Grasses go dormant in late fall and early winter in many parts of Florida, especially in northern and north central portions of the state. But when springtime bulbs start popping through the soil, tender new blades of grass are soon to follow. To help get your yard off to a great start this spring—and leave your neighbors green with envy—we’ve summarized three tips for your lawn, as recommended by landscape experts at Golf.com.
Perform a soil test
If this tip sounds a bit daunting or complex, it really isn’t. Basically, you want to know what’s going on inside of your soil as far as the composition of three key nutrients: nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. Each performs a different function and it’s good to know if you’re lacking in one or if you have too much of another, so that you can supplement your soil accordingly.
Soil test kits are simple, relatively inexpensive, and you can get your hands on one at your local hardware store. Knowing your soil’s nutrient composition can make the difference between a lackluster lawn, and a lush landscape.
Aerate
Aeration is fancy talk for creating holes in your lawn to make paths for gasses and nutrients to reach the roots. This is something you can do each spring and fall, especially if your lawn experiences a lot of wear and tear.
Avoid watering too much
It’s normal to think that as your grass awakens from its slumber and as temperatures ramp up you need to give your lawn frequent soakings. Typically, that’s not the case. Light watering in the spring causes the roots of your lawn to dig deeper for water, and a deeper root system breeds healthier grass. How often you water can depend on factors including climate, soil type, the variety of grass you have. As a general rule, you should give your lawn about one to two inches of water a week. Light watering can help the grass become stronger and healthier, and cause it to fare better should you experience drought conditions later in the summer. It can also help save you some cash.
