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Lawn Care & Maintenance in San Diego, CA

Quick answer

Lawn care in San Diego depends on your grass and your water rules. Tall fescue is fed mainly in fall and spring and needs more water; warm-season grasses like Bermuda, St. Augustine and kikuyu are fed in late spring and summer. Adjust the irrigation controller seasonally and follow your water agency's watering hours.

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A San Diego lawn lives or dies by its irrigation. With little summer rain and year-round watering limits, the goal of a good maintenance program is a lawn that stays healthy on as little water as possible. The right schedule depends on which grass you have and whether you live near the coast or inland.

Know your grass

  • Tall fescue: a cool-season grass and the most common lawn in California. It stays green most of the year in mild coastal areas but needs more water than warm-season grasses. University of California, Riverside turf trials found it needed noticeably more irrigation than bermudagrass to stay acceptable through summer.
  • Bermudagrass: a warm-season grass that handles heat, sun and foot traffic and uses less water. It turns tan in winter, more so inland where nights are colder.
  • St. Augustinegrass: a coarse warm-season grass with better shade tolerance, common in older coastal neighborhoods.
  • Kikuyugrass: a very aggressive warm-season grass. Some lawns are kikuyu on purpose, and many others have been invaded by it. It creeps into beds and needs firm edging.
  • Zoysiagrass and seashore paspalum: less common, but sold locally for some sites.

Seasonal timing

Warm-season grasses grow from late spring to early fall and are fed and aerated during that window. Tall fescue grows most in the cooler months, so it is fed mainly in fall and spring and stressed by heavy feeding in summer heat. A company that runs the same program on every lawn in the county is a red flag. The UC IPM Guide to Healthy Lawns lists care practices for each species and is a good, non-commercial reference.

Watering is part of lawn care

  • In the City of San Diego, landscape watering is allowed only before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m., never in a way that causes runoff, and not during or for 48 hours after measurable rain. Other water agencies in the county set their own rules, so check yours.
  • Many lawns get more water than they need, especially in fall and winter. A maintenance company should adjust the controller as the seasons change.
  • Runoff onto sidewalks and gutters wastes water and can carry fertilizer to storm drains, which flow untreated to creeks and the ocean.

Mowing basics

  • Remove no more than about one-third of the blade at a time.
  • Tall fescue and St. Augustine are kept taller; Bermuda and kikuyu are usually cut lower.
  • Keep mower blades sharp and leave clippings on the lawn when possible.

Pesticide applications and licensing

In California, a gardener or lawn company that applies pesticides for hire, including weed killers, even as a small part of its work, needs a pest control business license from the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), such as the Maintenance Gardener Pest Control license, and must register with the county agricultural commissioner. If your program includes weed or insect control, ask to see the license.

Thinking of replacing the lawn?

Many San Diego homeowners are shrinking or removing lawns to cut water use. Rebates for turf replacement have been offered through regional and local water agencies, but amounts and funding change often. Our guide to replacing a lawn in San Diego walks through the options.

What to ask before signing up

  • What is included in each visit, and will you adjust my irrigation controller?
  • Is the program matched to my grass type?
  • Do you hold a DPR license for pesticide work?
  • Can I pause or cancel service, and how is billing handled?

Ready for help? Request a lawn care company and tell us your grass type if you know it.

See how it works

How a sprinkler zone waters a lawn. Press the buttons to run each step and see what happens inside. Made with Colorfigures ·
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Frequently asked questions

What hours can I water my lawn in San Diego?

For City of San Diego water customers, landscape watering is allowed only before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m., with no runoff and no watering during or within 48 hours after measurable rain. Other water agencies set their own rules, so check with yours.

Does a gardener need a license to spray weed killer?

Yes. In California, anyone applying pesticides for hire, even as a small part of gardening work, needs a pest control business license from the Department of Pesticide Regulation and must register with the county agricultural commissioner.

Why is kikuyu grass taking over my lawn?

Kikuyugrass is a very aggressive warm-season grass that spreads by runners above and below ground. It often invades fescue lawns and beds in coastal San Diego. Firm edging and a lawn program aimed at your actual grass mix help keep it in check.

Sources and further reading

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