Southern lawns require precise, year-round care in order to stay green and lush. Contrary to popular belief, comprehensive southern lawn care doesn’t end with mowing your lawn and turning on your sprinklers. This complete guide to southern lawn care will show you exactly how to get and maintain the lawn you’ve been dreaming of.
But maintaining a great-looking lawn can be a challenge. If you don’t have time to manage your own lawn care, consider choosing a reputable and professional lawn care company to manage your property on your behalf.
In This Article:
- Warm season grasses
- Caring For Your Southern Lawn in Spring
- Caring for Your Southern Lawn in Summer
- Caring for Your Southern Lawn in Fall
- Caring for Your Southern Lawn in Winter
- Going with the Pros
- Top Pick: TruGreen
- Frequently Asked Questions
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Warm-season grasses
Homeowners in the southern United States have the unique challenge of finding outdoor plants that thrive in dry, hot conditions. Fortunately, there are many plants from around the world adapted to these conditions that can make themselves right at home from southern California all the way to the Carolinas.
The best grasses for southern lawns are appropriately called “warm season” grasses. These grasses like hot weather so much that they go dormant when temperatures dip in fall and winter. You’ll see your warm season grasses thrive in areas with the hottest summers, and you won’t need to worry about them dying off if a drought occurs. Unlike cool season grasses (which thrive up north) warm season grasses can survive on less water and thrive when the temperatures climb.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common warm season grasses you’ll see in the south and how you can identify them.
- Bermuda Grass — widely planted in residential and commercial settings; fast-growing; drought-tolerant
- St. Augustine — fast-growing; coarse-textured; shade-tolerant; stays green at lower temperatures than Bermudagrass
- Zoysia Grass — drought- and heat-tolerant; dense growth pattern; shade-tolerant
Caring for Your Southern Lawn in Spring
Spring is the time of year that grass is going to start growing. Most of the south deals with a relatively warm summer, and it’s really important to jump on some things in the spring before the growth rates get out of control. Here are a few things that need to be addressed in the spring months.
- Mow lawns after you see new growth in the turf; it’s okay to cut grass a little shorter this time of year.
- Soil amendments such as lime and PH should be applied in the spring, but it’s always a good idea to do a soil test first to see where your turf needs the help.
- Overseeding can be done in the spring as soon as the soil temperatures are over 65 degrees; during the overseeding process, cut the grass and allow the clippings to remain in the soil for extra nutrients.
- In the late spring, it’s time to aerate and dethatch the lawn to reduce compaction throughout the summer months, rain in the south typically comes hand in hand with the hot weather, and you want your turf to be prepared for that.
Caring for Your Southern Lawn in Summer
The summer months can be rough in the south. When your air conditioning runs all day, and your sprinkler system can’t seem to catch up, you know that it must be tough for your grass to stay healthy and disease free. Here are some of the most important steps to follow for summer southern lawn care.
- Find a good summer fertilizer that will not burn out the turf but will allow for a slow release to keep it strong when it is stressed.
- When the grass is multiplying, and the temperatures are high, increase the mowing height so that you can reduce water evaporation and fight off weeds.
- Check for grub damage in the summer and treat with grub control if necessary.
- Periodically check the sprinklers and watering schedule and adjust accordingly based on rainfall; just because it’s hot does not mean you want to overwater the turf.
Caring for Your Southern Lawn in Fall
The fall can be a great time to get your lawn in excellent condition for the following year. However, you must pay close attention to the maintenance procedures to avoid the hassle of winter and spring problems.
- Slow down your watering schedule, and keep a close eye on the rain, but southern lawns typically don’t need as much water in the fall.
- Use a pre-emergent herbicide when the nights start to cool off; this can help to keep the majority of winter weeds away; as long as temperatures are in that 60-70 degree range at night, you are fine to use the pre-emergent.
- Overseeding with something like cool season ryegrass can help give your southern lawn a bit of color through the winter, be careful to follow proper seeding procedures to ensure the long-term health of your lawn.
- Keep mowing your grass until it does not need it anymore; use a slightly lower mower deck height than you did in the summer.
- Fertilizer before the start of the winter, after you have overseeded with the cool season grasses, keep leaves and debris off the lawn throughout the fall so that there are lower chances of disease.
Caring for Your Southern Lawn in Winter
The winter southern lawn care is a bit more low-key than the rest of the year; you should not have as many issues with weeds coming up, or turf getting stressed out. Here are the things to keep an eye on during the winter months.
- Use post-emergent herbicides for any weeds that survived your pre-emergent in the fall.
- Keep the grass free of debris and periodically rake
- Ensure that you are still watering throughout the winter, as the turf will still need it even when dormant
- At the end of the winter, use a pre-emergent herbicide to get a head start on the spring and summer weeds; crabgrass typically makes its debut in the later part of the winter, when soil temperatures go above 50 degrees
Going with the Pros
Now that you know all that is involved in keeping a southern lawn looking great throughout the year, it’s time to determine whether or not this is something you can do on your own. The important things to remember are that the overall process of maintaining a southern lawn is likely most complicated in the summer, and that’s when temperatures are hotter.
DIY lawn care helps to save money, but you will end up having to put in the time yourself. The bottom line is that you can learn to maintain a southern lawn with time, patience, and attention to detail. For those that fear this is not an option, a professional lawn care service can help.
Top Pick: TruGreen
TruGreen is the reviews team’s top recommended lawn care service provider for southern lawns. Offering a variety of plan options and an intuitive online quote system, there’s plenty to love about TruGreen.
Get a lawn care quote from TruGreen by calling 877-386-6512 or by filling out this form.
TruGreen’s Offerings
TruGreen makes lawn care less of a hassle for homeowners by providing a variety of package plans. Each plan includes a select number of services and treatments to enhance your lawn. All TruGreen packages come with the company’s Healthy Lawn Guarantee, and treatments are always administered by qualified TruGreen technicians.
| Plan | Services |
| TruComplete Lawn Care Plan | – One aeration and overseed per year – Eight general service visits a year – Fertilization – Grub and pest control services – Pre-emergent and targeted weed control – An analysis of your current lawn condition – Satisfaction guarantee – Service by lawn care professionals |
| TruHealth Lawn Care Plan | – Eight general service visits a year – Fertilization – Grub and pest control services – Pre-emergent and targeted weed control – An analysis of your current lawn condition – Satisfaction guarantee – Service by lawn care professionals |
| TruSignature Lawn Care Plan | – One aeration and overseed per year – Eight general service visits a year – Seven tree service visits per year – Fertilization – Grub and pest control services – Pre-emergent and targeted weed control – An analysis of your current lawn condition – Tree and shrub services – Satisfaction guarantee – Service by lawn care professionals |
| TruNatural Lawn Care Plan | – Five general visits per year – Natural fertilizer application – Weed control services – An analysis of your current lawn condition – Satisfaction guarantee – Service by lawn care professionals |
| TruMaintenance Lawn Care Plan | – Six general visits per year – Fertilization – Pre-emergent and targeted weed control – An analysis of your current lawn condition – Satisfaction guarantee – Service by lawn care professionals |
TruGreen also offers the following services on an a la carte basis:
- Mosquito control
- Soil amendment services
- Tree and shrub services
You can add any a la carte service to your plan with just a few clicks through TruGreen’s website.
TruGreen Locations
TruGreen is available in every state except Alaska and Hawaii. This makes them an excellent choice for all southern homeowners.
Why TruGreen?
TruGreen is accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and currently holds an A+ rating.
“I have had a great experience with TruGreen. Everyone from the people who answer the phones to the technicians have been very helpful and polite. When I call with a problem they are eager to do what needs to be done and respond quickly. They have been treating my lawn for button weed which is very hard to get rid of. I have tried unsuccessfully for 10 years to do this on my own with help from garden center supplies and it only got worse. I am pleased to say that after less than 5 months, they have almost completely eradicated these weeds from my lawn and when I find any coming up again, they send a technician to treat any new seedlings that arise. My lawn is really looking good and I recommend TruGreen for lawn service.”
— Dorothy R., 8/9/2018, 5 stars, BBB
Are you ready to learn more about TruGreen and what the company can bring to your lawn? Give it a call today at 888-535-3193 or fill out a simple online quote request form here to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first step to take when caring for a lawn?
When caring for a lawn, the first step is to do a soil test. Find out exactly where the health of the soil is and how this impacts the lawn. Once you have done this, you can start to make decisions about nutrients, watering, fertilization, and more.
When should I fertilize my southern lawn?
Southern lawns usually grow best in the summer. You’ll want to fertilize your lawn every 4 to 6 weeks during the summer season if you have warm season grasses on your property.
Why do you need to water a lawn?
Water is essential for all living things to grow, including your lawn. Although rainwater can help to reduce the amount of water you need to give your lawn, there are still watering requirements that are expected, especially in the south. Always water in the early morning hours to increase the efficiency of the watering and decrease the chance of fungus developing in the turf.
