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A Providence front lawn in early spring, half green and half tan, the first season on a lawn care schedule

A Lawn Care Schedule for Cool-Season Grass, Season by Season

When to feed, treat, plug, seed, mow and clean up a fescue and bluegrass lawn, and the order that makes each round help the next, as we run it on lawns around Providence.

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A lawn care schedule for the year

A lawn care schedule sets when a cool-season lawn is fed, treated, aerated, seeded, mowed and cleaned up, and the grass type sets the calendar.

That is why we identify the grass before anything else. Most lawns here are "cool-season grasses", the fescue and bluegrass that grow hardest in spring and fall and slow down in the summer heat. The "warm-season grasses" of the South, Bermuda and zoysia, run on the opposite clock, seeded and fed from late spring into summer, so a calendar written for them gets a northern lawn wrong.

The windows on this page follow the research-based guidance of the UMass Extension Turf Program for New England lawns.

Spring: crabgrass pre-emergent and weed control

Spring starts with a pre-emergent to stop crabgrass and broadleaf treatment for dandelions and clover.

Two rounds open the year, in this order:

  1. The crabgrass preventer goes firstA "pre-emergent" goes down on the soil before the weed seed sprouts, which is how a seasonal treatment program begins. The UMass Extension fact sheet on crabgrass biology and management explains why the timing matters.
  2. Then the wide-leaved weeds"Broadleaf weed control" goes after the rosettes and runners already growing in the turf, aimed at those plants where they stand.

We treat lawns for weed trouble on this calendar every spring.

lawn weed control

Summer: mowing high and grub control

Summer lawns are mowed high, kept off heavy nitrogen, and get grub control in early summer.

Summer care comes down to three habits:

  1. Grubs dealt with as the heat arrives"Grub treatment" goes on at the front of the warm months, stopping the root damage below the surface before the turf shows it.
  2. A tall cut all seasonFescue left at about three to four inches shades out weeds and keeps its roots protected through the hot spells.
  3. The spreader stays parkedFertilizer in the hottest months stresses the grass, so feeding waits for the cooler weather.

We keep mowing at that height weekly, or biweekly once growth slows.

weekly lawn mowing
A thick lawn on an early fall morning under a maple just starting to turn, the start of the fall lawn care season

Fall: aeration, overseeding and the last feeding

Early fall is the time to aerate and overseed cool-season grass and feed it, ending with a heavy feeding before dormancy.

Fall is the season that builds next year's lawn: the roots grow hard even as the top growth slows. Seed sown now meets warm soil and little weed competition, and the UMass Extension notes on late season establishment cover what changes as the window closes.

The fall rounds run in this order:

  1. Plug the soil

    "Core aeration" pulls plugs of soil out of the lawn to relieve compaction and open the ground for seed.

  2. Sow into the holes

    "Overseeding" follows straight after, putting new seed into the existing turf while the ground is still warm.

  3. Fertilize while roots are busy

    Cool-season turf takes its main meal best at the start of autumn, when the growth is going underground.

  4. One last big round

    The year closes with a generous dose just as the grass goes quiet, so the roots head into winter strong.

Plugging and reseeding a lawn in early fall is our aeration work.

core aeration and overseeding

Late fall: leaf removal before snow

Clearing leaves and debris before winter helps prevent lawn diseases such as snow mold.

A wet mat of leaves left on the grass under the snow holds moisture against the blades all winter, and that is the setting snow mold likes. So the last job of the year is getting the leaves off the turf, out of the beds and away from the edges before the first snowfall, and the lawn goes under clean.

We clear lawns of leaf cover right through the fall.

leaf removal before the snow
A lawn cleared of leaves in late fall with frost on the grass under a bare maple, ready for winter

Rather hand the calendar to us?

Call with the address and tell us what the lawn needs this year. We look at the grass, put the rounds on the calendar and quote the whole job before any work starts. A season-long program is usually quoted as a yearly figure billed in level monthly amounts.

Call for a Free Estimate (401) 598-5388

The estimate is free and carries no obligation.

In what order should lawn care be done?

Within a season the order is weed control, then aeration and seeding, then feeding, so each step helps the next.

Each step clears the way for the one after it:

  1. Weeds out firstThe lawn is sprayed before any plugging or reseeding, so the new seedlings have room to sprout.
  2. Open the ground and sowPlugs come out and seed goes in while the soil is loose, often with "top dressing", a thin layer of compost worked into the holes.
  3. Fertilizer lastThe feeding comes after the seed, so it reaches the established grass and the seedlings together.

Neighbors on the work

Our Google reviews, word for word, from owners around Providence.

William has been taking care of our yard since the spring, and we couldn’t be happier. What began as a simple spring clean-up has turned into ongoing lawn and yard maintenance. He’s incredibly dependable, does meticulous work, and is an absolute pleasure to work with — not to mention very reasonably priced. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a reliable and detail-oriented landscaper in the area.
Laura O'Dwyer Google review
William was very professional from the start with clear communication and pricing. He removed 4 large, old shrubs and trimmed others, cleaned up the beds and edged the area. He also took away all the yard waste and left the area clean. Pleasant to work with; highly recommended
Carla Ferrari, LICSW Google review
I've been using Mela Landscapes for a few months and they are by far the best landscapers I've used in the Providence area. They are dependable, do an amazing job, and are a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend them.
David Stewart Google review

Put your lawn on the right calendar

Call with the address and tell us where the lawn stands this season. We come out, look at the grass and quote the whole job before any work starts.

Call Mela Landscapes (401) 598-5388

We answer Monday to Saturday. Calls outside our hours go to voicemail and we return them the next working morning.

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  • We show up when we say we will
  • We clean up when the work is done
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