What a relief, spring is almost here! Even though Deltona doesn’t get much of a winter, our lawns could use a little reinvigorating. Whether you’ve been earnestly maintaining your lawn year-round or decided to take a break from lawn chores, spring is the best time to give your yard a little TLC (tender lawn care.)
Early spring is an especially important time to care for your lawn since the temperatures typically rise quickly over a few short weeks. The mercury can drop to the low 50’s in early March and approach 85 by the end of April. Since the days are growing longer, there’s more sunshine to encourage your lawn’s growth, and a little more rain to keep it going in March. Here are some spring lawn care tips to get your yard ready to weather the summer in Deltona, Florida.
1. Mowing for Splendor and Health
Hopefully, you’ve mowed your lawn once or twice over the winter. You want to let your grass grow longer in spring, but keeping it properly cut will encourage healthy growth and enhance its appearance. Most lawns in Deltona flourish when kept at three inches. Cutting it too short causes it to wither, turn brown, and even die. Cut at least once a week to keep it healthy.
Mow your lawn often enough that no more than one-third of the grass length is cut each time. It’s also important to sharpen mower blades. Dull blades can tear your grass and leave the lawn with a ragged appearance. If your lawn is free of weeds, the grass clippings don’t need to be removed. Short clippings left in the grass will quickly decompose into organic matter that returns nutrients to the soil.
2. Proper Watering is Critical
Water is a precious resource that’s vital to your lawn. Shade, soil, and humidity determine how often your lawn should be watered. A healthy lawn needs watering every three to nine days. During a typical Deltona spring, you’ll want to water every six days. Of course, you also want to consider rainfall, and sun exposure that determines how fast water evaporates.
It’s not practical to set a water timer and forget it. For the best watering results, you want to observe the condition of your lawn. Properly watered and healthy grass blades stand up. It’s a sign they’re thirsty when they droop and bend over. When your lush green grass takes on a bluish tint, you need to water. Look for foot and toy tracks in your lawn that don’t bounce back in a few minutes. The best time to water is during the early morning hours.
It’s best to water deeply rather than often. For good root health, apply between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch of water. Light watering causes shallow root growth.
3. Early Spring Fertilizing
Fertilizing can be as complicated or as simple as you want to make it. If you want a golf course perfect lawn, you’ll need to test the soil frequently. But for the most part, a few simple tips will keep your lawn the envy of the neighborhood. You can use organic or inorganic fertilizer. Your grass won’t know the difference. You can fertilize up to five times a year, but spring and fall are the most important times. Fertilizer labels in Florida must follow strict regulations. For the best results, you want to select a fertilizer formulated for spring application and follow the instructions. Look for a brand with slow-release nitrogen. It’s also important to know the square footage of your lawn so you don’t overdo it.
4. Aerating Improves Health
Before you spread fertilizer and start watering, you should consider aerating. It’s best to do this in the spring when the grass is most actively growing. You don’t need to aerate every year but you should when the soil becomes packed down or if there is a lot of thatch. Aerating uses a special piece of equipment that punches little holes into the soil or pulls out little plugs. This allows air, water, and nutrients to get down to the grass roots and returns you lawn to a lush. healthy green that’s easy to maintain all year round.
Need help tending to your lawn? Visit our Deltona lawn care page for more info!
Feature Image Source: Zillow.com
