Eight Lawn Care Tasks You Need To Do Now

It might not be glamourous, but we can all agree that a lush, green lawn definitely adds to a property’s curb appeal. And if homeowners are looking to list their property for the coming spring buying season, it’s a good idea to get started on these tasks so that they can make their property look its best when it hits the market.

Here are some tips to help your property stand out to homebuyers this spring:

#1 Seed the Lawn
Before soil temps reach 65 degrees, spread grass seed over any bare or thin spots. The sooner the grass roots, the faster it can box out weeds. Or better yet, put down sod — it fights crabgrass and weeds better.

#2 Clean Out Debris
Your yard is waking up from a months-long slumber, and it’s lookin’ a little groggy with branches, leftover leaves, and clumps of yard debris scattered about. Clean that unsightly stuff from your lawn and gardens after the overnight air temps consistently rise above freezing. (Before that, it actually helps protect your grass, like a toasty blanket.)

#3 Apply Fertilizer with Pre-Emergent Herbicide
It sounds like an old gardener’s tale, but even master gardeners follow it: If the bright yellow forsythia bushes are beginning to bloom, it’s time to apply a slow-release fertilizer with pre-emergent herbicide to fight crabgrass. Apply before it germinates — when the soil warms to about 55 degrees, which is when forsythia hits peak bloom.

#4 Plant Bare-Root Plants
Once the soil in your garden is thawed and dry enough to crumble, rather than clump, in your hand — you can get your green thumb back into action outdoors. Cool-season growers like pansies, snapdragons, and bare-root trees and shrubs all get a boost from the cool, wet conditions.

#5 Wash Away Salt
Most plants don’t grow well if they’re feeling salty (unless they’re saline-tolerant, like daylilies). So once roadside soil has thawed, give your exposed plants a good watering to dilute any salt that sprayed up from slushy winter traffic.

#6 Prune and Fertilize
As long as your soil crumbles instead of clumping (revealing it’s sufficiently dry), now’s the time to prune fruit trees, shade trees, and summer-blooming shrubs, and remove old growth from perennials that didn’t receive a fall pruning. You’ll also want to fertilize trees and shrubs before they begin their spring growth.

#7 Preorder Perennials
Even if you can’t plant them just yet, take advantage of the 10-20% off deals offered by many nurseries in early spring. Bonus: Being an early bird means you’ll also get the best selection.
#8 Get Your Mower Ready
Once grass reaches 2.5 to 3.5 inches tall, it’s time for your mower’s annual maiden voyage. So prep now for a season of success, rather than stalling, wheezing, and cursing. Get an oil change, new spark plugs, and a clean air filter, and sharpen the blades to ensure a clean first cut.

Follow these handy tips and you’ll be sure to have your property ready for the annual Greater Chattanooga Realtors’ Open House Weekend, which will be held on April 27-28. Stay tuned for details about this annual event to showcase the local inventory of available homes.