The Expert's Guide To Sprucing Up Your Lawn This Spring
MAMARONECK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – This weekend will bring a different kind of "March madness" – anxious homeowners starting their spring property spruce-up.
From hungry birds to daffodils poking up through the soil, signs of spring spark a yearning for yard work in many homeowners.
"I want to get it done so it doesn't interfere with golf," Ed DiMiceli of Mamaroneck said with a laugh.
He's not alone and garden centers around the Tri-state are ready to serve these green thumbs.
"People will be chomping at the bit, they come out, work in their yards, get flowers, a little color in the yard. It's been a long winter," Rick Mangone of Mangone's Garden Center said.
Mangone tells customers every spring season should start with a robust raking of winter debris from the yard to benefit the grass.
"Gets all that debris that's become thatched by the root area, you get that out and now the air and light can get at it." Mangone said.
Mangone says it's a good weekend to fertilize the lawn, but tells customers to hold off on crabgrass treatment until the forsythia blooms.
As for putting down grass seed, "I like to see the ground temperature close to 65, 70, to get good germination of seed. That's a little ways off. Right now, if you put it down you're feeding the birds and wasting some money," the garden center owner said.
"Now's a good time to feed your shrubs, evergreens, you want to give them a good feeding of holly-tone."
Spring is a time of anticipation, but also a time of restraint if you have that itch to get stuff in the ground. This is a weekend to plant some pansies, hardy lettuces, and onion sets.
Most everything else should wait until the threat of frost subsides and spring has more firmly sprung.
Experts say a common mistake to avoid - if you plan to seed new grass -and- prevent crabgrass, choose a crabgrass product formulated for newly seeded areas.
