What is the complete spring lawn care checklist for New Brunswick homeowners?

A complete spring lawn care checklist for New Brunswick starts with patience — wait until the ground firms up in mid-April before doing any work, as walking on soggy turf compacts the soil and damages grass crowns. NB's freeze-thaw cycle through March and early April means lawns need time to stabilize before you begin cleanup and treatment.

Step one is a thorough spring rake to remove dead grass, matted leaves, and any snow mold that developed over winter. Snow mold is extremely common in New Brunswick due to our Maritime humidity and long-lasting snow cover, and you'll often see grey or pink patches on the lawn. Raking these areas vigorously helps air circulation and recovery. This should happen once the lawn is dry enough that your footprints don't leave deep impressions, typically mid to late April in the Moncton and Saint John areas, or late April to early May around Fredericton and northern NB.

Once raking is done, test your soil pH. New Brunswick soils tend to be acidic, often in the pH 4.5-6.0 range, and most lawn grasses prefer pH 6.0-7.0. If your results come back below 6.0, apply pelletized lime at the recommended rate — this is one of the single most impactful things NB homeowners can do for lawn health. Plan on 20-40 lbs per 1,000 square feet for moderately acidic soil.

Apply a pre-emergent herbicide when forsythia blooms, which signals that soil temperatures have reached about 10°C. In most of NB this happens in early May. This prevents crabgrass and other annual weeds from establishing. Follow this with a balanced spring fertilizer (look for a ratio like 20-5-10) in mid-May once the grass is actively growing. Avoid fertilizing too early — the grass can't absorb nutrients while still semi-dormant.

Begin mowing when grass reaches 3.5 inches, usually mid-May. Set your mower height to 3 inches for the first few cuts. Sharpen your mower blade before the season starts, as dull blades tear grass and invite disease. If you notice bare or thin patches, early May is a decent time for spot overseeding, though late August remains the best window for major overseeding projects in NB.

Finally, inspect your irrigation system if you have one, checking for cracked pipes or broken heads from frost heave. A professional spring startup typically costs $75-125 in New Brunswick. The entire spring lawn care process — rake, lime, pre-emergent, fertilize, first mow — usually spans from mid-April through late May. If the scope feels overwhelming, spring cleanup services from NB landscapers typically run $200-500 depending on property size.

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