Southeast Lawn Care Guide: How to Maintain a Healthy Lawn

If you live in the Southeast, you know your lawn has a mind of its own. Hot, humid summers, surprise downpours, dry spells and mild winters make grass grow fast, but they also invite weeds, pests and diseases.

Between mowing, fertilizing and seasonal upkeep, lawn care can feel like a full-time job. That’s where TruGreen comes in. With local experts across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, TruGreen tailors lawn care services to your region’s climate and turf.

In this guide, you’ll learn the essentials of Southeast lawn care, from picking the right grass to managing weeds, pests and seasonal maintenance, so you can enjoy a healthy, beautiful yard year-round. 

The grass you choose can make or break your lawn. Every variety has its quirks — some love the sun, some tolerate shade and others demand extra care to stay healthy. Let’s learn more:

• Florida: Bahia and St. Augustine are staples. Both handle sandy soil and heat but watch for drought stress and fungus during humid stretches. St. Augustine works well in shady yards but needs specifically timed fertilization to stay thick and heathy.
• Georgia and Alabama: Bermuda and Zoysia dominate here. Bermuda grows fast and loves foot traffic, while Zoysia forms a dense, carpet-like turf that blocks weeds. Both can fall victim to brown or large patch disease and armyworms if not managed.
• Carolinas (NC and SC): Centipede, Bermuda and Zoysia show up. Centipede is low maintenance but sensitive to too much fertilizer and can be disease prone. It’s susceptible to large patch disease during the fall. Bermuda and Zoysia thrive in sunny yards but struggle in shade.
• Tennessee and Northern Georgia: Tall Fescue, Bermuda and Zoysia are favorites for cooler winters. Fescue stays green longer than warm-season grasses but needs steady watering. Zoysia and Bermuda thrive during the summer months but can be damaged in the winter as temperatures fluctuate.
• Mississippi: Warm-season grasses like Bermuda, Centipede and Zoysia thrive thanks to their heat tolerance and ability to bounce back from stress in humid climates.

The key is matching your grass to your soil, sun exposure and level of maintenance you’re willing to take on. Choosing the right grass variety sets the foundation for a healthy, low-stress lawn. 

The Southeast’s hot, humid climate provides the perfect environment for fungal growth. Lawn diseases can quickly take hold if not addressed, causing brown patches, thinning turf and long-term damage.

• Florida: Brown patch and gray leaf spot thrive in moist conditions and can spread rapidly if left untreated.
• Georgia and Alabama: Dollar spot and brown patch are frequent culprits, especially in overwatered or nitrogen-deficient lawns.
• Carolinas: Gray leaf spot and large patch appear regularly during humid summers.
• Tennessee and Northern Georgia: Gray leaf spot is common in cooler months.
• Mississippi: Brown Patch and large patch disease are widespread in warm, humid conditions.

Proper watering practices, seasonal fertilizer applications and targeted treatments from TruGreen can prevent many of these issues. Learn more about common lawn diseases. 

Insects and pests don’t just damage turf—they also make it harder to enjoy your yard.

• Florida: Chinch Bugs and Armyworms are the biggest threats. Chinch Bugs feed on St. Augustine Grass, while mosquitoes breed in standing water after heavy rains.
• Georgia and Alabama: Armyworms and Mole Crickets are common. Mole Crickets tunnel underground, uprooting turf and creating uneven surfaces.
• Carolinas: Mole Crickets and Armyworms can quickly devastate Bermuda and Centipede Grass.
• Tennessee: Armyworms are seasonal pests that strike during mid-summer and early fall.
• Mississippi: Armyworms are a frequent issue which damage lawns.

TruGreen’s pest control programs help homeowners reclaim their outdoor spaces from these invasive pests. 

Your lawn’s needs shift throughout the year. A successful maintenance plan considers regional weather and grass type.

• Spring: Apply fertilizer to promote new growth and use pre-emergent weed control to block crabgrass germination. Adjust lawn mowing schedules to encourage steady turf development without scalping grass blades.
• Summer: Maintain the correct mowing height for your lawn’s grass type and make sure it receives 2-2.5” of water each week.
• Fall: Perform aeration to relieve compaction, overseed if needed on cool-season lawns only, and apply nitrogen fertilizer to strengthen grass before winter. Early fall is also ideal for addressing weeds and preparing your turf for dormancy.
• Winter: Keep lawns clear of leaves and debris, limit foot traffic and focus on disease prevention. 

Not sure if your lawn is in trouble? Here are some red flags to look for across the Southeast:

• Florida: Browning, thinning or patchy spots often signal drought stress, fungus, heavy thatch, chinch bug damage or lack of nutrients
• Georgia and Alabama: Bare areas may point to mole cricket tunnels or other pest damage
• Carolinas: Excessive weeds, fungal patches or discolored turf are common
• Tennessee: Thinning grass due to hot and humid summers and poa annua often appear in cooler seasons
• Mississippi: Large patch disease, stubborn weeds or turf that won’t respond due to difficult soil conditions

When you spot these symptoms, professional help can turn things around. TruGreen’s local lawn care experts know exactly how to diagnose and treat issues before they spread. 

Even with the best intentions, small missteps can undo all your hard work. Watch out for these common mistakes:

• Cutting grass too short: Scalping weakens turf and leaves soil exposed to weeds.
• Overwatering or bad timing: Too much water, or watering in the heat of the day, encourages fungus and wastes resources.
• Skipping fertilizer: Ignoring the schedule leaves turf hungry, thin and more vulnerable to pests.
• Treating all grass the same: Every grass variety has its own mowing height, watering needs and fertilizing habits.
• Ignoring soil health: Without aeration, compacted soil chokes out roots and stunts growth.

Avoiding these pitfalls helps your lawn stay thick, green and stress-free all year round.