NewsA seasonal lawn care schedule helps you plan what to do and when to do it. Let’s take a quick trip around the calendar and see what needs to be done.
Family Handyman
Working from home has provided some individuals with much more time to spend on their lawns and gardens. If you’re a proud do-it-yourselfer and lawn aficionado, it’s simple to daydream about ways to improve the appearance of your grass, no matter what month it is. explore creating a lawn care maintenance plan to keep yourself on track while you explore lawn care.
Note: This plan adheres to lawn care procedures advised for Northern lawns (north of Interstate 70) comprised of cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, and perennial ryegrass. The exact timing of these duties will vary by a few days or even weeks depending on whether spring arrives early or late.
Spring Lawn Care Maintenance Schedule
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This is the exciting part! There are a few things you may do in early spring, but patience is required. Don’t start too soon, or you can end up doing more damage than good.
Check that the ground is no longer frozen, that the surface is solid, and, most importantly, that the grass is green and starting to grow. Any effort done on your grass before it wakes up will be in vain. Worse, it may be harmful.
- Apply gypsum to salt-damaged road and sidewalk areas near curbs, driveways, and walkways. Grass may be harmed by road salt and ice melters. A large application of powdered gypsum, followed by a thorough dousing with water, can assist flush salts through the soil as soon as the ground thaws. If you opt to reseed these areas, this results in less hazardous growth conditions for existing grass and new seedlings.
- Check that your irrigation system, if you have one, is operational. Examine the sprinkler heads for leaks and appropriate functioning and coverage. Thousands of gallons of water are wasted by an inefficient system. Because most irrigation systems are set to run at night or early in the morning, you may not notice a problem until you get your next water bill.
- Soil testing in the spring is also an excellent idea. This should be done every three years. A good test can detect any nutrient deficits, pH imbalances, or other soil health concerns. DIY kits from hardware shops or garden centers are not worth the money. Collaborate with a local extension agency or university. They have the necessary testing equipment, thus the findings will be more significant. Most also include suggestions on how to improve weaknesses.
- Pre-emergent herbicides should be used. Only do this if your lawn is prone to crabgrass. Otherwise, disregard it. When soil temperatures consistently reach 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, it is appropriate to apply a crabgrass preventer. Most pre-emergent herbicides give three to four months of control when applied at the appropriate rate.
Summer Lawn Care Maintenance Schedule
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During the hot, humid summer months, you don’t want to overdo it. Reduce your lawn effort by mowing and watering just when necessary, and applying fertilizer only once.
- Early summer is an excellent time to eradicate broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, clover, and creeping charlie. Spray treatments are superior than granular solutions since they target primarily weeds. Weed-and-feed treatments (granular fertilizer laced with a broadleaf herbicide) are frequent, but not nearly as successful as spraying.
- In the late spring and early summer, grass grows quickly. Instead of every Saturday, you may need to mow your grass every four or five days. This will prevent clusters of clippings from being bagged or raked up later.
- If you want to apply fertilizer in the early to mid-summer months, seek for an organic-based fertilizer that contains meal remnants like bone meal, feather meal, blood meal, and so on. They’re safe to use in hot weather, when many synthetic fertilizers, owing to their high salt content, might burn your grass.
- In late summer or early autumn, larvae of Japanese beetles and other big insects may severely destroy lawns. Apply a grub control preventive in early summer, before the eggs develop into grub larvae. It is also critical to water grub control pesticides into the soil once they have been applied.
- Water your yard regularly, paying special attention to rains. Mother Nature will dump an inch of rain on your grass every few weeks. Be thankful. You don’t have to water your grass that week. When it’s hot, windy, and dry, you may need to water twice a week. The last thing you want to do is get trapped on the odd/even watering regulation that most towns attempt to enforce. You’re squandering water and maybe causing more damage to your grass than good.
Fall Lawn Care Maintenance Schedule
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The optimal periods to undertake practically any lawn care maintenance are late summer and early autumn.
- Core aerate your lawn to minimize compaction, control thatch growth, and offer a pathway for fertilizer, water, and grass seed to permeate the soil. That’s where they should be. You may core aerate your grass in the spring or early summer, but avoid hot, dry days. You can never overaerate your grass!
- This is also the perfect time of year to reseed any thin spots or grass damage from the summer. Because soil temperatures are still warm, seeds germinate quickly and seedlings establish quickly. These temps are better for quick, stress-free grass establishment. It is recommended to complete your seeding operations before October 1. If you need to lay sod, you may do so almost any time of year, even until early November.
- Early autumn is also the perfect time to apply your last fertilizer treatment. This is a critical feeding since it replenishes the grass plant’s gas tank right before it enters winter hibernation. It helps your grass enter the chilly winter months in good condition, ready to bounce back in the spring for another year of backyard fun.
- Finally, apply another application of gypsum just before the ground freezes in locations where you expect salt and ice-melter damage over the winter. You’ll be able to start repairing salt damage before the snow melts next spring.
Winter Lawn Care Maintenance Schedule
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During the winter, there isn’t much to do. The ground is most certainly frozen, and your grass is likely “hibernating” behind a thick layer of insulating snow. But you can prepare for the day when the last of the snow melts and your grass starts to green up.
- Prepare your lawn mower for another year of hard labor by tuning it up. A tune-up now, before the spring rush, will ensure that your gas-powered lawnmower starts on the first pull.
- Sharpen the lawnmower blade. Last season, it took a battering, and a sharp blade can help maintain your grass looking its best.
- Check that the remainder of your lawn equipment, such as trimmers, edgers, and leaf blowers, is in good working order. Check the rechargeable batteries, replace the spark plugs, and replace the gas and oil filters as needed.
- Do some research. There are several excellent resources available for adopting a more ecologically friendly approach to lawn maintenance. As a starting point, contact your local lawn and garden extension agency. They will provide honest, unbiased information about your location. During the winter, certain cities and local universities may provide lawn care lessons.