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Lawn Care Schedule

This lawn care calendar will show you how to maintain your lawn each month of the year.

Lawn Care Schedule

Once you decide to start really caring for your lawn, you are sure to be rewarded with grass that is lush, green, and the envy of the neighborhood.

But even if you are a garden DIY expert, it can be hard to know where to begin with your lawn.

Great lawn maintenance is a year-round process. It's important to fertilize, seed, and water your lawn at the right times of year. And these steps can differ depending on the type of grass you are growing and the climate that you live in.

Luckily, we've broken everything down for you, step-by-step. You can find out which tasks to handle in each month of the year, and we have separate schedules depending on your growing area.

This is your complete guide to making a lawn care schedule!

Lawn Care Schedule for Cool Weather Grass

If you live in the northern part of the United States--basically anywhere that has a winter--then you probably have cool climate grass on your lawn.

Some areas in the middle of the country, such as Kansas, Tennessee, or parts of California are in what's called the "transition zone," where it's possible to grow a blend of cool and warm season grasses. These areas usually have more success growing cool weather grass.

You can learn more about the best type of grass for your lawn here. 

Grass

January/February
-Avoid getting de-icing salts on your grass, as they can damage the plants.

-Once the soil thaws - Flush areas where salt, pets, or other factors may have damaged your lawn.
-Once the soil thaws - Test your soil, if desired. You can get a pH testing kit at your local garden supply store, if you don't care to send the sample to a lab for a more complete analysis.
-Once the soil thaws - Identify any spots where puddles are forming. These areas may need to be aerated or filled in.

March
-Rake up all of the dead grass and debris from the winter (this is called "dethatching.")
-Apply pre-emergent herbicides if you want to prevent crabgrass. Note that if you use a herbicide in the spring, it's best to wait until fall to do any seeding.

Lawn with golden retriever

April
-Repair any bare spots by treating them, filling them in, and/or seeding them.
-Seed your lawn, if you plan to do so.
-Start mowing. You can cut your grass a little shorter than you will later in the season, at about 3."

May
-Fertilize your lawn according to the soil samples you got earlier in the season.
-Spot treat stubborn weeds by pulling them or using post-emergent herbicides.

June/July
-Mow your lawn at the recommended height for your grass, around 3.5."
-Water your lawn if you receive less than 1" of rain per week.
-Treat for grubs and other pests.
 

Grass Mowing Heights

August/September
-Aerate your lawn.
-Seed your lawn. If you have bare patches, overseeding can help bring the grass back quickly. Be sure to keep the newly seeded areas moist to encourage germination.
-Fertilize your lawn in September.
-Treat weeds with spot treatment or a "weed-and-feed" application to your entire lawn.

October/November
-Rake leaves.
-Fertilize your lawn again, if desired.
-Your final mowing, after a few frosts, should be lower than normal--about 2." This will reduce risks of snow mold.

Lawn Care Schedule for Warm Weather Grass

If you live in the Southern U.S., your lawn care needs will be different than those of your northern neighhbors. The growing season is different for warm weather grass, and the plants themselves have different needs. Here's a lawn care schedule for warm weather grass.

March
-Take your annual soil sample.
-Apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent crabgrass.
-Mow your grass at the recommended mowing height.

April
-Aerate the ground, especially if you have lots of clay in your soil.
-Repair any bare spots by treating them, filling them in, and/or seeding them.
-Seed your lawn, if you plan to do so.
-Mow your grass at the recommended mowing height.

Warm and Cold Season Grass Varieties

May
-Fertilize your lawn according to the results of the soil sample taken earlier in the year.
-Lawn should receive about 1" of water per week. Water if you do not get this much rainfall.

June-July
-Fertilize every 6-8 weeks to keep grass healthy.
-Water your lawn if you receive less than 1" of rain per week.
-In July, raise your mowing height to 1" or so above the recommended mowing height in order to promote healthier grass.
-Treat for grubs and other pests, if necessary.

August/September
-Fertilize lawn about 6-8 weeks before the predicted date for the first frost.
-Continue mowing and watering, reducing watering as rains increase.

October
-Continue mowing grass until it stops growing. Cut grass shorter when you mow for the last time of the season.

Fall Lawn
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