---
title: "7 Things to Do in Spring for a Healthy, Gorgeous Lawn Year-Round"
description: "To create a thriving, beautiful lawn, you need to hit the ground running in the spring. Add these 7 important spring lawn care tasks to your to-do list, and you'll have a lush, thick carpet of green come summer."
date: "2014-03-12"
modified: "2023-03-09"
authors:
  - name: "Jennifer Noonan"
    job_title: "Contributing Writer"
    link: "https://www.bobvila.com/authors/jennifer-noonan/"
  - name: "Bob Vila"
    job_title: "Founder"
    link: "https://www.bobvila.com/authors/bob-vila/"
url: "https://www.bobvila.com/articles/spring-lawn-care/"
categories:
  - "Lawn & Garden"
  - "Lawn Care"
---

# 7 Things to Do in Spring for a Healthy, Gorgeous Lawn Year-Round

![Spring Lawn Care](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/spring-lawn-care.jpg>)
*Photo: shutterstock.com*

At the tail end of the winter season, homeowners face the sometimes daunting but always exciting prospect of readying the lawn for the warmer months ahead. From cleaning to mowing to seeding, proper spring lawn care encompasses a range of responsibilities. All are important. Remember that cutting corners now could mean that at the peak of summer, you'll be spending your weekends making up for spring lawn care oversights. In other words, it's in your best interest to act now. Stay on top of the game to ensure healthy and beautiful grass that demands no more of your time than is strictly necessary.

![Sunday Lawn Care](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/sunday-plus-bv.jpg>)

DIY Lawn Care. Simplified.

Bob Vila has partnered with Sunday to get your lawn exactly what it needs to thrive.

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## 1. Dethatching

![Spring Lawn Care - Dethatching](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/de-thatching1.jpg>)
*Photo: homedepot.com*

Dead grass and lawn clippings accumulate and get matted down into thatch, which not only prevents the germination of new grass seed, but also promotes fungus growth and pest infestation. Dethatch the lawn by giving it a good once-over, using either a lawn rake with stiff tines or a special dethatching rake ([view on Amazon](<https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4VMY748?tag=bovi01-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1&asc_source=browser&asc_refurl=>)).

## 2. Soil testing

![Spring Lawn Care - Soil Testing](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/soil-testing.jpg>)
*Photo: shutterstock.com*

To grow grass successfully, you need the right soil. Most varieties thrive in conditions that are neither acidic nor alkaline. Methods exist to raise or lower soil pH, but you've got to know what you're dealing with. Purchase a soil test kit for around $10 from your neighborhood garden store, or send a soil sample to your [local extension office](<https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/12-landscaping-problems-your-extension-service-can-help-you-solve-578881/>).

![Sunday Lawn Care](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/sunday-plus-bv.jpg>)

DIY Lawn Care. Simplified.

Bob Vila has partnered with Sunday to get your lawn exactly what it needs to thrive.

 **[START GROWING](<https://sunday.pxf.io/7mVxDr>)**

## 3. Yard cleanup

![Spring Lawn Care - Cleanup](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/cleanup.jpg>)
*Photo: amazon.com*

Part of spring lawn care involves clearing away the ravages of winter. Equipped with [your rake](<https://www.bobvila.com/articles/rake-types/>) and pruning shears, take an exploratory stroll around the property. Look closely for any plants that didn't survive. Prune damaged or dead branches from trees and bushes, and remove twigs or leaves you find lingering on the grass.

## 4. Aeration

![Spring Lawn Care - Aeration](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/aeration-2.jpg>)
*Photo: kitchenfoodgarden.com*

In high-traffic areas, the [soil](<https://www.bobvila.com/articles/buying-land-to-build-a-house/>) beneath grass gradually becomes compacted and inhospitable to grass roots. Aeration reverses the damage done. Here, using a specialized tool ([view on Amazon](<https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Y89G1SJ?tag=bv-asearch-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1&asc_source=browser&asc_refurl>)), wine cork-size plugs are drawn out of the lawn surface, giving roots room to spread and allowing air, nutrients, and moisture to penetrate the soil.

## 5. Weed Treatment

![Spring Lawn Care - Preemergent](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/preemergent.jpg>)
*Photo: shutterstock.com*

Weed control ranks high among spring lawn-care priorities: If you don't act against weeds now, before they emerge, you'll spend the summer battling them—and it's not a fight you're liable to win. Prevent weeds from even sprouting by applying a pre-emergent herbicide or explore [alternative treatments free of harmful chemicals](<https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-kill-weeds-naturally/>).

![Sunday Lawn Care](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/sunday-plus-bv.jpg>)

DIY Lawn Care. Simplified.

Bob Vila has partnered with Sunday to get your lawn exactly what it needs to thrive.

 **[START GROWING](<https://sunday.pxf.io/7mVxDr>)**

## 6. Seeding

![Spring Lawn Care - Seeding](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/seeding.jpg>)
*Photo: gardenclub.com*

On any bare patches of ground, skip the herbicide and opt instead for [grass seed](<https://www.bobvila.com/articles/types-of-grass/>). Be aware, however, that if you're planting grass in the spring, it's going to need lots of TLC during the hot summer months—that is, consistent watering and regular weeding—and you'll most likely have to seed again in the fall.

## 7. Equipment Maintenance

![Spring Lawn Care - Equipment](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/equipment.jpg>)
*Photo: shutterstock.com*

Before the lawn season gets into full swing, inspect all your outdoor tools, including the [mower](<https://www.bobvila.com/articles/lawn-mower-repair/>). If necessary, take the machine in for service or give it a tune-up yourself: change the oil, install new spark plugs, and replace the air filter. Also, make sure to have fuel on hand in preparation for the first grass-cutting of the year.

![Sunday Lawn Care](<https://www.bobvila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/sunday-plus-bv.jpg>)

DIY Lawn Care. Simplified.

Bob Vila has partnered with Sunday to get your lawn exactly what it needs to thrive.

 **[START GROWING](<https://sunday.pxf.io/7mVxDr>)**

## Author
A confessed DIY junkie, Jennifer Noonan writes about home improvement, gardening, and all things do-it-yourself. The recipient of degrees in International Relations and Library & Information Science from Syracuse University, Noonan has worked in media and related fields for over 15 years, including her time at [MTV Networks](<https://www.paramount.com/about/brands/mtv>), where she served as Manager of Digital Programming at [Nickelodeon](<https://www.nickelodeon.com>). Today, Noonan lives in Delaware with her husband and daughters, where she is ardently teaching the next generation how to use power tools.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-noonan-ab62a05/>)