4 Spring Tips for Lush Summer Lawns

"Wake up!"

That's what I've been wanting to shout to my lawn as we wait out the early spring weather fluctuations in Northeast Ohio. Just last week we experienced sun and 72 degrees in the morning and ended the night at 32 degrees and flurries.

Hope is on the horizon, however, and I'm excited for the first week of April's forecast of at least five days of temperatures reaching the mid-50's to low 60's. You'll find me out in my yard doing a happy dance and thanking my lawn for "waking up."

Here are four things that I'm doing to give my yard a much better chance of being green and lush this summer;

Gently rake dormant sections of your lawn that are slow to wake up

Mostly found along your driveway, sidewalks and where snow was piled, dormant spots (or sections) are often caused by snow mold or lots of foot traffic during the cold winter months.

The good news is that your lawn will mostly recover on it's own. That said, you can make it bounce back quicker and look even better by taking a leaf rake and gently raking the spots to remove the grime on the grass surface. Lightly rake the matted grass spots until it stands back up. This removes the white residue and opens up the soil to allow sun, air and moisture to reach the grass roots and aid in recovery.

Before applying materials, wait for your soil temperature to reach 50 degrees

This is important! I'm just as guilty as anyone who has ever applied pre-emergents, pest control or planted grass seed when our yards and even garden plants have yet to emerge from their winter lull. One of the best investments that I have made is to purchase a soil thermometer that also measures the yard and garden Ph and moisture levels (I spent under $30 at one of our local home improvement stores).

This information aids in determining the best time to begin early spring applications. It's best to put down pre-emergents and pest controls (grubs, fleas, gnats, etc.) when the soil is at 50 degrees as these products work into the grass and works best when the temperature reaches the preferable 55 degrees.

Note: If you live in western Lake County, Ohio, reach out to me for a free temperature, Ph and moisture check. I'm also happy to consult on your flowerbeds, yard improvements and landscape design needs.

Prep your lawnmower and develop a new cutting routine

This one isn't always convenient for the average homeowner because lawn mowers being mechanical equipment can be daunting, but maintenance of these "tools" is essential to the health of your lawn. There are things that we can do though the gives us an edge up on helping our lawns avoid damage caused by lawnmowers.

First, get those blades sharpened or replace old blades that are beyond being sharpened. In my area, blades can be sharpened for under $20. Yes, it isn't always easy to remove blades from a mower but check out a YouTube video to learn how to best remove and reattach your mower blades safely and efficiently. If not your idea of a good time, reach out to your local lawn care or small garden equipment center for the work. Well maintained mowers with sharp blades will save you money in yard repairs in the future.

Secondly, figure out different patterns for cutting your lawn and rotate them. Look over your yard obstacles (flowerbeds, fencing, sheds, trees, etc.) and the type of the mower that you own (hand push, self-propel or riding mower). Determine how you can use at least two different cutting patterns to avoid grass blades just bending over or slicing off through repetitiveness, wheel ruts and soil compaction. This is controversial to some, but I swear by it using different go-to patterns each time that I use my riding mower. If you have a smaller yard and/or lots of obstacles, go with two patterns, which will be helpful to your lawn's health.

Avoid the urge to mow too low

This is a common mistake and understandable why homeowners do this on the surface. Taking this knowledge with you will go a long way in having a lusher lawn this summer. You will also greatly reduce the emergence of weeds and see less stress browning of your lawn during the dog days of summer.

In the spring, grass in Northeast Ohio grows quickly once the soil and air begin to warm. Most of us take the easy path and cut our lawns too short. Ignore this urge. Let's say the grass height reaches 4 inches ignore the urge to remove more than an inch of the grass in one mowing session. in a matter of a spring week rather quickly with the warm days and cool nights. People will lower their mower blades to 2 inches (which is too low for any time of the year) cutting the grass height in half in one mow. This can shred the sensitive grass blades, weaken grass roots development and open a way for fungus growth and pests.

To avoid this mistake, don't cut off more than 1/3 from your grass’s height during any one cut. Ideally, you keep your spring grass at least 3 inches in height, your summer grass at 3.5 to 4 inches, and then get to 2.5 to 3 inches on your last fall cut of the year. I realize this will mean cutting your grass two times in a week early in the year, but your curb appeal will be so much more with this practice.

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Dave Hintz is owner of Trophy Yard Design & Home, LLC. He is a life-long yard enthusiast who calls working in the yard his "Zen." If you live in western Lake County or the eastern suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio reach out to Dave for a free yard design and maintenance consultation. You can also reach out via email: TrophyYardDesign@yahoo.com.