Seasonal Lawn Maintenance

What to do and when to do it

Winter, summer, spring and fall – with each new season comes a different set of lawn maintenance needs. Knowing when and what to do is vital to keeping your lawn weed and disease free. For your convenience, we have put together monthly lists that will help you plan, organize and complete your goals so your lawn is in tip-top shape all year long.

As always, for further assistance, please visit your local Earl May Nursery & Garden Center. Our lawn experts are available seven days a week.

January February March
April May June
July August September
October November December

 Also check out or month-by-month garden maintenance calendar »

DIY Year-round Lawn Care Advice

Lawn Care Programs

Earl May’s step-by-step Lawn Care Programs deliver the best weed, disease and pest control with premium products specially formulated to deliver superior results right here.
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Lawn Program Bags

  • Immediate results
  • Proven best for Midwest lawns
  • Designed to deliver more nutrients
  • Eliminates thin spots

Incorporate a Fertilizing Schedule

After seeding, a regular fertilizing schedule is recommended if you want a great-looking lawn year after year.
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March 15–June 15

Apply Earl May’s Crabgrass Preventer Plus Lawn food. In addition to crabgrass, it prevents spurge, foxtail and other annual grassy weeds from germinating. It also feeds your lawn with a quality timed-release fertilizer.

June 15–August 15

Earl May’s Summer Lawn food will help keep your lawn green and healthy without any risk of burning.

August 15–October 1

Apply our Lawn Food during this time frame for quick greening. Watering in is recommending for better uptake.

October 1–November 15

Our Fall Lawn Food contains time-released nitrogen and extra nutrients your lawn needs to thrive. Apply at the onset of cooler temperatures and fall rains.

Lawn Care Projects

  • healthier lawn

Want a Healthier lawn? Feed it in the Fall!

Ask any Turf specialist and they will tell you that Fall is the best time to fertilize your lawn. Why? Because after a long stressful summer your lawn needs a recharge so it can fill [...]

  • Green Lawn

Why Fall is the BEST time to seed your lawn.

August to September is the BEST time to over-seed a lawn.  Warm soil and cool temperatures at night make the perfect growing conditions. Here are 5 expert tips on doing it right!  1. Prep Work - [...]

  • Crabgrass control

Lawn Enemy #1

If you have a lawn anywhere in the Midwest, you are probably very familiar with crabgrass – that nasty little weed that invades your lawn every summer ruining your once weed free lawn. Fortunately, there's [...]