A healthy lawn isn’t built in a single season. It results from consistent lawn care choices made throughout the year. You want your yard to look green and welcoming in every season, not just in spring. That’s a goal many Colorado homeowners share, but the changing weather, dry air, and unpredictable snowfall can make proper lawn care challenging.
At Westside Grounds, we understand how frustrating it can be to invest time and money into your yard only to see uneven growth, weeds, or brown patches. For more than 20 years, we’ve been helping Colorado residents simplify their lawn care with proven practices and reliable service. This guide will walk you through our practical tips for year-long lawn care.
How to Take Care of Your Lawn Year-Round
Good lawn care is an all-seasons commitment. Planning lets you protect your investment, avoid costly repairs, and enjoy a greener, healthier yard.
Test and Improve Your Soil Regularly
Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving lawn. Begin each year with a soil test to check pH and nutrient levels. Adding organic matter or compost can improve structure and fertility in Colorado, where soils are often alkaline and compacted. Annual testing helps you adjust fertilization and watering schedules before problems appear on the surface and prevents wasting money on products your lawn doesn’t need.
Choose the Right Grass and Plants for Colorado
Picking grass and plants suited to Colorado’s climate makes lawn care easier and more sustainable. Drought-resistant grasses such as tall fescue blends stay green with far less irrigation and grow more slowly, reducing mowing.
Adding native plants like coneflower, yarrow, or blue grama grass further cuts water use, improves soil stability, and supports pollinators. Together, drought-tolerant turf and native species create a healthier, low-maintenance landscape that thrives despite Colorado’s hot summers and cold winters.
Water Deeply and Adjust Seasonally
Deep, infrequent watering encourages roots to grow downward where moisture lingers. In summer, water early in the morning to minimize evaporation. During dry winters, water lawns and new plantings on warm days when the soil isn’t frozen to prevent the removal of moisture.
Adjusting your watering habits seasonally is one of the simplest ways to maintain healthy turf year-round. Smart irrigation controllers or moisture sensors can also help fine-tune your schedule.
Mow at the Right Height
Your mowing routine affects grass density, weed resistance, and overall health. Follow the one-third rule: never cut off more than one-third of the blade. Keep grass slightly longer in summer to shade the soil and reduce water loss, then mow a bit shorter before winter to reduce the risk of snow mold.
Sharpen mower blades regularly to protect grass from tearing and stress. Consistent mowing keeps turf thick, which naturally suppresses weeds.
Fertilize with the Seasons in Mind
Fertilization schedules should match your grass type and Colorado’s climate. Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in fall to feed roots over winter and support strong spring growth. Light spring and early summer feedings help maintain color without overstimulating top growth.
Using the right product at the right time means fewer weeds, deeper roots, and healthier plants. A professional lawn service company can customize a fertilization plan based on your soil test results.
Aerate Your Lawn at Key Times
Compacted soil prevents water, air, and nutrients from reaching the grass roots. In Colorado’s dense and sometimes clay-heavy soils, aerating once or twice a year relieves compaction and encourages deeper root growth. Pulling out small plugs of soil opens pathways for moisture and fertilizers to penetrate more effectively, resulting in stronger, healthier turf.
Overseed After Aeration
Once the soil opens up through aeration, it’s the perfect time to overseed. Spreading grass seed over thin or bare areas helps fill gaps and keep your lawn thick enough to crowd out weeds.
Using high-quality, regionally adapted seed blends improves germination and long-term performance. Overseeding right after aeration gives the seed direct contact with the soil, which speeds up establishment and produces a denser, more resilient lawn.
Mulch and Protect Garden Beds
Refreshing mulch each year insulates roots, conserves moisture, and gives your beds a polished look. In late fall, apply mulch to protect perennials from freeze–thaw cycles and to suppress early weeds.
For the best results, choose high-quality mulch with a uniform texture, which reduces maintenance time during the growing season and improves soil health as it breaks down.
Control Weeds, Insects, and Disease Early
A dense, well-fed lawn naturally crowds out many weeds and resists pests. Still, regular inspections matter. Spot-treat weeds with low-toxicity herbicides rather than spraying the entire yard.
Monitor for insect activity and use targeted, environmentally responsible treatments to stop harmful pests before they damage your grass. Address signs of disease or fungus promptly to avoid widespread damage.
Winterize Sprinklers Before Freezing Temperatures
Colorado winters can cause expensive damage to irrigation systems if they’re not properly winterized. Before the first hard freeze, have your sprinkler lines blown out to remove residual water that can expand and crack pipes.
Insulate exposed backflow preventers and shut off outdoor water valves. This step protects your investment in your irrigation system and makes spring startup smooth and hassle-free.
Manage Snow to Protect Turf Health
Heavy snow piles can smother grass and lead to mold or bare spots once the thaw begins. When shoveling driveways and sidewalks, avoid stacking all the snow on one part of the lawn. Spread piles out to minimize damage and allow the turf to breathe.
Contact Westside Grounds for Professional Lawn Care Services
You don’t have to manage every seasonal task on your own. Westside Grounds has been locally owned and operated in Lakewood since 1999, serving homeowners and businesses across the Denver metro area. Our specialized crews arrive in clean, branded vehicles, use safe and well-maintained equipment, and provide timely response guarantees on every job.
We offer a complete line of lawn care services, including mowing, edging, fertilization, aeration, sprinkler maintenance, snow clearing, and landscape design, so your outdoor space can thrive every season. Our experienced professionals bring years of know-how to create lawns and landscapes that stay green, healthy, and attractive year-round.
Contact Westside Grounds today for a free quote and discover how our lawn service can help your landscape look its best every season.