There are plenty of reasons why spring is an impressive time of year in the City of Trees! At Franz Witte, we anticipate spring as the ideal time to assist your grass and other outdoor features on their way out of hibernation and get them ready to thrive once again. A crucial part of this process involves assessing for and treating any damage to the landscape over winter.

Here are important tips to ensure success with your outdoor tasks this early spring:

Task 1: Rake It Up!

Once the ground thaws, it is a good idea to do a thorough raking/dethatching of the turf. This will prove to be a benefit in several ways:

• Reducing Thatch Buildup Thatch is that layer of dead grass and organic materials that settles between grass blades and the ground. A thin layer is healthy. A thick layer makes for a breeding ground for pests and diseases.
• Fungus & Pest Control This process removes twigs and leaves that contain undesirable fungi and pests.
• Opening Up for Healthy Soil It loosens matted material to allow for oxygen, nutrients and for sunlight to reach the soil and the full plant.
• Reveals Problem Areas It exposes bare patches where turf has died, so you know where to overseed.

Task 2: Aerate Your Turf

Spring is an excellent time to aerate. By aerating in the spring, you can promote healthy root growth before the summer heat. This can help your lawn ability to withstand summer stress and drought conditions, giving a fuller looking lawn in the summer months.

If you choose to aerate in spring, core aeration can help bring your grass out of dormancy quicker and perform better during summer.

New developments and homes are being built at a rapid rate. The lawns that come with a new home often have a stripped topsoil leftover from the construction process. This may leave your new lawn with a poor growing environment. Aerating the turf can break up the compacted soil and allow nutrients to reach the roots!

Learn more about aerating your turf here: How to Aerate Your Lawn (My Favorite Method)

Task 3: Look For Turf Diseases

Once the snow begins to thaw, you may notice that your lawn has developed some nasty spots or rings. There’s a good chance you’re looking at a fungal issue. It tends to pop up in spring, so the previous task of removing thatch by hand should help, as well as applying lawn disease treatments. Seeking the advice and treatment options of a licensed landscape pest control company is encouraged.

Though we may not get heavy loads of snow here in the valley, we still get enough to cause potential problems for our cool-season turf. Snow mold is at the top of that list.

Here are a few other diseases that can affect your turf:

• Rust
• Red Thread
• Dollar Spot
• Snow Mold (Gray and Pink)
• Powdery Mildew

Uh Oh! Identifying and Treating for Billbugs

One of Idaho’s most common lawn pests is the Bluegrass Billbug. If not taken care of with proper precautions, these insects can do serious damage to your yard.

Damage from billbugs can resemble drought/lack of watering, with irregular patches of dry grass. Some people may think the dry-looking lawn isn’t getting enough water and will continue to water more. When dealing with billbugs, however, the damaged lawn will not respond to the extra watering.

Billbug larvae are white with a brown head, legless, C-shaped, and about the size of a large grain of rice. They are so harmful to grass because they feed on the grassroots. Billbug larvae can spread easily and cause damage to significant portions of your lawn causing it to look dry and dead.

If you are noticing your lawn starting to get odd dry patches, you can apply a systemic insecticide to treat this pest yourself; but seeking the advice and treatment options of a licensed landscape pest control company is strongly encouraged.

Task 4: Turf Fertilization – “Feed It!”

First, it is important to determine if you need to test your soil. A soil test will tell you exactly what fertilizers and amendments your soil needs for healthy grass and plant growth. Your soil is constantly changing, so it’s important to test it every three to five years.

The University of Idaho’s Analytical Sciences Laboratory offers comprehensive soil testing for a reasonable price, and you’ll be provided a certified soil report in 5 to 15 business days.

Soil in Boise and the rest of Treasure Valley has an arid climate, it’s considered a high desert which means there are less nutrients available to your grass. Fertilizing in April or early May can give your lawn the boost it needs to start the growing season.

If you have warm-season grass like fescue, fertilize in late spring when you see the lawn starting to grow. For cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fertilize lightly in spring using a slow-release fertilizer. Over fertilizing in the spring is discouraged, as it will encourage new growth that will struggle through the heat of summer.

As always, if there is any question about what to use, how to apply, how much to use or when to apply fertilizers or any chemicals, contact a reputable, licensed landscape contractor or pest control company.