Your Year-Round Lawn Care Calendar with Bold Gold Lawn Services

Keeping your lawn lush and resilient year-round requires a tailored approach, especially in West Texas, where warm falls and drought periods can challenge lawn health. Bold Gold Lawn Services provides a seasonal care plan catered to your specific grass type, ensuring it looks its best from spring to winter. Whether you have warm-season grass like Bermuda or cool-season varieties such as fescue, following a seasonal lawn care calendar can make all the difference. Heres a guide to what each season demands so your lawn can thrive, no matter the weather.

Spring Lawn Care: Wake Up Your Lawn (March, April, May)

Revitalize and Build a Strong Foundation

Dethatching

Dethatching your lawn in the spring removes the accumulated layer of organic debris, known as thatch, that can impede water, air, and nutrient penetration to the soil. This process is particularly beneficial for cool-season grasses, as it coincides with their active growth period, allowing them to recover quickly and promoting healthier, more vigorous growth throughout the season. By eliminating excess thatch, you enhance root development, improve soil drainage, and reduce the risk of pests and diseases, leading to a more resilient and lush lawn.

Scalping

Scalping your lawn in early spring—mowing to its lowest recommended height—removes thatch and dormant grass, allowing sunlight to warm the soil for faster green-up and healthier growth. This practice benefits warm-season grasses like Bermuda and Zoysia but should be timed after the last frost and before new growth to avoid stress. For cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass, scalping isn’t recommended, as it can stress the turf, reduce density, and encourage weeds. Instead, maintain these grasses at their optimal height to support healthy growth.

Aeration

Aerating your lawn during its peak growing season enhances soil aeration, allowing air, water, and nutrients to reach the root zone more effectively. This process promotes healthier, deeper root growth and improves the lawn's resilience against environmental stresses. For cool-season grasses like fescue and ryegrass, aeration in early spring or fall aligns with their active growth periods, facilitating quick recovery and robust development. Warm-season grasses such as Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine benefit most from aeration in late spring to early summer, during their vigorous growth phase, ensuring optimal health and durability.

Topdressing/Fertilizer

Applying topdressing and fertilizer after spring aeration can significantly enhance your lawn's health. Aeration alleviates soil compaction, creating pathways for nutrients and organic matter to reach the root zone more effectively. Topdressing with materials like compost or a sand-soil mix improves soil structure, promotes beneficial microbial activity, and enhances moisture retention. Following up with a balanced fertilizer provides essential nutrients, supporting vigorous growth during the active spring season. This combined approach fosters a robust, resilient lawn capable of withstanding environmental stresses.  

Summer Lawn Care: Combat Heat & Heavy Foot Traffic (June, July, August)

Summer can be tough on your lawn due to higher temperatures and increased foot traffic. Here’s what we focus on during these months:

Aeration

Summer aeration is ideal for warm-season grasses like Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine, as it aligns with their peak growth, relieving compaction and improving air, water, and nutrient flow for stronger roots and better heat resilience. However, cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass should not be aerated in summer, as they tend to enter dormancy in high temperatures, making them vulnerable to stress and weed invasion. For cool-season grasses, aerate in early spring or fall to support active growth and recovery.

Leveling

Leveling your lawn enhances its appearance, improves drainage, and simplifies maintenance. A smooth, even surface prevents water pooling, reducing the risk of diseases and promoting healthier grass growth. It also eliminates tripping hazards, creating a safer environment for outdoor activities. Additionally, a level lawn facilitates easier mowing and other lawn care tasks, leading to more efficient maintenance routines.  

Fertilizer

Fertilizing your lawn in the summer can be beneficial, but it's essential to consider your grass type and local climate conditions. For warm-season grasses like Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine, which thrive during hot months, applying fertilizer in early summer supports active growth and resilience. However, for cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass, summer fertilization is generally discouraged. These grasses often enter a dormant or slow-growth phase during high temperatures, and fertilizing them can lead to stress and potential damage. It's advisable to fertilize cool-season grasses in early spring and fall when they are actively growing.  

Fall Lawn Care: Fortify for Winter (September, October, November)

Fall is a critical time to prepare your lawn for the winter months. Cooler temperatures and increased rainfall create optimal conditions for growth and repair. Here’s what we recommend:

Topdressing/Fertilizer

Applying topdressing and fertilizer to your lawn in the fall enhances soil quality by adding organic matter, which improves structure and nutrient content, fostering healthier grass growth. This practice strengthens root systems, enabling grass to store energy for winter and promoting a robust, green lawn in spring. Additionally, topdressing helps break down thatch layers, enhancing water and nutrient absorption and reducing the risk of lawn diseases. By incorporating these practices into your fall lawn care routine, you set the foundation for a healthier, more resilient lawn in the upcoming growing season.  

Aeration

Fall aeration is ideal for cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and fescue, reducing soil compaction and enhancing nutrient flow for deeper roots and winter resilience. For warm-season grasses such as Bermuda and Zoysia, aerate in late spring to early summer to align with their growth phase; aerating them in fall may cause stress and hinder recovery.

Overseeding/Cool Season Grass

Overseeding your lawn in the fall is highly beneficial, particularly for cool-season grasses like fescue and ryegrass. The cooler temperatures and increased moisture during this season create optimal conditions for seed germination and establishment. This practice helps fill in bare or thin areas, enhances turf density, and improves the lawn's overall resilience against weeds and diseases. By overseeding in the fall, you set the foundation for a lush, healthy lawn in the spring.  

Overseeding warm-season grasses in the fall is generally not recommended for establishing or thickening the warm-season turf itself, as these grasses enter dormancy during cooler months, making seed germination and establishment challenging. However, in regions where maintaining green turf year-round is desired, overseeding warm-season lawns with cool-season grasses like ryegrass in the fall can provide a green cover during the winter months. This practice ensures a lush, green lawn throughout the cooler season while the warm-season grass is dormant.  

Winter Lawn Care: Keep Your Lawn Looking Green (December, January, February)

Winter can be a quiet season for lawn growth, especially if you have warm-season grass. However, there’s one unique service we offer to keep your lawn looking green all year:

Turf Painting

Applying turf paint to your lawn during winter is an effective way to maintain a vibrant green appearance when warm-season grasses like Bermuda and Zoysia enter dormancy and turn brown. Turf paint, also known as grass paint or turf colorant, is a non-toxic, biodegradable pigment that restores the green color without harming the grass. This method offers several advantages over overseeding with cool-season grasses: it requires less water, reduces maintenance, and eliminates competition between grass species during spring transition. Additionally, turf painting is cost-effective and provides immediate aesthetic improvement, making it a practical choice for homeowners seeking to enhance their lawn's winter appearance.  

Conclusion

Following a seasonal lawn care calendar like this can make all the difference in maintaining a beautiful, healthy lawn all year long. Whether you’re looking to revive your lawn in spring, protect it from summer heat, repair it in fall, or keep it looking vibrant in winter, Bold Gold Lawn Services has you covered. Reach out to us today to get started on your customized lawn care plan!