A Month by Month Lawn Care Calendar for Canada

In Canada, lawn care runs from the spring thaw to late fall. Clean up and start mowing once the ground is firm and the grass is growing. Mow at about 6 to 7.5 cm (2.5 to 3 inches), and a bit higher in summer heat. Trim hedges in spring and again in summer. Rake leaves and lower the mower in fall. Stop when daytime highs stay under 10 C (50 F). Your city's frost dates shift every step by a few weeks.

Why does the calendar change from city to city?

Canada is big. Spring in Windsor comes weeks before spring in Saskatoon. So a calendar that says "mow on May 1" will be wrong for half the country.

Frost dates are a good guide. Environment and Climate Change Canada keeps 30 years of weather records for each city. Here are the average frost dates from those records (1981 to 2010):

City	Last spring frost	First fall frost	Frost-free days
Windsor, ON	April 17	October 30	195
Hamilton, ON	April 29	October 14	167
Kelowna, BC	May 10	September 28	140
Sudbury, ON	May 17	October 1	136
Lethbridge, AB	May 20	September 17	119
Saskatoon, SK	May 21	September 15	117
Moncton, NB	May 22	October 4	134

Grass doesn't wait for the last frost. It starts when the soil warms up. But these dates show how far apart the seasons are. Use the months below as a guide, then slide them earlier or later for your town.

What should you do in March and April?

Most of the country is still waking up. Snow melts, and the yard looks rough. This is the time to plan, not to dig in.

• Stay off soggy grass. UConn Extension says walking or working on wet soil can cause compaction. That can hurt plants for the whole season. Wait until the ground is drier.
• Walk the yard once it's firm. Pick up sticks, toys and litter the snow hid.
• Rake off old leaves. UConn Extension says any layer of leaves left in spring slows green-up. An early spring cleanup helps the lawn grow.
• Look at your hedges. Iowa State Extension says early spring, around April, is usually the time to start pruning evergreen hedges.

A simple test for wet ground: if your shoes sink in or leave deep prints, give it a few more days. A spring cleanup covers the raking, the sticks and the first cut in one visit.

When does the first mow of the year happen?

When the grass starts growing. The Guelph Turfgrass Institute, part of the University of Guelph, says cool-season grass starts to grow when the soil reaches 4.5 to 7 C (40 to 45 F). These grasses come out of winter quickly once that happens.

Warm cities like Windsor get there sooner. Colder places like Saskatoon get there later. Don't mow by the calendar. Mow when the grass has grown enough to need it, and the ground is firm.

Iowa State Extension says to cut cool-season grass like Kentucky bluegrass at 6.5 to 7.5 cm (2.5 to 3 inches) in spring.

What does May and June look like?

This is peak growing time. Penn State Extension says cool-season grass grows best at 15 to 24 C (60 to 75 F). Roots grow most in spring and fall. So the lawn can grow fast now.

• Mow often. St. Albert suggests mowing about every 4 to 5 days in the growing season.
• Follow the one-third rule. Never cut more than one third of the grass height at once. Hamilton adds: no more than 2.5 cm (1 inch) at a time.
• Leave the clippings. Hamilton says clippings feed the worms and the grass, and most disappear within three days.
• Trim the edges. Clean lines along walks and beds make a fresh cut look finished. That's what trimming and edging is for.

Hedges grow fast now too. Iowa State says most hedges need pruning 2 to 4 times a season. Watch for birds before you trim. Environment and Climate Change Canada says the general nesting period can start as early as mid-March and run until late August. It asks people to use caution so they don't harm birds, nests or eggs. Our guide on when to trim cedar hedges has more.

How should you mow in July and August?

Raise the mower. Iowa State says Kentucky bluegrass should be cut at 7.5 to 9 cm (3 to 3.5 inches) in summer. The taller leaves shade the base of the plant and keep it cooler. They also help roots grow deeper.

Hot, dry weeks can turn a lawn brown. That's often dormancy, not death. Iowa State says the leaves stop growing and turn brown, but the crowns and roots stay alive. Kentucky bluegrass can stay dormant 4 to 6 weeks without major harm.

What that means for your summer:

• A dormant lawn grows very little, so it needs fewer cuts.
• Keep heavy foot traffic and vehicles off it. Iowa State says that can damage the crowns.
• Expect it to green up again when fall cools things down.

Iowa State says light pruning of evergreen shrubs can also be done in mid-summer. That's a good time for a second hedge trim.

What should you do in September?

Growth picks up again as nights cool. Iowa State says to lower the mowing height in mid to late September. Go from 7.5 to 9 cm (3 to 3.5 inches) back down to 6.5 to 7.5 cm (2.5 to 3 inches). Keep the one-third rule.

Hamilton says you can cut about once a week when growth slows in late summer and fall. St. Albert says the same for the shoulder season.

Put the hedge shears away now. Iowa State says to avoid pruning evergreen shrubs in fall. Fall-pruned evergreens are more open to winter injury.

What does October and November look like?

This is cleanup season. Leaves come down fast, and the grass is getting ready for winter.

• Keep leaves off the grass. Iowa State says leaf debris blocks light. The grass can't make and store food before winter.
• Keep mowing while it grows. Iowa State says cool-season grass stops growing when daytime highs stay below 10 C (50 F). Then the mower can go away.
• Don't leave it long or matted. The University of Saskatchewan says lawns left long and matted over winter, plus leaf litter, favour snow mould. It says to cut and rake before snow arrives.

Frost alone doesn't end the season. In every city in the table above, the first frost comes before highs drop under 10 C. Our post on when grass stops growing shows the usual stop time by city. For the final cut, see the last mow of the season. And the fall cleanup checklist lists every job in order.

Is there anything to do from December to February?

Not on the lawn. Let it rest under the snow. Our partner crews don't do snow removal, so winter is quiet.

It's a good time to plan the next season, though:

• Get your price for next year's mowing before spring gets busy.
• Note where snow piles up, since those spots often look rough in spring.
• Get mower blades sharpened if you cut your own grass. Red Deer says dull blades tear grass instead of cutting it.

What about weeds, bugs and lawn disease?

Our partner crews don't spray, and Golden Oak doesn't give pesticide, herbicide or fungicide advice. This calendar sticks to mowing, trimming, hedges and cleanup.

Can someone else follow this calendar for you?

Yes. Golden Oak Lawn Care matches you with a vetted, insured local crew in your city. They do the work. We stand behind it with the Golden Oak Guarantee.

With the Worry-Free Lawn Season, the same crew handles your lawn mowing all season. Your crew texts you a photo after every cut. If they miss your window, that cut is free. The season is paid up front, and your first cut is free when you book it. Want to know how often your lawn needs a cut? Read how often to mow in Canada.

Want it handled? Get your price in 60 minutes, or call 1-866-904-LAWN.

Lawn Care Calendar Questions

Sources: ECCC climate normals 1981 to 2010, UConn spring compaction, UConn leaves and mowing, Guelph Turfgrass Institute, Penn State cool-season grass, Iowa State mowing height, Iowa State summer dormancy, Iowa State fall lawn care, Iowa State when to stop mowing, Iowa State hedges, Iowa State pruning times, ECCC nesting periods, Hamilton yard waste, St. Albert grasscycling, Red Deer grasscycling, USask snow mould.