Get matched with top lawn fertilization and treatment specialists in Defiance, IA

Depending on the lawn treatments, the best times of the year to redo your lawn are between mid-August and mid-September for overseeding and renovation treatments. For areas such as the southern United States, lawn aeration works best during the fall, when the temperatures begin to drop. Otherwise, early spring is your next best bet because the grass is fresh and ready to absorb nutrients, and the temperature isn’t hot enough to fry the grass and the renovation materials.

A few common lawn maintenance mistakes include failure to use fertilizer, not committing to a yearly maintenance plan, and under- and over-watering your lawn. Other issues that might arise include poor timing of lawn treatments. It’s important to dethatch, aerate, and reseed your yard at the right time of year—preferably in early spring.

Speeding up grass seed germination is possible, but it requires quite a bit of extra work and commitment. Keeping the soil moist is key, but here are a few other tried-and-true methods for growing your new grass as quickly as possible:

• Mist grass up to eight times per day to keep the soil moist.

• Purchase a moisture-retaining seed coating for your grass seeds.

• Amend soil that is compacted or in the wrong pH range.

• Choose the right grass seed for your area’s climate and soil conditions.

• Avoid planting on windy days or during periods of extreme rain or drought.

You don't want to over-fertilize your lawn because it can burn the grass and even kill it. Healthy soil usually requires two fertilization applications a year during the height of the growing season. This fertilization schedule typically starts at the start of fall and the end of spring, depending on the grass type and plants.