Rochester Hills, MI, is home to more than 70,000+ residents — many of whom are homeowners who do their own lawn maintenance.

If you’re one of them, then we’re sure you’ve experienced the lawn maintenance challenges that come with owning a home in this area.

Large variations in seasonal temperatures paired with highly variable daily weather conditions make it difficult to know how to navigate lawn maintenance in Rochester Hills, MI, throughout the year.

In the spirit of the fall season, we’ll begin this conversation with a lawn maintenance tip that involves leaves and other build-ups — and from there, expand upon further tips to keep your lawn healthy year-round.

Tip #1: Lightly Rake Debris and Build-Up After Winter

While you’re typically raking in the fall, it’s also an important part of post-winter lawn maintenance. Over the winter, it’s likely that sticks, leaves, and other forms of debris will accumulate on your Rochester Hills lawn — and if you don’t remove the build-up, it will create a breeding ground for fungus and mold. Lightly raking away this debris enables air and other nutrients to circulate around your lawn, helping it grow stronger and ward off any disease.

Note: In some cases, raking up debris may expose bare spots in your lawn. If you come across this issue, lightly rake up the soil as well to loosen it and help it breathe before aeration (which we’ll talk about here shortly) and laying down new seed.

Tip #2: Test the pH Balance of Your Soil in the Spring

The pH levels of your soil can tell you a lot about the health of your Rochester Hills lawn. In general, a suitable soil pH level is between 6 and 7 for most plants, with nutrients readily accessible. If a soil pH level is less than 6 (too acidic) or more than 7 (too alkaline), it’s likely that your lawn will miss out on some nutrients altogether and absorb too much of others.

The best way to think about a soil test is like a physical for your lawn. Lawns in Southeastern Michigan display a wide, range of pH levels. The results from a soil test can help point out nutrient deficiencies. This will help you to set up your lawn maintenance plan.

Tip #3: Aerate Your Lawn in Spring or Fall (Or Better Yet, Both!)

Imagine all of the nutrients that a lawn requires arriving at the surface of the soil with nowhere to go. In simple terms, this is what happens when soil becomes compacted. With no passageways for air, water, and sunlight to circulate down through the soil to grass roots, lawns grow weaker, affecting their appearance and also making them more susceptible to disease.

Aerating your Rochester Hills lawn in early spring or fall (or even better, once each season) alleviates this issue. This timeline has to do with the fact that most Michigan lawns feature cool-season grass varieties that tend to grow best in the spring and the fall. Creating perforations in your soil during these time frames ensures that the roots of your grass can get the nutrients they need to grow when they are most active.

Tip #4: Consistently Water Your Lawn During the Growing Season

Michigan’s climate is generally wet. Unfortunately, it doesn’t produce nearly enough rainfall to hydrate your grass all summer long. That’s why it’s important to water your lawn in the early morning — either once or at most twice a week. This will give the water time to soak deeply into the soil and reach grass roots while helping the lawn to grow at a consistent rate.

Note: Wondering exactly how much you should water your Rochester Hills lawn each week? In general, cool grass varieties require a modest level of water — more specifically, between 1” and 1 ½” per week.

Tip #5: Feed Your Lawn Throughout the Year (Including Summer)

Just as lawns need sufficient moisture during their growing season, the same can be said for fertilization. Whereas spring fertilizer applications help the grass recover from dormancy and slow the growth of weeds, fall applications help infuse nutrients into the grass as it experiences active growth and also prepares it for the winter. Meanwhile, summer fertilization reintroduces more nutrients into the soil in the midst of heat and drought conditions.

Looking for help with your lawn maintenance in Rochester Hills, MI? The team at Lush Lawn would love to hear from you. To get the conversation started, request your free quote.