There is almost nothing as freshly invigorating as a freshly mowed lawn, it has a way of bringing lushness and freshness that everyone around can admire. For a home, a well-maintained lawn adds value, just as a badly maintained lawn can drastically depreciate the overall monetary value. We’ve put together some lawn care tips for all seasons to help you have a beautiful lawn all year.
Lawn care is not easy, it is a lot of work. The consolation, however, is that it is work that can be seen and admired by all. If you ask a lawn professional for lawn care tips and maintenance for all seasons, you will learn that timing is very important. Some things need to be done at particular times or the task of lawn care itself will become either impossible or too hard. Lawn care professionals know how to time their work in a way to complements the natural growth cycles of the grasses on the lawn. So, it is pretty much a partnership work with nature. Your local lawn care, like https://www.lawncare.net/service-areas/florida/, if you live in Florida, know about the needed care of your type of lawn grass.
Lawn Care Tips for All Seasons
Spring Lawn Care Tips
This is when cool-season grasses are spurred on. The Kentucky bluegrass and the tall fescue thrive naturally in the spring. This is also when grasses like the Bermuda grass or Zoysia are just juggling out of the sleep of winter. The experts suggest staying on top of your lawn needs in spring by doing the following:
- It’s time to mow. Get the mower serviced and ready to run because the grasses will start growing and you have got to be ready to mow them. The first time the grasses grow out; mow them a little shorter than the recommended heights. Make sure you bag the mow clippings to keep the lawn neat and to prevent winter-related fungal diseases.
- Kill the weeds before they emerge. Use pre-emergent herbicides, which help to make the soil non-conducive for weeds to grow. The moment the soil temperatures reach 55 degrees Fahrenheit, then it’s time to apply the herbicides.
- Fix bad lawn spots. Those spots that have been damaged and made bare by your pets, rodents, and snow have to be fixed. Get new grass seeds and have them planted in those spots. Choose seeds fertilized so that they can grow fast to fill up space.
- Get the grasses all to the same level with premium lawn foods to help them look healthy and green.’
- For warm-season lawns, aerate and dethatch in late spring and early summer as they approach their peak growth times. Aerating and dethatching will help the grasses relieve compacting and help water penetration which brings about enhanced root growth. This will all together make the grasses strong and healthy.
Summer Lawn Care Tips
During summer, the lower volumes of rainfall and higher temperatures will bring a slowdown in the growth of cool-season grasses, with some going completely dormant during extreme heat. On the other hand, the warm season grasses thrive during this period, enjoying their peak growth time. Follow these summer lawn care tips:
- Water the grasses according to the weather. You can use the help of a water rate calculator to calculate how much water is required. You do not want to waste too much water as some grasses do not need too much water to stay green for weeks.
- Take Care of turf pests while you can. Spot out the newly hatched grubs while they are still small, close to the surface, and silently feeding on your grassroots. If you don’t take care of these, your lawn is going to be hurt. Proper treatment with the right pesticide will stop the damage and prevent other pests from coming to the party.
- Check the pH of Your Lawn Soil. Once in a while, you need to check the pH of your lawn soil to be sure of what your lawn needs. A pro tip is to test problem areas differently from areas that are doing well. You can compare the results to know what the problem is and what is to be done by the time fall comes.
- Raise the height of mowing. About this time, raise the mowing height to about 1 to 11/2 inches higher than what you had before. This is to help shade the grassroots from the excessive heat from the sun and thereby reduce evaporation while also encouraging deeper root growth.
- Add fertilizer to warm-season grasses. This is the time of active growth for warm-season grasses so their growth should be maximized. Every 4 to 8 weeks, add some fertilizer to the lawn. Make sure to plan the final fertilization at least 6 to 8 weeks before you expect frost.
Fall Lawn Care Tips
So it is fall and it comes with the cooler temperatures. This is when autumn leaves fall and the cool season lawn grasses thrive. It is when the warm season grasses slow down and probably grind to a halt. You need to help your lawn prepare for the winter that’s coming and the next spring with the following fall lawn care tips.
- Seed and overseed cool-season lawns. This will help your lawn thicken, strengthen, and renovate. There is no better time to fill up the spots on your lawn with new grasses. Fall is the ideal time for germination and establishment of cool-season grasses.
- Over-seed warm-season lawns. Your warm-season grasses are turning brown and about to go dormant. It is time to oversee them. You can add the cool-season ryegrass which can add a temporary green through the winter, to cover for the warm-season grasses that are already growing brown.
- Feed the cool-season lawns. Since it is the cool season, it is time to feed the cool-season grasses on your lawn with fertilizer. Do this in early fall and at least 6 weeks before you expect frost.
- Fix your soil pH. Do proper testing of your soil pH and carry out proper amendments. If your soil is too acidic, you can add lime to restore the pH balance. You can also use Gypsum to help loosen the heavy clay soil while enhancing root growth.
- Lower the mowing height. Remember, you had to raise the mowing heights in summer, now it is time to bring it lower once again to the normal height since temperatures are cooler now. Keep the blades low until the grass stops growing. Do one final mow just before winter sets in.
- Get your cool-season lawn aerated and detached. The reason is simple; peak growth always translates to quick recovery and quick renovation of the lawn.
- Get rid of fallen leaves. You don’t want the smell of decayed, fallen leaves to mess up your lawn so get rid of them. Also, doing this will get your grasses plenty of sun and air to breathe.
Winter Lawn Care Tips
This is the season when northern lawns are covered in snow and the warm season grasses are completely brown and dormant. Southern lawns that are over-seeded with cool-season grasses will need a lot of maintenance around this time. Use the following winter lawn care tips to prepare for the next spring.
- Get your mower and other lawn tools sharpened and cleaned. You are getting ready for spring now. You don’t want spring to creep up on you unawares. Properly sharpened mowers and turf tools prevent damage to the grass and make the garden tasks easier and faster.
- Water, mow, and fertilize overseeded southern lawns. They need the water now because of the dry winter air. Mow them when needed and keep them in shape regularly.
- Check soil pH. If there are trouble areas, check soil pH to know what the problem is, if the soil is dry or thawed.
- Eliminate winter weeds. Use targeted weed treatment to eliminate and spot-treat winter weeds. You will see them, winter weeds usually stand out against warm-season grasses.
- Keep the stones and debris out of your lawn.
- Keep looking for ways to improve your lawn care knowledge.
The secret to having a beautiful lawn is in timing the lawn care tasks. Proper timing will ensure that you are not caught unaware and will help bring your lawn to that thick and healthy potential, adding color to your home’s landscape and giving value to your estate. We hope these lawn care tips for all seasons were a help to you.
