If you want to have the best lawn possible any lawn care business professional will tell you that there are things you need to do year round. It’s tempting to think you only need to care about your lawn when the weather is warm and the lawn is growing like crazy. It’s true there is usually more to do in the warm summer months but lawn care has some specific seasonal goals too.
Knowing what to do for your yard during each season of the year will result in a lawn that looks and feels better when it matters the most. If you want a great lawn all summer long you will have to put in a little extra effort in the seasons and months leading up to that point of the year. It’s okay if you haven’t taken care of your lawn year round before, but now is a great time to start.
If you aren’t sure what you need to be doing for your lawn in the “off months” then you’re not alone. The great news is there are a lot of lawn care business pros that have some great tips on what to do for your lawn and when to do it. Since this is what they do all the time, they really do know what they’re talking about. Here are some pro lawn care tips for every season of the year.
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1. Limit Winter Lawn Traffic
You might not have to do as much to actively care for your lawn in the winter months. The ground is frozen in most areas (unless you live in a very warm climate) and often is covered with snow. What you need to do instead is limit the activity happening on your lawn. Grass is very vulnerable when it’s dormant during the colder winter months.
Limit the amount of foot traffic and heavy use of your lawn. Make sure you’re protecting the grass when it’s fragile. That means no parking on the lawn, avoiding walking on the lawn as much as possible, and encouraging your guests to do the same. You’ll be much happier with the condition of your yard when spring comes if you use this winter lawn care tip.
2. Fertilize At The Right Time
Spring is when your yard is waking up and that is a crucial time in your lawn care routine. You’ll need to fertilize your grass at the right time to make sure it’s absorbing the maximum amount of nutrients possible. For most areas, this means mid to late spring is when you should be fertilizing your yard. By this time the ground is fully thawed and starting to actively grow.
If you live in an area that had a particularly harsh winter you might want to wait until late spring before fertilzing. If you fertilize too soon the ground won’t be fully thawed and the lawn won’t get the best possible results from your efforts to fertilize. Mid-spring might be great most years but if it’s been extra cold this past winter, give your lawn a little extra time.
3. Early Spring? Get Your Mower Ready
Your lawn mower needs some tuning up after sitting in storage all winter. Early spring is the best time to make sure it will be ready for the warm weather ahead. This is the time to make sure your mower blades are sharp, double-check the height setting, and even make sure you have fresh gas for the mower.
If you notice something needs to be repaired it’s better to take care of that before you really need to rely on your mower for the year. Early spring maintenance checks can ensure you have time to fix any possible issues before they inconvenience your lawn care plans too much. Give your mower a good going over every year when the spring weather is just starting to blossom.
4. Keep Your Lawn Debris Free In The Fall
Raking really does make a difference to the health of your lawn. You’ll want to make sure you’re giving special attention to keeping your yard debris free when the fall weather starts to hit. Your lawn is already starting to go into hibernation mode, and the ground will soon be frozen. Letting leaves sit on a yard and build up will cause issues for you when warmer weather does come back around.
Stay on top of the raking doing it for shorter periods of time on a more frequent schedule. It might not feel important to do when there isn’t much on your lawn, but raking before you have bags of leaves to deal with is much easier. It also lets you get to any dead grass that might be loose and able to come up before the snow falls.
5. Don’t Mow Too Short In The Summer
You should only aim to remove the top third of the blades when you’re mowing your lawn in the summer. Lawns that are cut too short won’t stand up well to the heat and bright sunlight. You’ll be looking at a lawn that is prone to dry spots and pests if you over-mow and continue to keep your lawn too short all season.
The only time you want to mow your lawn that short is the last time you mow your lawn before putting the mower away at the end of summer or early fall. Otherwise, leaving your grass longer will give your lawn a better chance to look and feel plusher. It will also let your lawn have a better chance of avoiding pests like grubs which can really ruin things for your yard that year.
Conclusion:
Just because it isn’t summer doesn’t mean there aren’t things you need to do for your lawn. Taking the tips you’ve read here and incorporating them into a year round lawn care plan will really make a huge difference. If you want your yard to look fabulous all summer long adopting a plan that considers all seasons is the best idea. It’s a little extra work to be sure, but the results will be something you’re proud to show off.
