Last Updated on July 7, 2025 by Duncan

The lawn is the focal point of any home, and unlike most other plants or trees, it must be both functional and lush, while also remaining colorful. This can be challenging because the normal lawn is susceptible to damage from children, garden furniture, weeds, and animals, among other things.

To keep your lawn looking healthy and well-maintained, you must improve your soil, maintain optimal grass levels, water it regularly, and address any damaged areas as they occur. Some of the things you can do include:

Feed your lawn several times a year

Many lawn owners believe that a single feeding in the spring is sufficient for a lush lawn. However, lawn professionals understand that your grass should be fed multiple times per year, using the appropriate lawn food for the season and region.

For a great experience, ensure that you feed our lawn four times a year.

For Northern lawns, feed them in early spring. Crabgrass preventer with lawn food can help your lawn green up quickly and prevent crabgrass from sprouting. Later in the spring, use a weed and feed product to nourish the grass while eliminating dandelions, clover, and other weeds.

Use grass food with insect control over the summer to protect your grass from heat and drought while also controlling insects such as chinch bugs and armyworms.

Finally, in the fall, prepare the lawn for winter with fall lawn food, which promotes deep root growth and a speedy start in the spring. Always follow the advice on all product labels.

For Southern lawns, fertilize in early spring and at the same time eliminate weeds like dollarweed and clover while promoting grass growth to crowd out subsequent weeds. Then, to protect your lawn from the upcoming heat and drought, feed it to help it grow strong and thick.

Finish off in the fall with another application of feed while following all label instructions.

Mow your lawn at the right time and the right height

Another grass secret that professionals know is that the timing and method of mowing can significantly impact the appearance of the lawn. Ensure the mower is set to the highest setting for the type of grass you’re cultivating.

For cool-season grasses, this is approximately 2½ to 3½ inches. Some warm-season grasses, however, perform better when trimmed to a shorter length.

Allowing the grass to reach its full height encourages it to develop a stronger root system while also shading the soil, which discourages weed seeds from growing.

It’s also crucial to mow regularly enough that you never remove more than one-third of the grass blade height at once.

While this is the case, be sure to wait until the grass is parched to avoid having damp clumps of grass throughout the yard. Finally, vary your mowing patterns to avoid creating ruts in the lawn by continually mowing along the same track.

Water your lawn appropriately.

While it may be tempting to water your lawn quickly every day, any professional will tell you that a better strategy is to water deeply and less frequently.

Giving the grass a nice, lengthy soak encourages roots to grow deeply into the soil, strengthening the lawn and allowing it to resist droughts. When the grass begins to look grayish and the blades do not bounce back when walked on, it is time to water.

Run the spray until a ¼-inch diameter dowel or plant stake can be readily pushed into the ground (12 inches deep). You don’t want the soil to be so saturated that a handful drips, but it should be slightly sticky.

You should note that grass consumes less water in the spring and late fall than it does in summer. In the spring, you may only need to water once a week; however, in the summer, you may need to water three times per week.

Of course, if you get a lengthy, drenching rain, there’s no reason to water that day. Let the lawn absorb the rainwater.

Get rid of moss and weeds from your lawn.

Weeds and moss can grow in even the best-kept lawns. They not only detract from the appearance of your lawn, but they also compete with it for water and nutrients, so you need to control them.

Some common lawn weeds, such as dandelions, docks, and plantains, have long taproots, and it is critical to remove the entire root to prevent the weed from regrowing.

If you have a large lawn and weeds have taken over, you may need to use a lawn weedkiller to get things back under control. Lawn weed killers are specifically designed to remove lawn weeds while preserving the grass.

They work best when used as part of a spring lawn maintenance routine or as part of summer lawn care, when both the grass and weeds are thriving. When using lawn weedkiller, always follow the manufacturer’s directions; this will provide the best results while also keeping you safe.

Moss thrives in moist, shady locations, particularly in compacted or poorly drained soil where grass fails to establish. Small amounts of moss can be raked off with a spring-tine rake. If there is too much moss on your lawn to handle by hand, use a moss killer.

In addition to the above tips, these simple lawn care measures can help decrease the buildup of moss in your grass:

• Aerate the soil during your autumn or spring lawn care program to prevent compaction and enhance drainage.
• Ensure your lawn receives as much sunlight as possible.
• Sow shade-tolerant lawn seed in shaded locations.

Aerate your lawn

Walking, running, and playing games – all the activities we enjoy on our lawn progressively compact the soil, squeezing out the air and preventing nutrients from reaching the grass roots.

Aerating the soil once a year is one of the most effective ways to maintain a healthy lawn. This is typically part of autumn lawn care, but if you’re too busy in the fall, you may incorporate it into your spring lawn care regimen.

A garden fork is the most efficient way to aerate soil on tiny lawns. Insert the tines of the fork into the soil approximately 10-15 cm (4-5 in) deep, then gently lean on the fork’s handle until the earth around it lifts slightly.

This helps to break up any soil compaction, while the holes created by the tines of the fork allow air and water to penetrate deeper into the soil, where the grass roots require them.

Repeat the technique until you’ve covered the entire grass. A mechanical aerator is best suited for large lawns.

Overseed your lawn

Overseeding is a straightforward lawn maintenance strategy that can help keep your lawn looking lush. Sowing grass seed is also a practical approach to fill in the small bare spots that can form in the lawn over time.

Overseeding a lawn works best in the spring or fall, when there is generally enough moisture to assist freshly sprouted grass seedlings establish. When sowing grass seed, wait until the temperature is consistently above 10°C, as the seed will not germinate in chilly soil.

Pull any weeds, then mow your grass on a low setting and scarify it to remove thatch.

To aerate your lawn:

• Aerate the lawn to loosen any compacted soil.
• Apply lawn dressing to the lawn, spreading it evenly using the back of a flat-headed rake. This simple lawn care trick has two advantages: it fills in any small dips in the lawn and works the lawn dressing into the holes left by aeration, improving soil drainage.
• Sow the seed with a lawn spreader, making two passes at right angles to achieve even coverage. A lawn spreader helps to ensure that grass seeds are sown evenly.
• Once the seed has been sown, rake it gently to ensure it is in good contact with the soil, then softly water the area.
• Water the grass twice a week until it is firmly established.
• Wait until the grass is about 5-8cm long before mowing for the first time.

Fix the bare patches on your lawn.

First, rake out any dead grass and use a fork to make holes in the dirt to loosen the hard surface. Firm and level the soil, then sprinkle with fresh grass seed. If you have a shady lawn, consider using shade-resistant grass seed.

When you spread the grass seed to the patchy areas, sprinkle some top dressing over it and water thoroughly and frequently for the first three weeks.

Avoid leaving empty areas in a lawn, as weeds can happily take root there and are more resilient than grass to the conditions that cause patches.