Lawn Maintenance Schedule

A Quick Find Seasonal Summary

Our seasonally divided lawn maintenance schedule provides a one page overview reminder of when to do what to your lawn.

Early Spring Lawn Care
April to Early May

• Avoid working on a soggy lawn, as this compacts the soil.
• Pick up any fallen tree branches and remove stones from the lawn.
• Rake your lawn gently to remove winter debris and dead grass.
• Top dress with compost and overseed areas with winterkill.
• Sharpen the lawn mower blades and raise the mower height to 3".
• Take soil samples for testing.
• Apply corn gluten to suppress seed germination of lawn weeds. As corn gluten will also prevent grass seed from germinating, avoid spreading it on the already over seeded repair spots.
• Hand pull young, emerging dandelions.
  

Spring Lawn Care
May to June

• Aerate your lawn if necessary, top dress with compost and overseed with a good quality grass seed mix. If you've applied corn gluten earlier, wait at least four to six weeks before lawn overseeding.
• Check for signs of insect problems, such as sunken bare spots or evidence of skunks digging.
• Treat for grubs with nematodes, but only after the ground temperature has warmed to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Fertilization with a good quality starter fertilizer to encourage strong root development. Always choose a slow release product that stays on the lawn for longer feeding.

Summer Lawn Care
July and August

• Cut lawn as necessary, always mowing at a height of at least 3", higher during drought condtions. Cross cut in the opposite direction each time.
• During hot, dry spells, allow grass to go dormant if water conservation is necessary. It will go brown, but will not have permanent damage. If you can water, water less often but deeply.

• Top dress with compost and overseed damaged or thin areas.
• Dethatch if necessary before applying compost and overseeding.
• Watch for signs of grubs, and apply nematodes if needed.
• Fertilize.

• Rake up leaves or run the mower over them to chop them finely.
• Cut grass one last time to 2" to prevent mould damage over the winter.
• Fertilize six to eight weeks after last fertilization.

• Use sand or kitty litter on pathways, avoiding salt.

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