To keep your lawn looking its best in Alabama, start strong in the spring. Take the mower out of the shed, clean up debris, apply a pre-emergent herbicide, and fertilize. Keep mowing, watering, and monitoring disease all summer. As the temperatures drop, reduce mowing and watering and apply a final fertilizer dose in the fall.
Don’t forget to aerate warm-season grasses in summer and cool-season varieties in fall. For winter, keep your lawn stress-free. This article covers all the tasks you need to remember year round to keep your Alabama lawn in tip-top shape.
Late winter to early spring
In Alabama, spring is the time to gear up and prepare your lawn for the coming year. It is when your lawn wakes up from winter slumber and needs your rapt attention.
Here’s what you need to do as soon as the temperatures start to rise:
Clean up
Grab the leaf rake, roll up your sleeves, and get working. Remove all the leaves and twigs that have accumulated through winter to allow your grass to breathe. A layer of wet leaves and debris will simply smother your lawn.
So cleaning up early in the spring will set the tone for a good year, lawn-wise.
Weed control – early March
If you own a lawn, know that weeds are an inherent part of this ownership. While there might not be an ideal time for weeds to pop up in a yard, there is the best time to control them: early spring.
In March, pre-emergent herbicides act as your first line of defense against these wayward invaders. Early spring application kills weed seeds before they germinate and saves your lawn from weeds later.
However, keep in mind that not all herbicides work for all weeds. Common Alabama weeds such as chickweed and annual bluegrass are some of the most stubborn weeds and cause major damage to the turf.
So it’s important to apply your pre-emergent herbicide before your lawn completely comes out of winter dormancy in early March.
Spring: Mid-March to April
Dethatch
Dethatching removes excess thatch (a thick layer of organic material that covers the soil). You may know the process as power raking, where the rake is used to loosen and remove old grass stems and debris from the topsoil layer.
The earliest you should start to dethatch your lawn is the middle of March, as soon as new grass starts to grow. This will help water and nutrients penetrate the soil to the roots and hasten the healthy growth of grass. Dethatching should be practiced yearly for Alabama homeowners, especially in Central and Northern Alabama where the soil has more clay.
Start mowing
As soon as you spot new growth in your Alabama lawn, uncover your lawn mower and get ready for the first mow. This typically happens early to mid-March, the perfect time to start mowing. All you need to ensure is that the last frost is out of your way.
Another important thing to remember with mowing is to NEVER cut the grass too short at once, it will damage the lawn and stunt growth. Don’t cut any more than a third of your grass blade’s height and avoid mowing wet grass to prevent disease. You also need to sharpen your mower blades before the season to ensure a nice and neat cut.
That said, the recommended mowing height varies with grass variety. You need to know what type of grass your Alabama lawn has and devise a mowing schedule accordingly. But if you’re lazy, no worries, we did the homework:
| Grass Type | Recommended Mowing Height | Recommended Mowing Frequency (During Active Growing Season) |
| Bermudagrass | 1.5 – 2.5 inches | Every 5 – 7 days |
| Zoysiagrass | 1- 2 inches | Every 7 – 10 days |
| Bahiagrass | 3 – 4 inches | Every 7 – 14 days |
| Centipedegrass | 1 – 2 inches | Every 10 – 14 days |
| Tall fescue | 2 – 3 inches | Every 7 days |
| Ryegrass | 1 – 2 inches | Every 7 days |
Fertilize
Spring fertilization is important to give your grass a boost into a healthy growth season. However, timing is the key here.
For warm-season grasses, wait to fertilize until the grass is actively growing, the lawn is fully green, and the temperatures are consistently above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Ideally, in Alabama, this happens after the first two to three mows of the season late in March or early April.
Figuring out the right time for application may be tricky for some. In a Q&A column published on Auburn University’s webpage, Dave Han, a Turfgrass Management instructor at Auburn University College of Agriculture and a Cooperative Extension Services specialist, shared an easy way to think about it.
“A good rule of thumb is to fertilize when the high and low temperatures add up to 150 or more,” Han said. “For example, when daytime highs are around 85 and overnight lows are 65, you know it’s time. And if we’re getting technical, you can fertilize when the soil temperature at four inches deep hits 70 degrees.”
Cool-season grasses like tall fescue grow faster in spring and fall, so fertilize them around the beginning of March.
You’re probably wondering what type of fertilizer is best for your Alabama lawn, right? It’s best to get a soil test to determine exactly what your grass needs to be lush and healthy.
NOTE: After fertilizing, wait at least 24 hours before mowing as cutting grass and fertilizing on the same day may damage the turf.
Plant seeds
If winter has left your warm-season grass lawn looking patchy and dull, you might want to consider overseeding the bare spots.
Spread new grass seeds when soil temperatures start rising, this is usually April for Alabama lawns. The ideal temperature for sowing seeds is generally between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, but the best time may differ for different seed types.
Late Spring to early Summer
Summer’s here, time for more hectic lawn care duties.
Aerate
Aeration is a process of poking numerous tiny holes in the soil so water, sunlight, and nutrients can reach grass roots. Aeration breaks thatch buildup and alleviates soil compaction, which in turn allows your grass to develop a deeper, stronger root system.
Most lawns in Alabama do good with yearly aeration, but heavily used lawns or lawns growing on heavy clay might need aeration more than once. Most Alabama lawns have warm-season grasses and the best time to aerate warm-season lawns is late spring and summer; their peak growing season.
If you have a cool-season lawn in Alabama, it’s better to wait until fall for aeration.
Fertilize
When Alabama summer is just about to peak, give your lawn a final boost of nutrients. Apply a slow-release fertilizer in late May or very early in June. This last feeding will help your grass through the harsh summer months and slow down nutrient depletion as it gets hotter.
However, take care of the recommended application rates so you don’t overfeed and burn your grass.
For a cool-season grass lawn in Alabama, SKIP fertilizing this late. These grasses are generally slowing down their growth for summer late in May, and fertilizing at this time will easily damage or kill the grass.
Summer
Summers in Alabama are harsh. Your lawn needs extra support to pull through disease, drought, pests, weeds, too much heat, and a lot more.
Manage pests
The picnic weather is all fun and games until you spot lawn grubs or armyworms in your yard. Keep an eye out for common Alabama lawn pests like sod webworms because early detection and treatment will reduce the chances of a lethal infestation down the road.
Treat them early on with natural options, such as beneficial nematodes or milky spores, or with chemical insecticides.
Fertilize (If you didn’t fertilize in the spring)
Fertilizing in summer is a bit tricky, but no worries, if you missed fertilization early in the spring you still have two more chances.
Apply a slow-release fertilizer around early June to make sure your lawn has all the nutrients it needs to power through the summer heat.
Or, you can also fertilize late in August when the heat starts to slow down.
Aerate (If you skipped spring aeration)
Summer aeration can promote healthy growth, but this is a risky business. Because aerating in the hotter months increases the grass’s vulnerability to drought. So if you did not aerate in spring, you can aerate warm-season grasses early in June, before the temperatures reach the max.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT aerate cool-season grasses this time of the year.
Continue mowing all summer
Keep up with your mowing schedule from spring; once or twice a week, as suitable for your grass type. However, in summer, cut the grass a bit higher. Taller grass blades will naturally shade the soil below and allow better moisture retention.
Weed control all summer
Weeds don’t take a summer vacation. They’re super active in the hotter months. You need to stay vigilant all summer but don’t give in to the temptation of putting a systemic weed killer all over the lawn. This is because Alabama’s brutal heat can kill off your grass too, along with weeds.
Instead, the right approach is to spot-treat weeds whenever you see them.
Water all summer
This goes without saying, watering your lawn is essential for its health and green galore. Alabama lawns may even go dormant in extended heat exposure without rain and watering.
Water your lawn about one inch per week in the summer and do it early in the morning to prevent water loss. You can also check to see if some areas of your lawn need more water by the “stand test”.
All you have to do is stand or walk on the lawn and observe the grass after every few steps. The grass blades that stay smooshed for over 10 seconds are dehydrated and need more water.
Disease patrol
You need to stay vigilant about diseases in Alabama. There are two most common lawn nuisances: brown patch that, as the name suggests, leaves discolored patches of burnt or dead grass and red thread that shows up in late spring.
These diseases are especially prevalent in the South and can cause serious damage if not taken care of. It’s best to watch for symptoms and prevent them rather than using fungicides later to treat a disease-ridden lawn.
The best preventative measure is to keep your lawn free from thatch and avoid overwatering at all costs.
Late summer, early fall
After your lawn is battered from the intense summer heat, it’s time for revival and preparation for the winter. Your Alabama lawn’s fall lawn care schedule should look something like this:
Aerate
Early fall is the best time to core aerate your Alabama lawn with cool-season grass and relieve compaction stress. It helps with deeper root development, water uptake, and thatch removal. Compaction is a real issue in clayey parts of Alabama, plus summers are tough on cool-season grasses here, especially Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue that don’t do well in heat.
Core aerifying at this time, late August or early September, is perfect because the grass hasn’t completely gone dormant and will have sufficient time to recover before dormancy. So aerate before the temperatures drop too low (consistently stay in the 50s) or at least a month before the first frost.
Remember: NEVER aerate warm-season grasses in the fall, even if you missed aerating in spring and summer. Wait until next year for spring aeration.
Mow all fall
Continue to mow your Alabama lawn during fall but gradually lower the height. This will help more and more sunlight to reach the grass’s crown and keep diseases at bay. Plus, a shorter mowing height will help in weed control to prevent winter weeds.
Mid-fall lawn care – October
Weed control
Early in the fall, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent winter weeds such as henbit and chickweed. Stay ahead of the game by timing your application somewhere between the middle of September and the beginning of October.
This goes for both warm- and cool-season grass types in Alabama, all grass types will benefit from a pre-emergent herbicide application this time in the fall. Because all grasses will go dormant in winter and weeds take any and every opportunity to take over a weak and dormant lawn.
Overseed
If you wish to have a green lawn throughout winter, overseed your Alabama lawn with cool-season grass. For warm-season grasses like Bermudagrass, perennial ryegrass is a great option for overseeding and keeping your lawn green year-round.
October is the best time to overseed for winter. The cooler temperatures support the healthy germination of cool-season grass seeds and give excellent results. However, make sure you overseed way before the first frost so there’s enough time for the new grass to grow.
It takes approximately three weeks to complete the germination process. So it’s best to overseed your lawn at least four to five weeks before the first anticipated frost of the season.
Fertilize
Hot and humid summers are bound to deplete your grass of nutrients. Give your Alabama lawn one last fertilizer boost before winter. Apply a good fall fertilizer and do it strictly according to the recommended dosage on the package to avoid over- or underfeeding.
Keep mowing, but less often
Along with the temperature drop in Alabama, October will also decrease your grass’s growth rate. Gradually lower the mowing frequency and maintain the mowing height above 1.5 to 2 inches for warm-season grasses and 2.5 inches for cool-season grasses.
Late fall lawn care – November to December
Mow for the final time
Give your lawn a final mow before winter officially sets in. Don’t cut the grass too short or too long this time. And once the grass stops growing altogether, probably around November for most of Alabama, dress your mower up and put it away until spring.
Reduce watering
Adjust the irrigation schedule to lower the water frequency. Overwatering during this time of the year is super risky, it’s not just about wasting water but more about inviting fungus to set in. Gradually reduce watering over a few weeks, and don’t abruptly cut off irrigation, to allow enough hydration.
Fertilize (If you skipped it in October)
October to November is a great time to apply a fall fertilizer and prepare your lawn for winter dormancy. This will ensure your grass has all the nutrients and root strength it may need to pull through winter and bounce back in spring.
Winter lawn care – December to February
You thought all this prep will spare you from winter lawn care? Nope!
Although Alabama winters are relatively mild and most grasses here go dormant during this time, keeping up with a few lawn care tasks will help your lawn thrive through the cold.
Mulch
Applying mulch is an excellent way to insulate your lawn for the winter. Organic mulch such as pine straws, grass clippings, or compost creates a protective layer that insulates the soil from cold and blocks winter weeds.
Clear away debris
Keeping your lawn clean and debris-free all winter will prevent damage because leaves and debris put a lot of pressure on the lawn. Before the first frost, remove all leaves, and clear away all the lawn furniture, lawn ornaments, and any other objects weighing on the grass.
After this, continue cleaning the yard rest of the winter.
Limit foot traffic
Lawns are fragile during the cold, especially after a frost when there’s ice on the ground. Foot traffic on an already cold-stricken lawn can lead to soil compaction, and even kill the grass in case of heavy traffic. Refrain from walking, playing, or sitting on your lawn during winter, and never park or drive in case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best grass seed for Alabama?
The best grass types for Alabama lawns are Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, and centipedegrass in warm-season varieties and tall fescue and perennial ryegrass in cool-season grass types.
When should you fertilize your lawn in Alabama?
The ideal time to fertilize a lawn in Alabama depends on the grass type you have. The ideal time to fertilize warm-season grasses is March, followed by a slow-release fertilizer application in May. Fertilize cool-season grasses in early March to kick-start the growing season, then apply again in November.
When should I lime my lawn in Alabama?
Lime application proves to be most effective during wet, cool conditions of the fall. The best time to apply lime in Alabama lawns is early fall or early spring.
Trust the pros
Caring for a lawn is a hands-on job. If you’re unclear, don’t have the time or energy, or simply can’t keep up, don’t be afraid to call in a professional for help. Our lawn care experts are well-versed in lawn care for every season and every lawn problem. So hand over your lawn worries and relax as a pro keeps up with all the spring, summer, fall, and winter schedules.
Main Image Credit: Doug Floyd | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 2.0
