While recent weather brought more snow to parts of Wisconsin, as we advance through March snows melt away to reveal lawns underneath. Once lawn areas are bare, the temptation is to get out and start working on them. There is a sequence to follow as spring advances for best results.

Lawns need to thaw out and dry out; it is best to stay off them until this occurs. As weather conditions allow, clean up debris such as leaves and sticks. Lawns that had snow cover for considerable time this winter often experience vole (or field mice) damage. This is visible in spring as winding trails on the lawn surface and small piles of grass. Raking lawns will remove all these types of loose surface materials but does not remove thatch. Thatch management calls for practices such as core aerating.

When to apply preemergence crabgrass herbicides, or crabgrass preventers, in a timely manner is a common question each spring. Temperatures of soil, not air, need to warm to near 60 degrees and stay there for several consecutive days before crabgrass will germinate. This does not happen in March or April on Wisconsin lawns, so you have plenty of time before applying crabgrass preventers this spring. Early May is a good target for application for lawns where crabgrass has been problem in the past.

Fertilizer application timing is the other common lawn care decision of spring. As with crabgrass control, hurry up and wait. Lawns do not need fertilizer as soon they thaw out. Ideally wait until grasses resume growing and mowing has resumed, then fertilize. Depending on where you are in Wisconsin, this usually is not until early May (or later) in an average year. While it may be tempting to fertilize early to get lawns greener, excess nitrogen fertilizer in spring sets lawns up for multiple problems as the season progresses. Moderation in lawn nitrogen fertilizer applications is important.

Reseeding lawns in spring is best scheduled for late April or even later further north. Once again, do so as conditions allow. Lawns like cool weather but hard freezes are unwelcome news for seedlings. Major lawn renovation is better to schedule in late summer, but you can still do it in spring. Rake away debris and roughen the soil surface before broadcasting seed. Slit-seeders are great for overseeding thin lawns.

While we welcome mild weather in early spring, patience is the key ingredient for spring lawn work. Good things come to lawns when homeowners wait. Watch for more details on lawn care practices, including fertilizing and managing crabgrass and thatch problems in this column very soon.