What kind of grass do you have?
Generally speaking, warm-season grasses prefer the heat of southern climates and some areas of the transitional zone. They grow the most during the summer when temperatures are between 80–95ºF. They are able to maintain their green color until temps hold above 100 degrees. Because they like the warmth so much, they will go dormant when temperatures hold below 50ºF for extended periods of time and are susceptible to winter kill.
Here’s a map to help you figure out your grass type. If you live in the transitional zone or the north, you may need a cool-season lawn care calendar.
Sunday Tip:
Curious about what species of grass you have in your lawn? Check out this handy grass identification guide.
Spring
March
The first day of spring is just weeks away! March is a great time to start prepping for warmer temps—and helping your warm-season grass hit the ground running out of dormancy. This month, audit your irrigation system, clear debris from your lawn, and prep for your first mow.
Sunday Tip:
If you winter overseeded with a cool-season grass, then you should keep up with regular mowing and irrigation until late spring. Some of the following tips about coming out of dormancy won’t apply to you!
Clear debris and watch for greenup
Now is a great time to remove sticks, stones, toys, and other litter or debris from your lawn. This is important because it clears the way for mowing, and it also uncovers the first signs of greenup!
Prep for your first (spring) mow
It's time to start poking around in the shed again! Tick lawn equipment and mower maintenance off your to-do list, starting with sharpening your mower blades. Dull blades use 20 percent more fuel and increase water loss by 15 percent.
Audit your irrigation system
Run your irrigation system through a spring sprinkler check to make sure your valve boxes, drains, and spigots are all functioning properly.
Irrigate as needed
As soon as your grass starts growing again, you can start irrigating! Keep an eye on your local forecast—if rain is predicted, you can skip watering. When you do water, it’s ideal to get ½ inch of water per 30-minute session. You can try a DIY water gauge to make sure you're watering the right amount across your lawn.
Watch for spring frost
Depending on your location, you may not be fully out of the woods when it comes to winter weather. If you get a spring frost, stay off your grass until the frost melts, and don’t fertilize during this time.
Common issues or diseases to look out for
Learn how to identify and get rid of large patch, which can take hold in bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, and centipedegrass in March; you may also see spring dead spot in bermudagrass. As far as pests are concerned, you may begin to see jumping worms.
April
At this point in the year, your grass is probably ready to get growing! You can apply your first round of Sunday fertilizer, and feed your soil even more by grasscycling each time you mow.
Apply your fertilizer at the right time
Wait until your lawn is at least 60 percent greened up to apply your Sunday fertilizer. You'll know it's the right time when the days start to get longer and daily temperatures consistently range from 60–69º Fahrenheit.
Mow as needed
Now is a great time to adjust your mowing height if necessary. This useful mowing height chart can help you match your mower settings to the type of grass you're growing.
Grasscycle your clippings
Did you know you can reduce yard waste and provide free nutrients to your soil? It’s called grasscycling, and it essentially means to leave your clippings where they fall after mowing. Over time, as the clippings decompose they’ll recycle those nutrients back into your soil. Easy and efficient!
Irrigate as needed
Continue to irrigate as needed and avoid supplemental watering if rain is in the forecast. The sweet spot for watering is between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., because it reduces the risk of disease and reduces waste due to evaporation. If you can’t water in the morning, evenings are your second best option.
Common issues you may run into
As your lawn begins to really wake up, so do pesky weeds and pests like jumping worms. Keep an eye out for spring weeds and pull or spot treat them as needed—but remember, not all weeds are bad. You might encounter large patch or dollar spot, and if you have bermudagrass, be on the lookout for pythium root rot and spring dead spot as well.
May
Flowers are blooming and pollinators are buzzing, which means it's time to really start enjoying what your little plot of land has to offer. Now is a great time to consider overseeding. You should also keep an eye out for signs of drought stress, and adjust your irrigation accordingly.
Sunday Tip:
Interested in supporting early-season pollinators? Consider trying out “Mow Less May.” Inspired by the No Mow May initiative, mowing less in May helps early season pollinators and insects by providing more habitat and potentially, more flowering plants in the lawn.
Grasscycle your clippings
Continue to grasscycle each time you mow, remembering to cut only ⅓ of the length at a time and mowing only when grass is totally dry. Your soil will thank you.
Say good-bye to winter grass
If you overseeded with cool-season grass, now is the time to start letting it die back. You can encourage your regular warm-season grass to take over again by mowing short and reducing irrigation.
Overseed if you have bermudagrass
While most warm-season grasses grow best from sod or plugs, bermudagrass can grow from seed. Overseeding in spring—that is, spreading a thin layer of seed over existing grass—is a great way to thicken up your lawn. Do this when daily average temps are between 70–90º F.
Keep an eye on the rising mercury
In many parts of the south, temperatures can creep into the 90s already, so as you water, be mindful of local restrictions and take advantage of natural irrigation whenever you can. Be sure to properly water your lawn based on conditions in your area.
Common issues you may encounter
You may begin to notice weeds popping up, including annual crabgrass or perennial dallisgrass. You can pull these by hand as they appear, or spot treat them with Sunday herbicides. Continue to watch for signs of large patch, dollar spot, pythium root rot, and spring dead spot. Jumping worms may still be around, while ants and fire ants may begin to appear.
Summer
June
Summer is weeks away, which means it’s time for your warm-season grass to shine! It's also a good time to implement Integrated Pest Management to deal with unwanted bugs and insects in your yard.
Fill in bare spots and thicken your lawn
Lawn looking a little patchy? Late spring and early summer are great times to propagate warm-season grasses. While some varieties like centipedegrass, bahiagrass, buffalograss, zoysiagrass, and bermudagrass can be seeded, many grow best with sod, springs, or plugs.
Monitor irrigation and drought conditions
Check that you’re not making any of these common watering mistakes. Fix leaks as soon as you notice them and make sure to repair any broken parts in a timely manner. Keep an eye on the forecast, too—if rain is on the way, keep your system or hose off. Be mindful of local water restrictions, and train your lawn to use less water if drought is a concern.
Aerate and dethatch, if necessary
Not all lawns require aeration, though it can be extremely beneficial for clay-heavy soils and high-traffic areas. If you’re going to core aerate, you want temps to be about 80–95º for several weeks afterwards. In terms of thatch, a little bit is OK, but it’s a good idea to remove excess.
Grasscycle to feed your soil
Grasscycling is a simple way to return nutrients to your grass—and it’s free! When you mow, just remove the mower bag and let the grass cuttings cover your lawn. While you’re at, take care of a little summer mower maintenance.
Common issues you may encounter
Pests lurking in your yard this time of year include jumping worms, ants, fire ants, and chinch bugs. You'll also find flowering summer annual weeds, which you can pull by hand as you spot them. Keep an eye out for diseases including dollar spot, pythium foliar blight, large patch (bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, centipedegrass), and if you grow bermudagrass, more pythium root rot.
July–August
Summer is reaching its peak now. That means drought stress could really set in, but if you water wisely and lower stress on your yard, it should make it through. Dealing with local water restrictions? It's okay to let your lawn turn golden and go dormant if need be. As August comes to a close, it's time to start setting up your lawn for a great fall season.
Irrigate responsibly
Make sure your irrigation system is working well without any leaks or puddling, and be mindful of any local restrictions. When you do get to water your lawn, deep and infrequent is best. If you can, water between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., since it reduces the risk of disease and keeps water from evaporating before it reaches the soil.
Reduce stress on your lawn
Warm-season grasses live their best lives in the summer, but they’re still susceptible to stress. If you're dealing with drought, raise up your mowing height. And, if possible, try to reduce foot traffic.
Recycle your grass clippings
We can’t say it enough: grasscycle, grasscycle, grasscycle! (OK, maybe that’s enough.) If your mower has a bag, remove it, and let the grass clippings lightly cover your lawn. This helps return those nutrients to your soil over time.
Thicken your lawn with new grass
Fill in any bare patches by propagating with seed, sprigs, sod, or plugs. Keep in mind that you want to give your warm-season grass enough time to get established before temperatures dip in the fall. Also keep in mind: With any new grass, you’ll need to provide more water than normal while it gets established!
Common issues you may run into
Summer annuals may be flowering at this time, with annual bluegrass making its first appearance. You can continue to spot treat these or pull by hand; if you spray one of our postemergence herbicides, it’s best to do so when temps are below 90º. You should continue to keep an eye out for pythium foliar blight, no matter what kind of warm-season grass you grow. And be vigilant when it comes to spotting jumping worms, ants, fire ants, chinch bugs, white grubs, and billbugs.
Fall
September
While it may be too early for the leaves to start changing in much of the south, your grass is going through some changes as the temperatures begin to dip. It's time to prep your warm-season grass for a period of slower growth, and repair any summer damage that occurred.
Reduce mowing
Prepare your lawn for fall weather and slower growth by reducing your mowing frequency. Remember: While mowing is important for lawn health, it is a stressful event for your grass.
Cut back on irrigation
Cooler temperatures and reduced growth mean your grass doesn’t require as much water. Still hot as blazes where you live? You can keep up your regular irrigation schedule, remembering to shut off your system when rain is expected. It may be time to apply your final fertilizer of the season.
Manage fall weeds
Fall is a great time to tackle weeds! At this time of year, annuals are going to seed and perennials are storing energy in their roots for next year. By preventing annuals from seeding and by stopping the perennial cycle, you can ensure weeds will be less of an issue next spring.
Common issues you may run into
Learn how to identify weeds properly, so you’ll know which to pull by hand and which to treat with a postemergence herbicide. Summer annuals may be starting to die back, which makes them even easier to pull as you go. Perennial weeds should be spot treated, because any herbicide you apply right now will go straight to their roots. Watch out for diseases including pythium foliar blight and, for bermudagrass only, pythium root rot. Pests continue to be a nuisance, including jumping worms, ants, fire ants, white grubs, and billbugs.
October
While you’re enjoying some much-needed cooler weather, your lawn is beginning to cool its rate of growth. You’ll probably tackle your final fertilizer application this month, along with your final mow. And it’s a great idea to make the most of those leaf piles accumulating in your yard.
Watch for signs of dormancy
For warm-season grasses, winter dormancy is essentially a coping mechanism for surviving through cooler temperatures. Once summer has passed, your lawn may begin to focus more on conserving energy and less on growing.
Leafcycle and clean up yard debris
Leaf piles are fun to jump in, but they’re no fun for your grass. Wet, heavy leaf piles can cause disease and also block sunlight from your grass! Luckily, managing fall leaves is easy—just mow the leaves on your lawn to create leaf litter, which is a free and simple way to give nutrients back to your soil.
Overseed for winter (if desired)
Winter overseeding is a technique some people use to keep their lawn green all winter. It involves spreading a thick layer of hardy cool-season grass over your dormant warm-season grass, and letting that grow until spring arrives. Because it requires a great deal of maintenance and unseasonal water use, it’s not for everyone.
Reduce irrigation and winterize your system
When your grass stops growing, you won’t need to irrigate unless you live in an extremely dry climate. (In that case, you can water very lightly.) Put away your hoses, and flush any water from your sprinkler system before you store it for the winter. Doing this saves money by preventing leaks and increases the life expectancy of your system.
Common issues you may run into
Perennial weeds are still hanging around, and you can pull them by hand as you notice them. Watch out for pythium root rot if you grow bermudagrass. You may notice jumping worms, ants, and fall armyworms as well.
November
As autumn fades into the holiday season, it's time to prep your mower and other tools for storage and prep your lawn for winter. This is when you yourself can go into hibernation mode and embrace winter dormancy—unless you’re overseeding.
Break down and mulch any remaining leaves
Before you put away your mower for the year, go over any remaining fall leaves to give that organic matter and nutrients back to your lawn. Doing this can reduce diseases and dead spots, as well as prevent water pollution. Plus, it creates an overwintering habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators.
Tackle debris
Remove toys, yard waste, or other debris on your lawn, and keep an eye out for any pooling water. Persistent moisture and debris can be a breeding ground for lawn disease.
Stop irrigation and mowing
If you’re winter overseeding, then keep up your maintenance and care for those cool-season seeds. Otherwise, it’s time to discontinue any supplemental irrigation and shut off the mower.
Prep your mower for storage
If you have a gas mower, it’s a good idea to empty the fuel tank. If you have a battery-powered mower, remove the battery and keep it in a cool, dry place for the season. For all mowers, you’ll want to remove debris, clean the blades, and run through a few other quick and easy steps.
Common issues you may run into
Winter annuals may be appearing, and you can spot treat or pull them by hand. In better news, jumping worms are one of the last remaining pests you may be encountering.
Winter
December–January
You may be thinking about a long winter’s nap right about now—and so is your lawn. As your yard maintenance needs slow down, it’s a great time to think about what you’d like to improve on next year. Are there sustainable practices you'd like to implement come spring? For the time being, your focus is mainly on protecting your grass from winter weather.
Avoid heavy traffic on your lawn
Winter can be a stressful time for heat-loving lawns. If your lawn has gone dormant, it’s especially important to be gentle with it! Stay off the grass when you get ice or snow to prevent the heavy moisture from compacting, which can make your lawn vulnerable to disease.
Manage salt
Protect your lawn by keeping salt away from any green areas, and by shoveling snow before it freezes. Learn more about how to apply ice melt.
Keep an eye out for ice pockets
As distributed snow melts, puddles of moisture can develop and then freeze over. If you notice this happening, you may need to level your lawn or improve drainage.
Maintain mowing and irrigation if needed
If you’ve overseeded with a cool-season grass—or if you live in the deep, deep south where grass is still growing—you’ll need to keep up with your lawn maintenance. Mow high when necessary, and irrigate as needed.
Common issues you may run into
You shouldn't find any weeds or pests this time of year, other than the occasional winter annual.
February
During this late winter month, your lawn is resting—and you should be too, for the most part! All you need to do is continue to manage winter stress to ensure your lawn emerges healthy and strong in spring.
Avoid heavy traffic on your lawn
You may not get much snow, but when you do, it’s best to keep off your turf. Staying off the grass helps prevent snow and ice from compacting, which can damage your lawn and make it more vulnerable to disease.
Manage salt
Prevent salt damage by shoveling snow before it freezes and applying only the amount of ice melt directed on the label (more isn’t better!). You can also protect your lawn by keeping salt away from any vegetated areas.
Maintain growing grass
Most lawns are dormant right now, but if you overseeded for winter with a cool-season grass, you should keep up your care routine. Mow high and irrigate as needed.
Common issues or diseases to look out for
Winter annual weeds like common chickweed and henbit have been busy germinating through winter—and may begin to emerge this month seemingly out of nowhere. If you see them, pull them by hand or spot treat immediately. This will prevent them from going to seed and returning next year.
Cited sources
Essential Tips for a Healthy Lawn, Part I. University of Minnesota Extension.
Lawn care calendar. University of Minnesota Extension.
Managing Weeds in Warm-Season Lawns. Clemson University College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences.
Mower Blade Sharpness Effects on Turf. Agronomy Journal.
The Homeowner's Lawn Care and Water Quality Almanac. Cornell University Extension.
Turf Rust. Cornell University Plant Clinic.
