April in the Midwest means wild temperature swings, lots of rain, wind, green grass and critters starting to wake up. But don’t worry! Uncle’s got a solution for everything. Check out below for the best of Uncle’s April Lawn Tips.
What’s Next in the Idiot Proof Program?
It’s mid-April and that means it’s time for Step 2 of the program – but it’s important to remember which program you’re on – the Idiot Proof Lawn Program or the Seed Safe Lawn Program.
Idiot Proof Lawn Program
If you’re on the Idiot Proof Lawn Program this spring, it’s time for Step 2 Weed and Feed. Remember – Weed and Feed is applied to a wet lawn so it can stick to the wet leaves and then dry for a day or two before being washed off by rain or sprinklers. A heavy dew in the morning with no rain in the forecast is a great time to apply. Make sure not to mow a day or two before or after applying.
Seed Safe Lawn Program
If you seeded this spring and are on the Seed Safe Lawn Program, it’s time for Step 2 Seed Safe. Throw it down before a rain or get 1/2″ of water on it within 24 hours. Seed Safe stops crabgrass from sprouting and lets your good grass grow, while also feeding the lawn. As a bonus the Seed Safe product has some control of broadleaf weeds as well, although the mode of action can take up to 3 weeks.
I Haven’t Done Anything in the Yard This Spring – What Should I Do?
If you haven’t done anything yet this spring, now is the time. There’s still time to start the Idiot Proof Lawn Program with Step 1 Prevent. The ground temps are just getting warm enough to sprout crabgrass, and the rain in the forecast provides an easy opportunity to get it watered in. If the rain misses you, make sure to water it in with at least 1/2″ of water within 24 hours of applying.
Is There Still Time to Seed This Spring?
This is a tough one this time of year, because we’re potentially so close to the heat of summer arriving and stressing the newly seeded grass. If you need to overseed the entire lawn, or large swaths of lawn, it’s probably best to wait for the fall seeding season. If you need to fix a couple of bare spots, you can use Uncle’s Seed Sandwich method if you’ve already applied Step 1 Prevent, or you can patch bare areas in with sod. Laying sod this time of year is often the best course of action for bare spots and adding more grass to the lawn.
Note: If you have an irrigation system or are diligent about watering then seeding becomes more feasible, although will require some attention to watering this summer. Come in and talk to a member of the Green Team to learn more about what it will take.
Sod Makes It Easy
If you still have some bare spots in the lawn, sod can be the easiest and fastest way to getting grass this spring. The process for laying sod is easy – make sure you have bare soil, roll the sod out, cut the sod to the right shape, make sure the edges are tucked in, staple it down if you need to and start watering. Watering sod is the most important part – it needs to stay soaking wet for about 2 weeks, which means watering multiple times per day. Our goal is to always have fresh sod in stock, but make sure to call ahead and verify that we have sod in stock before driving out – sometimes rain can affect harvesting timelines.
How Tall Should I Be Mowing the Lawn?
It’s true that you can mow shorter in the spring and fall, and in fact that helps prevent things like lawn fungus when wet weather abounds. Check out Uncle’s tips for how long to mow your lawn during the spring, summer and fall.
Time to Get the Garden Going
It’s finally time to get out the garden gloves and start playing in the dirt! All Grass Pad locations have a full lineup of flowers, tropicals, vegetables, shrubs and trees of all sorts and sizes. We even carry pottery so you can make a planter to give to mom on Mother’s Day. Come on down and get the fun started!
Start Squashing Them Bugs
With the temps warming up and lots of rain in forecast, our creepy crawly friends are coming out of their hiding spots to attack the dogs and kids playing in the yard. Fight back against these pernicious pests with Uncle’s Critter Gitter. Available in both a granular and a liquid, Critter Gitter will control a wide variety of bugs, including ants, mosquitos, chiggers, ticks and mites. The granular applications need to be watered in with at least 1/2″ of water, so throw it down before a rain. The liquid version of Critter Gitter can be applied with a pump or hose end sprayer.
Note: Critter Gitter can be put down with new seed, Seed Safe, Fungus Fighter, Prevent or Weed and Feed.
