Illustrative imageSeason by season
Michigan Lawn Care Questions, Answered
Seasonal how-to answers for lawns and gardens in Southeast Michigan, from the crew at Redwood Property Maintenance in Garden City. Timing here is general guidance for cool-season lawns and varies with the weather and your yard.
Spring
When should I start spring lawn care in Michigan?
Start once the ground has thawed, dried out and the grass is actively growing, usually in April. Walking, raking or mowing on soggy turf damages it, so wait until it firms up.
A spring cleanup comes first: clear fallen branches and matted leaves, then rake out dead grass gently. The first mow usually follows in late April or May, and it is fine to leave the grass on the longer side.
When is the right time to mulch flower beds in Michigan?
Spring, once the soil has started to warm and the beds are cleaned out, is the usual time. Lay mulch about 2 to 3 inches deep and keep it pulled back from stems and trunks.
Mulching too early can slow the soil from warming. If last year's mulch is still thick, a light refresh is enough. See mulch installation.
When can I plant annual flowers in Southeast Michigan?
Most gardeners in Southeast Michigan wait until about mid-May, once the danger of frost has mostly passed. Hardy perennials, trees and shrubs can go in earlier, and early fall is also a good time.
A warm week in April is not a promise. One late frost can kill tender annuals overnight, so plant on the later side or be ready to cover them. See custom landscaping.
Summer
How short should I cut my lawn in summer?
Keep cool-season grass at about 3 inches or taller, and never remove more than about a third of the blade in one cut. Taller grass shades the soil, holds moisture and crowds out weeds.
Scalping a lawn short in summer heat stresses the roots. If the lawn has gotten long, cut it down in two passes a few days apart instead of one hard cut. See lawn mowing and maintenance.
How much should I water my lawn?
About 1 inch of water a week, counting rainfall, delivered deeply and less often rather than a little every day. Early morning is best because less is lost to the sun and wind.
Deep, infrequent watering pushes roots down and makes the lawn tougher in a dry spell. A tuna can set out on the lawn is an easy way to see how much a sprinkler really delivers.
Why is my lawn turning brown in July?
Brown, crisp grass in midsummer is often heat and drought dormancy, which cool-season grass uses to survive. It usually greens up again when rain and cooler weather return.
If the turf lifts like a loose carpet, check for grubs feeding on the roots. A lawn that stays thin and hard may also be compacted, which is where aeration helps.
Fall
When should I aerate and overseed in Michigan?
Late summer to early fall is the best window, roughly mid-August into September, when the soil is warm and nights are cooler. Spring is the second choice.
Seed that goes down right after aeration makes good contact with the soil and has the whole fall to establish. Avoid aerating in midsummer heat. See lawn aeration.
When should I do a fall cleanup?
After most of the leaves have dropped, typically late October into November. Doing it too early means the trees drop more on top of the finished job.
Do not leave heavy, wet leaf cover on the lawn all winter, because it smothers the grass. If the trees drop late, a second pass may be needed. A thin layer of leaves, up to about 6 inches, can be mulched into the lawn with the mower on its highest setting. See seasonal cleanups.
What should I do with leaves and yard waste in Michigan?
Mow light leaf cover into the lawn, or collect the rest for compost or your city's yard waste pickup. Michigan keeps yard waste out of landfills, so check your city's rules for bagging and pickup dates.
Collection rules differ from city to city, including whether leaves go in paper bags or loose at the curb. Check your city's website each fall, and see the notes on our town pages.
When should I prune trees in Michigan?
Late winter or early spring is the best general time. Do not prune oaks from about April 15 to July 15, because fresh cuts can attract the beetles that spread oak wilt.
For oaks, the safest time is winter, and tree crews book up, so schedule oak work in fall. Dead, hanging or storm-damaged branches are the exception: deal with those whenever they appear. Tree work is not one of our listed services, so describe the job in your request and we will tell you honestly whether it is something we do.
Winter
When should I book a seasonal snow removal contract?
Before the season starts. A seasonal contract is arranged ahead of the first storm, so the property is already on the list when snow falls.
Send the quote form and say whether the property is a home or a business. See snow removal.
What do plowing, salting and sidewalk clearing mean?
Plowing pushes snow off driveways and parking lots. Salting is applied to pavement to melt ice and keep it from bonding. Sidewalk clearing opens the walks and entrances.
They are separate jobs, and a property can have one, two or all three. Tell us what the property needs.
How fast do I have to clear my sidewalk?
It depends on your city. Garden City's FAQ says owners must clear snow from sidewalks within 24 hours, and Dearborn Heights' ordinance page says snow and ice must be cleared within 24 hours.
Those are the two rules we have read. Other cities have their own, so check your city's website for the current wording.
Why does the amount of salt matter?
More salt is not better. Salt only melts ice down to a certain cold, and too much of it can damage concrete and lawns and wash into storm drains.
Salt works best on pavement that has already been cleared, applied thinly. Heavy piles mostly end up on the lawn in spring.
Year-round
How do I know if my lawn needs aeration?
Water that runs off or puddles, thin spots, soil too hard to push a screwdriver into, and heavy clay are the common signs. Lawns with a lot of foot traffic compact faster.
Around Garden City the ground is mostly sandy loam over clay and drains slowly, and construction and foot traffic compact it. Core aeration relieves that by pulling small plugs and letting air, water and roots through.
How often should hedges and shrubs be trimmed?
Fast-growing hedges may need trimming two or three times a season, slower shrubs once a year. Timing depends on the plant: spring bloomers right after flowering, summer bloomers in late winter or early spring.
Trimming a spring-flowering shrub in winter cuts off its buds. If you are not sure what a shrub is, send a photo with your request. See hedge and bush trimming.
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