White Easter

Last December we had a green Christmas, this spring we have a White Easter.

The last week or so has been reasonably warm and when I pass by the village of York, there is a beautiful sloping lawn facing south. This lawn is really starting to green up. The fact that it faces south means it is getting the most of the sunshine in warming up the soil. The fact that it slopes down to the road, I believe also contributes to its ability to capture the warmth from the sun. When the soil gets warm, the grass starts to grow. When the grass starts to grow it becomes green.

How can you get your lawn to green up sooner in the spring? Moving it to the south side of the house may not be an option.

Two things you can do.

One – make sure to feed it late in the fall. A late October or early November feeding will help your lawn to green up earlier. The lawn food is taken into the root system at that time of year. It does not produce growth, but is stored in the roots. Come the spring, it is ready to be used immediately by the turf grass plants.

Two- the last cut in the fall should be short. Lower your mowing height to1 ½ to 2 inches. The lower mowing height will help to reduce the risk of winter and early spring diseases. It also means that in the spring, the soil will be able to warm up quicker than if you have long shaggy grass.