Springtime Lawn Maintenance

Now that warmer temperatures and clearer skies have arrived, it’s time to give those thirsty plots of grass some tender loving care. Your lawn has endured the rigors of winter weather, which can be pretty extreme here in the Midwest. To get your lawn looking as great as possible for the summer, you’ll need to spend some time preparing it. Flieg’s Equipment is your Missouri mower dealer, so we’ve provided our best tips for springtime lawn maintenance and preparation below to help make your job easier. Stop by our dealership for lawn mowers for sale. We proudly serve those in Ste. Genevieve, Leadington, and St. Louis, Missouri.

Remove Debris

It’s very likely that there’s a great deal of debris on your lawn now that the snow has melted. You definitely can’t mow with all of that left on the ground without doing some real damage to your lawn mower and potentially injuring yourself. Take the time to walk around and pick up all the dead brambles, branches, plants, trash and anything else that may have accrued over the course of the winter. Compost it as necessary. A cleared-off lawn will be able to get more sunlight and can more readily absorb any nutrients you spread upon it. It’ll also just be easier to maintain!

Prepare Your Lawn Mower

Next, pull your lawn mower out of storage and give it a thorough top-to-bottom inspection. You don’t want to just pull the cord and go to town since you don’t know whether it might have deteriorated over the course of winter. You’re going to have to change the oil, fill up the gas tank, swap out spark plugs and test the engine of a riding mower, for example. All mowers of any type will need to have their undercarriages cleared out of any debris, which might include giving them a good and thorough wash. You’ll also want to sharpen the blades which may have dulled from last season’s usage. Dull blades won’t cut as smoothly or as easily, requiring multiple passes to get the job done. They may even rip your grass or leave jagged edges!

If you do come across any issues you can’t address easily at home, you may want to bring your lawn mower into the service department here at Flieg’s Equipment so our mechanics can take a look at it.

Add Fertilizer

Those heavy snowstorms and dry winter days have taken a massive toll on your grass over the winter. Adding some nutrient-laden products will help replenish your grass and ensure any seed you plant grows in lush and green. Make sure you address weeds if those are a problem for you by applying the necessary products to prevent their growth.

Bare patches on your grass will need to be seeded and watered daily until the growth is sufficient to cut. Don’t mow the whole lawn until your newly-planted grass is as tall as the blades around it or at least 2” high. Add fertilizer after you mow to promote further growth and overall lawn health.

Cut The Grass

Now it’s time to cut your grass! Before you use your lawn mower for the first time, allow it to warm in the sun for an hour or so to help it start up more easily. While cutting the grass, try to remove a third of the blade. For the first month and a half of springtime, mow every five days to prevent overgrowth, which can end up stunting the root when the longer grass is cut.

Seeking lawn mowers for sale near Leadington, Missouri? Visit Flieg’s Equipment to check out our available selection of new and used mowers for sale. Need farm equipment service or parts? We can help with that, too! We proudly serve those in Ste. Genevieve, Leadington, and St. Louis, Missouri.