nutrient deficiencies. You can conduct a soil test to find out its pH, which will come in handy when you’re ready to start applying fertilizer.
Pre-Emergent Herbicides
In another blog, we discussed the benefits of applying Corn Gluten Meal (CGM) to your lawn as an organic solution to weed control. It’s important to remember that you need to begin this process before the germination process begins.
For Minnesotans, the recommended time for applying CGM is around mid-April to May (before soil temperatures reaches 50 degrees).
For questions about CGM application, contact us for support!
Fertilizer
Around May or early June, you’ll want to begin fertilizing your lawn. Organic fertilizer helps feed and nourish your plants without the use of harmful chemicals.
Unlike synthetic options that can leach through the soil or run off into our lakes and streams—organic fertilizers are slow-release and contain nutrients in low concentrations, which feed the microbes in your soil which then feed the grass plants. That way nothing goes to waste and nothing is washed away.
For questions about which organic fertilizer is right for your lawn, contact us for help!
Mowing
If you’re caring for cool-season grass, you’ll want to wait until your grass blades are about 4 inches in height before the first mow. This allows the grass to develop a deeper root system to prevent droughts and standing water.
Be sure to mow high, leaving at least 3-3.5 inches in height during the spring season and higher during hot/dry weather.
Watering
It is often not necessary to water your lawn in April and May because of the cooler nights and moisture present in the soil that is left over from the melting snow. Watering isn’t recommended until you have at least 3 nights in a row where the lowest temperature is above 50 degrees. After that, your lawn should get 1 inch of water per week (combination of rain and watering).
Best practice: It’s always best to water DEEPLY and INFREQUENTLY throughout the summer (as opposed to daily or every other day). If you notice a heat wave coming in the forecast, water your lawn deeply before it starts to dry out.
Remember, it takes less water to keep a lawn green than it does to bring back a dry lawn
Questions About Spring Lawn Care in Minnesota?
As we welcome the warmer weather, it’s important to be patient with your lawn care routine to ensure you’re giving it time to recover from the winter, as well as the nutrients it needs to thrive.
For questions about caring for your lawn, or if you’re looking for an organic solution, we can help! Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can support your lawn goals this season and next!