Spring is one of the busiest seasons for lawn owners across the First State. It’s time to prepare the tools for work, the lawn for sprouting grass, and make a plan to keep weeds and pests under control.
Get Your Lawn Mower Ready in Early Spring
With cool-season grasses in most yards, lawn care season starts early in Delaware. Check, repair, and prepare your tools and lawn mower in early spring:
Replace the spark plugs. Change the air and oil filter.
Put in new oil and buy fresh gas.
Clean the mower deck of any grass clippings and other debris.
Check the mower blades for signs of wear and tear (dents, chips). Replace damaged blades with new ones.
Sharpen the blades if they don’t need replacing.
Clean-Up the Lawn
Charming and relaxing Delawarean communities pride themselves on neat, clean lawns. When the spring comes, and it is warm enough to enjoy working outside, start to get yours into shape:
Remove fallen branches, twigs, rocks, and other large debris from the lawn.
Rake fallen leaves, acorns, sticks, dead roots, and stems.
Install new landscape edging or spruce up and repair the old edging.
As you clean, avoid making piles of debris on the lawn or near it. They attract pests and can develop fungi.
Aerate the Lawn
Picture of grass aerator on the green lawn
Photo Credit: Kamil Macniak / Shutterstock / License
Heavy rainfall and foot traffic compact the soil, making it harder for water, nutrients, and air to access the grassroots. To improve absorption and drainage, you must aerate the lawn every one or two years. Do it in the spring with a core aerator to prepare the ground for new growth.
Core aerators pull out hundreds of small soil plugs, leaving behind tiny holes that help the ground breathe easier. Water and nutrients use them like tunnels to get to the root systems.
You can rent a core aerator from Home Depot or a local garden shop to work on a small lawn. For larger properties, it’s typically better to hire a professional lawn aeration service.
