Good lawn care in Minnesota mostly comes down to timing. The same job that helps your grass in September can stress it in July, and our growing season is short. It pays to know what matters when.
Here is the calendar we follow for lawns in Eden Prairie and the rest of the southwest metro. Use it for your own yard, or hand it off to us and skip the guesswork.
Early spring, April
Wait for the ground to firm up before you do much. Walking on soggy turf or raking hard pulls up grass that is still waking up.
Once it dries out, a spring cleanup sets the tone for the year.
- Rake out matted grass, leftover leaves, and sticks
- Clear the beds and cut back last year’s perennials
- Edge beds and walks so everything looks sharp again
- Look for snow mold, the gray or pink matted patches that show up as the snow melts, and rake them lightly so they dry out
If crabgrass was a problem last year, spring is when a pre-emergent goes down. It stops the seeds before they sprout, so the timing matters more than the brand.
Late spring, May and June
This is when grass grows fastest and mowing becomes a weekly job.
Mow high. The University of Minnesota Extension recommends keeping a lawn 3 inches or taller and never cutting off more than a third of the blade at once. Taller grass shades out weeds, holds moisture, and grows deeper roots. If your lawn reaches 4.5 inches between mows, it is time to mow more often.
Leave the clippings. Extension says clippings left on the lawn add the equivalent of one fertilizer application a year. They break down quickly, and bagging them just means more work.
If you feed the lawn in spring, keep it light. Late May is a common time for one feeding, and Memorial Day makes an easy reminder.
Summer, July and early August
Cool season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass slow down in the heat. Some browning in a dry spell is normal, and the lawn usually comes back when the weather cools.
A few things help it through:
- Keep mowing high, and mow less often when growth slows
- Water early in the morning instead of in the heat of the day
- Water deeply a couple of times a week instead of a little every day. About an inch a week, rain included, is a common rule of thumb.
- Save heavy fertilizer and weed killer for cooler weather
Watering rules matter here too. Most cities in the southwest metro use an odd and even schedule based on your address, and many ban sprinklers in the middle of the day. Eden Prairie enforces its watering rules all year and doesn’t allow lawn watering from noon to 5 p.m. Check your own city’s rules before you set the sprinkler timer.
Late summer and early fall, mid August to mid October
If you only do a few lawn jobs a year, do them now. This is the best window of the year for a Minnesota lawn.
Core aeration. Pulling small plugs of soil loosens compacted ground so water, air, and fertilizer reach the roots. Mid August through mid October is the sweet spot here. Leave the plugs on the lawn. They break down in a week or two.
Fertilizer. The University of Minnesota turf team says early August through mid October is the best time to fertilize a home lawn, and suggests putting about two thirds of the year’s nitrogen down in fall. A Labor Day feeding is easy to remember.
Thin spots. Seed right after aerating. The seed falls into the holes and gets good contact with the soil.
Weeds. Fall is the right time to go after creeping Charlie and other broadleaf weeds. Spot treat what you see instead of spreading a weed and feed product over the whole lawn.
One more thing on fertilizer. Minnesota doesn’t allow phosphorus lawn fertilizer unless a soil test shows a need or you are starting a new lawn, so look for a zero as the middle number on the bag. Sweep up any fertilizer that lands on the driveway or sidewalk so it doesn’t wash into the storm drain. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture explains the phosphorus fertilizer law in plain terms.
Fall, late October and November
Keep mowing until the grass stops growing, which is usually around the end of October.
Then deal with the leaves. A thin layer can be chopped up with the mower and left to feed the lawn. A thick layer smothers grass and invites snow mold, so rake or blow it off before the snow comes.
In Hennepin County it is illegal to put yard waste in the garbage. Your hauler can pick it up in compostable bags, or you can take it to a yard waste site. The county’s yard waste guide lists your options.
Fall cleanup is also the time to:
- Cut back perennials and clear out the beds
- Clean the gutters once most of the leaves are down
- Mark the edges of your driveway so the plow doesn’t tear up the turf
Winter
The lawn rests, but what happens on top of it still matters. Pile snow where it won’t sit on the same patch of grass all winter. Go easy on salt near the edges of the lawn, because salt damage shows up as dead strips along walks and driveways in spring.
Want help with your lawn?
We handle weekly mowing, edging, and trimming, spring and fall cleanups, core aeration, bed care, and fertilizer and weed control across Eden Prairie and the southwest metro. You can book just the services you need, or bundle the year in a membership plan. Every plan includes weekly lawn care, both cleanups, aeration, and snow plowing.
We are booking now for the 2027 season, which starts in April. See what is included in our lawn care service, or request a free quote.
Lawn care questions
How short should I cut my grass in Minnesota?
Keep it at 3 inches or taller. Shorter grass dries out faster and lets weeds move in.
When is the best time to aerate a lawn in Minnesota?
From mid August to mid October. The grass is still growing and the weather is cooler, so it recovers quickly.
Should I bag my grass clippings?
Usually not. Leave them on the lawn, where they break down fast and feed the grass. If they clump after a long gap between mows, mow again to spread them out.
When should I fertilize?
Fall matters most. A lighter feeding in late spring is fine, but most of the year’s fertilizer should go down between early August and mid October.
