- 1. Prepare your lawn mower<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Rake winter debris<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Prevent weeds with pre-emergent herbicide<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Treat lawn diseases<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Control lawn pests<\/a><\/li>
- 6. Test your soil<\/a><\/li>
- 7. Apply iron to green up your grass<\/a><\/li>
- 8. Fertilize, if needed<\/a><\/li>
- 9. Check sprinklers and start watering<\/a><\/li>
- 10. Know when to mow<\/a><\/li>
- 11. Hold off on dethatching, aeration, and overseeding<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
1. Prepare your lawn mower<\/span><\/h2>
Early March<\/strong> is the time to get your lawn tools in working order so you won\u2019t have to worry about stocking up on supplies, fixing equipment, or calling a repair pro during the busy season.<\/p>
Here\u2019s a tool maintenance checklist to get you started:<\/p>
Sharpen your lawn mower blades.<\/p>
For gas-powered equipment:<\/p>
— Change the engine oil.
— Replace the spark plugs.
— Clean or replace the air filter.
— Refuel your mower and dispose of the old gasoline properly.<\/p>For electric\/battery-powered tools, charge or replace the batteries.<\/p>
— Inspect and tighten any bolts and screws.
— If needed, put new string in your weed eater<\/a>.<\/p>Read more:<\/strong> Best Lawn Mower Maintenance Practices<\/a><\/p>
2. Rake winter debris<\/span><\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/leaf-rake.jpeg\")
Leaf rake with fallen leaves. Photo Credit: Elenathewise<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> Once the ground thaws in April<\/strong>, rake the soil surface of your lawn to give your grass a fresh slate for growth.<\/p>
A vigorous raking will:<\/strong><\/p>
- Remove twigs, leaves, dead grass, and other organic material that could hide fungi and lawn pests<\/li>
- Give sunlight a pathway to your grass<\/li>
- Loosen matted grass so oxygen and nutrients can reach grass roots<\/li>
- Reveal bare patches<\/li> <\/ul>
3. Prevent weeds with pre-emergent herbicide<\/span><\/h2>
Before weeds even begin to germinate, apply a pre-emergent herbicide<\/a> to block them from germinating. Wait until the soil temperature has been at least 55 degrees for three days (typically in April or May<\/strong>).<\/p>
Common weeds in Boise include: <\/strong><\/p>
- Dandelion<\/li>
- Black medic<\/li>
- Crabgrass<\/li>
- Quackgrass<\/li>
- Cheatgrass (downy brome)<\/li>
- Green foxtail<\/li>
- Common mallow<\/li>
- Broadleaf and buckhorn plantain<\/li>
- Spurge<\/li>
- Knotweed<\/li> <\/ul>
If weeds still emerge, don\u2019t panic: Apply post-emergent herbicides<\/a> or hand-pull them. In the case of dandelions, make sure you get all of the root or you the dandelion will grow back. <\/p>
4. Treat lawn diseases<\/span><\/h2>
Early spring is the perfect time to treat lawn diseases and prevent them from spreading all over your lawn.<\/p>
Boise doesn\u2019t get bucketloads of snow, but we get enough for our grasses (especially tall fescue) to be impacted by snow mold<\/strong> along with other diseases. <\/p>
Here are common spring diseases to look out for on your Boise lawn: <\/p>
- Dollar spot:<\/strong> Dead patches that are 2-6 inches wide.<\/li>
- Gray snow mold:<\/strong> Fuzzy white or gray growths that cause dead patches.<\/li>
- Pink snow mold:<\/strong> Dying grass patches and fuzzy mold with a pinkish hue.<\/li>
- Powdery mildew:<\/strong> White, powder-like mildew on the grass blades.<\/li>
- Leaf spot and melting-out:<\/strong> Grass blades develop dark spots and eventually rot.<\/li>
- Rust:<\/strong> Reddish spots on the grass blades.<\/li>
- Fairy ring:<\/strong> Rings of mushrooms or discolored grass.<\/li>
- Red thread:<\/strong> Discolored grass with pinkish threads on the grass blades.<\/li> <\/ul>
Treat diseases as soon as you spot them. Some diseases require fungicide, while others will disappear with proper watering and fertilization. Check out our article on\u201cHow to Identify and Treat Grass Fungus<\/a>\u201d to learn how to combat these diseases. <\/p>
5. Control lawn pests<\/span><\/h2>
Spring is the peak season for many lawn pests, whether they\u2019re hatching or awakening from their winter slumber. Here are some to look out for in Boise:<\/p>
- Grubs:<\/strong> The most common grubs in Idaho are billbug larvae. Both the larvae and adults eat grass. To get rid of billbugs<\/a>, you can apply insecticides or use non-chemical methods. The best time to prevent grubs is in late May to early June. <\/li>
- Chinch bugs:<\/strong> These oval insects suck grass blades dry. You can get rid of chinch bugs<\/a> with both chemical and natural treatments. <\/li>
- Moles, voles, and gophers:<\/strong> The best way to get rid of these pests is trapping. You can also install a mesh underground fence to prevent their entry.<\/li> <\/ul>
A healthy lawn is uninviting to pests, so a proper fertilizing, watering, and mowing schedule will keep most pests at bay. If you need to use pesticide, go with a specific, selective one rather than a non-selective variety. You don\u2019t want to accidentally kill beneficial insects like ladybugs and bees.<\/p>
Read more:<\/strong> Guide to Using Pesticides on Your Lawn<\/a><\/p>
6. Test your soil<\/span><\/h2>
Haven\u2019t been testing your soil? Spring is the perfect time to start. A soil test will tell you exactly what fertilizers and soil amendments<\/a> your lawn needs for healthy grass growth.<\/p>
A soil test will tell you:<\/strong><\/p>
- Your soil\u2019s pH level and imbalances (acidic, alkaline, or basic)<\/li>
- Your soil\u2019s nutrient levels and deficiencies<\/li>
- Salt levels (salinity)<\/li>
- Soil factors that might be suppressing plant growth<\/li>
- Amendments to balance your soil and increase nutrient levels<\/li> <\/ul>
Boise\u2019s soil type<\/a> ranges from loam to clay and tends to have a high pH. Depending on the results of your test, you may need to adjust the soil pH<\/a> with sulfur. <\/p>
You can test your soil using DIY kits or soil testing labs. The University of Idaho\u2019s Analytical Sciences Laboratory<\/a> offers comprehensive soil testing for a reasonable price, and you\u2019ll receive a certified soil report in around 10 business days.<\/p>
Read more:<\/strong>
How to Soil Test Your Lawn<\/a>
How to Read a Soil Test Report<\/a><\/p>7. Apply iron to green up your grass<\/span><\/h2>
Boise and most southern Idaho lawns have highly alkaline (basic) soils, which means grass is especially susceptible to iron deficiencies (aka iron chlorosis<\/a>). A soil test is the best way to diagnose this issue, but you also can spot it due to yellowing leaves. Overwatering can make iron chlorosis worse. <\/p>
You can treat iron chlorosis by lowering the soil pH or applying iron. Follow the package instructions and your soil test results to apply the right amount. The best time to apply iron is in spring when the temperature is between 60 and 70 degrees. Apply every two to three weeks as needed.<\/p>
Pro Tip: <\/strong>Apply soil amendments at least four weeks before spreading fertilizer to ensure the amendments and fertilizer don\u2019t interfere with or counteract each other.<\/p>
8. Fertilize, if needed<\/span><\/h2>
![\"man](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/spraying-fertilizer-1.jpg\")
Liquid fertilizer. Photo Credit: Shutterstock<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> In general, fall is the most important time to fertilize your Boise lawn, and overfertilization in spring can harm your grass before summer begins. However, if your grass is looking drab, fertilizer may help it green up.<\/p>
If you need to apply fertilizer<\/a> in spring, give your grass 0.5 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet <\/strong>in mid-April to early May<\/strong>. Wait for your grass to start growing before applying fertilizer: Fertilizing too early in the year forces your grass to divert its energy from its roots to its leaves, which can cause nutrient deficiencies and discoloration in summer. <\/p>
If your grass stays yellow even after fertilization, don\u2019t spread more fertilizer. Your grass may have an iron deficiency that can be fixed by a few applications of chelated iron.<\/p>
Is the math and timing of it all giving you a headache? Hire one of Lawn Love’s Boise lawn care pros<\/a> to fertilize your lawn for you. <\/p>
Note:<\/strong> When high-nitrogen fertilizer flows off your lawn during rainstorms, it wreaks havoc on our local aquatic ecosystems like the Snake River and Arrowrock Reservoir. Plus, overfertilization is linked to polluted drinking water. To protect the environment and our water supply, consider an eco-friendly organic fertilizer instead.<\/p>
9. Check sprinklers and start watering<\/span><\/h2>
If you winterized your sprinkler system, now is the time to get your irrigation system going again. Wait until the chances of freezing weather has passed (typically in mid- to late April<\/strong>), then test your sprinkler system to make sure it wasn’t damaged in winter. <\/p>
Once your sprinkler is in working order and your grass starts to turn green and grow, begin watering your Boise lawn. Avoid watering too early in the year<\/strong>, as this encourages shallow root growth that makes grass less prepared for drought.<\/p>
Keep an eye out for signs your lawn needs watering<\/a>, such as wilting and color changes. <\/p>
How much water to give your grass: <\/strong>Established Boise lawns typically require 1 to 2 inches of water per week. You can water once a week or break waterings into two sessions. Boise doesn\u2019t get enough rain for you to skip watering altogether, but you can take a week off if there\u2019s a big enough rain shower. <\/p>
10. Know when to mow<\/span><\/h2>
Hold off on mowing until your grass starts growing. Start mowing in early May<\/strong> after Boise\u2019s last frost. You\u2019ll know it\u2019s time to mow when your grass has grown over 3 inches tall.<\/p>
Once you\u2019ve completed your first mowing, cut your grass on a regular schedule (about once a week, depending on the grass type in your Boise yard<\/a>). <\/p>
Follow these Boise grass height guidelines: <\/strong><\/p>
- Chinch bugs:<\/strong> These oval insects suck grass blades dry. You can get rid of chinch bugs<\/a> with both chemical and natural treatments. <\/li>
- Gray snow mold:<\/strong> Fuzzy white or gray growths that cause dead patches.<\/li>
- Dollar spot:<\/strong> Dead patches that are 2-6 inches wide.<\/li>
- 2. Rake winter debris<\/a><\/li>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/lawn-grass-overseeding.jpeg\")