A lush, green lawn is a sign of a healthy, well-maintained property. It can boost your home’s curb appeal and enhance the enjoyment your family gets outdoors. But figuring out how to keep your lawn green throughout the year can be challenging, especially as you juggle all your other responsibilities.
From scorching summer heat over periods of drought to stress from being walked on when it’s snow-covered, your grass faces numerous challenges that can leave it looking patchy, brown, or stressed. The good news is that with the right knowledge on how to keep a lawn healthy, you can maintain a vibrant lawn without dedicating every weekend to yard work.
Understanding Warm and Cool Season Grasses
The first secret to learning how to keep your lawn green during winter, and every season is understanding which type of grass thrives in your region. In the United States, grasses fall into two main categories: warm-season and cool-season varieties. Even within these categories, every type of grass has its own distinct growing patterns and maintenance needs.
Warm-Season Grasses
These grass varieties do best in the southern US. Popular varieties include:
Warm-season grasses typically go dormant with some even turning brown during the winter months when temperatures begin to dip below 65o Fahrenheit.
Cool-Season Grasses
Grasses that flourish in the northern US include:
- Kentucky bluegrass
- Fine fescue
- Tall fescue
- Perennial ryegrass
While these grasses do a better job of maintaining their color in the winter, they may struggle and turn yellow or brown during intense summer heat.
Transition Zones
It’s possible to keep your grass looking green all year long if you live in the Southern states or Northern states as long as you stick with warm-season and cool-season grasses, respectively. But what if you live in the middle of the country and experience both sizzling summers and freezing winters? That means you live in the tricky “transition zone.” Homeowners in this area can learn how to keep a lawn healthy by overseeding warm-season lawns with cool-season grasses in the early fall. It’s an extra step each year, but it can be worth it to keep your grass looking great through the fall season.
Regular Aeration for Optimal Growth
Aerating your lawn is an essential and often overlooked step in lawn care maintenance. Providing your lawn with proper aeration will help keep your lawn in tip-top shape. The aeration process promotes a healthier, more durable root system, enables greater water and airflow to reach grass roots through the soil, and allows for better fertilization. Aeration also promotes new, stronger grass growth.
Though the process can be a bit tedious and time-consuming, aeration should be done one to two times annually using a spike, core, or plug aerator to properly penetrate the soil at the right depth.
At The Grounds Guys®, we recommend using a core or plug aerator, which removes soil plugs. You’ll need to invest in some form of core aerator. Push or drag it across your lawn when the soil is moist but not waterlogged. Do a second pass on areas that are highly compacted, leaving the plugs on your lawn to decompose naturally.
Fill Bare Patches with Overseeding
Depending on where you live, many homeowners will either seed or add sod to their lawns as needed. However, some also use the overseeding method. Overseeding can help improve your lawn’s density by filling in bare spots or areas where grass growth is sporadic or non-existent. The best times to overseed your lawn are the fall and spring (preferably after aeration has taken place). Overseeding during fall and/or spring is best because the soil isn’t as stressed from foot traffic, drought, or pests. If you plan to use the overseeding method, make sure the area you overseed receives adequate irrigation to support the new growth.
Regular Soil Testing for Nutrient Management
The health, stability, and potential of your lawn are highly dependent on the soil it’s growing in. Soil health is an important factor when it comes to lawn health and one of the keys to a green, healthy-looking lawn. If your lawn isn’t looking particularly green or healthy, it could mean it’s not getting sufficient nutrients for it to thrive. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to have your soil tested regularly. Knowing your soil composition will give you some good insight into what your lawn needs and what your soil may be lacking. Once you understand the composition of your soil, you can adjust the nutrient level with a lawn supplement. This will help change the composition and address any underlying deficiencies.
Fertilizing with Precision
Regularly fertilizing your lawn is an important part of the overall lawn care maintenance process, which will keep your lawn vibrant throughout the growing season. The key is applying the right fertilizer at the right time.
Most healthy lawns will benefit from three to four fertilization applications per year. Time your fertilization with your grass’s natural growth cycle. For warm-season grasses, start fertilizing in late spring when your lawn begins to actively grow. Cool-season grasses do better when they get heavier fertilization in early fall and lighter applications in the spring.
Based on your soil tests, choose fertilizers with the right nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K) ratio.
Proper Irrigation Techniques
No lawn will survive without the correct amount of watering. Although some types of grass require less water than others, every lawn needs water. However, you can overwater your lawn. If grass gets too much water, it doesn't get oxygen, which will suffocate the roots and cause the grass to die. Too much water makes grass more susceptible to diseases.
So how much water is too much? When it comes to watering, there are a few things to consider. Do you live in a climate where the temperatures rise above 90 degrees daily? If so, you’ll need to schedule watering in the early morning hours when temperatures are not as high to lessen the effects of evaporation. If you live in a dry climate or one that only gets periodic rain, you’ll probably need to water three to four times a week, depending on your grass type. If you live in a wetter climate or one that has an extended rainy season (over three months), you won’t have to water much, if at all.
It’s also best to water your lawn during the cooler hours of the day. Watering in the morning is ideal, since watering at night allows moisture to sit on the grass longer, which can encourage fungi growth. You should also check your irrigation system regularly and perform routine maintenance to ensure your system is doing a good job of watering your lawn and not the street or sidewalk.
Minimize Pet Damage to Lawn
We love our pets, but when your pet constantly uses your lawn as a bathroom, it can really do a number on your grass. How do you keep a green lawn with dogs or other outdoor pets?
Pet urine contains high levels of nitrogen. Though this is the same nutrient found in fertilizers, too much nitrogen in one spot can “burn” the grass. Since many pets tend to do their business in the same place, it can create unsightly brown spots in your yard.
To keep your lawn green, you need to be proactive. If possible, train your pet to use a designated bathroom area covered in gravel or mulch. If your pets are already set in their ways, immediately remove solid waste and water any spots where your pet urinates. This will help dilute any remaining waste and minimize the effect on your grass.
Pro Tips for a Year-Round Green Lawn
Maintaining a consistently green lawn throughout the year requires more than just basic lawn care. Here are a few top strategies that lawn care professionals use to keep grass looking its best.
- Mow high: Mow your grass high and often during the growing season. Taller grass develops deeper roots and naturally resists browning during periods of stress.
- Practice “grasscycling”: Leave short clippings on the lawn rather than bagging them. This natural recycling returns valuable nutrients to your soil and helps it retain moisture.
- Water deeply but infrequently: This encourages deeper root growth and helps your lawn hold up against periods of drought.
- Be proactive: Your lawn is a living thing, and its health changes over time. Monitor your lawn regularly and look for signs of damage, like a fungal outbreak, insect damage, or nutrient deficiency. If you see any of these signs, take action immediately.
Hiring a Professional Lawn Care Service
As you can now see, maintaining a consistently green lawn requires knowledge, experience, and regular attention. That might not be something you, as a busy homeowner, can provide for your property. A professional lawn care team has the expertise to create a customized maintenance plan based on your specific grass type, soil conditions, and local climate.
At The Grounds Guys, our trained professionals use proven techniques and commercial-grade equipment to keep your lawn healthy and green throughout the year. We can handle everything, from routine mowing over seasonal fertilization to specialized treatments. What’s more, we even back our work with the Neighborly Done Right Promise® to ensure your satisfaction.
Request a free estimate and learn how to keep your lawn green from your local Grounds Guys.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your home and property. The Grounds Guys is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of this blog content or your actions. For the most accurate guidance, contact the applicable local Grounds Guys home service provider for a comprehensive, on-site assessment.