Spring is in full bloom, so it’s the perfect time to head outside and give your lawn some much-needed TLC. The right lawn care efforts now will help to keep your grass healthy and lush all spring and summer.
Mow After Sod Ends Its Dormancy
Some types of sod enter a dormancy period over the winter by turning brown and growing much slower than normal. If your sod did complete a dormancy cycle, wait until it emerges from dormancy to mow again.
It’s usually safe to do this by mid-March. Never remove more than a third of the leaf blade at a time to ensure that your sod can continue to grow as it should. It’s also important to make sure that your lawnmower blades are sharpened. This allows your mower to neatly slice through the grass instead of ripping the blades.
Apply Spring Fertilizers
Fertilizer is especially important in the spring to help promote healthy roots and the return of bright green leaf blades after winter dormancy. It’s best to wait until April to apply fertilizer to ensure that the weather won’t turn cool again.
Water Properly
It’s all too easy to over or underwater your sod during the spring. Talk to your sod installer to make sure you know exactly how much water your sod needs on a daily or weekly basis.
Sod requires much less water in dormancy but needs more once it starts to green up. The general recommendation is 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall, so you may need to adjust your watering habits based on the weather forecast.
Consider Weed Control
Weeds are the bane of every homeowner’s lawn care efforts. If your lawn is typically vulnerable to crabgrass, goosegrass, and other Florida weeds, a pre-emergent herbicide will help to prevent weeds from emerging from the surface of the soil.
Ask a Sod Professional in Tampa, Florida
You don’t want to mistreat your sod this spring, so be sure to ask a sod professional for guidance with lawn care. Council Growers Sod specializes in residential and retail sod and offers the largest variety of fresh sod in Tampa Bay. The Council Growers Sod experts have decades of experience handling sod, so they can help you keep your sod lush and green all year long. Call (813) 633-8665 today to learn more.