Lawn Care for New Homeowners in Georgia
Bought a house in Middle Georgia and not sure where to start with the lawn? This guide covers everything a first-time homeowner needs to know.
Overview
What You Will Learn
Moving into a new home in Middle Georgia means inheriting a warm-season lawn — and warm-season grass plays by different rules than the cool-season lawns many homeowners are used to from up north. The grass types are different, the mowing heights are different, and the seasonal calendar is flipped. This guide gives you a straightforward starting point for understanding and maintaining your Georgia lawn, from identifying what is in your yard to building a basic maintenance routine.
Identify Your Grass Type First
Before you do anything else, figure out what grass you have. In Middle Georgia, the most common grasses are bermuda, zoysia, and centipede. Bermuda has fine blades, spreads aggressively via runners, and goes dormant (turns brown) in winter. Zoysia is similar but denser and slower-growing with a slightly wider blade. Centipede has a lighter green color, coarser blades, and grows very slowly. St. Augustine is less common but shows up occasionally — it has the widest, flattest blades of any warm-season grass. Knowing your grass type determines every other decision: mowing height, watering schedule, fertilizer amounts, and weed control products.
Take a close-up photo of your grass and compare it to online guides from the UGA Extension.
If your lawn has multiple grass types, the dominant one drives your care decisions.
New construction homes often have bermuda or zoysia sod.
Build a Basic Maintenance Calendar
Georgia warm-season lawns follow a seasonal rhythm. Spring (March to May) is green-up and the first fertilizer window. Summer (June to August) is peak growth — frequent mowing and consistent watering. Fall (September to November) is the last fertilizer application and the best time for aeration and overseeding. Winter (December to February) is dormancy — bermuda and zoysia turn brown and go dormant, and most lawn care slows down. Your first year, focus on three things: mow at the right height, water deeply but infrequently, and get a soil test. You can layer in fertilization and weed control as you get comfortable.
Do not panic when your bermuda or zoysia turns brown in winter — it is dormant, not dead.
A soil test in your first year tells you exactly what your lawn needs.
Start simple — mowing and watering correctly solves most problems.
New Construction Lawn Challenges
If your home is newly built, your lawn has extra challenges. Builders typically strip topsoil during construction, leaving behind compacted clay subsoil. The sod or seed installed by the builder may be the cheapest option, not the best one for your property. Construction debris buried in the yard (concrete chunks, wire, wood) can cause dead spots. Expect your first year to require more attention — soil may need amendment, compaction is almost guaranteed, and irrigation systems installed during construction often have coverage gaps. Get a soil test immediately, plan to aerate in the first fall, and address any drainage issues before they become permanent problems.
New construction soil is severely compacted — aerate in the first fall.
Get a soil test right away — builder soil is often nutrient-depleted.
Check irrigation coverage — walk the zones and look for dry spots.
Common New Homeowner Mistakes
The most common mistake is treating a Georgia lawn like a northern lawn. Cool-season grass rules do not apply here. Do not fertilize with the same schedule or products you used up north. Do not mow to the same height. Do not plant fescue (it will die in summer). Other common mistakes include overwatering (which causes fungal disease), mowing too short (which scalps the turf), and applying weed-and-feed products without knowing your grass type (some products damage centipede or St. Augustine). Start with the basics, get a soil test, and when in doubt — mow higher, water less, and let the grass tell you what it needs.
Do not use products labeled for cool-season grass on your warm-season lawn.
Mowing too short is the number-one DIY lawn mistake in Georgia.
When in doubt, mow higher and water less — it is safer than the opposite.
Key takeaways
What to Remember
Identify your grass type first — it determines every care decision.
Georgia warm-season lawns go dormant in winter (brown is normal, not dead).
Focus on three fundamentals: proper mowing height, correct watering, and a soil test.
New construction lawns need extra attention — compacted soil, poor topsoil, and irrigation gaps.
Do not treat a Georgia lawn like a northern lawn — the rules are different.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my lawn brown in winter in Georgia?
Bermuda, zoysia, and centipede are warm-season grasses that go dormant when temperatures drop below 50°F consistently. Brown winter color is normal. The grass is alive and will green up in spring when soil temperatures rise.
What is the first thing I should do for my new lawn?
Identify your grass type and get a soil test. These two steps tell you everything you need to know about mowing height, watering needs, fertilizer requirements, and pH adjustments.
How soon after moving in should I fertilize?
Get a soil test before applying any fertilizer. If your soil is nutrient-depleted (common in new construction), a soil test will tell you exactly what to apply and how much. Fertilizing without a soil test is guessing.
Can I plant fescue in Middle Georgia?
No. Fescue is a cool-season grass that does not survive Georgia summers. It may look good in fall and spring but will thin out and die during the heat. Stick with bermuda, zoysia, or centipede.
When should a new homeowner start a lawn care program?
You can start a professional lawn care program at any time of year. The program will be tailored to the season — spring treatments focus on pre-emergent and fertilization, while fall focuses on preparing the lawn for dormancy.
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