Is your lawn looking pretty rough coming out of winter? Never fear! Spring is one of the best times to start fixing a lawn that looks thin, brown, patchy, or full of weeds. As temperatures warm up, grass starts to wake up from winter dormancy, but weeds often seem to wake up even faster.
If your ugly lawn has brown spots, thin areas, dandelions, clover, crabgrass, or other weeds popping up, a simple spring lawn care plan can help get things back under control. The good news is that you don’t need a complicated setup or expensive professional equipment to start improving your yard.
This step-by-step guide for beginners walks through a simple two-step process using affordable products you can find at many home improvement stores.
Why Spring Lawn Care Matters
Most homeowners deal with three common lawn problems in spring:
- Grass that hasn’t fully greened up yet
- Thin or brown areas left behind from winter
- Weeds like dandelions, clover, crabgrass, and other broadleaf weeds that have already started establishing themself in the lawn
Spring weather creates great growing conditions for grass, but that means it’s also great growing condition for weeds as well. When the lawn is still thin from winter, weeds have open space to move in and establish themselves. Now is the time to start addressing them before they get out of control!
A good spring lawn care plan should do three things: feed the lawn, help prevent new weeds, and kill existing weeds that are already growing through your grass.
What You’ll Need To Fix Your Ugly Lawn
For this simple spring lawn repair process, you only need a few basic items:
- Scott’s Turf Builder with Halts Crabgrass Preventer – https://amzn.to/4u8LpUv
- Ortho Weed B Gon / WeedClear Ready-to-Use Weed Killer – https://amzn.to/42gRMJH
- Hand spreader – https://amzn.to/46DCpON
- Gloves – https://amzn.to/4leHEbn
- Safety glasses – https://amzn.to/4f2HwKm
- Dewalt Leaf blower – https://amzn.to/40TbVV4
- Water source or rain in the forecast
(If you make a purchase using the links in this post, we may earn a commission.)
These are all budget-friendly items you can find at your local home improvement store like Lowe’s or Home Depot. They’re cheap, accessible, and effective! Remember to always read and follow the product labels before applying anything to your lawn.
Step 1: Feed the Lawn and Apply a Weed Pre-Emergent
The first step in fixing your ugly lawn is to apply a product that feeds the lawn while also helping prevent future weeds. A product like Scotts Turf Builder with Halts Crabgrass Preventer can help fertilize the grass while adding a pre-emergent barrier for weeds like crabgrass.
A pre-emergent doesn’t kill weeds that are already growing. Instead, it helps stop new weeds from germinating and spreading over the next few months.
For best results, apply this type of product early in spring before crabgrass and other weeds have a chance to take over. That said, applying it a little late is usually still better than doing nothing.
When Not To Use a Pre-Emergent Weed Preventer
Pre-emergent as a part of a weed and feed product for your lawn can be helpful, but it’s not right for every situation.
Don’t apply a pre-emergent if you’re planning to overseed your lawn in spring. Pre-emergent products like Scott’s Turf Builder with Halts Crabgrass preventer are designed to stop weed seeds from growing, which means they can also prevent new grass seed from germinating.
You should also avoid aerating, dethatching, or scarifying after applying a pre-emergent. Those lawn care tasks can break up the protective barrier you just applied. If your lawn needs aeration or dethatching, do that before applying the weed preventer product.
Also, check the label for temperature guidelines. Many products (like the Scott’s Turf Builder) should not be applied when temperatures are too hot, often above 80 degrees.
How To Apply the Scott’s Turf Builder with Halts Crabgrass Preventer
Before applying, measure your lawn so you know how much product to use. Applying too little may not give you the results you want, while applying too much can damage your lawn or waste product.
A tool like Measuremylawn.com can help you estimate your square footage online. Once you know your lawn size, follow the application rate listed on the product label.
When applying weed and feed with a hand spreader or push spreader, start around the perimeter of the lawn. This helps you control the edges and avoid throwing too much product onto sidewalks, driveways, or patios.
Then walk back and forth across the lawn in straight passes. If you still have product left, go back across the yard in the opposite direction for more even coverage.
Set the hand spreader setting lower if needed so the product comes out gradually. This can help prevent running out too early and gives you more control.
Clean Weed and Feed Product Off Hard Surfaces
Granular lawn products often land on concrete, sidewalks, patios, and driveways during application. Use a leaf blower to blow those granules back into the grass.
This helps avoid wasting product and keeps it away from places where kids or pets may walk.
Water the Scott’s Turf Builder In
After applying the lawn food and crabgrass preventer to your lawn, water it in within the time listed on the label. In many cases, watering within one to two days is recommended.
If you want to get this entire 2-step process for fixing your ugly lawn down in a single afternoon, you can water this in as soon as you apply it. Water the lawn for about 10 to 15 minutes and then wait about 45 minutes to an hour before moving on to the next step if you’re doing everything in the same day.
If you can time your application before rain and let nature do the work, then just come back the next day after rainfall to move on to step 2 of fixing your ugly lawn in spring!
Step 2: Spot-Treat Existing Weeds in Your Lawn
The second step in transforming your ugly lawn in spring is to kill the weeds that are already growing in the lawn. A pre-emergent helps prevent new weeds, but it won’t remove the dandelions, clover, crabgrass, or broadleaf weeds already in the yard.
A ready-to-use weed killer, such as Ortho Weed B Gon or Ortho WeedClear, is a simple option for homeowners because it doesn’t require mixing chemicals or using a separate pump sprayer. These products usually come with a wand sprayer, making it easier to target individual weeds.
The goal is to spray the weed directly rather than spraying the entire lawn. Most lawn-safe weed killers are designed to kill weeds without harming established grass when used correctly, but targeted application is still the best approach.
Why Watering The Grass First Can Help With Killing Weeds
Many spot-treatment weed killers work best when the lawn has been watered within the last 24 hours. That means the first step of watering in the granular product can also help prepare the lawn for weed spot treatment.
Once the grass has been watered and the weeds are actively growing, the weed killer can work more effectively.
What Lawn Transformation Results To Expect
When fixing your ugly lawn with a product like Ortho WeedClear, some weeds may start yellowing and dying within a few days. Dandelions and many broadleaf weeds often show visible damage quickly.
Other weeds, including some grassy weeds, may need more than one application. Always follow the label instructions for timing and repeat applications.
Don’t expect every weed to disappear overnight. Lawn repair in the spring takes a little patience, but this simple process can help improve color, reduce weeds, and give your grass a stronger start heading into summer.
Fix Your Ugly Lawn this Spring!
Fixing an ugly lawn in spring doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by feeding the grass and applying a pre-emergent to help prevent new weeds. Then spot-treat the weeds that are already growing.
With a few affordable products, a hand spreader, and basic safety gear, you can give your lawn a cleaner, greener, healthier look this spring without overthinking the process.
A thicker lawn also does a better job of fighting off future weeds, so getting started early in spring can set your yard up for better results all season long. Once your grass is established and thriving, you can look into using liquid lawn fertilizers like Neighbor’s Envy to get your grass even green than before!