3 Spring Cleanup Tips from a Kalamazoo Lawn Mowing Provider
Now that we’re past the spring equinox and officially in the spring season, it’s finally time to stop and smell the flowers. There’s only one problem, though: many of the flowers are still stuck under the debris left by the winter!
Removing the built-up winter debris in your yard can feel like an impossible task if you don’t know where to start. However, with the right know-how, anyone can achieve a beautiful spring lawn with just a little ingenuity and elbow grease.
In this month’s blog post, we’ll be sharing 3 spring cleanup tips that we recommend for all our clients.
1. Rake Away Winter Debris
To begin your lawn’s switch from dormant to thriving, the first thing you’ll need to do is rake away all the built-up winter debris. We recommend that you do this sooner, rather than later, since all that debris can actually pose a serious risk to your lawn’s health over time. As the sun shines more and more throughout the season, the plant life in your lawn will need access to it in order to photosynthesize and grow. At the same time, debris can also stifle air circulation to your lawn, which your plants need to “breathe”. When raking, we recommend you give special attention to areas where debris can get caught or snagged, such as:
- Along fences
- Under trees
- Inside garden beds
2. Overseed Rough Patches (Optional)
While it’s generally best to overseed during the fall for Northern states, the spring is the next-best time to do so. If you didn’t overseed in the fall, then you may find that you have patches where your grass has died off, leaving unappealing patches of dirt to pockmark your lawn. However, if you act with care, you won’t have to wait until the fall to fix them.
If you’d like to overseed in the spring, we recommend waiting until soil temperatures reach between 50- and 65-degrees Fahrenheit. Over the last ten years, Kalamazoo soil temperatures typically reach a consistent 50 degrees by April 4th. However, you can also test this at home with a soil kit. Since we’re in a record-high year of heat, we recommend trying for an early start.
To read a full guide on overseeding your lawn in spring, click here.
3. Prepare Your Lawn for Success with Fertilizer
Finally, we recommend fertilizing your lawn to prepare it for the season to come. Just like with overseeding, though, timing is everything here. Unlike overseeding, however, we generally recommend that you wait until late spring to fertilize. Typically, we agree with Michigan State University’s findings that you should wait until May, as your grass prepares for the hotter, drier months.
Spring cleanup and lawn maintenance doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Whether you’d like to clean up your own lawn or rely on the professionals at MowCo, Kalamazoo residents and business owners always have options at their disposal.
For more information about our spring cleanup services, click here to contact us today.
