Just as the seasons of the year float in and out of the calendar and change what we do – in the fall kids go back to school, in the spring, they stop going to school; there are four seasons of lawn care basics that a homeowner should adhere to in order to have and maintain a lush, luxurious green lawn and a healthy lawn during the dormant growing season.

Spring is perhaps the most important season for a lawn. When a lawn begins to show signs of life, ‘greening up’ then it is time to fertilize, aerate and seed the grass.

Fertilization should be done at least four or five times a year, one of those times being in the spring. A lawn care company will come to your home and fertilize your lawn with high quality fertilizer, some of which also contain weed killers or pest controls depending on what else your grass may need.

Several experts in the field of chemical lawn care recommend a light fertilizing in the spring and a heavier spreading of fertilizer in the fall, especially for those who live in cold-season climate. Weed problems and diseases are a result of too much fertilization in the spring time.

Aeration is the process of digging up small round ‘plugs’ from the lawn, every couple of inches, in order to allow the soil, roots and grass more room to grow. Aeration permits valuable oxygen, water and nutrients to seep down into the soil and help the grass grow thicker, straighter and healthier.

Spring is also a good time to seed a lawn in order to help it grow more grass and fill in those bare spots from high traffic areas or pet stains. Begin by applying a slow-release fertilizer filled with nitrogen and then add the seeds, this is known as ‘overseeding.’ Approximately five weeks after the seeds germinate, apply a fertilizer with quick-release nitrogen.

Thatching is another spring task which involves raking the lawn, deep down raking, of the leaves and excess grass buildup. Most people only rack the leaves in the fall, but racking the leaves and the thatch, which is the dead grass “tissue” between the green grass and the soil, in the spring, will help a lawn look healthier during the long summer months. Thatch can smother grass so it won’t grow. Lawn thatch could be made up of dead blades of grass, stems and twigs, leaves, roots and rhizomes.

If it is time to purchase a new lawnmower, think about getting a mulching lawn mower which cuts the grass, then leaves the tiny cut pieces behind on the lawn to act as natural fertilizer, feeding the lawn.

Grass is dormant and does not growing in the winter time, this is why it is most often brown; however it is still very much ‘alive’ in the cold-season states. Even if the weather is nice and balmy one day or for many days, do not be tempted to cut the grass, it is in ‘replenish and repair’ mode.