12 Month Tips for Lawn Care

January and February

• Fertilize ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass in zones 8 and higher. Monitor for insects and grubs, especially if recent weather has been warm and humid. If you discover an infestation, use a light herbicide and avoid applications near flowerbeds and ornamental plantings on the lawn. (Keep watching football or shoveling the snow if you live in zone 7 or below.)

March and April

• Mowing starts for real at this time in zones 8 and higher. Keep St. Augustine to 3 inches tall, Bermuda at 1.5 inches, zoysia at 2 inches, and Buffalo at 5 inches. Aerate to avoid compaction and top dress with mulch to distribute organic matter to the grass root systems. After all signs of frost have past, apply a 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 fertilizer. Apply a pre-emergent herbicide or a "weed and feed" starting in mid-March.

May and June

• Zones 7 and lower begin the same care suggestions for mowing, fertilizing, weeding and watering used by those in higher zones during March and April. Zones 8 and above should be extra weed conscious at this time and apply a post-emergent, if needed, to control crabgrass and other weeds; and inspect for brown patches or yellow streaks--which is sign of moths, grubs and cinch bugs. Apply an insecticide at the first sign of infestation to avoid turf damage.

July and August

• Pull weeds during the hot weather of July and August in zones 8 and higher, versus using an insecticide. The heat will just burn the spray and the lawn. Consider plugging or seeding with Bahia as an alternative or contacting your local cooperative extension for an inspection or recommendations. Inspect mower blades and keep them sharp to avoid shredding the lawn and opening opportunities for fungus and disease. Zones 7 and lower should follow the May-June instructions for zones 8 and higher.

September and October

• Inspect the turf condition. Patch bare spots with new sod. Convert fall leaves from trees into turf mulch--or bag and burn if the tree and leaves show signs of disease. Start winterizing the turf in zones 7 and lower. Give fescue and centipede grass a head start with a winterizer application in zones 8 and above. Wait until November for warm grasses, such as Bermuda and zoysia. Conduct a soil test to check the pH soil condition and see if the soil needs amendments.

November and December

• Give turf a last, but moderate fertilization in zones 8 and higher. Check the soil moisture depth and give the lawn a good watering to allow the turf to overwinter with moist soil that will stimulate a strong root system. Those in zones 7 and lower can take a break for a while. However, the lawn care calendar continues for those in zones 8 and higher--where lawn care never really takes a vacation.