Most of us do not think much about getting our lawns ready for spring until the grass looks like it needs mowing. Then you realize there are a few small chores to make your lawn ready for the season. Let’s take a look at what these may be.

First, pick up twigs and branches that have come down over the winter. Recycle these by chipping them into mulch and spreading it around your trees, shrubs, and flowers. At the same time, remove dead leaves and stems from your flower gardens. If these are free of disease and insect eggs (you did not notice any particular problems last year), cut them into small pieces and put them in your mulch bin. If they are infested, toss them into your garbage so they don’t infect plants this year.

Now you can see areas where winter kill, wear, or pet stains have thinned or killed grass. Reseed these areas using the best quality seed you can find. High quality seed germinates faster and includes genetics that leads to increased stress tolerance. Keep in mind to match new seed to the variety of grass you already have. This will keep these patches from being noticeable.

To help get a quick fill-in, fertilize with products that are gentle on your seedlings. Use no-salt fertilizers such as Milorganite 6-2-0 to encourage growth without harming delicate seedlings. These fertilizers contain slow release nitrogen to promote growth. They also contain phosphorus, an essential nutrient for energy production, fueling young shoot growth. Mike Archer, market development for Milorganite, notes that “Fertilizers like Milorganite 6-2-0 that contain organic nitrogen are gentle on young plants while providing the nutrients necessary for speedy germination.”

Another seeding option is to use one of the new turf patch mixes, which combine seed with a moisture-holding mulch. By keeping the seed moist, these products encourage quick germination and result in quicker fill-in of damaged areas.

Soon you will be mowing your lawn. Sharpen the blade on your mower to ensure clean, even cuts. This results in a great looking lawn while allowing the mown grass blades to heal quickly. Quick healing results in less chance for disease to infect blades of grass. Remove only one-third of the grass height at any one mowing which allows the mower to chop cut grass blades into small pieces. Also, mulch your clippings back onto the lawn to recycle nutrients that you have already bought and paid for.

The primary benefit of a fertilized lawn is a deep, green look. In achieving this, follow a fertilizer program of three to four applications per year. A side benefit of this is increased weed control. Archer notes, “When grass is thick and healthy, the soil surface tends to stay dark and cool. This inhibits weed seed germination. Using fertilizers containing gentle, slow release nitrogen like Milorganite 6-2-0 helps create this thick, healthy lawn. While no fertilizer is by itself a weed killer, fertilizing for a thick, healthy lawn lessens weeds in the lawn.”

When you fertilize your lawn, keep several Best Management Practices, or BMP’s, in mind. First, calibrate your lawn spreader. This takes about twenty minutes. Follow your spreader manufacture’s directions. By calibrating your spreader, you ensure you apply adequate nutrients to your lawn without over-applying and wasting fertilizer dollars.

Next, don’t fertilizer drives, walks or other hard surfaces. Any fertilizer landing on them is wasted and ends up being washed into storm sewers. The resulting pollution clogs our lakes and streams with excessive water plant growth. Instead, sweep fertilizer pellets back onto the lawn.

Third, keep fertilizer away from wells, lakes and streams. Many suggest a minimum of ten feet (three meters) grassed buffer between fertilizer areas and these sources of water. This allows any nutrients that get into groundwater to be taken up by plants before reaching water.

For more information regarding lawn care go to www.milorganite.com, call (800) 304-6204, or contact your local county horticultural extension agent.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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