SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- Your lawn is waking up and what you do right now could make or break how it looks all summer.

Springfield’s Peter Sadowski loves caring for his lawn on Mallow Hill Road. He uses fertilizer and water to keep both his front and back yards as green as possible. “In the spring, I lime it, then I thatch it, then I put seed down after I thatch. And then, a couple of weeks later, I fertilize it,” he explained.

Sadowski’s routine has paid off. “People are always coming by to ask me for tips and stuff like that. I get a kick out of it,” he added.

However, not every lawn looks perfect. Just around the corner on Cabinet Street is the home of Sadowski’s sister-in-law. Their lawn is not as green, with wide open soil spots, vinca vines, and moss all over the place.

According to Steve Bordenuk, manager at Sixteen Acres Garden Center, it’s important to lime the soil every year as well as take other steps. “This time of year, you can put down a pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control. Typically, they come with a fertilizer,” he explained.

Bordenuk noted you should apply these products now while temperatures are still cool. The garden center currently carries products to keep your lawn healthy, from crabgrass preventer to lawn food to moss killer. He also recommended a specific time of day for best results. “I recommend applying the products in the morning, depending on what it is, and then watering it in after,” he said.

Once the weather gets hotter, you are advised to spray your lawn with water at least twice a week to make sure the soil remains moist.

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