Seasonal Tips

Spread granular, slow-acting fertilizer. (This is optional if you fertilized in the fall or winter)

Aerate the lawn to treat compacted soil

Mulch with organic matter, if necessary

Sharpen your mower blades at the start of the season

Learn the signs of bug infestation, and head them off before they get settled in

Water your lawn weekly if rain is scarce or your soil is poor. Otherwise, water only when rainfall is delayed more than 10 days

Treat weeds and bare spots as soon as you see them

Sharpen your mower blade again halfway through the season

Water trees and shrubs thoroughly mulched before the first frost

But don’t overwater! Plants and shrubs should be expected to look a little brown in September and October

Mulch with organic material, or mow a layer of fallen leaves into the lawn

Fertilize your lawn around Thanksgiving to promote strong root growth during winter

Cutting the grass a bit shorter just before winter to prevent its matting under snow

Put burlap windscreens around less hardy plants if they’re in exposed areas

Use a broom to brush snow away from evergreen trees gently, to keep the weight from breaking the limbs

If ice or snow does break tree limbs, have the limbs removed as soon as weather permits – damaged trees are prone to disease

Putting markers at the edge of your lawn will help you avoid damaging it when you’re shoveling snow

Avoid walking on frosted or snow-covered lawns

Use only non-salt de-icers for sidewalks and driveways, so the runoff doesn’t harm plants

Salt will damage grass, perennials, and shrubs, and will keep the plants from absorbing much-needed water

Check any perennial plants during periods of thawing soil to see if roots popping out of the ground. If they have, gently push them back into place, and add mulch