(BPT) - You may think having golf-course green grass requires hours of work each day, but if you want the best lawn on the block, it’s as easy as coming up with a plan. The secret? When it comes to lawn maintenance, it’s never too early to prepare your course of action. Starting now and focusing on specific to-do’s each month ensures you’ll have grass you can be proud of all year long.

Here are 12 simple lawn-care tips you can use throughout the year, from the natural-turf specialists at Grass Seed USA:

January – Generally a month that requires little lawn maintenance, January is a great opportunity to get your lawn mower prepped and ready for spring’s punctual arrival. Take some time to get your mower’s blades sharpened and oil up the engine; your lawn will reap the benefits of a finely tuned mower when grass cutting season arrives.