Stay off your lawn (other than walking of course)

[LwnmwnMan2]

This time of year, with the warmer temps and the snow melting away, we all have cabin fever.

We look outside and see the rest of the leaves that hadn't quite fallen last fall, grass that's been pushed down by the snow, just the early spring time blahs.

Yes yes, we all want to get outside, get the blood pumping and "spruce" things up (see what I did there?).

For now, unless you're reading this from out of state, in a more southernly state, stay off of the yard.

You can sweep out the garage, wash off the driveway, pick up the dog [PoorWordUsage] (your dog or the neighbor's, doesn't matter), but refrain from any raking, power brooming, bagging, mowing, fertilizing, aerating, anything that will damage the root structure of the turf.

It's still too wet, plus the ground temperatures are too cold to allow you to gain any headway.

Give it another 3-4 weeks, more if it snows again, less if it stays sunny and 60. You'll be better in the long run.

[CJH]

Good advice LM!!!

Will you keep us posted on ground temps?

Thanks!

[jeffreyd]

anyone who wants to mow that bad can come to phoenix and mow for me. i am not ready for 90 degrees but they are saying close to this weekend. too short of a winter for me.

[Juneau4]

Good advice: Everyone is anxious-Good things happen to those who wait.

[BoxMN]

This was a perfect year for dog [PoorWordUsage] picking It was all hidden till the end, then yard melted and dried up well, and I got it all in about an hour and little to no messing with the lawn to do it. I will now wait till Lawnmowerman gives the thumbs up!

[Duffman]

I went out and took the electric leaf blower to the front yard, used it as a rake. The whole yard had some snow mold, and the grass was pressed down. The blower did a great job of loosening up the thatch without doing much damage. Got one lawn bag full of thatch and minimal leaves, I usually get 4-5 after a spring rake. Just an idea for those that had a bad case of snow mold, wear a mask! I didn't, I guess my snoring was "historic" according to my wife of 18 yrs.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Yes, I was out on a lawn today doing some cleanup work after we took a tree down.

We have a 60 hp tractor with super wide tires (3 ft) for mowing. These tires still settled the ground.

It's still about a week or two before I would recommend hard core raking or running power equipment on your grass.

A leaf blower is ideal right now, if you need to get out and do some leaf cleaning.

[chasineyes]

I went out and took the electric leaf blower to the front yard, used it as a rake. The whole yard had some snow mold, and the grass was pressed down. The blower did a great job of loosening up the thatch without doing much damage. Got one lawn bag full of thatch and minimal leaves, I usually get 4-5 after a spring rake. Just an idea for those that had a bad case of snow mold, wear a mask! I didn't, I guess my snoring was "historic" according to my wife of 18 yrs.

That does work great!! My neighbors were watching me for 30 minutes with one of those "looks" and then they started doing it as well.

[chasineyes]

One other thing...on Wednesday of this week, there was a guy WATERING HIS LAWN!!!! For gods' sake man.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Shoot, my irrigation guy was driving around giving estimates two days before I made the original post and there were people raking the back yard, while watering the front yard.

That was essentially 2 weeks ago.

[CJH]

My grass has really sprouted and greened up over the last few days in the area that gets good sun. About half of the front lawn has shot up and turned green.

[goblueM]

Shoot, my irrigation guy was driving around giving estimates two days before I made the original post and there were people raking the back yard, while watering the front yard.

That was essentially 2 weeks ago.

sounds like my former landlady, she used to water about 6 hours a day, and multiple times i would catch her watering two LARGE norway maples in the backyard, even soaking the trunk up to 8 ft above ground

some people...

[RumRiverRat]

Shoot, my irrigation guy was driving around giving estimates two days before I made the original post and there were people raking the back yard, while watering the front yard.

That was essentially 2 weeks ago.

LOL

That is pure crazy!

[Mish]

Is it too early to start putting down gypsum to fix the dog spots?

[croixflats]

You can put gypsum down anytime of the year. Go for it.

[Stringerless!]

I am ready to start watering too. I live in Wyoming {MN)and soil here is pure sugar sand. I have a couple small ponds. 500 gallons and 250 gallons and clean them out every year at this time. Full of leaves and acorns and dead snails that the dog loves to roll on. I would rather her roll on a dead skunk !! I bury all this in the veg garden to keep her away from it. One foot down in the veg garden it was dry as could be ! I need an 1 1/2 of rain a week to keep things lush and 1/2 in a week to keep them ALIVE. You won't find any easier digging except on a beach but it sucks to keep things green !

[LwnmwnMan2]

No reason to water, nothing is growing. You'll just be pulling water from the ground, to put back in the ground.

Next weekend... after 3 days of 70???? We'll be getting close then.

[anchor man]

when should I put down my first round of Fertilizer/pre emergent stuff? Normally I wait til mid April, should I be doing it now with the warm spring?

Thanks

[Shack]

Good post LM2.

I assume (always have thought but never get too gung-ho this time of year anyways) the grass is dormant right now (or was last week) and if it is like summer time dormant grass, those ghost trails the lawnmower tires can leave (kills the grass) are hard to repair.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Even mid afternoon is heavy clay today the soil temp was still only 47 in an area with direct sunlight ALL day, between mulch and the blacktop.

2 days ago, another area which was 44 degrees, was only 44.5 degrees today.

Yes, digital thermometer.

It's still a waste of energy.

I had a manager of a Famous red rib place ask me today if he should take advantage of the rains coming in this weekend and fertilize.

I said no, that it's not worth it yet.

I know, I know, I know, the grass is "turning green". It's not even close to growing yet.

Just hold those horses.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I saw a lawn service spraying a neighbors lawn yesterday. Just had to shake my head. Also, I have seen a lot of folks watering their lawns already.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Fox 9 news this morning was saying how you can get out and plant cool season bulbs and certain veggies.

They also stated don't water or put down crabgrass preventer yet.

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST FOLKS!!!!

[klecker]

Was a bigger store yesterday and fiqured I would check out the garden seeds and stuff. Well the sales person was telling people that they could start planting their gardens now?????????? Then I worked my way over to the lawn area. Yup another worker was telling every one that asked to put down crabgrass preventer. At least I got a good chuckle out of the deal.

[deerminator]

So LwnmwnMan, can I start raking the leaves and dead crud out I didn't get to last fall yet. I've been purposefully staying off the lawn since it's taken awhile to dry out. Seems dry now but I don't want to damage the root structure. It's hard cause I got a kick butt new plastic landscaping rake. I tried it just a little today and man it picks up everthing in nice smooth strokes. And the thing is huge which will help me work more quickly. I'm waiting until at least next month til I pick up the milorganite and seed. I've been fertilizing and overseeding every year for the past five years since we built our house and despite our mix of sandy and clay soil I'm starting to get some nice thick green lawn going.

Also, per the last garden comment, you can start now. In fact, many of the hard core gardeners have. It doesn't mean things are going to grow for a little bit though. You're just getting thing in the ground in the dormant stage and ready to go for when they take off.

[S.D. Ice Angular]

Fox 9 news this morning was saying how you can get out and plant cool season bulbs and certain veggies.

They also stated don't water or put down crabgrass preventer yet.

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST FOLKS!!!!

How about now LwnmwnMan2?

Can I put down crabgrass preventer yet?

I also have a few dead spots I need to patch can I plant grass yet??

We still have not had a day above 65° F here in Alexandria, but the lawns sure getting green and dry.

Thanks