How to Wake Up Your Lawn After Winter
After a long, cold winter, your lawn needs a little TLC to come back strong. But where do you begin? The good news is, with just a few key steps, you can help your grass bounce back faster, grow in thicker, and stay green longer—without starting from scratch.
Let’s walk through the 5 steps TLC lawn experts recommend to help homeowners wake up their lawn the right way—and get on the path to the thick, green grass everyone notices.
1. Rake and Remove Debris for Better Airflow
Leaves, twigs, and matted grass leftover from winter can suffocate new growth. Raking clears the way for sun and oxygen to reach the soil, which is essential for waking up dormant grass and encouraging early spring growth.
2. Aerate if Needed to Loosen Compacted Soil
If your lawn saw heavy snow, foot traffic, or snowplow compression over the winter, the soil might be too compacted for roots to thrive. Lawn aeration breaks up the soil, improves drainage, and allows nutrients and water to reach the roots—helping your grass grow deeper and stronger.
We always recommend that you do core aeration in the late summer or fall months. This is the only time this service is offered. If you applied a pre-emergent for crabgrass before you do a core aeration, you run the risk of breaking the barrier that the pre-emergent created. This could cause crabgrass to break through in the hotter temperatures.
3. Apply Pre-Emergent Crabgrass Control Before Temperatures Rise
Timing is everything here. Applying a pre-emergent crabgrass control early in the season between March and April can stop weeds like crabgrass before they germinate. Miss this window, and you are more likely to have crabgrass germination in the hot summer months.
This is one of the most important spring yard treatments for a clean slate!
4. Feed Your Lawn with the Right Early Spring Fertilizer
After a tough winter, your lawn is hungry. The key is using a slow-release spring fertilizer that delivers nutrients over time to support healthy roots, not just top growth. This early application sets the tone for the entire season—stronger roots now mean thicker, greener grass in summer.
5. Check Your Irrigation System
Before the heat kicks in, now’s the time to test your sprinklers or irrigation system. Look for broken heads, clogged lines, or leaks. Making small fixes now ensures your lawn will get the water it needs when it matters most—and saves you money later.
Make This the Year Your Lawn is Greener Than Ever
Waking up your lawn after winter doesn’t have to be complicated—but doing it right makes all the difference. TLC’s full service lawn care program is designed to help your lawn transition smoothly from winter to spring, giving it the nutrients, weed control, and seasonal care it needs to thrive. Whether you choose to handle these tasks yourself or call in the lawn care specialists at TLC, now is the time to act. Let’s make this the year your lawn looks its absolute best.
