Many lawns go dormant in the winter, requiring little care. When spring emerges, grass starts growing, requiring regular maintenance once again. It's the perfect time to make your lawn look beautiful for the summer. By getting your grass off to a solid start, you can enjoy a lovely lawn all summer long. Here's what to know about spring lawn care.

1. Overseed

Overseeding is the process of laying down grass seed in areas where grass may have become sparse or unhealthy. There are many reasons that your lawn may need overseeding. Pests, dog urination, leaf cover, poor watering practices and other problems can all impact the health of your lawn.

To overseed, spread grass seed around the areas of your lawn that are sparse. You can also overseed the entire lawn, not just the areas that are looking bare. Some people choose to overseed just to inject their grass with healthy grass for the season, regardless of whether they have bare spots.

Scatter the seed with a seeding machine, or scatter the seed by hand. Once the seeds have been scattered, keep the lawn deeply watered to help the seeds grow fast and strong.

Aerate

Compacted soil makes it hard for grass to grow, and allows thatch and moss to take the place of healthy grass. Grass roots need oxygen to thrive, so aerating the lawn makes room for healthier roots while providing existing roots the exposure to oxygen they need.

You can aerate the lawn yourself with a machine that you can rent from a home improvement store, or you can pay a professional to do the work for you. Aerating creates small lumps of soil that cover the lawn when the process is finished. These lumps will eventually be re-incorporated back into the soil, as the grass is watered.

Most lawns don't need to be aerated every season, so deciding when it's time to aerate can be tricky. If you have children that run on your lawn, or if your lawn sees heavy foot traffic for other reasons, your grass will likely need aerating more often than not. Moss growth on your lawn can be a sign that aeration is needed. Talk to your lawn care professional to find out whether aeration should be a part of your spring lawn care.

Apply Herbicides or Pull Weeds

Weeds have a way of taking over lawns, but if you can control weed growth early in the spring and promote the growth of healthy grass, then weed control will be easier throughout the summer. Apply a herbicide of your choice to the weeds (following the manufacturer's instructions), or pull the weeds by hand. Do this just before overseeing, so the soil will be bare for as little time as possible before the grass seed begins to grow.

Fertilize

If you've just overseeded, fertilize your lawn in spring with a slow-release high nitrogen fertilizer specifically designed for helping new grass grow. Once the grass seeds have sprung and the grass is seeing healthy growth, use a quick-release grass fertilizer to promote strong, fast grass growth throughout the spring.

Establish a Regular Watering Schedule

Grass needs a lot of water to stay healthy. Establish a solid watering schedule in the early- or mid-spring, to get your grass off to a healthy start. If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, set a schedule that will take you throughout the summer. If you don't have an in-ground sprinkler system, set your phone alarm to remind you to set up the sprinklers at specific times of the week that work for you. When it rains, hold off on watering.

Find a Lawn Care Professional to Help with Spring Lawn Care

Find a lawn care professional to help with your spring lawn care. With a professional helping you, you should have no trouble keeping up with the kind of maintenance it takes to keep your lawn in good condition. If you’re in Central Arkansas, call Olive Branch Landscape Management today to make an appointment and find out how affordable spring lawn care can be.

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