Spring Lawn Care – London, Ontario, Maintenance to Turn Your Grass Green Again
For many gardeners in our region, spring is the best time of year for lawn care. London, Ontario, residents have long, gray winters, and there is nothing like the first warm, sunny day in spring to make you want to go outside and start gardening. After snow, ice and cold, your lawn will be happy to have spring weather, too. Here are a few things you can do to get your turf growing again and looking green for summer.
Lawn Cleanup
First of all, remove any fallen branches, twigs and debris that have ended up on your lawn. Then, rake or collect any remaining leaves or clumps of leaves that have settled on the grass. Wet, clumping leaves block sunlight and, in short order, will kill the grass below them.
Catch Up On Fall Chores
Did you aerate and dethatch your lawn last fall? If not, you can still do these tasks in early spring. Rent a dethatcher and aerator for the day or, better yet, have a London, Ontario, lawn maintenance service do the hard work for you. There are other things you can do outside in the meantime.
Level the Lawn and Overseed
Inspect your lawn carefully for any low spots where the soil may have settled from repeated freezing and thawing weather. Bring the sunken areas up to level with a screened topsoil and compost mixture or similar topdressing from you local landscape supply company. Lightly spread seed in these areas and any other bare or thin spots in your yard.
Spring Fertilizers
Spring is a good time for fertilizing your lawn to give it a boost for the growing season, but don’t apply it too early. Wait until hard freezes are finished and the turf has started growing again. The beginning of May is not too late. One pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet of lawn is a rule of thumb, but you may want have a London landscape company do a soil test and give you specific recommendations.
Try using an organic fertilizer this year. Their slow release properties are better for individual grass plants, they generally improve soil quality and are safer for your local environment.
While you are out in the yard, don’t neglect the rest of your landscape. Prune any broken or damaged limbs on trees and shrubs, cut back leftover stalks from ornamental grasses and inspect all plants for any signs of disease or poor health. Before new growth starts is also a good time to prune fall blooming species.
Take advantage of your springtime enthusiasm to get your landscape in shape before warm weather and summer vacations. Remember, The Gardener is your North London landscape expert, ready to advise and assist with any or all of your spring landscape maintenance needs.
Back
