What to avoid in spring with your lawn?

Spring is the perfect time to take care of your lawn. It’s important to do what it takes to get a healthy, green lawn. Often, when the snow melts, we get excited about the arrival of spring, but we need to be patient with the work that needs to be done. Here are 6 mistakes to avoid when maintaining your lawn in the spring.

Mistake #1: Raking the soil too early

In early spring, the soil is still full of water. Raking your lawn could damage it and even tear up patches of soil. Moreover, walking on wet soil could compact it and hinder the development of the root system, thus leaving room for weeds. This is why it is necessary to wait until the soil is completely dry before starting to rake.

Mistake #2: Do not repair damaged areas

Winter conditions often make life difficult for our beautiful green carpets. So once the scraping stage is over, it’s time to repair your bare patches of grass. If you don’t take action, weeds will happily take over. Find out how to repair your damaged patches in 5 easy steps.

Mistake #3: Seeding too early

To promote density in your lawn, we recommend that you overseed your lawn each year, but only after you have completed your spring raking, never before! Cool nighttime temperatures and early morning dew provide ideal conditions for seed germination. However, the soil must be warm enough for the seeds to germinate. Quick tip: When you notice dandelions popping up on your neighbourhood lawns, it’s a sign that it’s the perfect time to over-seed.

Mistake #4: Picking up clippings

Grasscycling is a good practice to adopt. It involves leaving the clippings in place rather than picking them up. Not only can this technique be very beneficial for your lawn, but it also provides several economic and environmental benefits:

Reduces mowing time

By leaving the clippings on your lawn, there is no need to empty the mower bag or rake the clippings out of the ground – time saving!

Reduces the need for fertilizers

By decomposing, the grass clippings left on the lawn bring nutrients (organic matter) to your lawn. They even make up for about 30% of the fertilizer needs – Saves on the cost of maintaining your lawn!

Reduces the need for water

In addition to creating shade on the ground, mowing clippings allow for better water retention and reduce evapotranspiration losses – Less watering!

Mistake #5: Not fertilizing your lawn

Lawns need nutrients to ensure their growth. Our experts recommend fertilizing 3 times a year with a natural fertilizer that stimulates beneficial soil micro-organisms. In addition to increasing the density of your lawn, spring fertilization will promote rapid and sustained greening until summer.

Mistake #6: Cutting your lawn too short

Lawn mowing is a regular maintenance that should not be neglected. However, it is not necessary to shave your lawn to space out the mowing periods. A lawn that is too short could affect the root system, making it more vulnerable to drought and disease.

During spring and fall season, the ideal mowing height is between 5 and 7 cm, while in the summer, it is more like 8 to 10 cm. Get more tips and advice on mowing your lawn right here : https://www.fafard.ca/gardening-tips/lawns/tips-and-tricks-for-effectively-watering-and-mowing-your-lawn-this-season/

Now you know what to do, or at least what to avoid, to get a healthy, green lawn this season. For more great tips on your lawn, check out our articles in the Lawn section or follow us on social media : Facebook and Instagram.

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Lawn care: 6 mistakes to avoid in spring