Maintaining a healthy lawn is more about consistency than it is about labor. It’s a cliche, but an ounce of preparation will save you a pound of effort if you regularly apply these techniques to your lawn.
Weed
Regular weeding is an absolute necessity if you want to keep your lawn looking bright and healthy. If you’ve just got a few, simply tear them out by the root by hand or with a handheld weeder. Be advised, some weeds, like nutsedge, can spread this way so be careful to know the weed you are working with. If you’re overrun or have stubborn weeds, use a herbicide or a weed-and-feed product on the affected area. Take care to correctly identify the weed(s) and use a product appropriate for that species, otherwise the application will have no effect.
Aerate
Aeration of your soil becomes necessary when root penetration fails to extend deeper than two inches into the soil. If you notice that this is the case with your lawn, simply water your lawn well and, one to two days later, run a core aerator over the lawn and apply sand or compost over the aerated areas.
Seed
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, a patch of lawn will begin to look bald or sparse. The causes of this are numerous and can range from excessive or insufficient sun, soil conditions, irrigation, or mowing, among other things.
Whatever the cause, when this happens, you’ll want to seed the area with the appropriate species of grass (this will depend on your location and the time of year) and water it well. New blades of grass should become visible soon (unless there’s a systemic problem with the soil) and take care of that unsightly bald spot.
Mow
Healthy lawns need regular mowing to be at their healthiest. But not all mowing is equally good for your grass. Ideally, you want to keep your mower’s blade height at about 3 to 3.5 inches. This will keep your grass tall enough to shade out many germinating weeds and prevent you from “scalping” the lawn.
Take care to alternate mowing patterns as well. That way you don’t get excessive soil compaction from the wheels on your riding or push mower and the grass is allowed to grow tall and upright.
Finally, keep your lawn mower blades as sharp as possible. You want to cut the grass, not pummel it into submission with dull blades that damage the lawn every time you use the mower.
Water and Feed
A lawn is a living thing, like any foliage, vegetation, or plant. And, like any other living thing, it needs ample food and water to survive and thrive. Ensure that your lawn is receiving sufficient hydration from rain and, if it isn’t, irrigate your lawn with a simple lawn sprinkler or garden hose.
Your job isn’t done once you’ve watered, however. You’ll still need to fertilize on a regular basis to make sure your lawn is receiving all the nutrients it needs to look its best. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on the fertilizer you buy, but keep in mind that seasonal and geographical differences may require you to take additional steps to keep your grass looking healthy.
Final Thoughts
If you find yourself in need of the services of qualified landscapers to maintain and beautify your lawn, give us a call or shoot us an email here at Earthcraft. We’d love to give you a hand and help you make your outdoor space flourish.
