We are less than a month away from spring solstice! With the mild winter we had, many homeowners are choosing to start their spring yard preparation early. One of the most important things that should be checked before the yard undergoes a spring transformation is preparing your soil. Preparing your soil for spring should be a top priority because unhealthy soil yields unhealthy grass. If you are a landscaper or a homeowner, we encourage you to read our article this week on tips on preparing your soil for spring.
Tips On Preparing your Soil for Spring
- Test your soil: It is a good idea to first test your soil before doing anything in the yard. Soil testers are fairly inexpensive and can tell you levels of soil pH, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and sometimes nitrogen. The PH of the soil must between 6.5 and 6.8 to ensure the plants can best absorb the soil’s nutrients. Spring is a great time to test your soil because it allows you time to purchase soil amendments and fertilizer before any major planting begins.
- Test the moisture amount in the soil: Soil tends to get saturated over the winter from snow and rain. Plants and grass have difficulty growing in wet soil. There is a simple way to check the soil to see if it is too moist. Grab a handful and squeeze the soil. If it stays together, it means it is too moist and you should wait for it to dry out. Repeat this test once a week until the soil starts to dry out.
- Start Mulching: After the soil is tested, you’ll want to start laying down mulch. If there is still mulch from last year, you’ll want to put down a fresh layer. Mulch can offer many benefits for both plants and soil. Mulch keeps the soil moisture at an optimal level as well as keeping plant roots moist. Mulch also discourages weed growth and offers root insulation in the winter.
- Fertilize: You’ll want to start fertilizing when the soil temperature reaches 55 degrees Fahrenheit. An easy way to tell if the soil is warm enough is to watch when the grass begins to grow and lilacs bloom. A good spring fertilizer mix is often 20 percent nitrogen, 5 percent phosphate, and 10 percent potassium.
Valley Green has everything you need to keep your lawn looking great this spring. From seeds to herbicides, landscapers and homeowners can find what they need at any one of our 7 locations across the northeast.