As the outside world begins to turn green and colorful after a long winter, it is once again time to pay attention to your lawn. Spring is considered a sensitive time for your lawn – the plants are tender, the soil is often spongy and the weather can be quite unpredictable.

It is important to treat your lawn gently this time of year, but you will be rewarded if you address a few important springtime tasks. Here are some tips to help you take care of your lawn this spring.

Determine the Type of Grass Present

The lawn care tasks you complete will be dependent on the type of grass you are growing:

• Cool-season grass: This includes rye, bluegrass and fescue. These options have two growth spurts – a big one during the fall and a moderate one during the spring. This grass often goes dormant during the summer months and can struggle, which is why it is a good idea to ensure the grass is strengthened for the upcoming summer months.

• Warm-season grass: This includes Bermuda, centipede, St. Augustine and Zoysia. They thrive when it is hot outside and often go dormant during the winter months. They will typically begin to grow after the last frost in the spring and really hit their stride by midsummer.

Knowing what type of grass you have and when it grows will help ensure you take care of maintenance tasks at the right time.

Clean Up the Yard – Gently

It is important to avoid any heavy yard work during the spring months, at least until the soil has a chance to dry out. Hard raking and excessive foot traffic can disturb or compact soggy soil and cause damage to new, tender grass shoots. Once the soil is completely dry, be sure to clean it well to encourage grass growth and discourage the presence of diseases and pests. This cleanup should include removing any leaves and fallen debris and raking gently to “fluff up” and separate the grass shoots.

Weed Control

Springtime is the best time to begin preventing weed growth. Use some type of pre-emergent weed control, which will keep the seeds from germinating. Both warm and cool season lawns can benefit from weed prevention during the spring months. The pre-emergent herbicides will work for a period of approximately three months, so it is a good idea to plan on another application during the summer months.

Planting and Seeding

During the spring, you have to choose if you want to control weeds or seed your lawn. The pre- emergent herbicides will prevent grass seed from sprouting, so you will be unable to do both. If you do decide to plant or seed your yard, be sure to have the irrigation system or sprinkler system checked out to ensure the lawn will receive sufficient water.

In many cases, it is smart to call in the pros to help with all your spring lawn maintenance. They can handle all issues that may be present including cleaning up the yard, irrigation and sprinklers, drainage and the installation of French drains if necessary.