When you think of your routine lawn care, what comes to mind first? Maybe you think of weekly mowing, or maybe even occasionally spreading fertilizer. While those are great ways to encourage healthy a healthy lawn, one of the often-overlooked aspects of your lawn's health is soil compaction. 

With spring fully in bloom and summer right around the corner, you're probably gearing up for another year of lawn mowing and watering. This is the time to for your lawn to shine, your grass will be exiting its dormant period as the soil temperatures hold above 50 degrees and you'll begin to see the vibrant green color return to your lawn. 

It's that time of year where Georgians can enjoy mornings with frosty temperatures, and by mid-afternoon begin to see temperatures in the 60s and 70s. With today being the first official day of Spring, there is no better time to begin preparing your lawn to flourish once the growing season begins! 

Oftentimes, when you think of your lawn's overall health, you might jump to aspects like the color, blade length, or even the presence of bare spots. Well, just like any other plant you have in your garden, the health of the soil underneath your grass plays a huge role in your lawn's health! 

In January, we went over the range of effects that December's single-digit temperatures may have had on your lawn's health. The impact of these extreme temperatures doesn't stop at your lawn - you must also consider ways that your lawn's bushes and shrubs and your garden's plants have been affected. 

When you think of your lawn's more troublesome weeds, what do you think of? You might think of some wicked weeds that sprout on the sides of your home that have some seriously deep roots. You also might think of an annual grass, such as crabgrass that we discussed last month, but did you know there is another annual grass that can be giving you headaches? 

Here in Georgia, the weather can be, at times, unpredictable to say the least. Just before we rang in the new year, areas of Metro Atlanta and North Georgia were seeing temperatures in the low teens, with wind chill making it feel even colder. 

Caring for your lawn and garden involves so much more than just mowing and watering, and taking those extra steps to ensure root health and promote growth makes all the difference. Most of the time, actions you can take to improve your lawn's growth and color need to take place regularly, and before the growing season. 

As we begin to enter the winter months here in Georgia, our lawns and gardens will begin to enter their dormant periods. The dormant period will definitely come with some advantages, the obvious being you can take a good, long break from mowing your lawn regularly. One other great way to take advantage of this dormant season experienced by your lawn and garden is by making use of horticultural oils, sometimes known as "dormant oils." 

You may have noticed that Georgia's fall was warmer than other autumns in the past, and this wasn't necessarily a surprise. Some months in the first half of 2022 were full of record-breaking heat for the metro-Atlanta area, and this should continue well into the early winter weeks. 

With those humid, summer months behind us, the days of pesky mosquitoes are beginning to fall behind us as well. The arrival of cooler days does not mean our lawns will be without pests. In fact, this time of the year brings several types of pests you may not see all year around. 

One of the most frustrating things to see in your lawn is a bare spot. Patchy areas where the grass just doesn't seem to grow can happen for a couple of reasons, and fixing them isn't nearly as difficult as you may think. 

Here in Georgia, we are surrounded by trees, which really just means that by mid-autumn, our lawns are covered in a blanket of crunchy brown and orange leaves. Now, as much as we love this scenery, people typically don't want their lawns, driveways, sidewalks, and streets covered in leaves for too long.

Your lawn can be a host to a number of pests and insects, and with the ever ranging and unpredictable Georgia climate, pests like fleas and ticks can be a nuisance all year long. Since their livelihood relies on having a warm-blooded host, these insects are technically parasites. Controlling their presence in your lawn is crucial in keeping your family and pets safe from irritation, bites, and even disease.

Oftentimes when people think of turf painting, they might think of the lines that workers paint on a football field or a baseball diamond before a game, but did you know turf painting actually can be a great way to beautify your lawn? 

While most might think their lawn should get the most attention in the summer and spring months, a lawn seeded with Fescue grass should get primary care during the Fall, right before the coldest months. Fescue, a cold season grass, is extremely popular in Georgia. It holds up great in lawns that have varying amounts of sun and shade, making it very versatile for suburban areas with different levels of tree and home coverage. 

When you picture your perfect Spring and Summer lawn you might think of freshly-cut, green grass, absolutely free of dead spots. One of the most common diseases that spoil your spring lawn is Spring Dead Spot (SDS), and taking action starts earlier in the year than you might think. 

When you picture your perfect lawn, you may think of freshly cut grass that is the perfect shade of green, trimmed shrubs, and blooming flowers, but somewhere around the corner or against the side of your home, are those pesky weeds that just will not go away.