Getting to Know Your Lawn in 3 Simple Steps

A beautiful yard does more than increase your home's curb appeal—it's also the backdrop for many happy memories. Whether you're hosting a birthday party or weekend picnic, your lawn sets the stage for a welcoming ambience. Get your lawn in top shape with 3 simple steps.

Step 1: Measure Your Lawn

Why? Every item you add to your lawn, from Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Food, to Scotts® Turf Builder® Weed & Feed, to Scotts® Grass Seed, comes in a bag gauged to treat specific lawn sizes. Knowing just how much yard you need to treat helps ensure you buy the right amount of material—and don't under- or over-treat your lawn.

How do you calculate your lawn's size? The easiest way is to use the My Lawn App for iOS and Android, which even gives you a way to divide your lawn into zones so you can create a custom lawn treatment for each area. The other option, of course, is to use a tape measure.

Step 2: Identify Your Turf

Why? Different types of grass require different mowing heights and lawn treatments. Each bag of Scotts® weed control, Scotts® Turf Builder® lawn food, and Scotts® Grass Seed is designed to work best on specific kinds of turf (check the label).

Types of grass: In general, cool-season grasses grow in the northern 2/3 of the nation (roughly north of North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, and Oklahoma) as well as the mountainous regions of California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Warm-season grasses are popular in lawns in the warmest parts of the country, including Southern California.

Warm-season grass. Grows best at 80-95 °F. Examples: St. Augustine, zoysia, bermuda, bahia, centipedegrass.

Cool-season grass. Grows best at 65-75 °F. Examples: Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, fescues, bentgrass.

How do you know what kind of grass you have? Use our Grass Type Identifier to help you discover what kind of lawn you're growing.

Step 3: Learn When Your Lawn Grows

Different grass types grow at different times of the year. It's important to feed the lawn at the right time to fuel that growth and create a thick, green lawn.

Warm-season grass. Grows most vigorously during warm weather. Begin feeding in spring (late March to April) and continue every 6 to 8 weeks until early fall (August to September).

Cool-season grass. Grows most vigorously during spring and fall, with a tendency to go dormant during the heat of summer. Feed twice in spring (April to June) and twice in fall (August to October). Add in summer feedings every 6 to 8 weeks only if you irrigate the lawn to keep it actively growing.