Quick Steps to Lawn Care Can Make Your Neighbors Green with Envy
The green grass of our next-door-neighbor has turned many of us green with envy. While his front lawn looks good enough to play a round of golf on, ours looks like hay. However, there is hope. Taking quick steps to lawn care can ensure that your lawn becomes a sea of lush, green blades of grass.
Unwanted Water
First, the majority of turf grasses can survive droughts, but not flooding. Thus, watering your grass too much creates more damage than water it too little. The majority of grasses weekly need 1-1.5" of water. For this clay soils, this dampens the soil 4-6" under the surface, while for sandy soils it dampens the soil 8-10" underneath the surface. Also, a rain gauge can be used to determine if watering is needed.
An Ounce of Prevention Helps A Pound of Grass
In addition, regular maintenance serves as another of the quick steps to lawn care, and will help to prevent problems with your grass:
Use herbicides for minor weed treatment
Pre-emergent herbicides are ideal for weeds (i.e. crabgrass) that are grass-like
Aerate (air out) your lawn one annually, and if possible, during the autumn.
Repair bare sections when necessary.
Cutting And Pulling
Thirdly, to follow one of the quick steps to lawn care, remember: The condition of the blade is more important than the variety of mower you use. A dull blade pulls at the grass and creates an uneven brown line across the edge of the cut grass. These toothed edges make the grass more vulnerable to disease and pests. You should sharpen your mower's blades about twice each year.
Balanced Diets For Grasses
The next of the quick steps to lawn care, is to apply balanced fertilizer to your lawn four times annually. These applications should be given during the spring, summer, early fall, and following the initial frost. The fall feeding should always be given, but the summer feeding can be skipped during droughts. Also, strictly adhere to the label instructions of lawn care products.
Spring, Summer, and Tall
The last of the quick steps to lawn care reveals that mowing periodically is just a start. The mowing height should be ideal for the particular time of the year. It is significant because the grass utilizes the surplus length to soak up the sunshine it requires. A general rule is to never cut more than 1/3 of the grass's total height, during a single mowing. During the spring and early fall seasons, the length of 2-3" is the model height for the majority of grasses. However, in summertime, a higher length should be used. Only cut below the lowest suggested height during the last mowing of the season. That figure is roughly 1.5" for the majority of turf grasses.
After mowing, the clippings should remain on the lawn. This will allow them to decompose and add important nutrients to the soil. This grass cycling is important as clippings can add a third of your lawn's yearly feeding needs.
Achieving a lovely lawn is easier than you might assume. Follow these quick steps to lawn care, and make your grass the envy of your neighborhood!
