Yard calendar
What to do in your yard each season. Timing shifts with your climate: in the Deep South spring starts weeks earlier than in Minnesota, so watch the weather and your grass, not just the date.
Warm-season lawns: Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede, bahia
Spring
- Service the mower and sharpen the blade
- Crabgrass pre-emergent before soil reaches about 55°F (optional)
- Wait for full green-up before feeding
- Start mowing at your grass's height
- Repair bare spots with seed, sod or plugs in late spring
Summer
- Mow regularly; growth is fastest now
- Feed while actively growing, per soil test and local guidance
- Water deeply, early morning
- Aerate in early summer if compacted
- Watch St. Augustine for chinch bugs
Fall
- Last feeding by early fall
- Check for grubs in early fall
- Keep mowing until dormancy
- Clear leaves so they don't smother grass
- Optional: overseed Bermuda with ryegrass for winter color
Winter
- Stay off dormant or frosty grass
- Winterize irrigation where it freezes
- Service the mower and sharpen the blade
- Spot-pull winter weeds
- Plan spring repairs
Track the Yard Year checklistPrint the Seasonal Yard Checklist