Have a Year Round Successful Lawn Care Schedule

In the spring as the weather begins to warm and it is so enjoyable to be outdoors, it is easy to give our lawns the attention they need. It is a pleasure to see the blades of grass begin to turn green, and it is no sacrifice to spend our free time outdoors doing what we think we can for our yards. In actuality, spring is not the only time we should give our lawns attention. All the seasons of the year have particular tasks that can enhance the beauty of our lawns, and a year round lawn care schedule is in our own best interests. 

It may come as no surprise that the winter months do give us a certain amount of rest from yard chores. There is no need to fertilize or be out on the lawn mowing it every weekend. The winter months are the best times to pay attention to maintenance of our equipment, such as the lawn mower, before we get too busy in the spring and summer. Winter time is a superb opportunity to walk around the yard to take note of the places that will need some extra attention such as re-seeding barer patches. 

Without a doubt when we live in a climate where the ground is frozen much of the winter our primary goal may be to prepare for spring by reducing freeze damage to our grass. Avoid, if possible, walking on a frozen lawn or using equipment on it. This will prevent breaking the tender blades of grass before they can come out of dormancy in the spring. If, on the other hand, we live in a warmer climate, we should continue to mow when it becomes necessary, regardless of the date, to clean up fallen leaves and get air between the blades of grass. Get air into the soil is also desirable by “aeration” or using equipment intended for that purpose or walking around the yard with spiked shoes in the late fall or when the soil is not frozen. Aeration helps water to get to the roots and makes the soil softer in which the roots of the grass can expand. 

There is a season to take in hand those things we do not want to get out of hand, namely, weeds. We are talking about late winter and early spring. This is the time to use a pre-emergent weed killer as well as some early spring fertilizer. By suppressing weeds and fertilizing we are give our lawn an advantage of healthy growth coupled with a lack of obstruction from the weeds. The late winter and early spring season is also excellent for raking up detritus that has settled on the soil. The action of raking also has an aerating effect. 

It is common knowledge that the spring and summer schedule for yard care is mostly concerned with relentless mowing to discourage weed growth and keep the grass at a desirable height. In the autumn it is time for a post emergent to cut down on weeds in the fall months. When we have a schedule for the care and upkeep of our lawn, season by season, we can get much better results for our efforts. It can reduce the work during the busier months and our lawn will stay healthier all the year round.