Learning Center / Lawn care basics
What spring lawn care advice is actually wrong?
A lot of it. Seeding in spring, feeding heavily, mowing short and watering every day all feel productive and all work against a fescue lawn in Northern Virginia. Here is what to do instead.
- By David Obeid, founder
- Reviewed
- 5 min read
Myth versus fact
Which spring lawn myths should you ignore?
These are the ones we hear most every spring.
| The myth | What is actually true |
|---|---|
| Spring is the best time to seed | Fall is. Spring seed has only a few months to root before summer heat, and crabgrass preventer also stops grass seed from sprouting. |
| Feed heavily to green it up fast | Heavy spring feeding pushes soft growth that struggles in summer. Feed lightly in spring; fescue's big feedings belong in fall. |
| Mow short early to clean it up | Mow at about 3.5 to 4 inches from the first cut. Short mowing invites crabgrass and stresses the lawn going into summer. |
| Bag the clippings for a neater lawn | Returning clippings feeds the lawn and won't cause thatch in a properly managed fescue lawn. |
| Water a little every day | Water deeply once or twice a week, about an inch total including rain. Daily sprinkling keeps roots shallow. |
| Crabgrass preventer can go down any time in spring | It has to go down before the soil holds around 55°F for several days. Late preventer can't prevent anything. |
| A brown lawn in March is dead | Almost never. Tall fescue greens up as the soil warms. Spots that stay bare after the rest greens up are the ones to look at. |
Why it matters
Why does getting spring right matter so much?
Because spring mistakes show up in July. Late crabgrass preventer means crabgrass all summer. Heavy feeding and short mowing leave a lawn soft and stressed right as the heat and brown patch season arrives.
Spring is mostly about protecting the lawn and setting it up for summer. The real rebuilding happens in fall. See the full spring guide.
Related questions
What people also ask
Is spring or fall better for seeding?
Fall, for most Northern Virginia lawns. Fall brings warm soil, cooler air, fewer weeds and steadier moisture, which helps tall fescue establish.
When should crabgrass preventer be applied?
Before the crabgrass germinates, which happens once soil temperatures hold around 55°F for several days in a row. That timing shifts year to year.
Should I bag my clippings?
Usually not. Returning clippings recycles nutrients back into the turf and won't cause thatch in a properly managed fescue lawn. We can bag and remove clippings on request.
Keep reading
More from the Learning Center
- How much should you water your lawn? How much water an established fescue lawn needs, how to measure it, the best time of day, and how new seed is different. Lawn care basics · 5 min read
- How long do lawn treatments take to work? What to expect from weed control, fertilizer, crabgrass preventer, seeding and disease prevention, and why real results take a season or two. Lawn care basics · 5 min read
- Does your lawn need lime, and should you test your soil? Why so many Northern Virginia lawns are acidic, what lime does, how a soil test keeps fertilizer right-sized, and how often to test. Lawn care basics · 5 min read
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