Summary

  • Reverse salt damage by watering affected areas and raking dead grass.
  • Reseed bare patches but first add well-rotted manure, rake for a clean space, and water for new growth.
  • Combat spring weeds with herbicides, manual tools, or homemade solutions.

March is the onset of the lawn care season in the US, and gardeners have to undertake various backyard practices to keep their grass growing during the spring and summer. However, as an outdoor enthusiast, you don't have to start your lawn maintenance guns blazing. Your turf is emerging from dormancy, and a cautious approach is necessary.

So, what are some of the lawn care questions to ask this March?

1 Is There Salt Damage to Your Lawn?

Reverse winter salt damage for a vibrant lawn in spring

Watering a lawn with a hose
A man watering a lawn in the fall
Image credits: RossHelen via Shutterstock

In winter, most people in the US use rock salt to melt ice and snow on sidewalks, driveways, garden pathways, and steps.

  • It's a common ice-removal technique that prevents falls and accidents while clearing ice in outdoor areas in about 15 minutes.
  • However, regular use of rock salt damages adjacent lawns by burning grass blades and causing root damage.
  • You can treat salt-affected areas with a few backyard management steps.

If there are signs of salt damage on your lawn, such as bare patches and dead grass, you need to reverse this problem immediately.

Steps

What To Do

1

Use a garden hose to water the affected areas. Watering helps wash away the excess salt.

2

Use a garden rake to rake the area and remove all the dead grass. Raking helps to increase soil aeration and prepare the lawn for the new season.

3

Sprinkle grass seeds in the affected area, mulch, and water immediately to encourage the new grass seeds to sprout on a dense lawn in late spring and summer.

According to the Michigan State University Extension, you should avoid seeding salt-damaged areas with Kentucky Bluegrass because it is sensitive to salt.

2 Can You See Bare Patches on Your Lawn?

Overseed the bare patches for a lush green environment

Sowing grass seed on a green lawn in spring
Sowing grass seed
Image credits: Elena Elisseeva via Shutterstock

No one wants bare spots in their grass after winter. However, more often than not, you are likely to see multiple bare patches in your lawn after winter.

There are multiple contributors to bare yard spots, such as:

  • Excessive foot traffic
  • Pet urine
  • Fungal diseases
  • Fall leaves and debris
  • Poor soil conditions

Early spring is the most suitable time to reseed bare spots in the US and create an evenly covered backyard in spring and summer.

Steps

What To Do

1

Prepare all the bare spots by removing any weed, dead grass, leaves, and heavy debris such as tree branches.

2

Use a rake to dig the soil and enhance aeration, creating a good seedbed for new seeds.

3

Add a thin layer of well-rotted manure or compost to enhance soil fertility and provide nutrients for new grass seeds.

4

Spread grass seeds over the prepared area using a seed spreader.

5

Use a rake to rake the seeds into the soil to enhance seed-to-soil contact and promote quick germination.

6

Incorporate regular lawn care practices, such as watering the newly planted seeds immediately and keeping the area moist until the new seeds germinate.

3 Do You Need to Address Any Weed Issues?

Address any weed problem before it is too late

Person in gloves digging weeds out of the lawn
A person with yellow garden gloves and a garden knife removing weeds in a backyard garden
Image credits: damiangretka via Shutterstock

Spring weeds are a sworn enemy to a healthy lawn, and you need to be proactive in addressing any weeds appearing in your garden. Most spring weeds emerge from dormancy before your grass, and they can establish early, taking up much of the space, water, and soil nutrients. According to the University of Maryland Extension, some of the common spring weeds include:

  • Dandelion
  • Common chickweed
  • Garlic Mustard
  • Deadnettle
  • Speedwell

Fortunately, there are multiple techniques you can incorporate to get rid of any weeds in your backyard.

  • Remove the small scattered plants by pulling them from your lawn with your hands.
  • Use chemical herbicides to kill a specific type of weed in your garden without harming the grass.
  • Use manual tools such as hoes, weed pullers, and knives to remove some of the plants growing in your garden.
  • Incorporate routine yard practices such as watering, fertilizer application, and overseeding to give your turf a competitive edge.
  • Use homemade herbicides such as vinegar solution, boiling water, cornmeal, and salt solution to kill unwanted plants dominating your spring lawn.

Regular use of chemical herbicides can negatively impact the environment, causing loss of biodiversity, environmental pollution, and harming non-target plant species.

4 What is the Soil Moisture Level?

Water your lawn to supplement early spring rain

An image of a sprinkler watering a green lawn
Sprinkler spraying water onto the grass
Image credits: bluebudgie via Pixabay

In March, soil moisture from the melting snow is still high, which will help your lawn to emerge from dormancy easily. Also, early rain will keep your lawn watered. However, you should not rely on just this to keep your turf watered.

  • Supplement soil moisture and spring rain by watering your grass at least once a week.
  • Your watering frequency should increase to two or three times a week as temperatures increase.

There are several rules to follow when watering your lawn this March.

Lawn Watering Rules

Details

Amount of Water

Provide your grass with 1 to 2 inches of water per week.

Watering Time

Water your lawn early in the morning, before 10 am, to help reduce water loss through evaporation.

Water Evenly

Ensure every section of the lawn gets adequate and equal amounts of moisture for healthy and uniform growth.

Avoid Watering at Night

Sprinkling your lawn at night encourages lawn diseases such as powdery mildew and root rot.

5 Is Your Lawn Soil Compacted?

Consider lawn aeration to enhance water and nutrient infiltration

lawn aeration shoes
Person wearing lawn aeration shoes on grass.
Image credits: NinaMalyna via Shutterstock

In March, lawn soil is mostly compacted due to winter's freezing conditions. Therefore, you need to consider soil aeration (a lawn care practice that perforates small holes in the soil to enhance water, oxygen, and nutrient penetration).

Aeration is an essential lawn maintenance practice that helps to direct nutrients to roots and promote healthy lawns.

Lawn aeration is a simple lawn maintenance practice that you can undertake with easy-to-follow steps.

Steps

What To Do

1

Water your lawn a day or two prior to aeration to soften the soil and enhance the vegetative growth.

2

Select your lawn aeration equipment, such as aeration shoes, or lease an aeration machine if necessary.

3

Aerate your lawn by using an aerator from one end to the other. Use a systematic pattern while overlapping each pass to ensure complete coverage.

4

Leave the soil cores on the lawn surface, as they will break down over time and contribute organic matter to your grass.

5

Water your lawn to help the soil settle and to aid in the decomposition of the soil cores.

6

Repeat lawn aeration once or twice during the growing season. Ideally, you should aerate your lawn at least twice yearly for optimal results.

6 Does Your Lawn Need Fertilizer Application?

March is the best time to fertilize fertilizer on your lawn

Spreading fertilizer on a lawn by hand
Spreading fertilizer on a lawn by hand
Image credits: Dean Clarke via Shutterstock

Another important aspect you should check on your lawn is whether it needs fertilizer. As you prepare for the growing season, your grass needs fertilizer for healthy growth throughout spring and summer. It is also emerging from dormancy and needs nutrients to enhance its vitality.

However, before applying fertilizer, there are several signs you should consider checking, such as:

Signs Your Lawn Needs Fertilizer

Explanation

Weed Invasion

Any weeds in your backyard indicate that your lawn needs fertilizer to compete with weeds.

Slow Growth

Slow growth indicates that your turf lacks essential nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.

Yellowing

The presence of a pale color on your lawn is a sign that your turf needs nitrogenous fertilizer.

Patchy Areas

Uneven grass growth is a sign that your lawn needs feeding for healthy and dense foliage.

If your lawn shows signs that it needs feeding, provide it with 1 pound of soluble nitrogenous fertilizer per 1,000 square feet.

March is Lawn Care Season

Ask the right questions to give your lawn the care it needs.

As you finally say goodbye to the freezing winter conditions, you need to start thinking about your lawn. March is the most appropriate month to begin lawn care routine activities, such as watering, fertilizer application, overseeding, and weed control. However, before you can start your backyard maintenance, there are several lawn questions you need to ask to avoid lawn management mistakes.

Ask the right questions to give your lawn the care it needs. There are easy answers to yard problems, and that means it's not difficult to get a beautiful summer lawn!