Angie's List: Spring Lawn Care Tips

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Spring is an important time for your lawn. If you neglect it now, you'll pay the price the rest of the year.

Here are a few steps for spring lawn care from Angie's List.

Stephen Wiley recently bought his home and he already has big plans for the yard this year.

"There's just a lot that needs to be done from a rearranging standpoint. There is some barrier areas, some things that I would like to change; bushes are too close to the house, bushes are too close to the walk, they are overgrown in some area. So, I really want to thin out and redo it the way I want because we do plan on living here another eight to 10 years so I would really like to be able to enjoy my project for that time," Wiley said.

When it comes to your lawn, you don't have to go over the top with your landscaping, but Angie's List said you do need to pay attention to the basics.

"Now is the time to start thinking about your grass. So, the key here is you want to be sure that you are aerating your lawn, fertilizing and also that you are seeding now. And then, get ready. That first mow is just around the corner, so don't forget to lower your mower for your first mowing and then raise it for the rest of the season," Angie Hicks from Angie's List said.

"When it's on its side you can look at the condition of the blade and see if it's dull and most of the time if you mow 25 times its dull. The mower's manufacturer would like to have the homeowner sharpen their blade after every eight mows, but that is pretty excessive. If they get it done once a season they are doing better than most," mower technician Chris Arvin said.

Wiley said he will hire a pro to apply chemicals to his lawn.

"I hire someone to do the chemicals. I would say mostly out of ignorance. I don't really know enough about what to put down when. It's easy enough for me to hire that process out. All the other stuff; the mowing, the raking, the aeration, I do all that stuff myself," Wiley said.

"Sometimes the yard just may need a little more effort than you are willing to put forth. That's when it's time to hire a pro, especially if you are going to need chemicals to get that extra boost this year because professionals are going to be certified in handling the different types of fertilizers and chemicals that might be necessary," Hicks said.

Experts recommend that you run the mower out of gas at the end of the season and wake it up with fresh gas at the beginning of the season.

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