Taking care of your lawn is a year-round job. The green thumbs at Magnolia Lawn Inc. have put together a comprehensive monthly lawn care maintenance checklist to help simplify your seasonal yard work.
January
- Rake up dead leaves and add them to your compost bin.
- Trim back tree and shrub overgrowth to make room for new mulch and flora. These are prime areas for termites and rodents to nest.
February
- Avoid excess foot traffic. Walking across your yard during the winter months makes it harder for grass to recover in the spring.
- Dispose of any rotten or infested wood around landscaping like flower garden borders.
March
- Clear out dead foliage and shrubs.
- Apply a slow-release fertilizer to prevent your grass from ‘burning’ due to over-fertilization, at the same time giving you a head start on new growth.
- Apply a gentle pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weeds like crabgrass from germinating.
April
- Have your soils tested to determine the pH balance. The results will determine the types of plants that will do well in your current conditions.
- Plant new perennials, shrubs, and trees. Plan your landscaping based on the pH of your soil, the amount of shade, and your planting zone. Flowery Branch is rated for zone 7b.
May
- Plant your annuals, but make sure you also put down a weed barrier first.
- Prune existing shrubs and trees with discernment to encourage new foliage.
- Add mulch in flowerbeds and around trees to help lock in moisture as temperatures rise.
- Apply another dosage of fertilizer and weed killer to keep your lawn looking pristine through the summer.
June
- Watering your landscaping on a regular basis is very important during the summer months. Check with local city ordinances for watering restrictions.
- Raise your mower blade so you only remove the top one-third of the grass. This protects the soil beneath from getting too dry. Leave the clippings; they are a source of nutrients.
July
- Continue with regular watering, city ordinances permitting.
- Prune ‘bleeding trees’ like maples, elms, birch, and dogwoods.
August
- Remove annuals as they start to wilt under the extreme heat. Replace them with their winter-ready cousins.
September
- Prepare your lawn for winter by seeding and applying a winter guard fertilizer.
- Aerate your lawn to protect it against winter freezes.
October
- Rake up leaves to prevent oxygen deprivation to your grass.
- Apply another treatment of winter guard to keep grass green even in the winter.
November
- As temperatures drop, grass grows more slowly. Lower your mower’s blade for the last few cuts of the season.
December
- December is easy. Just be sure to cover your plants and shrubs that are intolerant of night frosts.
Lawn care maintenance is a full-time commitment. Keep up with the Joneses and actually enjoy your lawn this summer. Contact the green thumbs at Magnolia Lawn Inc. for more information.