11 Essential Spring Lawn Care Tips: Everything You Should Know

1) Clean the Lawn Thoroughly

The first thing you need to do is to clean. Your lawn has suffered a lot through the winter season, and now, it's time to give it some relief and clean every mess before you start planning for the new season.

Get rid of the debris, leaves, twigs, fall branches, rocks, dead plants, and every foreign object. Your lawn should be clear and clean. To get rid of the leaves, you can use a leaf blower. You can also use a rake, but be careful while using it. You shouldn't harm the roots.

2) Carry Out a Soil Test

You never know the condition of the soil and what it needs just by looking at it. It could be deprived of essential nutrients, the pH could be high/low, etc.

The best way to know the exact state of the soil is to carry out some soil tests. Spring is the start of the growth season, and it is the best time. You get to know what your soil needs, and you can put effort in the right direction.

With the help of soil tests, you can figure out if there are any issues at the right time. You can rectify them and ensure excellent growth in the season.

For checking the soil moisture and pH, you can use the respective meters. You can get some DIY soil testing kits online and check the soil condition at your home. For accurate results, you can get your soil tested through a lab. But keep in mind it might take more time to get the report.

3) Handle Weeds

Spring is also the growth time for certain weeds. Dandelions, crabgrass, and other uninvited guests tend to pop up just as your grass is waking up.

If you don't control them early, they will end up consuming the nutrients you have invested in your lawn. They start competing with the actual grass and might take over your lawn.

The first thing you need to do in the spring is apply a pre-emergent herbicide. It will prevent the germination of weed seeds.

Apply it when the temperature reaches 55⁰ consistently. It's the best time to control the weeds that have not grown yet. If you apply it too late, you won't see the results, as the weeds might have germinated already.

If there are already some weeds in the lawn, you should pull them by hand. This spot treatment is better than chemicals, and it won't harm your grass.

4) Dethatch the Lawn

In spring, new grass can struggle to grow through matted patches of thatch. It is a layer of dead grass and plants left over from the previous year. The layer resides under the grass but above the soil, so it blocks nutrients, water, and air. Raking helps break up this layer and allows fresh growth to come through.

It's best to remove thatch deeper than 1/2 inch. But make sure the grass is in the active growing stage to easily recover from the dethatching stress.

Once you do that, the sunlight will easily reach the soil and speed up the growth. Check out our detailed guide on Lawn Dethatching.

5) Do Lawn Aeration

The soil of the lawn becomes compacted over time. It happens due to the heavy weight of the lawnmower, foot traffic, and other activities on the lawn. The gaps and pores get clogged and block the passage of air, water, and nutrients. Your lawn suffocates and becomes deprived of essential nutrients. Thus, you have to act fast to save your grass.

If the soil of the lawn is compact, you should consider lawn aeration. It is the process of creating holes and removing plugs from the soil to improve air exchange. The roots get enough oxygen, water, and essential nutrients.

You can do lawn aeration after dethatching. The best time for aerating warm-season grass is the late spring, and cool-season grasses is fall. However, you can also aerate your cool-season grass in the early spring if it is necessary. For more details, check out Should you aerate your lawn in spring?

If your lawn soil is not compact, you don't need to aerate it.

6) Overseed Patches

If you notice some bare patches or thinning after winter, spring is the right time to make them green again. Bare spots could be due to snow mold, high foot traffic, and soil compaction.

As you have already done dethatching and lawn aeration, this is the perfect time to overseed the lawn. The seeds can easily go into the soil and give better germination results. It will promote new growth and make the spot dense and thicker again.

The best time for overseeding depends on the type of grass you have. You can overseed warm-season grasses in the late spring. Fall is the best overseeding time for cool-season grasses. However, if there is a bare patch, you don't need to wait for the fall, and you can do it in the early spring.

For step-by-step instructions, check out how to overseed a lawn in spring.

7) Fertilize the Lawn

After a long winter of 'dieting,' your lawn is practically screaming for nutrients. Spring is the season when your grass is ready to grow. It needs essential nutrients for speedy growth along with sunlight and water.

Your lawn requires three major nutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). Fertilizers available in the market have different ratios of these nutrients. If you have done a soil test, you'll have a clear idea of which fertilizer your lawn needs.

You can opt for a slow-release fertilizer for your lawn. But if you want quick growth, you can also go with fast-release fertilizers.

Fertilizing is a big deal during this time, but you've got to get the timing and amount just right. If you fertilize too early, your lawn might not be ready to soak it up. Wait too long, and you risk missing the prime growth window.

The sweet spot is early spring, when the soil hits around 55°F (about 13°C). Go for a slow-release fertilizer packed with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to keep your lawn thriving all season. And if you're regularly mowing, those clippings can act as natural fertilizer, making your lawn care a lot more eco-friendly.

It's also recommended to fertilize lightly and frequently (multiple sessions). It boosts the growth of your lawn. For more details, you can check out when to fertilize your lawn in spring.

8) Ensure Proper Watering

Watering is the key to having a healthy, lush-green lawn. There is no denying that your lawn needs water in the spring after a stressful period to promote new growth. But this doesn't mean you should make your lawn waterlogged.

Your lawn needs adequate watering, neither too much nor too little. Firstly, you need to know the best time to water the grass. The optimal window is 5 am to 10 am, and you can select a suitable time according to your routine.

If you missed that window, the secondary window is between 4 pm and 6 pm. Never water during mid-day or at night.

Watering early in the morning is ideal as it allows the roots to soak up water from the soil. Thus, the lawn gets enough water before it evaporates under the sunlight.

Now, the question is how much water your grass needs. You have to calculate the right time to ensure the lawn gets enough water. Check out our detailed guide on how long to water grass. Considering the sprinkler rate and watering sessions, you will be able to calculate the perfect time.

9) Do Regular Mowing

You might be wondering when to start mowing lawn in spring. You don't need to mow the lawn in a specific month, as it highly depends on the place/region you live in. It could be the end of February, the middle of March, or the start of April.

Instead of the month, focus on the growth. When you see visible growth, you are ready to mow. Ideally, you should wait until one-third or half of your lawn turns green. You don't need growth in every part of the lawn, as some areas might grow later.

Another excellent indicator is the soil temperature. You can mow cool-season grass when the temperature is 40°F – 45°F. In the case of warm-season grasses, you can start mowing when the temperature is 65°F – 70°F.

After the first mow, you need to mow your lawn regularly. It is necessary to ensure the optimal grass height according to the grass type so that it can receive enough sunlight and prevent mold and other issues. Check out our grass cutting height chart to know the best height for your lawn.

According to the grass height you need to maintain, you can schedule mowing. We have created a detailed guide on how often to mow your lawn. You can figure out the right frequency.

While mowing, make sure to follow the one-third rule. Never mow more than one-third of the grass, as it can put it under a lot of stress.

10) Consider Lawn Edging

Crisp, clean lawn edges can instantly make your yard look more polished. After winter, the borders around flower beds, walkways, and driveways often get messy or overgrown.

Use a half-moon edger or a spade to reshape the edges and give your lawn a fresh, defined outline. This small detail makes a big visual impact and helps keep grass from creeping into places it shouldn't.

Here is our Lawn Edging guide to make perfect edges in your lawn. If you want to go the extra mile and do something different, check out lawn edging ideas.

11) Inspect Your Lawn Regularly

The key to a healthy lawn in spring is regular inspection. You need to monitor every area consistently. It helps in detecting issues early, which simplifies treatment and rectification.

Look at the signs of diseases, pest infestations, soil issues, nutrient deficiencies, etc. You may be able to find hidden issues. Address these problems promptly to ensure they do not harm your lawn further.

Spring is a favorable season for pests. You might witness grubs, chinch bugs, aphids, and others. If you find any in your lawn, you should consider pesticides or organic insecticides. Treat it as early as you can and before they take over your lawn.

Why Robotic Lawn Mowers Are the Perfect Solution for Spring Lawn Care

Lawn mowing is a difficult part of spring lawn care, and it is inevitable if you want to keep your lawn in good shape and health through the season and the next. Lawn owners do understand this, but they struggle to dedicate time to it. Often, people do mow only on the weekends and miss the right time for mowing.

The best way to keep your lawn perfectly cut year-round is to get a robotic lawn mower. You only need to set the schedule and mowing height, and it automatically mows your lawn.

You don't need to spend your weekends mowing; you can spend time with your family instead. Modern mowers just need a voice command to get started, and they can schedule mowing for dozens of zones on your lawn.

These robots not only take care of the grass but also the edges. They trim corners and keep your lawn maintained. The best part is that they do micro-clippings, which is quite beneficial for your lawn. It becomes a natural fertilizer to boost growth in spring.

A robot mower is an automated and cost-effective option for lawnmowing. It saves your precious time and requires minimal electricity to mow your lawn. For a better idea, check out the Lawn Mowing Cost Calculator and compare it with other mowers and professional mowing services.

The Navimow X4

For large lawns up to 1.5 acres, the best choice is the Navimow X4 series. It's designed for handling difficult terrains and tough grasses.

It's equipped with the All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and Dual-suspension system. It allows the mower to work on stone paths, potholes, border curbs, pitted surfaces, etc. It can even work on slopes up to 84% (40⁰) because of the patented Traction Control System (TCS) and 5:5 balanced center of gravity distribution.

The Xero-Turn™ feature allows the mower to take 180⁰ turns in the lawn without damaging the grass. It can work in tight spaces, hidden corners, and difficult areas of the lawn.

The mowers in the series have two powerful cutting motors that have six sharp blades to cut thick, long, and dense grass. You can adjust the mower's height from 0.75 to 4 inches, which is ideal for any grass type.

The EdgeSense™ technology maintains the edges. It allows the mower to mow within 2 inches of walls and fences. The ride-one mode offers edge-to-edge results on transitions and boundaries.

With the advanced vision technology and 360⁰ RGB camera, it can detect 200+ obstacles in your lawn. It detects animals, lawn objects, everyday items, etc. It's even capable of working at night.

The mowers navigate through the EFLS™ NRTK. With centimeter-level accuracy, they can mow every part of the lawn. You can control up to 120 zones, including the non-mowing areas. They automatically map your whole lawn, and you can also edit the real-scene maps for fine-tuning.

The Navimow i2 AWD

For small lawns, the budget-friendly option is the Navimow i2 AWD series. It's suitable for lawns up to 0.25 acres.

With the advanced All-Wheel Drive (AWD), the mower is capable of working in difficult terrains. It works on slopes up to 45% (24⁰) and goes forward, backward, laterally, and diagonally. Whether it is a root-covered terrain, a stone path, or vertical steps, it works everywhere without any hassle.

It's a compact mower, but it has Xero-Turn™ technology. It can take quick 180⁰ turns in a lawn without damaging the grass. It's perfectly smooth and ideal for working in narrow pathways and tight areas.

It is equipped with the EFLS™ NRTK technology that allows it navigate in the lawn without the need for wires and antennas. It's extremely accurate and automatically maps your lawn with the vision technology.

It ensures safe mowing through VisionFence™. Its AI-powered vision detection detects 150+ obstacles. It reroutes within 0.1 seconds and keeps a 1-meter buffer. Thus, it can safely work around pets and children. Its noise level is only 59 dB (A), which is unnoticeable. It won't disturb your family members and neighbors.

Conclusion

Spring lawn care lays the foundation for a healthy, vibrant yard that lasts all year. From raking away old thatch and trimming clean edges to repairing bare patches and applying fertilizer at the right time, every step helps your lawn thrive. These essential lawn care tips will help you keep your lawn healthy and make it lush green in the spring and seasons to come.