The Proper San Diego Lawn Care.

5 Steps to Prepare for Spring Lawn Care in San Diego, Ca

With the Winter month's coming to an end. Spring is on its way. Now it is time to prepare for the progress of your grass and shrubs. With the proper water systems waiting to starting increase the green in your front yard. Now is the time of the year to make sure the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed.


What I mean by this is, making sure that your soil is fertilized and processed for the new growth of spring. Taking on the 5 steps of Spring Cleaning Process can be an easy process with the right training or the biggest down fall of the 2009 Spring Season. Please review as follows:

Tip#1 - Raking The Ground of Leaves or Gunk which is great for Gardner work!

Raking will be your first task of spring lawn care. Okay, I can hear the groans coming from all lands near and far, wherever grassy carpets are cultivated: "But we already raked leaves in the fall!" Sorry, but raking is for more than just removing leaves: it's for controlling thatch, too. A thatch build-up of more than 1/2 inch is considered excessive.

Don't just skim the surface, so as to remove the leaves. A deep raking will remove thatch, too, allowing you to kill two birds with one stone. Even if you followed this advice in fall, I still recommend a spring raking: it will remove grass blades that died over the winter -- dead blades that are just waiting to become thatch!

But there's often another good reason for a spring raking. As you survey your lawn in spring, see if there are any matted patches, in which the grass blades are all stuck together. This can be caused by a disease known as "snow mold." New grass may have difficulty penetrating these matted patches. But a light raking will be sufficient to solve this problem.

Just when you should perform any of these San Diego Spring Lawn Care tasks will depend upon the climate of your own region. But Mother Nature provides palpable cues in some cases. Applying pre-emergent herbicides should be done sometime between the time the local forsythia bushes stop blooming and the time the local lilac bushes begin blooming.

Tip #2: Check for Compaction

If your lawn is subjected to high levels of traffic year after year, it may eventually start to show signs of decline. In such cases, your lawn is probably suffering from compaction. For instance, the presence of moss plants signals compaction (among other things).

Lawn aeration is the remedy for compaction. The good news is that lawn aerators can be rented at your local rental center. The bad news is that the experts recommend postponing lawn aeration until fall. But if, during your "spring lawn checkup," you become aware of compaction, at least you can plan on setting aside some time in the fall to take care of it.

Tip #3: Liming

Besides compaction, the presence of moss plants also signals acidity. But grass likes a neutral soil pH. You can solve this problem by liming your soil. But don't expect a quick fix: the effects of liming are slow to take place.

But first send a soil sample to your local county extension to determine the extent of your soil's acidity. The county extension will also be able to advise you on how much lime per square foot you'll need. Apply the lime using a lawn spreader.

But if your lawn has been doing fine and shows no signs of suffering from acidity, don't apply lime. Liming is only a corrective measure, not a preventive measure. A soil that is too alkaline will also cause your lawn problems, so too much lime is as bad as not enough.

Tip #4: Over seeding

Is your lawn riddled with bare patches due to dog spots, heavy traffic or neglect? If so, you may need to apply grass seed to fill in those bare patches. This solution is known as "over seeding lawns." Apply a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer when you over seed. Five weeks after the grass germinates, apply a quick-release nitrogen fertilizer.

However, spring isn't the very best time for over seeding lawns. Fall is the preferred time, when the new grass won't have to compete with crabgrass (see Page 2), which is killed off by autumn frosts. So postpone over seeding until fall, unless your situation is dire.

Tip #5: Fertilizing

Lawns can be fertilized organically by using compost and mulching mowers. But for those who prefer chemical fertilizers, Scotts provides a lawn fertilizing schedule. Many experts, however, recommend a lighter feeding in spring and a heavier one in fall for cool-season grasses. Too much fertilizer in spring can lead to disease and weed problems.

For other suggestions always feel free to call an expert at 619-200-7496. The California State provides a license numbers and certifications. To see other services provided visit Andy's Landscaping.












About this Page: Andy's Landscaping provides consumers with 5 tips on San Diego Lawn Care. Consumers can use these five steps for preparation of the spring.