If you are looking to achieve a year of green, healthy turf, starting your lawn off the right way in spring is important. Feeding your lawn in the spring strengthens roots and gets it off to a good start before the heavy growing season. If you had crabgrass last year, apply a combination product that contains a pre-emergent to control crabgrass and a lawn feed. A good rule of thumb to follow is to feed your lawn in the spring around the first time it needs to be mowed.

Your grass is busy using up stored energy from the winterizer you may have applied late last fall. That's why you want to supply the lawn with a feeding designed for this time of year. Unfortunately, broadleaf weeds are actively growing, too. Hit them and feed your lawn with a combination of broadleaf weed control and all over feed.​

Summer is tough on grass. Heat, drought, foot traffic and insects stress it out. Feeding your lawn in the summer protects and strengthens it against these problems. Lawns in warm-season grass areas should be fed over the summer months as they grow steadily from spring to fall. If you see insects in your grass, use a feeding product that also contains insect control.

Fall brings back ideal growing conditions for your lawn. Cool nights, warm days, ample rainfall and morning dew are just about as good as it gets for grass. Now the lawn is ready to grow again and is looking for the nutrients it needs to recover from summer damage. Some experts will say this is the single most important lawn feeding of the year. Apply a turf builder right before the winter months, when grass is prepping for a winter nap. This will strengthen roots and increase nitrogen storage for an early spring green-up and a healthier lawn next year. Following a general program like this one should improve your lawn.

Gerten's Greenhouse, located in Inver Grove Heights, has a 4-step fertilizing program with good reviews. Also, Scott's Brand, found in most hardware stores, has a 4-step fertilizing program and has been recommended.