Tender lovin' lawn care

According to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive, more than 24.7 million U.S. households spend $28.9 billion per year on professional landscape, lawn care and tree care services.

Yep, people care about their lawns.

In fact, early season care can have a huge impact on lawns, so the experts stress that folks start making plans well before maintenance actually starts.

According to extension service agent Don Janssen, people can do a lot in the late winter months to prep their lawn for the spring thaw.

For example "major projects (such as putting in a new lawn), routine maintenance or addressing specific problems needs to be done at the right time, so a reminder on the calendar helps when that month arrives" Janssen said.

Fertilization is an important component of all lawn care programs, but do so only in moderation during the spring months. Apply roughly one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet this spring, preferably in early May. Other nitrogen boosts to the yard won't have to be made until the autumn months.

Spring is always a good time to renovate an existing lawn or plant a new one. And even from the start, practices such as mowing, fertilizing and watering "will keep lawns healthy and weed problems to a minimum" he said.

When using herbicides, timing is critical. "For crabgrass, the target date for pre-emergence crabgrass herbicides is about the first week of May," he said.

As conditions allow, start spring lawn care with the removal of debris that has accumulated over the winter. Raking lawns will remove matted accumulations of dead grass, but will do little for thatch problems. True thatch cannot be readily raked out by hand, but requires power equipment. Aerifying is the best way to deal with thatch.

Even if winter is still lingering in your neck of the woods, don't hesitate to plan ahead. It's better to be safe than sorry.

- ARA Content