Spring Lawn Care Checklist for Georgia

Pre-Emergent Timing Is Everything

In Middle Georgia, soil temperatures hit the 55-degree threshold sometime in late February to mid-March. That is your window for the first round of pre-emergent herbicide. Apply too early and it breaks down before crabgrass germinates. Apply too late and seeds have already sprouted. Soil thermometers are cheap insurance. Check temps at 4 inches deep for the most accurate reading.

• Target soil temps of 55 degrees at 4-inch depth for pre-emergent application.
• A split application (February and April) gives longer-lasting coverage than one heavy dose.
• Do not aerate after applying pre-emergent — it breaks the chemical barrier.

First Fertilizer Application

Wait until your warm-season grass is fully green and actively growing before fertilizing. For bermuda in Middle Georgia, that usually means mid-April. For centipede, wait even longer — late April or early May. Fertilizing dormant or semi-dormant grass wastes product and can feed weeds instead. A balanced slow-release nitrogen fertilizer works best for the first round.

• Bermuda can handle more nitrogen than centipede. Centipede lawns burn easily if over-fertilized.
• Apply fertilizer to dry grass and water it in within 24 hours.
• Never fertilize before the lawn has fully greened up.

Mowing Height and Frequency

Raise your mowing height for the first few cuts of spring. Taller grass shades out weed seedlings and helps the root system recover from winter dormancy. Bermuda does well at 1.5 to 2 inches. Zoysia prefers 2 to 2.5 inches. Centipede should stay at 1.5 to 2 inches. Never remove more than one-third of the blade height in a single mowing.

Inspect for Winter Damage

Walk your yard and look for bare spots, dead patches, or areas where the grass did not come back. Thinned-out areas are prime real estate for weeds. Spring dead spot is common in bermuda lawns that had heavy thatch going into winter. Address bare spots early with targeted overseeding or sod patches before weeds colonize those areas.