Spring Lawn Care Checklist for Minnesota & Wisconsin Yards

Spring is a big deal in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Once the snow melts and the sun feels warm on your face, you start doing crazy stuff like wearing sandals when it’s 50 degrees and grinning stupidly at the sight of tulips.

But first things first. Let’s take a walk around your yard and check out your lawn. A few spring lawn care tasks in Wisconsin and Minnesota need your attention.

This spring lawn care checklist is your guide to getting your Minnesota or Wisconsin yard in shape fast.

Lightly Rake Your Lawn to Wake It Up After Winter

This is one of the first steps in early spring lawn care, think of it like giving your lawn a good stretch after hibernating.

Lightly rake your lawn to remove dead grass, leaves, or debris you missed last fall. Go easy, though. You don’t want to uproot your turf. It’s been sleeping all winter.

If there are matted areas, it could be a sign of snow mold. Continue to rake that area to break it up. Getting the blades of grass to stand will help increase the air circulation to the roots.

Prep Your Lawn Mower for Spring

Tuning up your mower is step one in your spring lawn treatment  schedule, especially in early April when you’re just getting started.

Prep your mower for the busy season ahead. Make sure your mower blade is sharp, the tires are aired up, and the oil is changed.

While these are important spring lawn care tips, they’re not one-time tasks. Do them each month through the mowing season.

Apply Crabgrass Preventer Early

Spring lawn care in the Midwest includes crabgrass pre-emergent. Don’t delay.

The best time to prevent crabgrass is in spring.

This timing is crucial. You want to target those weed seeds as they germinate and take root in the soil so they don’t become more seed-producing plants.

Here at RainMaster, you get two crabgrass treatments — one in early spring and another in late spring. This extends protection.

Stop Grubs Before They Wreck Your Lawn

If you have grubs, add grub prevention to your spring lawn care checklist.

Spring is the best time for grub control in Wisconsin and Minnesota because once they hatch, the damage begins fast.

Grubs feed on grass roots and organic matter in the soil, causing sections of grass in the lawn to die. They essentially eat the roots right out from under the grass.

How can you tell if you have grubs? Look for these telltale signs:

• Raccoons, skunks, and birds rummaging in your yard. Apparently, grubs are delicious.
• Grab a handful of your lawn and tug. If it rolls up like loose carpet, you probably have grubs. They eat the roots holding the turf firmly in place on the soil.
• Walk on your lawn. If it feels spongy, you could have grubs.

At RainMaster, you get Bee-Safe Grub Guard right away in the spring during our first visit. Then, you’re all set. This material lasts throughout the entire growing season. And it doesn’t kill bees like the cheaper products many other companies use.

Repair Bare Spots with Spring Seeding (Carefully)

If you’re thinking, “Wait a minute — isn’t it best to seed in the fall?” then congrats — you’ve been paying attention here.

In most cases, it’s better to hold off spreading that seed until fall. But if you have some bare spots you’re really itching to fill in, it’s ok to seed in the spring. But no earlier than Mother’s Day.

Look for areas of lawn that aren’t recovering from the ravages of winter. You might have damage from snow mold, salt, or snow plows.

One of the reasons spring and grass seed don’t mix is because of crabgrass prevention.

That great pre-emergent that prevents crabgrass also kills grass seed. So you can’t seed and prevent crabgrass at the same time.

Unless….

Partner with RainMaster, and you can plant grass seed and control crabgrass at the same time in spring, because we have a professional-grade product that allows both.

Don’t look for this magic potion on the home improvement store shelf. This is pro level.

Fertilize and Control Weeds Before Memorial Day

Spring means time for fertilizer and weed control. Your hungry lawn really needs food right away, and we all know how tenacious lawn weeds are, so your goal should be to have this first round done by Memorial Day.

Trust Your Spring Lawn Care to the Pros at RainMaster

Does just reading this spring lawn care checklist for Minnesota and Wisconsin make you dread spring? That’s no good.

Let us take a lot of it off your hands, so you can do fun spring stuff like fly kites and gawk at tulips.

Whether you’re in Minneapolis or Eau Claire, we know exactly when to start lawn care in spring — so you don’t have to stress about it. 

Choose from three different levels of lawn care programs, based on the results you’d like, how fast you want to see results, and your budget.

When you’re ready to put your trust in us, we can’t wait to meet you — and help you make the best choices for your lawn.

Want to hand over those pesky lawn care tasks and be confident about your choice for lawn care services? Request a quote today!

We’ll review your lawn care options together so you can make a great choice. Then, you can finally enjoy your lawn and stop worrying about it.

Image Source: Rake, Grub