Driving around town this past week, you may have noticed some early signs of spring starting to show. Deciduous trees and shrubs are beginning to leaf out, bud, and in some cases, even bloom. Temperatures are slowly warming, and the world is coming back to life. Even though there is still a good month left to winter, it's time to start treatment on your lawn to be ahead of the game next month. Because as the days are slowly lengthening and warming, soil temperatures are rising, causing all those pesky weed seeds that have laid dormant all winter to sprout. So if you haven't done so, now is the time to apply PRE-EMERGENT weed treatment to your lawn to keep it weed-free this spring.
At Garden Supply Co, we have a full line of lawn care products to keep your lawns at their peak of health. Stop by the garden center and let our friendly staff of experts help you select the best treatment plan for your lawn. If you haven't treated your lawn at all this year, now is a good time to apply a crabgrass preventer as well as a pre-emergent week killer. And it's about time for fertilizer, too. Our experts can help get you going on the right schedule.
Mowing
Plan to have your lawn mower serviced soon, if you haven't already. Here's a few items that should be looked at:
Air Filter- have it cleaned or replaced if needed
Spark Plug- clean it or replace it if it's cracked
Oil- check to see that it's filled to the right level. Change the oil as recommended by the manufacturer
Mower Blade- replace if chipped, cracked, or bent. Have sharpened otherwise
Check for loose screws and bolts on the handle controls and the motor
If mowing is necessary, remember to remove no more than one-third of the grass height with a sharp mower blade. A dull mower blade tears the grass, leaving your lawn susceptible to disease, weeds, and insects.
Planting
Sod can be installed whenever the soil is not frozen. Newly sodded areas should be moistened for the sod to "knit" into the soil. Water immediately after sodding to wet the soil to a depth of 3 or 4 inches. Don't let the soil dry out until the sod has rooted into the soil.
For more tips on maintaining a beautiful and healthy lawn this season and all year long, stop by the garden center and talk to one of our experts. We're here 7 days a week with answers to all your gardening questions.