Lawn Care 101: Weed Control, Fertilizing, Aerating, Watering, and Mowing

Treating Broadleaf Weeds

Dandelions, clover, dollarweed, and other broadleaf weeds invade fast and spread relentlessly.

Right Time: Treat actively growing weeds; apply granular products on a dewy morning.

Why Timing Matters: Granules must stick to weed leaves to work — heavy dew provides that moisture. Without it, you waste time and money. Spring and fall (moderate temps, ample moisture) are ideal. Hot, dry summer spells yield poor results.

Using Weed Preventers

Pre-emergent herbicides stop crabgrass and other weeds by preventing seed germination. Early-season application is like vaccinating your lawn.

Right Time: Apply when forsythia blooms drop.

Why Timing Matters: Preventers don't work on existing weeds. Crabgrass germinates right after forsythia blooms, so that's your cue. Water after application to activate.

Reseeding? Cool-season grasses: fall. Warm-season: late spring. But never apply crabgrass preventer when seeding — it stops grass seedlings too.

Fertilizing

Fertilizer feeds your lawn. More feeding (to a point) means more growth, but timing is critical.

Right Time: North: fall and spring. South: spring and summer.

Why Timing Matters: Feed when grass is actively growing. Cool-season grasses (bluegrass, fescues, ryegrass) grow in spring and fall. Warm-season (zoysia, bermuda, St. Augustine) peak in late spring and summer. Late fall feeding (Oct–Nov) for cool-season grasses yields earlier spring green-up — possibly the most beneficial feeding. Never fertilize dormant grass (winter or summer drought).

Aerating

Aerating loosens soil and reduces thatch.

Right Time: When soil is moist and grass is actively growing.

Why Timing Matters: Dry, hard soil prevents deep penetration. Water first or wait for rain. Spring and fall are ideal for cool-season grasses; summer works for well-watered lawns. Grub damage appears in fall but is hard to control then — treat early next summer with season-long products.

Watering

Most lawns need occasional irrigation to stay green in summer dry spells.

Right Time: Early morning.

Why Timing Matters: Morning sun dries grass, reducing disease risk. Night watering encourages disease; afternoon loses water to evaporation. Water deeply once or twice weekly (several inches down) to encourage deep roots and drought tolerance.

Mowing

Mowing height and frequency significantly affect lawn health and appearance.

Right Time: As needed — follow the one-third rule.

Why Timing Matters: Weekend-only mowing forces a 7-day schedule. Spring growth may need cutting every 4–5 days. Longer intervals stress grass. Mow often enough to never remove more than one-third of blade height. Example: at 2-inch setting, mow before grass exceeds 3 inches.

Should You Seed, Sod, or Both?

Should You Seed, Sod or Both?