Mow high, cut a third
Never remove more than a third of the blade. Taller grass shades out weeds and grows deeper roots.
Find your mowing heightLawn and yard care, season by season
A better lawn, one season at a time.
Practical guides for homeowners who do their own yard work: the right mowing height for your grass, how to water, when to feed, and how to fix weeds and bare spots. No product pushing, just what to do and when.
Right now: Fall
Cool-season lawns
Bluegrass, fescue, ryegrass
- Aerate and overseed thin spots
- Fall feeding: the most important of the year
- Mulch leaves so they don't smother grass
Warm-season lawns
Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine
- Last feeding by early fall
- Keep mowing until dormancy
- Clear leaves and plan spring
Three habits that fix most lawns
Water deep, not daily
About an inch a week, including rain, in one or two early-morning sessions.
Watering guideTest before you feed
A low-cost extension soil test tells you what your lawn actually needs.
Soil test guide16 yard guides
Mowing and watering
- Mowing basics: height, frequency and the one-third ruleAll season
- Sharpen (or replace) your mower bladeSpring, and mid-season
- Watering: deeply, less often, early in the daySummer especially
- Leave the clippings (grasscycling)Every mow
Soil and feeding
- Get a soil test before you buy anythingSpring or fall
- How to read a fertilizer bagBefore you buy
- When to fertilize: cool-season vs warm-seasonDepends on grass
- Core aeration: when your lawn needs itFall (cool) or late spring (warm)
Problems and fixes
- Fix bare and thin spotsFall (cool) or late spring (warm)
- Weeds: prevent first, then spot-treatSpring and fall
- Grubs: check before you treatLate summer check
- Growing grass in the shadeFall (cool) to plan
Season by season
- Spring yard startupEarly to late spring
- Summer: heat, drought and mowing highSummer
- Fall: the most important season for cool-season lawnsLate summer to late fall
- Winter prep for the yard and mowerLate fall to winter
Free download, no email needed
The Seasonal Yard Checklist
The yard jobs for every season on a few printable pages, for both cool-season and warm-season lawns, plus a grass ID page, mowing heights and a mowing log. Hang it in the garage.
The yard jobs that matter, every two weeks
The Yard Report: the one job that matters most right now for cool-season and warm-season lawns, a mowing or watering tip and a reader question answered. Confirm by email, unsubscribe with one click, and we never pass your address to lawn companies or brands.