Environmental benefits associated with maintaining a lush lawn can be numerous: erosion prevention, cooling the surrounding landscape in summer months and enhanced flood control are just three key advantages to consider.
Healthy lawns demand consistent and comprehensive care from homeowners. Watering, mowing, fertilization and weed control must all work in harmony in order to achieve lush green spots on your grass rather than brown patches of brown grass.
Mowing
Mowing is one of the most essential lawn maintenance tasks to get right. Over-mowing can cause irreparable damage, while cutting it at just the right height helps your grass thrive. To achieve optimal mowing practices in northern or cool-climate grasses like bluegrass and fescue, such as by using a mulching mower and collecting all clippings from walks and driveways.
A healthy lawn needs to be tall enough to protect itself from weeds while using sunlight for photosynthesis; cutting it too short reduces this process and makes the lawn more vulnerable to drought, heat stress and other problems.
For optimal lawn health, never cut more than one-third of grass blades at one mowing. Keep your mower blade sharp and change mowing direction each time to avoid ruts and bent grass growth in one direction or sod compacted soil conditions.
If you need guidance in mowing your yard, consult an experienced lawn specialist near your area, or consider hiring an organic- or pesticide-free lawn maintenance company that offers professional services for fertilizing, aerating and overseeding lawns. They’ll handle everything!
Lawns contain numerous natural organisms that provide many advantages for grass lawns, including controlling insects and weeds. Birds, predatory insects, earthworms and beneficial fungi all play an integral role in keeping grass healthy in your yard. Make sure to protect these organisms by limiting herbicide, insecticide or fungicide usage – or follow our tips for safe application of any pest control products if necessary.
Watering
One of the keys to maintaining a healthy lawn is providing adequate irrigation. An established sprinkler system can make this task easy, though you could also use buckets and hoses. When watering, it’s important to do it deeply enough that grass roots reach subsurface sources of moisture, making your lawn more resistant to drought and disease. Most lawns require one inch of rain or additional irrigation each week applied three or four times weekly; in total.
However, water needs vary according to soil type. Loose sandy soils tend to lose moisture quickly and need more frequent hydration than compact clay soils. Deep and infrequent watering promotes deep root development while improving drought tolerance compared to shallow sprinkler irrigation which only moistens surface grass blades.
An ideal time for watering is in the early morning or evening when sun and wind intensity is reduced and soil evaporation decreases significantly. Watering at other times could result in wasted evaporation as well as spreading disease and fungus.
Watering when temperatures are cooler and the ground remains cool is also beneficial; this will prevent weeds and other plants that compete for soil moisture from emerging. When watering during periods of extreme heat and wind, do so in short cycles of 10 minutes on, followed by 10 minutes off; this will reduce waste while also protecting your lawn and garden areas from wind-blown dirt and debris contamination.
Controlling weeds will also help reduce competition for soil moisture. When there are too many weeds competing for resources and moisture, they will take them from grass plants, leading to brown patches or wilted lawns. Hand weeding or targeted herbicide applications are effective solutions.
Aerating soil can increase water penetration and decrease runoff from lawns. Excessive watering causes erosion that carries dirt, waste and pollutants directly into storm sewers that drain into nearby streams and lakes – one major source of pollution in many waters and rivers.
Fertilizing
If you calculate your sod cost and accurately apply fertilizer to your lawn, it would have a powerful impact both on its appearance and ease of growth. Too much fertilizer could result in light green, thin grass with weak roots; an easy cut but difficult to maintain aesthetic. To prevent over-fertilization, conduct a soil test which will show whether nutrients are deficient – kits for these tests can be found at many garden centers or online.
Most lawns require three different nutrients for proper growth: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A good quality fertilizer will contain these elements in their ideal proportions for maximum success, while conducting a soil test can help determine how much of each nutrient your lawn requires.
Organic and synthetic fertilizers are both widely available and both use natural materials derived from living organisms or their by-products, such as manures and composts, while synthetic ones utilize chemical processes. Both varieties of fertilizers come both granular and liquid forms.
To apply fertilizer efficiently and evenly, utilize a spreader with even distribution capabilities. Apply it on a windless day if possible for best results; apply after mowing for optimal results as this exposes roots more readily to its benefits and allows grass to absorb it more readily.
Fertilize cool season grasses no more than once or twice annually and once or twice more during the summer for warm season grasses. Never fertilize an area that lacks sunlight as this will rob it of essential sunlight-generated nutrients for its continued health and development.
Avoid applying liquid fertilizer during hot weather as this could damage the lawn. If necessary, wait until temperatures have cooled off after rainstorms have subsided before applying any liquid fertilizer to your yard. After applying fertilizer, water the lawn thoroughly after applying; watering at an accelerated pace could lead to runoff pollution issues and runoff runoff problems.
Weeding
Weeds can be an issue on any lawn. Competing for water and nutrients with grass can quickly take over valuable real estate that could otherwise support healthy turf. A comprehensive weed control strategy must include both pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicide treatments applied throughout the year to prevent new weeds from emerging as well as spot treatment of existing ones as needed.
Weed control can also be enhanced through maintaining a thick and healthy lawn. Regular mowing, fertilizing and overseeding are essential in maintaining an abundance of lush grass which suffocates out any unwanted weeds that appear.
When it comes to pulling weeds, young and shallow-rooted varieties are easier to manage and pull off easily. By taking action early enough, these seeds won’t have an opportunity to germinate into more seeds – plus if any patches of bare ground arise, scatter grass seed there to encourage new growth and thicken up your lawn!
As needed, using a grass-friendly herbicide is recommended. Liquid sprays make application straightforward but should still be administered with caution to avoid polluting the surrounding garden areas with chemicals. When applying liquid sprays it’s advisable to wear a face mask and follow all labeled instructions for application.
Water is essential to creating and maintaining a beautiful and thriving lawn, needing one to two inches each week for proper evaporation rates and healthy grass growth. When temperatures climb beyond 80F, however, this need for irrigation increases even further due to increased evaporation rates.
If your lawn wilts, turns grey or purple, or browns it is suffering from drought conditions and requires additional watering sessions to regain health. Rainwater harvesting or grey water from kitchen and bath taps (collected during normal use), or using re-usable water butts may help save mains water during drought conditions.
A lush green lawn is a striking feature of any landscape, yet maintaining one takes time and dedication. These basic lawn care tips will help ensure your yard becomes the envy of its surroundings.
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