Spring is a great time to get your lawn and mowing equipment ready for the warm spring and summer months ahead. Consider these spring lawn care preparation tips to help support, grow and maintain a healthy lawn all season long.
Spring Lawn Care Preparation Tips
- Mower Maintenance
First things first, perform a basic mower maintenance check to ensure it’s in tip-top shape. Check oil, blades, belts, tire pressure, and fuel. A mower that’s not been properly maintained can stress your grass and leave it looking worse for wear. - Water System Check
Check your hoses, sprinklers, and irrigation systems now so you’re not scrambling when warm weather hits. Look for cracked hoses, clogged sprinkler heads, leaks, or uneven spray patterns. A quick water system check helps you avoid dry spots and makes sure your lawn gets consistent coverage, especially when spring rain starts tapering off. - Tidy Up Outside
Spring cleaning doesn’t just happen indoors. Before you do anything else, walk your yard and clear out sticks, leaves, trash, pet waste, and any leftover debris winter left behind. Not only does this make mowing easier, it also helps prevent mold and disease from developing in areas where moisture gets trapped. - Rake and Break
Once the yard is cleared, grab a rake. Raking helps break up the thatch layer (that built-up mix of dead grass and organic material) and lets your lawn breathe again. It also improves how water, light, and oxygen reach the root system—all things your grass needs to green up fast. - Aerate
If your lawn has a tough, thick thatch layer, now’s a good time to aerate or dethatch it to help promote healthy root growth. This process helps loosen the soil and opens pathways for water, nutrients, and oxygen to reach deeper roots. It’s especially helpful if your lawn gets a lot of foot traffic, has heavy clay soil, or struggles to stay thick year after year. - Assess Lawn Health
Take a close look for mold, dead sports, discoloration, or anything that hints at disease. Also check for animal damage from winter visitors like moles, voles, or digging pests. - ‘Set’ to Mow
Your first mow of the year sets the tone for the season. For that initial cut, set your mower about half an inch lower than your normal mowing height. This helps clean up early growth and clears out leftover winter debris. After that first mow, raise the deck back up. Cutting higher encourages stronger grass growth, improves drought resistance, and helps shade out weeds. - Help It Grow
Overseed any thin or bare areas to thicken things up early. Then fertilize to support healthy growth as the season ramps up. If weeds are already making an appearance, consider applying an herbicide to keep them from taking over before your grass has a chance to compete. A healthy, thick lawn is your best long-term weed control.
Once your spring lawn care preparation is done, you’re ready for the fun part: watching your yard take off. For year-round lawn care tips, check out Backyard Life’s month-by-month lawn-care infographic to keep your lawn green and looking great all season long.
