What Do You Do to a Lawn at the Beginning of Springtime?

Mowing

• Because cold winter temperatures hinder most foliage growth, early spring typically stimulates rapid grass development. For example, the turf may appear wild and unruly after only a week of spring growth. Trim the grass by removing only one-third of the blades' length at a time -- removing more than this amount causes stress and shock to the turf. You may need to mow more often in early spring to maintain a preferable 2-inch spring grass height. This particular height encourages healthy root and foliage growth while maintaining optimum photosynthesis processes.

pH Level

• Using a pH meter purchased at a garden center and inserted into the lawn's soil, verify that your yard has the preferable range between 6 and 7. Spread lime across your lawn if your pH is too low, or apply sulfur to the grass to lower a high pH value. Follow the rate recommended by the pH meter instructions and the amendment manufacturer's packaging, because application rates can vary depending on your pH level and the type of soil modifier used.

Overseeding

• If you have some bare patches throughout the turf, early spring is the prime period for overseeding. After tilling the bare patch slightly with a garden hoe, spread grass seeds and carefully move them into the topsoil with a rake -- try to use the same grass species so that the color matches the nearby turf. With careful watering afterward, your new seeds should germinate and join the surrounding turf with vigor.

Fertilizing

• Although increasing daylight stimulates grass growth, applying some spring fertilizer to the lawn improves the soil nutrient levels. For example, choose a fertilizer with a higher ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus or potassium. Nitrogen is critical to chlorophyll and photosynthesis processes. Your grass uses the nitrogen, and other elements, to crowd out weeds and fight pathogens. Avoid fertilizers with high phosphorus amounts, which are commonly used for germinating lawn seeds, since this element typically leaches into water supplies and contaminates them.

Considering Dethatching

• If you have a warm-season grass species, you may need to dethatch the turf. Thatch is a cushiony layer of decomposing stems and roots at the turf's base. Use a basic garden rake to remove some of the thatch layer, provided that it is no more than 1 inch thick. A substantially thick thatch needs a dethatching tool, such as a vertical mower. Spring is the best time for dethatching warm-season grasses since they can recover easily from the stress with active growth. Avoid dethatching cool-season grasses in the spring -- they start their active growth in the fall.