The Ultimate Lawn Maintenance Schedule: How to Care for Your Lawn All-Year Round

A striking, lush, thriving landscape doesn’t happen overnight. It calls for a consistent and detailed lawn maintenance schedule throughout the year. But with so many seasonal changes, it’s difficult to figure out when it’s the best time for everything, from fertilization to the care required during the winter months.

Our experts at Martinez Landscaping and Hardscape LLC can help you with that. Our guide comprises a step-by-step monthly routine, so that your greenery can thrive no matter the season of the year. Feel free to adjust the tips according to your garden’s unique needs and create your DIY lawn care schedule!

Let’s begin.

Focus: Protect your landscape during the winter months.
January is part of a winter lawn care plan since your yard is dormant during this month, especially in North Carolina’s mild cold weather. This is the perfect time to focus on cleaning up debris like leaves, twigs, and other materials that prevent air circulation. We also recommend avoiding walking on frozen grass to prevent damage and sharpening your lawn mower blades for the upcoming spring months.

• Clean up yard debris.
• Sharpen mower blades and service tools.
• Discourage lawn traffic, especially if you have frozen grass.

Focus: Lawn preparation for the upcoming growing season.
February is still a low-maintenance month in our lawn care calendar. But it’s ideal to start a spring lawn care plan by taking note of any bare or thin patches that need seeding and continuing monitoring yard debris.

• Continue removing any fallen branches or leaves.
• Plan any spring renovations like overseeding or aerating.

• Dethatch your lawn to remove built-up organic matter.
• Aerate compacted soil for better root growth.
• Begin weed control by applying a pre-emergent herbicide.

• Fertilize your lawn to boost growth.
• Mow high and regularly.
• Continue to monitor for weeds and treat them accordingly.

Focus: Maintaining and promoting growth for the perfect lawn.
In May, your garden is actively growing, so it’s essential to keep mowing and watering according to your lawn needs. However, we recommend adjusting the height of your mower to leave the grass taller, which helps with moisture retention and weed prevention.

• Water deeply but infrequently.
• Keep mowing regularly, adjusting the blade height as needed.
• Spot-treat any weeds that have emerged.

• Water your lawn early in the morning to minimize evaporation.
• Mow at a higher height to protect grass from the heat.
• Consider applying mulch to flower beds for moisture retention.

Focus: Managing summer stress.
July is the peak of your summer lawn care plan, as it’s often one of the hottest months of the year. Your lawn might struggle with moisture retention, so maintain your watering schedule and don’t cut the grass too short, because it might lead to sunburned patches.

• Continue deep watering, especially during dry spells.
• Mow at the highest recommended setting.
• Watch for signs of pests or lawn diseases.

Focus: Maintaining through heat and pests.
August can be a rough month for your lawn care schedule. The heat will continue to rise, and we recommend not stopping watering and, instead, beginning pest control. This is also a good time to assess any damage that needs to be addressed before autumn so that you can begin your fall lawn care plan.

• Continue watering and mowing at the highest setting.
• Treat any signs of pest damage or disease.
• Prepare for fall aeration and overseeding.

• Aerate your lawn to reduce compaction.
• Overseed to fill in bare spots.
• Apply a fall fertilizer to support root growth.

• Winterize your lawn with a final round of fertilizer.
• Continue mowing, but lower the cutting height gradually.
• Rake leaves regularly to prevent smothering the grass.

• Mow one last time before winter.
• Clean up leaves and debris.
• Apply a final round of mulch to flower beds and sensitive plants.

• Avoid foot traffic on frozen or snow-covered grass.
• Inspect lawn equipment and store it properly for winter.