Goodbye winter, hello spring! It’s time to get prepared for this new season and we’ve gathered some great tips to help your lawn transition to the warmer period. In this blog, we’ll discuss what we’re seeing, what we’re doing, and what you can do to make this a great spring for your lawn.

Turf & Soil

What We’re Seeing

Lawns are waking up! While your lawn has probably looked dead this winter, it was actually asleep. Now is the time your lawn is starting to waken and green up! Lawns typically take a few weeks to fully emerge from dormancy.

Be on the lookout for grub damage! While we may not encounter too many grubs this early in the year, it is critical to catch an infestation as early as possible. Keep an eye out for these signs:

Lawn discoloration
Damaged areas of turf can be easily removed by hand
Patches of dead, brown grass
Damaged grass can feel spongy or bouncy underfoot

What We’re Doing

We are applying pre-emergent to Bermuda lawns to “prune” weed’s roots prior to germination. This is needed because Bermuda grass does not have the same “weed-hindrance” properties that St. Augustine & Zoysia have due to their thick root system and dense blades.

Here’s what we will do for Bermuda lawns:

Pre-emergent will reduce spring & summer weed growth in your lawn, targeting weeds for the coming season rather than the current. Note: your technician will spot treat any current weeds!
Spring and summer weeds, like crab grass, must have several consecutive days of soil temperature above 55 degrees before germination. Because of this, we apply pre-emergent on Bermuda lawns before soil temps exceed 55 degrees at a depth of 2-4 inches.

Did you know that grubs can burrow deep into the soil and rest through the winter? Some move as much as 12 inches below the surface! As the ground temps approach the 50-degree mark, grubs will slowly make their way back to the surface to feed on grass roots. Armyworms, while not as common as grubs, cause rapid and significant damage. Large infestations are known to consume an area the size of a football field in as little as 2 to 3 days! While armyworms are commonly seen in the fall, last year’s infestation across all South-East & South-Central states began in the spring and carried on through the summer.

Here’s what we’ll do to protect your yard from grubs and armyworms:

We apply our once-a-year grub control at the “prime-time” of the grub’s journey towards the surface, getting to them before they reach the grass roots
We cover and treat armyworms as part of our grub control program. Last year, we saved thousands of lawns from devastation!

There is no substitute for the powerful combo of topdressing and liquid aeration! They’re the perfect applications for the homeowner who wants to take their lawn from good to great.

Here’s how it works:

Liquid aeration opens thousands of pours across your lawn, creating deep, broad pathways for air, water, and nutrients to flow
The chemistry between liquid aeration and soil is like two magnets with the same poles, they push each other apart
Topdressing is very similar to the rich, organic soil found in forests. An annual application replenishes the micro-nutrients and bio-stimulates nature intended

What You Can Do

Following proper mowing practices is essential for a healthy and great-looking lawn.

We recommend that you lower your lawnmower deck one or two notches for the first several cuts.
You should bag the clippings, picking up the excessive leaves, thatch, and dormant grass.
A sharp blade does more than provide a nice-looking cut. Dull blades “rip & shred” the grass which makes it more prone to disease and insects.

Save money and water with Rebate Certifications!

Many local cities and water districts offer irrigation audits and upgrade rebates.
Our licensed pros perform the audit that meets all the requirements and will complete the specified documents.

Water is another essential part of your spring lawn care! Here are some watering best practices:

A cycle soak is best if you run it multiple times a day back-to-back to allow deeper penetration of water
Doing this will train the grass to pull water from deep in the soil
Throughout March you need only apply about one-half inch of water per week (unless we have higher than average temperatures and lower than average precipitation)
April is the time to up watering to one inch per week

Landscape

What We’re Seeing

We have been seeing more freeze damage this year. This may have caused damaged or dead limbs that will need attention. Although, the damage we are seeing isn’t nearly as bad as it was in 2021!

We are seeing a lot of leaf drop on Evergreen Oaks. This is due to how hard they had to work when recovering last season going into the cooler seasons. Eventually, this will balance out.

What We’re Doing

The low temperatures we’ve had to this point provide a great start to the season for insect control. Here’s what we’re doing to keep insects from your landscape:

We use systemic pesticides which the plant absorbs, providing superior and guaranteed results!
We’re always on the lookout for insect damage, including discoloration, sooty mold, and fungus

A critical part of establishing healthy trees is root zone feeding. Here is what we do to ensure your landscape is at its healthiest:

We feed additional vitamins, bio-nutrition, and trace elements to your plants by using a balanced fertilizer with bio-stimulants and micronutrients
Root zone feeding replenishes minerals and micro-organisms, improving the uptake of water and nutrients

We have changed our chemicals to be more effective with the rains and heat to come this year. Additionally, we alternate our insecticides and fungicides to make sure these insects and fungi don’t develop a tolerance to these chemicals!

What You Can Do

As we mentioned earlier, we will probably see dead or damaged plants this year. We recommend waiting until the end of February or early March to trim back the dead foliage or branches.

Your landscape should receive no more than 1” of water per week. You want your trees and plants to process the water and grow at the normal to fast pace they usually do, and they’ll need to get “thirsty” to do so. This is a good base for the whole growing season, even in the summer!