When And How To Mow And Water Your Lawn Effectively This Spring

Ah, spring — the sun finally feels warm, the birds are chirping, and you can’t wait to head outside to start tending to your lawn. But before you fire up the mower and kick the sprinklers into gear, you should know your lawn is still a bit sleepy after its long winter slumber.

A few mowing and watering tips will help you ease it into spring and give it a healthy, happy start to the growing season ahead. Here’s a look at when and how to mow and water your lawn this spring:

First, A Look At Mowing

What’s there to know about mowing? Dust off the mower and let ‘er rip, right? Not exactly. Mow too soon and you can do more harm than good.

There’s no specific calendar date to tell you when to bust out the mower. You’ll need your powers of observation. If you mow your lawn when the grass is too short, you could injure it and leave it susceptible to disease. Wait until the grass is at least two inches tall before you mow for the first time.

Sure, use your ruler if you need to. Your neighbors will love watching you kneel in the grass with your ruler and your best squint.

When And How To Mow Your Lawn

When it’s time to mow, never cut more than a third of the grass blades’ length in a single mowing. This rule applies all throughout the mowing season. If you mow with the blade too low and shear off too much of the grass blades, you’re taking away nutrients stored there.

Taller grass can hold its own better against weeds, thanks to a larger root system and a higher tolerance for heat. It also shades the ground, allowing the soil to retain water more effectively.

Need another reason to remove only the top third of the blades? Easy. The smaller clippings left behind decompose more easily. You can leave them behind and let the organic matter enrich your soil.

When And How To Water Your Lawn

This might go against your gut instinct, but many experts say hold off with the hose. We know — you’re tempted to offer your precious lawn a good long drink ASAP. But you know what? It doesn’t need it, especially after this winter, with all the snow.

Your lawn shouldn’t need its first watering until mid-to-late May. If you see deep blue shades in your turf, that’s a sign your grass will soon go dormant if it doesn’t get a drink.

Consider buying a soil probe sampler. It removes a core of soil. Roll the soil around in your hand. If it feels dry, it’s time to water. They cost from $15 to $30 at garden centers or online.

When it’s time to water, remember this rule: water deeply, but infrequently, giving grass roughly an inch of water weekly. None of this 10 minutes here and there stuff.

Frequent, shallow watering encourages weed germination, and also causes the grass’ roots to grow shallow, making the plant susceptible to drought and diseases. You want those roots to be deep.

In Conclusion

Don’t be too quick to mow and water your lawn in the spring. It shouldn’t need a drink until mid-to-late May.

As for mowing, wait until the grass is at least two inches tall before you mow for the first time. If you mow your lawn when the grass is too short, you could injure it and leave it susceptible to disease.

Leave Your Lawn To Neave

When and how to mow your lawn properly and how to water your lawn thoroughly are must-knows for a beautiful lawn. At Neave Lawn Care, we love making lawns beautiful and healthy, from mowing to irrigation to everything in-between. It all starts with a complete lawn analysis, which allows us to better understand your property’s needs. The best part about our lawn analysis — it’s free!

A lawn analysis will include analyzing the health and condition of all outdoor plant life on your property, from grass to shrubs to soil and trees. Once the lawn analysis is done, we’ll sit down with you to discuss what lawn care services you need. Questions? Ask us anything.

If you’re in the Hudson Valley, call us at (845) 463-0592. If you’re in Westchester County, call (914) 271-7996; from Connecticut, dial (203) 212-4800. Or, fill out our simple web form, and we’ll contact you about setting up your free consultation.

Get ready to kick off your winter shoes and enjoy your lush, green lawn.

Images: Lawn mower, Sprinkler