As the winter season comes to an end in West Michigan, it's time to start thinking about getting your lawn ready for the spring. One of the most important tasks to prepare your lawn for the new season is fertilization. However, before you apply a fertilizer treatment, it's important to mow your lawn first. Mowing your lawn before fertilizing it is crucial because it will likely have some overgrowth and debris on it after the winter season, so it will help the treatment reach and penetrate the soil more easily. Ideally, you should fertilize 24 hours to a few days after mowing it for the first time to reduce the risk of stressing out your grass. Additionally, you'll want to wait until your lawn starts to green up and grow again in the spring before mowing and fertilizing it.

Mowing before spring fertilization will remove overgrowth and debris from winter.

After a long winter, your lawn is likely to be cluttered with dead grass, leaves, and other debris. This layer of material not only detracts from the appearance of your lawn but also impedes the ability of fertilizers to reach the soil. Fertilizer effectiveness relies heavily on its ability to interact directly with the soil, where it can be absorbed by the roots of your grass.

Mowing before spring fertilization helps eliminate this barrier, removing overgrown grass and debris that can block the path of nutrients. By cutting back excess growth, you expose the soil, ensuring that fertilizers can penetrate more deeply and uniformly. This preparatory step sets the stage for successful spring fertilization, allowing your lawn to fully benefit from the nutrients provided.

When mowing your lawn for the first time in the spring, you'll want to make sure you set your mower deck to the correct height!

Ideally, you should fertilize your lawn 24 hours to a few days after mowing it for the first time.

Professional spreading a granular fertilizer treatment on a lawn in Grand Rapids, MI.

While mowing is essential, the timing of subsequent fertilization is equally crucial. Ideally, fertilize your lawn 24 hours to a few days after mowing for the first time in the spring. This waiting period allows your grass to recover from the stress of mowing. Mowing, while beneficial, can temporarily weaken the grass. Allowing your lawn time to recuperate ensures that it is ready to absorb nutrients without additional stress. By waiting a day or two, you give your lawn the necessary recovery time, resulting in a more resilient and vibrant green.

Make sure to wait until your lawn starts to green up and grow again before mowing and fertilizing in the spring.

Before you rush to mow and fertilize, it's vital to ensure your lawn is ready for spring care. Observing your lawn for signs of new growth and greening is a reliable indicator that it is emerging from dormancy and is ready for attention. Waiting until your lawn starts to green up and wake up from dormancy in the spring is essential because it needs time to recover from the winter season and start growing again. If you mow and fertilize your lawn too early in the spring, you could end up damaging your grass and hindering its growth. This way, you'll be giving your grass the best chance to recover from the winter season and start growing strong and healthy.

Call us today to schedule our lawn fertilization service!

At Tuff Turf, we understand the importance of preparing your lawn for the spring season. That's why we offer a professional lawn fertilization service that involves applying fertilizers at the perfect time in the spring to help get your lawn off to a great start. You can rest easy that the treatment is administered when your lawn is ready to ensure that it is able to absorb the nutrients effectively.

We offer this service to residential and commercial properties, as well as HOAs, in Grand Rapids, Holland, Rockford, and nearby areas in West Michigan. Give us a call today at (616) 554-9499 to sign up!