NJ Lawns Community

Hey everyone, I'm a first-time homeowner in Ridgewood and I'm totally stressing out. I keep reading that you're supposed to do your spring lawn cleanup when the forsythia blooms, but I completely missed it - the blooms are already fading on my neighbor's forsythia bush. Is it too late to rake, dethatch, and fertilize now? Should I just wait until fall instead? I've got a mix of tall fescue and KBG in my backyard and I have no idea what I'm doing. Any advice from the Bergen County folks would be super appreciated!

Don't panic - you're definitely NOT too late! The forsythia bloom is more of a guideline than a hard rule. I've lived in Bergen County for 15 years and I've done spring cleanup as late as early May with great results. The key thing is the soil temp - you want it to be around 55°F consistently before you fertilize. If the forsythia blooms are passing, that's actually fine - it just means we're a bit later in the season. Go ahead and rake out the thatch, do your core aeration if needed, and put down a good slow-release fertilizer. I'd grab something from Bergen County Lawn & Garden in Waldwick if you need supplies - they've got good stuff.

GreenThumb is right, you're fine. But here's the thing - a lot of new homeowners don't realize that HOW you water matters way more than WHEN you start. I've seen people torch their lawns by fertilizing and then not watering properly. Since you're in Ridgewood with clay-heavy soil (like most of us in Bergen County), you want to water deeply but less frequently - maybe twice a week, 45 mins per zone. Don't just hit it with short daily waterings or you'll get shallow roots and a bunch of diseases. Check your sprinkler heads too - I've been getting calls already from people whose heads got knocked out by the random frost we had last week. Make sure you're not watering until the ground dries out a bit between sessions.

Adding to what Ivan said - definitely check those sprinkler heads! Also, I'd hold off on the crabgrass pre-emergent if you haven't put it down yet. I know some guys on here swear by it but honestly for a fescue/KBG mix in our area, I think aeration and good fertilization does more than the crabgrass stuff unless you've got a serious problem. Plus here in Ridgewood/Eastern Bergen, the soil pH tends to run a bit acidic so you might want to throw down some lime too - I usually do a soil test every couple years through the Rutgers cooperative extension. Not trying to overload you but there's a method to the madness!

Okay thank you both! This is really reassuring. Quick follow up - I don't have a sprinkler system yet, just a basic hose-end sprinkler. Should I still aerate before I fertilize or will that mess things up if I'm watering manually? Also, what's the deal with the lime - is that something I can just pick up at Home Depot or should I go to a specialty place?

Manual watering is totally fine for smaller yards! Just make sure you're giving it enough water when you do water - you want about 1 inch per week total including rain. Check a simple rain gauge to measure. For aeration, do it BEFORE you fertilize - the little cores will help the fertilizer get down into the root zone where it needs to be. And yeah, hydrated lime from Home Depot is fine for a standard condition lawn, no need to go fancy. But seriously, do yourself a favor and get a cheap oscillating sprinkler - the little cheap ones are fine. You'll thank yourself when you're not standing there holding a hose for 45 minutes every time.