The temperatures are warming and the grass is taking on a light green hue–spring is arriving. It will be a while yet before you have to begin mowing, but there are three things you can do in the early spring for your lawn: dethatch, aerate and sow new seed by renting the precise equipment for the tasks.
Thatch are thick crunchy patches of grass. It is a tightly intermingled organic layer of dead and living shoots, stems and roots that accumulate just above the soil surface. Thatch can keep nutrients and water from reaching the soil and grass’ roots.
Dethatching should be done in the early spring for most grasses including Bermuda and fine fescue. Summer is when zoysia should be dethatched. Texas A&M University stated that thatch usually is not a problem with tall fescue or rye. You can rent the right tool from your neighborhood Rental Stop to make this job much easier.
Renting a tool used to remove thatch depends on how thick it is. Thatch that is 1/2 inch thick can be removed with a heavy-duty garden rake. Sometimes, renting a sod cutter might be required for thicker thatch. You might find that dethatching requires that the lawn be re-seeded. Again, Rental Stop will have all the lawn and garden equipment rentals you might require to do the job right.
Heavy lawn traffic can cause the grass to become compacted. Like thatch, compacting can prevent rain and nutrients–as well as air–from reaching the grass’ root system. Aeration can relieve this problem.
Aerating removes clogs of soil and pokes holes in the dirt. This can be done with a push-type aerator that has a roll of spikes on a cylinder attached to a long handle. You can also rent a core aerator from Rental Stop. Aerator cleats that are attached to the bottom of the shoe or aerators that are similar to a straight pitchfork do not do the complete job. While they do poke holes in the dirt, they do not remove clogs of soil.
Aerating is done at the same time as dethatching; if you have zoysia in your lawn, you will need to wait for summer to aerate it. Renting these items together will save you time and money.
Grass seed is sown in the early spring after dethatching and aerating. One way to ensure a beautiful, healthy lawn is to select grass seed that grows well in your region. Imagine a line drawn from the middle of California across the country to just below Pennsylvania; this divides the country into warm and cool season areas. Cool-season grass includes Kentucky bluegrass, rye and tall fescue. Warm-season includes zoysia, St. Augustine or Bermuda. Whatever the area, a mix of grasses offers the best results. If you have limited time for lawn care, consider planting slow-growing grasses, such as buffalo grass for warm-season areas and mixed fescue for cool-season areas. Renting a spreader will make this task a breeze. Call the Rental Stop location nearest you for any additional information. They can make your yard work much easier and you will have more time to enjoy it by renting your lawn equipment from Rental Stop.
Remember all of your rental needs can be found at Rental Stop. Check out our website www.rentalstops.com for pricing and call to check on availability. You may need to reserve it for the time you need it most. Rental Stop services the entire Metroplex with outstanding rental products and superior service.
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