The Do’s and don’ts for lawn care “The Broccolo Way”:

Do clean up thick patches of leaves if they are smothering the grass and other debris such as broken branches.

Do check your mower and get it serviced to sharpen blades, so it is ready when needed.

Do seed shady areas with shade tolerant grass seed or consider mulching and planting.

Do treat areas of broadleaf weeds by just spot-treating. Large leaf weeds such as dandelions can be squirted with a liquid herbicide that does not harm the grass.

Do leave clover, as it is a pollinator attractor, stays green through drought and returns nutrients back to the soil.

Do apply pre-emergence herbicide for crabgrass in hot sunny areas where it has been a problem in the past.

Do cut the lawn as soon as it is ready. It is ok to cut short for the 1st mowing and then raise the mower height for a healthier stand of turfgrass.

Do wait until closer to Memorial Day to fertilize and help the grass replenish what was used up by the roots during the spring flush of growth.

Don’t apply fertilizer in spring unless there are grub problems and the roots were damaged.

Do not treat grubs until small grubs appear in late July-September. Only treat the areas with grubs so other soil organisms are not affected.

Don’t blanket treat with weed killers as it will weaken the lawn.

Do not seed sunny areas in Spring. Wait until August because the grass will compete with fast growing weeds in the spring.

Don’t mow wet areas, consider creating a rain garden instead.