Despite the dreary musings of a particularly pessimistic groundhog earlier this year, the weather in Kansas City has made it abundantly clear that spring is in full swing. Of course, the rising temperatures, additional sunlight, and longer days are sure to boost moods and outdoor time across the board, they also remind us of an important time for many homeowners: the start of yearly seasonal lawn care. That’s why we have created an easy-to-use month-by-month lawn care schedule for Missouri.
Soon hardware stores will be retiring the snow shovels for fertilizer and weed killer. And it’s important to have a plan in place to tackle taking care of your lawn. No one wants to reach the peaks of summer and find their lush lawns turned brown and dry or be invaded by a number of pests, feeding off the chaos in your grass. As the decades-long running Lawn Care Experts in Kansas City, we understand the needs and timings of a proper lawn care schedule for Missouri.
Let’s get your seasonal lawn care education underway by breaking down some of the key periods in the calendar to hit for a prime lawn for a long time to come.
Seasonal Lawn Care Schedule For Kansas City, Missouri
Early Spring (Late March)
A lot happens as the caps of snow start to see exponential melting, revealing your lawn. The rising air temperatures start to build up the potential for growth to begin. However, chances are that the grass hasn’t flourished under 12 inches of frozen water. You’ll likely find that (unless you’ve been following a lawn care plan like ours) your lawn has a splotchy and faded color with some brown spots.
How To Prepare Your Lawn For Treatment
Your grass has been hibernating in many ways, and when it gets the signal to wake up from increased moisture levels and warmer temperatures, it’s going to need a good amount of nutrients to get going. It’s a lot like waking up from a nap that went too long. You’re thirsty, hungry, and still readjusting yourself.
Give your lawn the best start by treating it to an application of granular fertilizer and a pre-emergent. This will make sure the ground is saturated with the proper nutrients, fostering strength and color. The pre-emergent will also address the issue of early grassy weeds like crabgrass. Pushing out those plants ensures your lawn isn’t getting bullied out of food.
Mid-Spring (Late April-Early May)
At this point, hopefully, your lawn has seen some improvement in color and thickness. Chances are you’re into your routine of cutting (or getting serviced by a local enterprising teen) or even scheduling out service with a professional landscaper. While battling the increased rain of this period can be bear, the bigger threat is what is coming in the near future.
During this period, chances are your lawn is at its peak. This is a great opportunity to aerate your lawn. Aeration will help get rid of the debris under your turf and help your grass get vital nutrients and oxygen. Learn more about core aeration and how it can keep your lawn happy and healthy.
April showers do bring May flowers, but these aren’t the kind that are carrying pilgrims or beautifying the garden. Instead, the water gets sucked up by hungry broadleaf weeds like dandelions and clover. This is the prime time to get ahead of the problem by having some broadleaf weed control applied. It won’t necessarily prevent all of these plants from taking root, but you won’t have to bust out the weed killer at every turn.
Late Spring (Late May- Early June)
By now, you’ve gone through all of Spring’s greatest hits, the earthworms that wash up after a long rainshower, kids getting their yearbooks covered in copious “HAGS” signatures, and the rush the bust the mower out before the storm comes through over the weekend. This is a great time to prepare for the oncoming Summer.
The first priority is to restock your lawn with enough nutrients. By now, it has worked through the first fertilizer treatment to jumpstart its growth. By applying a slow-release fertilizer the grass will have a steady amount of food for the long and often dryer Summer months. You’ll also want to take time to do a booster treatment of pre-emergent to keep those grassy weeds at bay. Finish up with some small spot treatments for any broadleaf weeds that took root and you should be in good shape.
Insect Control
It’s important to take a pause here to address the topic of insect control. Gunter is a multi-generational Pest Control and Lawn Care Company. As such, we understand the specific ways in how these spheres interact with each other. The truth is that your lawn is one of the primary areas that pest issues begin. These can go on to affect your property in a variety of ways.
In terms of Lawn Care, certain insects making their home in your lawn will begin to damage the top of your turf, potentially undermining all of your previous efforts. Additionally, grubs will also begin to take hold, creating a new issue and additional nutrient drain.
Beyond that, unchecked pest activity can lead to serious issues with termites, ant populations, bed bugs, and mosquitoes. As experts in both, we recommend a granular treatment that will control these issues and more.
Early Summer (July)
Summer brings new challenges to the experience of lawn care. The decreased rainfall can make your mowing schedule more manageable, but chances are you’re equally concerned about drought issues which have become more common over recent years. Remember to follow best practices to water your lawn, and watch for any water restrictions posted by the local government.
During Summer, your grass is well into its period of root growth. It’s important to sustain those efforts to build a strong system for the oncoming cooler months. Apply fertilizer in choice amounts to ensure a healthy lawn.
Late Summer (August)
It’s a difficult process to stay on schedule with all your lawn treatments and maintenance on your own. Chances are some of these will slip up. Late Summer is a great time to make sure you’ve addressed whatever has slipped by your watch.
Primarily, if your lawn has gone a long time without a granular fertilizer treatment, it’s imperative to get that accomplished before fall bears down on you. Even if you’ve had a perfect record of your treatments, it’s a good practice to apply that treatment here in the late Summer period.
Fall
Autumn is all about one very important thing: Winterization. After that first freeze, it’s rare that you will have any other contact with your lawn during the winter (barring any tragic, but hilarious issues while hanging Holiday lights of course). As such, your lawn will need to store away the tools it needs to come out of Winter ready and healthy.
Apply a heavy treatment of nitrogen-rich fertilizer. This will act much like a food reserve for the grass which will be necessary due to the loss of insect, worm, and bacterial activity which supports the nutrient exchange in the soil. Done properly this should help spring green-up, better-than-normal color, better rooting, and fewer spring diseases.
First Steps
It wouldn’t be a surprise if by now you’re a little shell-shocked. Taking good care of your lawn can feel like a full-time job. That’s why the best first step for starting a seasonal lawn care schedule is to enlist your local Missouri experts.
At Gunter, we’ve been taking care of lawns, homes, and businesses for 70 years. We’ve developed treatments, schedules, and methods that provide reliable results year-round.
Our seasonal lawn care plan begins at $45 a month and covers all of the periods and treatments discussed in this article.
For that payment, you are not only gaining access to quality treatment from experienced lawn care technicians but also a company that knows your local neighborhood because we live there. We prioritize understanding Kansas City neighborhoods, their needs, and protecting them with eco-friendly products and treatments.
Visit our Lawn Care page to read more about how you can get your Seasonal Lawn Care journey started today.
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