Spring

Spring marks the beginning of the main lawn-care season. Taking care of essential tasks from March through June helps establish a healthy lawn for the rest of the year.

Maintaining Your Mower

Service your mower in early spring so it is ready for the mowing season. Sharpen the blades to ensure clean, even, and efficient cuts.

Mowing

Wait until the grass reaches about 3 inches tall before mowing. Set the mower blade to remove about 1 inch of growth at a time. Keep most turf at least 2 inches tall to help reduce weeds and improve drought tolerance.

Starting a New Lawn

Fall is generally the best time to seed a new lawn, but spring seeding can work if started early. Begin when daytime temperatures reach the 60s and avoid seeding immediately before heavy rain.

Aerating

Aeration can help lawns with compacted soil, especially when the soil is difficult to penetrate or the lawn has bare areas. Removing small cores of soil while grass is actively growing improves root growth and moisture absorption.

Fertilizing

Apply a light fertilizer application in early spring to prepare the lawn for summer. Slow-release or organic fertilizers are good options. Fertilize about 24–48 hours before the first mowing, then reapply every 4–8 weeks during spring and summer depending on the fertilizer used.

Summer

Summer lawn care focuses on maintaining healthy growth while adjusting to changes in temperature and rainfall.

Mowing

Adjust your mowing schedule according to weather and grass growth. During hot, dry periods, mowing may only be necessary every 2–3 weeks. During cool, wet periods, the lawn may need mowing twice a week. On average, mowing about once a week is common during summer. Raise the mower height if the grass begins to look stressed or scorched.

Watering

Grass can survive periods of drought by going dormant and turning brown. It will generally recover and become green again when sufficient rain returns. For a consistently green lawn, choose drought-tolerant grass varieties or provide about 1 inch of water per week. If using automatic sprinklers, early morning watering is ideal.

Fall

Fall lawn care focuses on cleaning up the yard and preparing the grass for the following growing season.

Fertilizing

If you fertilize only once a year, fall is an ideal time. Apply a light fertilizer treatment in early fall and consider another application later in the season.

Mowing

As temperatures cool, grass may grow more actively, so maintain a regular mowing schedule. When leaves begin falling, use the mower's mulching setting to finely chop them and return nutrients to the lawn.

Cleaning Up

As leaf fall increases, remove excess leaves so they don't form a thick layer that blocks light and air from reaching the grass. Mulch the leaves with several mower passes if you prefer not to rake them.

Overseeding

Cool-season grasses generally benefit from fall overseeding. Spread grass seed about one month before the area's typical first frost date so the new grass has time to establish roots before winter.

Aerating

Fall is an excellent time to aerate because cooler temperatures support active grass growth. Aeration loosens compacted soil and allows roots to grow deeper.

Winterizing

Before winter arrives, prepare both the lawn and mower for the colder months. Proper winterization makes it easier to begin lawn care again when spring returns.