Working from home has given some people much more time to work on lawns and gardens. If you're a proud do-it-yourselfer and lawn enthusiast, it can be easy to ruminate about ways to make your turf look better, no matter what month it is. As you contemplate lawn care, consider a yard maintenance schedule to keep yourself on track.
Note: This schedule follows recommended lawn care practices for Northern lawns (north of Interstate 70) consisting of cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue and perennial ryegrass. The actual timing of these tasks will vary by a few days or even weeks with an early or late arrival of spring weather.
There's not much to do during the winter months. The ground is most likely frozen and your lawn "hibernating" under a heavy blanket of insulating snow. But you can get ready for that day when the last snow disappears and your lawn begins to green up.
This is when the fun begins! There are a few things you can do in early spring, but be patient. Don't start too early, because you could do more harm than good.
Make sure the ground is no longer frozen, the surface is firm and, most importantly, the grass is actually green and beginning to grow. Any premature work to your lawn before it wakes up will be fruitless. Worse yet, it can be damaging.
You don't want to overdo it during the hot, humid summer months. Keep your lawn work to a minimum by mowing and watering only as needed and applying fertilizer only once.
Late summer and early fall are the best times to do almost any lawn care work.