Lawn Care Guide
What a good lawn program includes, how it changes with your grass type, and how to pick the right company to run it.
Your lawn is the first thing people see. When it's patchy, weedy or scalped, the whole property looks tired. A solid lawn care program keeps grass cut at the right height, fed on the right schedule and free of the weeds that take over Georgia yards every spring.
Most lawns around Atlanta are Bermuda, zoysia or tall fescue, and each one wants something different. Bermuda wants full sun and a low cut. Zoysia grows slower and thicker. Fescue handles shade but struggles in July heat. A good lawn care company sets mowing height, fertilizer timing and weed control around the grass you actually have.
What it includes
- Weekly or biweekly mowing at the right height
- Clean edging along drives, walks and beds
- String trimming around trees, fences and structures
- Blowing clippings off every hard surface
- Seasonal fertilization
- Pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control
- Core aeration and overseeding
- Fall leaf cleanup
How a typical project goes
Yard walk
The company looks at your grass type, sun and shade, bare spots and drainage before quoting.
Written plan
You get a schedule for mowing, feeding and weed control with one clear price.
Set service day
A regular crew comes on the same day each week, so you know when to expect them.
Seasonal changes
Mowing height, feeding and treatments shift as the weather changes through the year.
Lawn care timing in Georgia
Pre-emergent goes down in late February or early March, before soil temperatures wake up crabgrass. A second round in fall stops winter weeds like poa annua.
Warm-season lawns (Bermuda and zoysia) get aerated in late spring and early summer while they're growing hard. Fescue gets aerated and overseeded in September and October, when cooler nights help new seed take hold.
Questions to ask a landscaper
- Which grass types do you work with most?
- What's included in each visit, and what costs extra?
- Which products do you use for weed control, and how long should pets stay off the lawn?
- Do you aerate and overseed, or only mow?
Common questions
How often should my lawn be mowed?
During the growing season, most Bermuda and zoysia lawns look best mowed weekly. Fescue can usually go every week to ten days. In late fall and winter, visits usually drop to as needed.
Do I need to be home for lawn service?
Usually not. Most companies just ask that gates are unlocked and pets are inside, and many send a text when the visit is done.
Is weed control safe for kids and pets?
Products labeled for residential lawns, applied at label rates, are designed for home use. Ask your company how long to keep pets and kids off the grass after each treatment, usually until it dries.
Can bare spots be fixed?
Yes. Depending on the grass type, bare areas can be seeded, plugged or sodded. The cause, like compacted soil or poor drainage, should be fixed first.
Know a landscaper doing great work?
We're always looking for local companies to celebrate. Landscapers can reach out to be featured, too.