Early Spring Tasks Around your Yard

It's springtime, and you're anxious to get outdoors and work in your yard. The ground may still be too wet and the nights not yet frost-free. What's a yard care enthusiast to do? Here are a few things you can do now to get started until those first nice days when you can really get your hands dirty.

• Be prepared to fight crab grass. Crab grass is a summer annual weed. The trick to controlling it is good timing. You want to stop this weed before you ever see it with a pre-emergent herbicide applied after you mow your lawn when the soil temperature is about 60 degrees. This could be as early as March or April in the South, and generally closer to late May in northern states. A good time to apply it is right after the forsythia blooms in your area. Remember: the seeds from a single crab grass plant can number in the thousands.
• Examine your lawn for gray snow mold. Look for patches of brown or straw colored grass with grayish white fungus on top. This coloring is caused by poor oxygen flow in the soil, which may be the result of soil compaction, excessive thatch, lush growth due to over-fertilization or leaves that were on the ground during winter. It is a good idea to rake away the matted spots to improve oxygen flow and consider aerating your lawn.
• Sharpen your mower blade. Whether you are a true lawn care enthusiast or someone who just wants to get the job done, taking care of your equipment is essential. A sharp mower blade cuts cleanly, which doesn't damage the grass blades. A dull blade tears your grass blades, leaving ragged edges, which can weaken your lawn. Have the blade sharpened each year.
• Tune up your mower. A tune-up doesn't take a lot of time or effort (see how at link) but the results are priceless. The mower will start more easily, run smoother and produce fewer emissions. Besides, you don't want your mower to break down in the middle of summer. So take this preventive measure now, learn how to tune-up your mower.
• Purchase your lawn and garden supplies. Get ready for the growing season now by purchasing your fertilizer, bags of compost, grass seed and other supplies. The lines at the garden center are shorter now, making it the ideal time to browse the aisles and stock up. Then, when the first nice days come to your area, you can go outdoors and while everybody else goes to the store.
• Prep for new garden beds. If you didn't start those new gardening beds last fall, do it early this spring. Mark off areas with a garden hose where you want to add landscaping beds. Remove the lawn from these areas while the soil is soft and moist, but not muddy. You can use an inexpensive sod cutting tool if you don't mind the physical labor, or you can smother the existing grass with a thick layer of old newspapers held down with bricks, rocks or whatever you have around the garage or garden shed.
• Organize your yard care equipment. Be sure everything is in good working order. Take inventory - it's better to find out now that the loppers are broken or a garden spade is missing then on the morning you want to use them. There are lots of small projects that can keep you busy in anticipation of good weather; Put up those wall hooks for your tools, clean and wipe down your hoe, shovels, etc. with an oiled rag.

Spring is also a great time to dream about adding hardscape elements, trees, and other landscape additions to your yard in the months ahead. On that next gloomy day, head to the bookstore or library to get more ideas of what you can do to have the perfect outdoor place.