When to Leave Your Lawn Alone

After a long, cold winter, the idea of getting outside on the first warm day of spring and raking the thatch and winter debris off your lawn sounds like a fine cure for cabin fever.

But hold that rake! While a bit of lawn work might be good for what ails you, working on your lawn too early after the snow melts is likely to harm your turf.

Until lawns dry out, raking is likely to tear out grass and leave open patches in your lawn's canopy where weeds will find a home.

Mowing is also inadvisable so early in the spring. It is also not necessary, as grass roots won't start growing until average daily temperatures consistently hit 40° Fahrenheit. The blades or leaves of grass won't show any growth until the average daily temperature is around 50°.

Even walking on your lawn while the ground is still wet from the melted snow can do some damage simply by compacting the soil.

Grass roots, like leaves, need to breathe, and one of the good things about the bone-chilling snow-filled winters in many states is that the soil is broken up as moisture trapped in the soil freezes and thaws. This leaves cracks and crevices in the soil which help drain excess moisture, and let your lawn breathe.

By walking on, raking or mowing your lawn too early in the spring, you're compacting the soil, slowing the drainage and preventing the roots of your grass from easily breathing.

If you notice grub damage from last fall, there's not a lot you can do about that in the spring either. Grub control is ineffective unless done in late summer or fall. In spring the grubs have already done the damage to your lawn, and they are fairly resistant to insecticides.

Fertilizing your lawn is best left till late spring, though if you must do it earlier, you can pick a slow-release formula with at least 25% nitrogen in water-insoluble form. But, again, you'll want to wait till your lawn has dried out for best results.

So what's a poor homeowner with cabin fever to do for his lawn on that first day of spring?

The best thing to do for your lawn so early in the season is get your lawnmower tuned and the blades sharpened.

Sharp mower blades will ensure you cut the grass rather than shredding it, giving your lawn a nicer appearance, and preventing outbreaks of fungus infection on torn leaves.

And a clean and smoothly running mower will make lawn maintenance more enjoyable for you as well.