Lawn Care Basics by Season

A healthy lawn is mostly about mowing height, water, and timing — fertilizer and weed products are fine-tuning on top of those.

The golden rules

• Mow high. Set the blade to 3–4 inches. Taller grass shades out weeds and grows deeper roots.
• Never cut more than 1/3 of the blade at once. Scalping stresses the lawn and invites weeds.
• Keep the blade sharp. A dull blade tears grass and opens it to disease.

Watering

• Deep and infrequent beats shallow and daily. Aim for 1 inch per week, in 1–2 sessions.
• Water early morning (5–9 am) to reduce evaporation and disease.
• Skip watering if it rained — overwatering causes fungus and shallow roots.

Cool-season grasses

• Spring: light fertilizer, pre-emergent crabgrass preventer when soil hits 55°F.
• Late spring: spot-treat broadleaf weeds; mow as growth peaks.
• Late summer/early fall: the most important feeding — overseed thin areas, fertilize, top-dress.
• Late fall: final mow at normal height; winterizer fertilizer while grass is still green.

Warm-season grasses

• Green up in spring, peak in summer, dormant in fall/winter.
• Fertilize late spring through summer; don't fertilize during dormancy.

Common mistakes

• Mowing too short
• Watering every day for 10 minutes
• Bagging clippings (leave them — they return nitrogen)

When to call a pro

Persistent dead patches, grub damage, or a lawn that won't green up despite good watering may need a soil test and a treatment plan from a local extension service or lawn care company.