Lawn Care

• Can I aerate before I seed?

  Yes, you can seed and fertilize right after aerating. Aerating prior to seeding helps to relieve soil compaction and will ensure good seed to soil contact greatly aiding in germination. We recommend fall if you are only doing it once per year as aeration will bring weed seeds to the surface. 

• Can I plant grass seed over a French drain?

  Homeowner states: I will be installing a French drain; more precisely, an NDS pre-fabricated drainage pipe that mimics the functionality of the traditional assembly. Because I aim to reduce/remove surface water, I need to position the drainage tubing as close to the surface of the prevailing grade as possible. Basically, I will be digging a...

• Can I use a Scott’s spreader for Jonathan Green products?

  You can use any spreader with Jonathan Green products. However, Scott’s drop spreaders have been a problem at times with our products and we recommend using Jonathan Green New American Lawn Spreaders. Use our Spreader Settings Guide to help you find the appropriate setting for your spreader.   For any spreader to be completely accurate,...

• Can I use your products in my garden?

  Yes! Mag-I-Cal® for Lawns in Acidic Soil and Love Your Soil are both great to use in the garden. Please click on the links above for directions. 

• How often should I mow my lawn and what about clippings?

  Your lawn needs to be mowed regularly during the growing season. This mowing helps to encourage healthy growth giving your lawn that spring green look. After you have raked your lawn and cleared winter debris, the first mowing of the season can be lower than usual to stimulate early shoot growth. During the growing season...

• How to determine your spreader setting?

  Check out our easy spreader settings guide to help determine the best setting for you. If your spreader is not listed in our guide, use this rule of thumb to determine your spreader setting:  Place enough material in the hopper to cover 1,000 square feet.  Place your spreader setting on a low setting (usually one-fourth...

• How to plant grass seed?

  Please visit our Seeding Guide for complete directions. 

• How to protect my lawn in the winter?

  Here are some tips for winter lawn care: The final fall mowing should be 2 inches in height to help avoid snow mold damage. Beware of excessive salt deposited on your lawn from snow plows as any buildup of salt may cause damage to your grass. Remove leaves and other debris in late fall before...

• How to re-seed a thin area in my lawn?

  Follow these tips to re-seed any thin areas in your lawn: Mow the lawn a little lower than usual. Rake the lawn area to be seeded vigorously with a rake to break into the soil. For larger areas rent a power rake or a de-thatching machine. The goal of this is to establish a seedbed...

• How to remove leaves from a newly seeded lawn?

  There are two options for removing leaves after seeding: Set your mower on high and mulch the leaves. This will help keep the soil moist and add nutrients to the soil. Be careful walking and turning the mower as to not pull up the new seedlings. Use a leaf blower on low and parallel to...

• How to use a spreader?

  There are two types of spreaders to use on lawns: Drop Spreaders are more accurate than rotary spreaders and distribute product only the width of its hopper. Drop spreaders are usually used on small lawns. Make sure to overlap the wheel impressions otherwise visible light green stripes will result. Rotary spreaders are most commonly used...

• How to water your lawn?

  Visit our Watering Guide for complete directions.

• Is my grass dormant or dead?

  Most types of grass can survive extended periods of drought, and although they may look dead, they’re often only dormant. To determine if a lawn is dormant or dead, inspect it down at the soil level. Lawns that have gone dormant will have brown leaves, but the crown at the base of the leaves will...

• Last mow of the season

  Aim to have the last cut of the season be 2 inches in height. This will help the lawn survive the stress of winter. 

• Should I water it in?

  Each product has different instructions. Please see the directions section of the specific product page for watering in instructions. 

• What is a spreader setting?

    A spreader setting is the rate in which you apply product to your lawn. Each Jonathan Green product has recommended rates of application and coverage based on bag size. The application rate is defined as the amount of material applied per unit area of land. For grass seed and fertilizer, it is usually expressed...

• What is the ideal height to cut the grass?

  Keep the mowing height at 3 inches except for the last cut of the season in fall which should be 2 inches in height.  This is very important for your lawn during the winter months. The shorter mowing height helps the grass plant roots survive winter stress.

• When can I mow my newly planted grass?

  Mow the new grass once it reaches 4 inches high.   In general keep the mowing height at 3 inches except for the last cut of the year which should be 2 inches in height.  This is very important for your lawn during the winter months. The shorter mowing height helps the grass plant roots...