Early Spring Lawn Care

By Pam Sherratt, Tyler Carr, Ph.D., and Dave Gardner, Ph.D.

Spring has arrived and the soil is warming up. Lawns will need their first cut of the season, and there are several additional tasks that can be done now to set the lawn up for success this season. To get started, let's begin with mower maintenance and proper mowing techniques. Now is a good time to change the oil, replace the air filter and sharpen or replace blades on your mower. Cleaning the spark plugs and overall machine is a good idea too.

When mowing:

• Never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf tissue during each mow.
• The first mow of the season might need to be done in increments to bring the height gradually down to the desired 3-4 inch lawn height.
• Return clippings to the lawn or rake them up and compost them. Let’s keep them out of the landfill.

Check out the Buckeye Turf Fact Sheet on Lawn Mowing!

After the drought of 2024, many lawns look sparse or bare (Figure 1). Those areas can be seeded as soon as soil temperatures are consistently above 50 °F, which is right about now. Preparing a seedbed for the new seed is important, to make sure there is good seed:soil contact. On a large scale, this can be accomplished with a slit-seeder, or by aerating the soil prior to seeding. On a small scale, bare patches can be worked with a hand fork or weasel (Figure 2). Seed broadcast by a rotary spreader or by hand needs to be lightly covered with good quality topsoil to keep the seed in place and retain moisture (Figure 3). Do not let the grass seed dry out or it will not germinate. Keep it watered if there is no timely rain.

When selecting the right turfgrass species for seeding, consider the conditions and needs of your site. While Kentucky bluegrass is a common choice for lawns in Ohio, this species is slow to establish from seed, which may limit its ability to mature before summer stress. Tall fescue is becoming much more common in Ohio because of its faster establishment, drought resistance, and tolerance to reduced light in shaded lawns. If you are in a pinch and need to recover bare areas quickly this spring perennial ryegrass is an effective option.

Want to learn more about the steps to effective establishment? Visit the Turfgrass Establishment Series.

Early spring is when we apply preemergence herbicides for the control of crabgrass, goosegrass and other annual weeds. More information can be found here. Because of the drought of 2024, there is likely to be a lot of overseeding that will be necessary this spring. Make sure to not apply preemergence herbicides for the control of annual grasses in these areas, because they will also prevent the germination of our turfgrass for up to four months. In areas to be overseeded, an application of mesotrione at the time of seeding is the best option for preemergence weed control.

Aeration involves using tines or spikes to create holes in the lawn for gas exchange (turf roots need oxygen) & improved drainage (Figure 4). Typical times to aerate lawns in Ohio are spring and/or fall, when the turfgrass is most actively growing. This operation is particularly beneficial if it can be done in conjunction with seeding. Lawn care professionals can perform this task, or aeration equipment can be rented from a hardware store.

A typical early season fertilizer application can be made at a rate of 0.5 to 1.0 lb. nitrogen/1,000 sq.ft. The higher rate would benefit newly seeded areas and lawns that need some help recovering from the previous season. Since the grass is growing quickly in spring anyway, it’s important to use a slow-release (water insoluble) source of nitrogen to minimize excessive top growth. Excessive top growth not only increases mowing frequency but also comes at the expense of root development. Follow the guidelines on the bag and use the correct setting on the spreader to achieve an accurate rate. There are many synthetic and organic products to choose from, but the nitrogen should primarily be slow-release. Any fertilizer spread on sidewalks or hard surfaces should be swept up immediately. Under no circumstances should fertilizer end up in a storm drain.

Pam Sherratt is a Turfgrass Specialist in the Department of Horticulture at The Ohio State University.

Tyler Carr, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor and Turfgrass Extension Specialist in the Department of Horticulture at The Ohio State University.

David Gardner, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Horticulture at The Ohio State University.