Seasonal Lawn Maintenance Tips
Discover how year-round lawn care can benefit your yard
If you live in a region that experiences all four seasons, you may think lawn care is something you only have to worry about in the summer. But, lawn care is a year-round job even in the face of snow, falling leaves and spring thaw. With these helpful lawn care tips, your lawn will look its best where it's winter, spring, summer or fall.
Seasonal Lawn Care Tips for the Winter
The key to seasonal lawn care in the winter is to prevent breakage and damage to delicate or dormant plants, trees, shrubs and grass. First, shovel walkways in a manner that keeps visitors off your lawn, keeping grass blades from flattening or breaking. Brushing snow off trees and shrub branches will also prevent breakage. If needed, winter is also a good time to trim branches. When the tree limbs are dormant, the plant will sustain less damage than when in full bloom. Another seasonal lawn care tip: think ahead. Get a head start on spring lawn care by ordering seeds as winter comes to a close.
Seasonal Lawn Care Tips for the Spring
In the spring, start treating your lawn as soon as the snow melts. Remove debris that accumulated during the winter, like leaves, sticks and twigs. And if your lawn was damaged from snow blowing, plowing or shoveling, replace the divots or lay down new seed. If year round lawn care is your goal, this is a great time to apply fertilizer or herbicides to grass. However, you cannot do both at the same time as herbicides will restrict grass growth. Be sure to water regularly to bring your grass back to life.
Get your equipment ready! Before you know it, your lawn will be ready to mow. Prepare your walk-behind or riding lawn mower and other equipment with basic maintenance. If you find your walk-behind mower or riding lawn mower isn't working properly, you will have time to buy new lawn mower parts and perform repairs.
Seasonal Lawn Care Tips for the Summer
During the summer months, seasonal lawn care should focus on cutting the grass and regularly watering it. The key to a lush and healthy lawn when the temperature is high is to keep the grass a little long. Do not cut your lawn to less than two inches in height. When grass is cut too short in the summer months, it is more likely to dry out and become damaged because the blades can't shade the soil and roots from the sun. Water your lawn with either a sprinkler or seep hose, but be sure to move the sprinkler or hose every half hour to ensure even watering. Also, for seasonal lawn care in the summer, it's best to water early in the morning or in the evening when it's cooler; this prevents scorching your grass when the sun it at its hottest.
Seasonal Lawn Care Tips for the Fall
In anticipation of the dormant season, fertilize the lawn one more time. Boosting nutrients before the winter months is a great way to promote year-round lawn care and will help your lawn stay healthy and come back quicker in the spring. Another good lawn seasonal lawn care tip for the fall is to mow your grass a little shorter than normal. The shorter grass will not get as damaged by snow in the upcoming winter months. Also, don't forget to clean your yard by raking leaves, removing debris, storing garden lights and emptying flower pots.
The fall is also a good time for new grass seeds, so spend some time re-seeding any dead areas. Don't worry; in the fall birds have migrated away and won't be able to pick at the new seed which will be ready to sprout in the spring.
Proper Lawn Care 365 Days A Year
Your yard has the best chance of looking its greenest and fullest when you implement seasonal lawn care year-round. With your tools, outdoor power equipment and riding lawn mower properly maintained, year-round lawn care becomes a lot easier. Inspect your machines on a regular basis as part of your seasonal lawn care, so you can replace worn or aging parts and get back to your landscaping.
