Step-by-Step to a Lush Summer Lawn – 5 Simple Tasks to Do in May for Thicker Grass and No Bare Patches

You may not think of lawns as snoozing, but they do. As cold weather sets in, that turfgrass stops growing and goes dormant, sleeping the winter away. It sets an alarm clock for late spring to wake up from a long winter’s sleep and start to grow. That’s an exciting time for the homeowner, since a green lawn is like nature’s welcome mat around their own house.

But May’s warming weather also means garden work ahead. Along with the usual shrub and tree pruning, and planting annuals in the flower garden, it’s important to make time to focus on lawn care. By the time daytime temperatures are consistently hitting around 60–75°F (16–24°C), cool-season grasses are primed to put on fresh growth – and they respond best to a little timely help. This late spring season is the ideal moment to invest time in bringing your lawn back to vibrant health.

What tasks can you do in May that make your lawn sing again? Well, we could overwhelm you with a list of 25, or even 50, good ideas. But there are only five absolutely essential lawn jobs to tackle. Think of them as the core rituals of the season – simple, well-timed steps that do far more good than a scattergun approach. Here’s your short list.

1. Weed the Lawn

This is the favorite task of exactly nobody. Nobody I know loves weeding lawns, because the best and most effective way to do it is manually, on hands and knees. It doesn’t require special equipment, yet allows you to get out those weeds, roots and all. Persistent weeds like dandelions may not enjoy herbicide sprays, but they rarely give up without a fight. In truth, if you don’t remove that deep taproot, you’re really just giving them a light haircut – and they’ll be back before you know it.

You’ll need a bit of leverage to get those roots out intact. A forked, V-notch hand weeder – such as Fiskars' Ergo Weeder Tool – slips neatly under deep taproots, unlike rake-style heads that are better suited to shallow weeds. For bigger jobs, or if kneeling isn’t appealing, a stand-up puller with a claw tip like Grandpa's Weeder lets you extract weeds cleanly without bending.

Weeding time also provides an opportunity to inspect the lawn for damage. You’re right down there in the middle of it, so take note of circular brown patches. These often point to fungal issues, especially where air circulation is poor or moisture lingers. Also note anything else that looks like trouble, like bare patches, bumps, moss, and compaction.

Here are a few tips to think about when it comes to weeds:

• The best prevention is a thick, healthy turf – dense grass simply leaves no room for weeds to take hold.
• Broadleaf weeds can be controlled with selective broadleaf herbicides, applied while the weeds are actively growing.
• When removing weeds manually, it’s easiest the morning after a soaking rain, when the soil is soft, and roots release more cleanly.

2. Aerate Compacted Soil

You know grass roots need water, nutrients, and oxygen, too. With fall rains and winter cold, the soil in the lawn can compact. A little compaction is unavoidable, but it can become so dense that nothing much penetrates. Lawn aeration opens things up again – creating channels that let air, water, and nutrients move back down into the root zone. It involves removing plugs of soil from the turf.

You’ll need a core aerator to do this job properly, like this Misopily rolling lawn aerator from Lowe's. These machines use hollow tines to pull out small cores of soil – unlike cheaper spike aerators, which simply punch holes without removing any material. Many garden centers will rent an aerator, though for smaller areas, a manual core aerator – such as this Lawn Vigor tool – is an affordable alternative. For best results, aim to work when the soil is moist – about 1–2 in (2.5–5 cm) down – so the tines can penetrate easily without smearing the soil.

For small lawns, you might be tempted by spiked aerator shoes, like these from Amazon. They can be useful for very light surface aeration or quick touch-ups, but they won’t relieve deeper compaction in the way a core aerator does – so think of them as a supplement, not a substitute.

What to do with the plugs once they are removed? Leave them on the lawn to dry, then break them up with the back of a rake or a pass of the mower – they’ll sift back into the turf and help improve the soil structure.

3. Fertilize the Grass

When you hear fertilizer, do you think nitrogen? It makes sense – almost every lawn benefits from an annual application of slow-release nitrogen to support steady, even growth. Timing matters, too: applying lawn fertilizer right after aerating allows nutrients to move more easily down into the root zone, where they’re needed most.

But fertilization is a broader concept. It’s about supplying grass with all the nutrients it needs to grow vigorously. Nitrogen drives leafy growth and color, while phosphorus supports root development, and potassium helps with overall resilience – particularly against drought and wear. A balanced, slow-release lawn fertilizer – such as Scotts' Green Max Lawn Food – is often the most effective and low-maintenance option for home lawns.

Before applying anything, it’s worth understanding what your soil actually needs. While you can’t reliably measure nitrogen levels with a standard soil test, it will tell you how much phosphorus (phosphate) and potassium (potash) are present. Simple at-home soil test kits – like the popular MySoil test kit on Amazon – make it easy to tailor your feeding plan rather than guessing.

4. Reseed Bare Patches

May is a great time to deal with a spotty lawn, since mild weather and moist soil help grass seed germinate quickly. You can reseed any bare or thin areas in late spring – or even overseed the entire lawn – to create a thick, even sward. It’s one of the most forgiving windows in the growing season, when soil warmth and regular rainfall do much of the work for you.

If you’re overseeding the whole lawn, mow the existing grass short – around 1–1.5 in (2.5–4 cm) – and rake away the clippings before sowing. This helps the seed reach the soil surface, which is essential for successful germination.

Be sure to use an appropriate grass seed – either warm-season (like Scott's Drought Tolerant Mix) or cool-season types (like Jonathan Green's Cool-Season Fast-Grow Grass Seed), ideally matching what’s already growing in your lawn. Spread seed evenly over the area, aiming for good soil contact rather than burying it too deeply, then lightly rake it in. Covering freshly sown patches with a light netting or fleece can help deter birds while still allowing light and water through. Water the area thoroughly and keep it consistently moist while the seed establishes.

You should see new growth in about 7–30 days, depending on temperature and conditions. Hold off mowing until the new grass reaches around 3–4 in (7.5–10 cm) – roughly the width of your palm – so seedlings have time to establish strong roots.

5. Mow That Lawn – or Don’t!

Most lawns should be mowed about once a week while the grass is actively growing – though it’s best to let growth, not the calendar, be your guide. As a rule of thumb, never remove more than one-third of the grass blade in a single cut, which helps keep the lawn healthy and avoids stressing the plants.

But it’s also worth considering the “No Mow May” movement. This campaign encourages gardeners to pause mowing early in the season to support emerging pollinators – particularly bees – by allowing lawn flowers like clover and dandelions to bloom. Even leaving a portion of the lawn unmown, rather than the whole area, can provide a valuable food source without letting things get completely out of hand. Following a “No Mow” approach, even in part, can help bring more pollinators into your yard.