While it’s still a bit early to actually start planting things in your garden, it’s not too soon to start planning ahead and taking early steps to get your lawn and garden ready for the warmer weather that’s just around the corner. Winter can be a very harsh time of year for your lawn, so taking the time to get your yard back into good condition can be very beneficial for the rest of the year.
On a day when there isn’t any snow on your lawn, start by looking for any obvious lawn problems that need to be taken care of. Are there any patches of grass that don’t seem to be growing in? Do you see signs of snow mold? Does the soil seem compacted? Are there any parts of your lawn that look like they’ve been damaged by rock salt? Once you’ve got a better idea of what condition your lawn is in, you’ll be able to form a better plan of attack.
While you’re out in the yard, start cleaning up debris like leaves and branches. Although you most likely raked the fallen leaves back in your yard back in the fall, it’s still smart to go through and get rid of any leaves you may have missed. Leaves that are left on your lawn can trap moisture underneath and cause problems like mold or fungus growth, so it’s very important to keep your lawn as leaf-free as possible. Keeping your lawn free of debris also helps improve airflow to your lawn and help it get more sunlight so that it can grow better.
Even if you don’t have leaves to get rid of, remember that raking isn’t necessarily something you should only do during the fall. Raking your lawn during the spring helps wake your lawn up again by clearing up any areas where the grass has gotten matted down. Raking also helps to get rid of existing thatch and blades of grass that died off over the winter. Getting rid of those things will also help air and sunlight better reach your lawn and help it grow.
Do you have problems with crabgrass? Now is the time to take action to get rid of it. To effectively get rid of crabgrass, you’ll need to start applying crabgrass control products to your lawn once the temperatures start consistently getting into the 50s so that you get rid of it before it starts growing again.
If you have a lot of foot traffic in your yard, it’s very common for soil to become compacted over time, which can make it hard for your lawn to grow as well as it ought to. Although many gardening experts advise saving lawn aeration for the fall, it’s certainly something you can do during the spring if you’ve just noticed it’s a problem.
Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget to see what shape your gardening tools are in. Is your lawn mower still in good working order? Do your hedge trimmers need to be sharpened or replaced? Now is a great time to make sure you have all the tools you’ll need to make your yard look fantastic once the weather gets a bit warmer.
