Ahh, Minnesota.
Now that the snow has finally melted (we think), you may be dismayed at the state of your spring lawn. Whether you’re staring at yellow patches, thin or sparse grass, or bare brown plots of dirt, now is the perfect time to bring your lawn back to life.
With weather starting to warm up, “spring cleaning” will ensure a beautiful lawn you’ll enjoy throughout the summer months. Here are a few ideas on how to improve your spring lawn.
1. Dethatch
Thatch is the layer of mostly dead turf that sits between your green grass and the root and soil system below. It has many benefits, like protecting your plants from extreme temperatures, keeping moisture in soil, and helps in preventing weeds. Thatch becomes an issue when there is too much of it. If you have more than an inch or so of thatch in your yard, then it’s time to get dethatching.
The first step is to trim your grass. Mowing first will allow a dethacher to remove as much thatch as possible. Next, use a dethatching rake to break up any thatch your lawn may have. This will allow nutrients and water to get down into the soil again. Contact us to rent a Power Dethatcher from our rental department! A power dethatcher will help to get deep and really break up last season’s grass. Think of this like a spring cleaning for your lawn.
Pro tip: Water your lawn the day before you dethatch.
2. Overseed
Early spring is the perfect time to reseed your lawn to avoid bare spots and fill in sparse growth. Over time your grass will become weak and break down, leading to dead patches that are the perfect breeding ground for weeds. When this happens it’s time to overseed! Overseeding is the quickest and most inexpensive way to bring your lawn back to life.
Our lawn and garden experts at Mimbach Fleet recommend Scotts PatchMaster Lawn Repair Mix. This mix has everything you need to repair bare spots and sparse growth in your lawn. It includes seed, mulch to keep the seeds moist, and fertilizer to help feed seedlings to encourage fast growth and thick results.
The best way to reseed your lawn is by using a slit seeder. Slit seeders are a great tool because they create deep cracks in the ground that protect seeds. This ensures better lawn growth, and will protect fresh seeds from pesky birds and other critters looking for a snack.
Fear not! If you don’t have a slit seeder on hand, we carry this and other lawn care tools in our rental department. Contact us to get started.
3. Fertilize
Fertilize your lawn! Over time your soil will lose the nutrients it needs to survive, so it’s important to replace those nutrients with fertilizer. Consider using Scotts Lawn Pro Lawn Fertilizer.
This fertilizer takes away the guesswork of when to use it because you can apply it in the spring (March-April), late spring (May-June), late summer (August-September) or late fall (October-November) with a two-month interval between applications. Each bag contains enough product to cover 15,000 square feet. For smaller lawns, we recommend the 14.52-lb. bag which covers 5,000 square feet.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to apply fertilizer to a dry lawn and immediately water it after.
Over & Above Lawn Care
For those who want the best-looking lawn on the block, consider these items or tools:
- Lawn Seed
- Fertilizer
- Lawn Roller
- Power Dethatcher
- Slit Seeder
- Garden Hoses
- Sprinklers
- Rake
- Shovel
- Gloves
- Topsoil
- Lime
- Compost
- Straw Bales
- Straw Seed Blanket
- Straw Lawn Repair Mix
- Pre-emergent Herbicides
All are available via our rental department (contact us) or for sale at Ace Hardware. Take care of your lawn in the spring and reap the benefits all summer long. Make your neighbors green with envy at your lush, healthy grass!
