The winter has ended in Texas, and now that your lawn is leaving its dormancy, it's time to fertilize it to give it a boost as the growing season gets underway. However, your lawn will likely have some overgrowth, so before you have it fertilized, you should mow it first. Mowing will help clear up any overgrowth or debris and allow the fertilizer to reach the soil more easily. You should fertilize your lawn 24 hours to a few days after that first spring mow to prevent stressing out your grass. Be careful, though, your grass needs to revive a bit once spring has begun before you do any mowing or fertilizing.

It's a good idea to mow your lawn before fertilizing it for the first time in the spring!

Lawn mower cutting grass on a lawn in Plano, TX.

In the winter, your grass becomes dormant due to the cold temperatures. As a result, the organic material on the lawn accumulates, forming a layer of debris and thatch. When spring arrives, removing this layer of organic material from the lawn is highly recommended. This will allow the grass to breathe and grow more healthily. Before applying fertilizer to the lawn, it's important to mow it first to clear away any thatch. This allows the fertilizer to make better contact with the soil. When the spring fertilizer makes better contact with the soil, it will be absorbed more easily by the roots of your grass. This, in turn, helps your grass absorb the necessary nutrients to emerge from its winter dormancy.

Wait 24 hours to a few days after mowing before fertilizing your lawn.

Granular fertilizer being spread on a lawn.

After mowing your lawn and clearing it of overgrowth, you should wait at least 24 hours, if not a few days, before fertilizing your lawn. The process of mowing can stress your grass, making it more susceptible to damage. For example, if you fertilize your lawn too soon after mowing, you can potentially cause your lawn to have nitrogen burn, which is when the nitrogen in the fertilizer pulls water from your grass and causes it to dry out. Your lawn has just come out of a dry state from winter, so applying fertilizer too soon after mowing could over-stress it.

Three common nutrients found in most fertilizers are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Wait until your grass is green before mowing and fertilizing.

Lawn with thatch on it in Plano, TX.

As the spring season arrives and the weather starts to warm up, it's important to wait until your lawn has fully recovered and regained its green color before mowing or fertilizing it. This is because, during winter, your grass goes dormant and is in a weak and vulnerable state. It will require some time to recover and come out of its dormancy. Once you notice that the grass has grown a few inches and regained its green color, you can then start planning your mowing and fertilization schedules. This is because, at this stage, the grass has regained its strength and is ready for the next phase of growth. If you mow your lawn before it begins to turn green and grow, you may stress the grass, leading to brown patches, thinning, and other issues.

Call to schedule our lawn mowing and lawn fertilization services today!

Caring for your lawn doesn't have to be a hassle when you call us here at CitiTurf to do the job for you! We offer an 8-step lawn care program that includes both fertilization and weed control treatments so that your lawn's health and appearance are at their best. We also offer a lawn mowing service that you can take advantage of to keep your grass neat and manicured. These services start in the spring and run throughout most of the year to keep your lawn in excellent condition. We offer our services to residential properties in Plano, TX, as well as to other nearby areas such as Allen, Frisco, McKinney, and Murphy. Call us at 972-516-0001 to schedule any of our services today!