Spring has sprung in Colorado, and with that we’ve seen our typical mix of snow and deceptively warm days. While it’s still too early to turn on your sprinkler system, there are several things you can do to ready your lawn for the warmer weather. We’ve compiled a few spring lawn care tips and tricks to help you revive your lawn from its winter slumber.
Don’t turn on your sprinkler system yet!
Although your lack-luster lawn may have you itching to water, we strongly recommend you hold off until Mother’s Day, typically our last frost date here in the Front Range. This helps to avoid damage to pipes, valves, and sprinkler heads that could result from water freezing within your system. And don’t worry if your lawn is still on the brown side. Kentucky Blue Grass is just fine with the water nature is supplying this spring and should perk up as soon as you begin supplemental watering in mid May!
Start with Raking
Give your lawn a thorough raking before you begin to mow or treat the grass. Raking allows you to pull up thatch that may have accumulated over the winter. It also allows you to locate any compacted areas. Make note of these places as spots to aerate later.
Time to Mow
It’s important to start mowing as soon as your grass blades reach about 4 inches tall. Proper mowing promotes deeper roots, prevents water loss, and thickens turf, all things that align with or goal of helping you conserve water while keeping your lawn looking great! But remember, don’t mow your lawn when it’s wet. Doing so can lead to soil compaction, which results in thinning, less healthy grass. Wait a few days after any springtime precipitation to bring out the mower.
Plant Care
You might have some flowering perennials that have started to bloom with our intermittent warmer weather. If so, you can bet they are as frustrated with the unpredictable spring weather patterns as we are! If you notice any frosty nights in the forecast, be sure to cover your blooms with lighter-weight fabric or other material before nightfall to ensure they avoid any frost damage. Avoid planting any new shrubs or flowers until after our last spring frost (around Mother’s Day)!
Aeration
Aeration is arguably one of the best things you can do for your lawn’s health. While deeper (2-3 inch) cores provide the greatest benefit to the lawn, even shallow (1 inch) core holes will help to enhance water infiltration, air flow through your soils, and root penetration. Turf roots naturally grow toward the open pockets and thicken in the process, creating a more dense lawn. Wondering what to do with your leftover cores? Leave them be! These cores break down naturally, and leaving them in place allows beneficial microbes contained within the cores to return to your soil. After aerating is a good time to apply any fertilizer and then grass seed as you see fit!
With a bit of effort now, you can set your lawn up for success as we enter our summer season. Here’s to hoping for more predictable weather in the coming weeks! Enjoy the rest of April, and keep an eye out for watering guidelines and lawn care tips in our May 10th issue!
