April/May

It looks like spring is, at long last, finally here. With more sunshine and warmer weather, the grass will quickly begin to “green up”.  It’s not too early to install sod even though it’s not that beautiful bright green color yet. In the meantime, get a jump on your summer projects with these tips.  

Getting the mower ready

This is the time to do the maintenance on your lawnmower. If you’re not the DIY type, contact your local service center for more information on having this done for you. Things to check include:

  • Sharpening or replacing mower blades
  • Changing the oil
  • Checking the battery

Since it’s warming up and most of us can hardly wait to get outside, you can start picking up debris from the yard. Keep in mind that many landscaping and lawn companies provide the following services:

  • Getting rid of fallen tree branches and limbs.
  • Raking up any dead leaves left over from the fall.
  • Raking those stones in the yard that were left by the snow plows.

Fertilizing

As the soil begins the thaw, it’s a good time begin looking at lawn fertilizers.  There are 3 basic components: nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus (potash). On the labels, these compounds appear as N P K. You will notice a string of numbers, such as 10-10-10. Those refer to the percentage of each component in that order. We recommend having your soil tested to see what your lawn needs BEFORE spending your money on buying fertilizer. Follow the manufacturer’s application instructions. Dumping more fertilizer on in the hopes of speeding things up is detrimental. We’ve included some MSU Extension how-to information. You can check out this link at:

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/fertilizing_and_water_smart_formula

We’ll give you the link for soil testing again:

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/resources/soil_test_kit_self-mailer

Rolling the yard

This is literally using a steel roller to flatten the lawn. It’s done to flatten the yard due to things such as mole tunnels. Rolling is most effective when done before the real warm weather sets in. Contact your local lawn service companies to inquire about this service. Here is a picture of what our farm rollers look like: