We’re always a little blind-sided at this time of year by all the work that it takes to care for our property, but we’ve learned a thing or two over the past few years.
First of all, taking care of a large grassy area is a lot different than caring for a tiny city lot. You really do have to go about it in a completely different way, or you’ll never get through it. Spring is a great time to get things started on the right foot, so that you can have a successful Summer season of lawn care!
Rolling Your Lawn
Over time, the landscape bubbles up in places and it can get pretty bumpy overall. Spring is the perfect time to roll your lawn because the ground is still soft and squishy. Extra point for you if you can get it done right after a rainstorm! It really makes a big difference in the appearance of your property, as well as how easy it is to mow.
We went ahead and purchased our own roller so that we can use it whenever we need it and don’t have to worry about renting one and getting it back on time to avoid late fees. Also, Chris really has fun making the straight, fancy-looking lines in the lawn. 🙂
Plan your landscape for easy cutting
When you’re planning out your flower gardens in the Spring, take the opportunity to change their layout a bit to make for easier mowing. When you spend 3-4 hours a week cutting your grass, you’ll be happy to save any extra time you can. Some trees and flower bed designs are really a big pain to have to drive carefully around or go back and trim up week after week. Make neat edges to your gardens that are easy to just drive right over.
Sprinkle extra soil on low lying areas
Keeping the terrain smooth not only looks great and is easier to cut, it’s also important for the health of your grass. Having soil that’s really compacted, or areas that dip down and collect water can kill existing grass and make it really hard for newly planted seeds to thrive. Go around and sprinkle a generous amount of topsoil on these areas. The existing grass should grow up through the soil and enjoy the nutrients, but plant some new seed as well if you like.
Embrace a multi-species philospophy
By multi-species, I mean lots of different kinds of plants in your lawn. Native plants. And by native plants, I mean weeds. This is a lawn philosophy that’s being adopted more and more by modern gardeners and landscape designers lately and that’s because it really works. Weeds have the ability to tolerate and thrive in the exact kind of climate you live in as they’re completely native and designed exactly for where you live. They stay green almost no matter what and, while they may seem unsightly on smaller city lots, they really aren’t that noticeable when they’re filling in the blanks in a large field-like setting. Well, except for those 2 weeks a year when the dandelions are in bloom, but other than that, it’s green city. And if I’m being honest, those 2 weeks are my favorite anyway. 🙂 So consider not spending hours and hours trying to find and attack every single one of those 18 million weeds on your property this year. You just may love the results!
Don’t cut too much
How long or short you keep your grass isn’t just a matter of personal preference, it can actually affect how healthy your lawn will be for the rest of the season. You’ve maybe heard that you’re supposed to let your lawn grow a little longer to help keep water in the soil during hotter months, but did you know how important it is to pay attention to the length of your cut the rest of the year too? This is especially true during the fragile early Spring season. The perfect length of your cut will be the one where you remove no more than the top 1/3 or so of the length of the blade of grass. So if your grass is 3 inches long, only cut the top 1 inch off and give it a few days to recover before you cut some more.
If you follow these few simple steps this Spring, you’ll be on your way to an easy Summer season of lawn care. One where you don’t spend every waking hour caring for your grass!
Do you have any tried and true Spring lawn care tips that you always follow?
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.