Knowing when to rake is part art, part patience.
"If you rake too early, you can harm the tiny grass plants," said Sam Bauer, a turfgrass expert with the University of Minnesota Extension Service. "If you rake too late, you won't help grass grow."
That's because leaves, dead grass and any other "dead organic stuff" can impede or prevent healthy growth.
So when is the time right time to rake? Now.
How can you tell? Bauer points out the signs: The ground is firm, not squishy, and the grass is starting to green up.
But while most Minnesotans consider raking a necessary rite of spring, Bauer (gasp!) does not.
"If your lawn is generally green and healthy looking, you probably don't need to rake," he said.
If you've got matted leaves, or areas of dead grass, hand rake to your heart's content. (Skip the power rake, he advises.)
