Holland MI Lawn Care Calendar: Your Complete Month-by-Month Guide

Last Updated: November 2025

Living in Holland, Michigan means dealing with unique lawn care challenges—from Lake Michigan's lake-effect weather to our sandy soils and harsh winters. After 25+ years of caring for Holland lawns, we've learned exactly what your lawn needs each month to stay healthy, green, and beautiful.

This complete lawn care calendar is specifically designed for Holland's climate and will help you understand when to fertilize, mow, aerate, and maintain your lawn throughout the year.

MARCH: Wake Up Your Lawn

What's Happening in Holland

Spring arrives slowly in Holland thanks to Lake Michigan's cooling effect. Soil temperatures are rising, but frost is still possible. Your grass is beginning to emerge from dormancy.

Your March Lawn Care Checklist

✓ Early Spring Cleanup (Mid-to-Late March)

• Remove leaves, sticks, and winter debris

• Rake lightly to remove dead grass and allow air circulation

• Check for snow mold damage (gray or pink patches)

✓ First Fertilizer Application (Late March) This is THE most important application of the year. A slow-release nitrogen fertilizer helps your lawn green up quickly and develop strong roots for the season ahead.

Advantage Landscape Tip: We apply our first treatment around March 15th, but we adjust based on actual soil temperature (when soil reaches 55°F consistently). Holland's proximity to Lake Michigan can delay this by 2-4 weeks compared to inland areas.

✓ Pre-Emergent Crabgrass Control Apply before soil temperatures hit 55-60°F consistently. In Holland, this is typically late March to early April. Miss this window and you'll fight crabgrass all summer.

✓ Mower Maintenance

• Sharpen blades

• Change oil

• Fresh gas

• Don't mow yet—grass needs to be actively growing

Wait on: Aeration and seeding (soil is too cold and wet)

APRIL: Green-Up Season

What's Happening in Holland

Your lawn starts growing actively. Tulip Time preparations are underway! Daytime temperatures rise but nights can still dip below freezing.

Your April Lawn Care Checklist

✓ First Mowing (Mid-April)

• Wait until grass reaches 3-4 inches

• Set mower to 3-3.5 inches (never remove more than 1/3 of grass height)

• Sharp blades are crucial—ragged cuts invite disease

✓ Weed Control Application #1 Target dandelions and broadleaf weeds when they're actively growing. Liquid applications work best when temperatures are 50-75°F.

✓ Check for Bare Spots Note areas that didn't green up. These may need overseeding in fall (spring seeding sometimes fails due to crabgrass competition).

✓ Edge Walkways and Beds Create clean lines between lawn and landscape beds. This prevents grass from creeping into your tulip beds!

Watch for: Grub damage from last year (brown patches that peel back like carpet)

MAY: Peak Growing Season Begins

What's Happening in Holland

Tulip Time! Your lawn enters its fastest growth period. This is when Holland lawns look their absolute best—if you've done the early season work.

Your May Lawn Care Checklist

✓ Weekly Mowing (or More!) Growth explodes in May. You might need to mow every 5-6 days during peak growth.

• Keep height at 3-3.5 inches

• Mulch clippings back into lawn (free fertilizer!)

• Vary mowing direction each time

✓ Second Fertilizer Application (Mid-May) Feed your lawn to sustain that deep green color and thick growth. Slow-release fertilizer prevents burning during warmer weather.

✓ Weed Control Application #2 Hit any weeds that survived the first treatment. Your lawn should be virtually weed-free by late May.

✓ Water Deeply, Less Frequently If rainfall is less than 1 inch per week:

• Water 1-1.5 inches per week

• Early morning (6-10 AM) is best

• Water deeply to encourage deep roots (sandy Holland soil drains quickly)

✓ Trim Trees and Shrubs Remove low branches that shade your lawn. Grass needs 4-6 hours of sunlight daily.

JUNE: Maintain the Green

What's Happening in Holland

Hot, humid weather arrives. Your lawn's growth rate slows slightly but stays active. Disease pressure increases with humidity.

Your June Lawn Care Checklist

✓ Third Fertilizer Application (Early-Mid June) A lighter summer feeding maintains color without over-stimulating growth during heat stress.

✓ Adjust Mowing Height (June 15+) Raise mower to 3.5-3.75 inches. Taller grass:

• Shades soil (reduces water loss)

• Develops deeper roots

• Crowds out weeds naturally

• Stays greener during July heat

✓ Consistent Mowing Continue weekly mowing. Never let grass get over 4.5-5 inches.

✓ Watch for Disease Brown patch, dollar spot, and red thread love Holland's humid June weather:

• Avoid evening watering (grass should dry before nightfall)

• Don't over-fertilize

• Ensure good air circulation

✓ Grub Control (Late June) Apply preventative grub control. Grubs hatch in July-August and can devastate Holland lawns by fall.

Skip: Major lawn projects. Too hot for seeding or sod installation.

JULY: Heat Stress Management

What's Happening in Holland

Hottest month. Growth slows. Your lawn focuses on survival, not growth. Lake breezes help, but inland Holland properties can really bake.

Your July Lawn Care Checklist

✓ Mow High and Less Often

• Keep at 3.5-4 inches

• Only mow every 7 days

✓ Water Strategically Sandy Holland soil needs consistent watering:

• 1-1.5 inches per week minimum

• Watch for drought stress: blue-gray color, footprints stay visible

• Water in early morning only

✓ Leave Grass Clippings They return nitrogen and moisture to soil—critical during heat stress.

✓ Spot Treat Weeds Only Full herbicide applications can stress grass in extreme heat. Hand-pull or spot-treat stubborn weeds.

Watch for: Chinch bugs, sod webworms, and grubs damaging stressed turf.

AUGUST: Prepare for Fall Recovery

What's Happening in Holland

Still hot but nights begin cooling (especially near the lake). Your lawn starts preparing for fall growth surge.

Your August Lawn Care Checklist

✓ Fourth Fertilizer Application A light feeding prepares grass for the crucial fall growing season.

✓ Continue Heat Stress Management Keep mowing high, watering consistently. Most August days are still hot.

✓ Plan Fall Aeration (Schedule Now) September is prime time for aeration in Holland. Book your slot now—companies fill up fast.

✓ Scout for Grub Damage Brown patches appearing? Grubs are actively feeding. They can destroy sections of lawn quickly.

✓ Order Fall Grass Seed If you're planning to overseed, order now. Cool-season grass seed (ryegrass, fescue) thrives in Holland's fall weather.

Wait for: Cooler weather before major lawn renovation projects.

SEPTEMBER: Best Month for Lawn Care

What's Happening in Holland

This is THE most important lawn care month in Holland. Warm soil, cool air, and consistent rainfall create perfect growing conditions.

Your September Lawn Care Checklist

✓ Core Aeration (Early-Mid September) ⭐ PRIORITY This is essential for Holland's compacted, sandy soils:

• Removes soil plugs to allow oxygen, water, and nutrients to reach roots

• Reduces thatch buildup

• Improves drainage

• Best results when soil is slightly moist (not soaked or bone dry)

✓ Overseeding (Right After Aeration) Fill in thin areas and bare spots:

• Broadcast quality grass seed immediately after aeration

• Seed falls into aeration holes for excellent seed-to-soil contact

• Keep soil consistently moist until germination (7-14 days)

• Fall-seeded grass has 3-6 weeks to establish before winter

✓ Fifth Fertilizer Application (Mid-September) The most critical feeding of the year:

• Promotes deep root growth

• Helps new seed germinate

• Stores nutrients for winter survival and spring green-up

• Won't stimulate excessive top growth (which is weak going into winter)

✓ Resume Regular Mowing Growth accelerates in September. Return to weekly mowing at 3-3.5 inches.

✓ Weed Control Treat broadleaf weeds now—they're actively growing and absorbing herbicides well.

Advantage Landscape Note: We've renovated hundreds of Holland lawns in September. The results are consistently amazing. Grass planted now is thick, healthy, and ready for next summer.

OCTOBER: Winterization Begins

What's Happening in Holland

Beautiful fall weather! Grass is still growing actively but slowing. Leaves are falling (and need management).

Your October Lawn Care Checklist

✓ Continue Mowing (Lower Gradually)

• Early October: 3-3.5 inches

• Late October: Drop mowing height for final mow

• Don't scalp the lawn—just slightly lower than summer height

✓ Leaf Management (Critical in Holland!) With all our mature trees, leaf management is essential:

• Don't let leaves smother grass

• Mulch thin layers with mower

• Rake or blow thick accumulations

• Leaves left all winter = dead grass spots in spring

✓ Sixth Fertilizer Application (Late October) ⭐ PRIORITY The "winterizer" application:

• Feeds roots through late fall

• Helps grass store nutrients for winter

• Produces earlier, greener spring green-up

• Strengthens grass against winter diseases and cold damage

✓ Final Weed Control Last chance to treat perennial weeds before winter.

✓ Water New Seed Areas If you overseeded in September, keep watering until ground freezes. New grass needs to establish roots.

✓ Keep Mowing Until Growth Stops Usually until late October or early November in Holland.

NOVEMBER: Final Preparations

What's Happening in Holland

Growth slows dramatically. First hard frosts arrive. Grass enters dormancy.

Your November Lawn Care Checklist

✓ Final Mowing (Early November) Your last mow of the season:

• Cut to 2.5-3 inches

• Mulch any remaining leaves

• Remove all clippings if diseased or heavily matted

✓ Final Leaf Cleanup Remove all leaves before winter. Matted leaves under snow = snow mold and dead grass in spring.

✓ Protect Against Voles In Holland, voles (field mice) can damage lawns under snow:

• Keep grass edges trimmed near flower beds

• Remove deep mulch near lawn edges

• Don't pile leaves or debris near grass

✓ Clean and Store Equipment

• Winterize mower

• Drain gas or add stabilizer

• Clean and sharpen blades

• Store in dry location

✓ Mark Lawn Edges If you have snow removal service, mark lawn edges, sprinkler heads, and landscape features to prevent damage.

Skip: All fertilizing, seeding, and lawn treatments. Grass is dormant.

DECEMBER-FEBRUARY: Winter Dormancy

What's Happening in Holland

Your lawn is dormant (and that's completely normal!). It looks brown or tan but isn't dead—it's resting.

Your Winter Lawn Care Checklist

✓ Minimize Foot Traffic Dormant grass is fragile. Repeated traffic creates compaction and dead spots. Keep off frozen lawns when possible.

✓ Avoid Salt Damage

• Use calcium chloride instead of rock salt near lawn edges

• Shovel snow away from grass areas

• Consider sand for traction instead of salt

✓ Never Pile Snow on Lawn Snow piles = compaction + snow mold in spring. Spread snow evenly or pile on driveways/non-lawn areas.

✓ Watch for Rodent Damage Check periodically for vole trails under snow. If you see surface tunnels, address in early spring.

✓ Don't Panic About Brown Grass Brown = dormant (normal) Gray patches under melting snow = possible snow mold (treat in early spring)

✓ Plan Your Spring Lawn Projects Use winter to research, plan, and budget for:

• New hardscape projects

• Landscape redesigns

• Major lawn renovations

• Sprinkler system installations

This is also when we book our spring schedule. Contact us in January-February to secure your preferred spot!