Every home owner wants to have a green, lush lawn that will make their home stand out as one of the nicest in the neighborhood. Well, you can be the envy of the neighborhood with some simple lawn care procedures.
Whether you do your own lawn care or bring in a professional, these practices will help you establish a lawn that you will be proud to show off.
Thomas P. Elliott independently author's articles for WebDrafter.com, Inc. SEM clients like Minneapolis lawn care company Advanced Irrigation. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author, and not of any other person, company, or organization. No guarantee or warranty, express or implied, is made regarding the accuracy, fitness, or use of the content herein.
Article provided by Thomas P Elliott
- Remove debris: The first lawn care step in the early spring is to remove any dead leaves, grass clippings, sticks, and animal droppings that may have accumulated over the winter. You should also dig out any weeds, making sure that you get as much of their roots as possible.
- Thatching: Thatch is a layer of dead grass, leaves, and roots that builds up on the surface of the soil. If the thatch builds up too much, it can interfere with necessary water and nutrients penetrating to the grass roots. This is more of a problem in the southern United States than in the north, but if the thatch layer is three quarters of an inch or more, the lawn should be dethatched. Power de-thatching machines are normally used for this, but in many cases, vigorous raking to remove the debris in step one will take care of thin thatch layers.
- Aerating: Aerating is the process of making holes in the soil surface to allow oxygen, water, and nutrients to get to the grass roots. There are two basic types of aerators. One just pokes holes in the ground, and the other, preferred type removes plugs of turf.
- Fertilizing: While many home owners prefer lawn care techniques that don't use any chemicals at all, most are still using fertilizer. The primary components of fertilizer are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The numbers on the package indicate the proportion of each of those chemicals in the mix. Soil testing to determine the proper amounts is preferred, but most people just use the rule of thumb of applying one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. You shouldn't need to fertilize more than two or three times per year. Less is often better.
- Overseeding: Overseeding is just a matter of spreading additional fresh grass seed over the existing grass. This is an excellent lawn care practice, since the additional grass tends to crowd out unwanted weeds. And, it results in a thicker, lush lawn.
- Watering: You should always water after using fertilizer to minimize the chance of burning the grass. The best time for normal watering is in the early morning. This will reduce the amount of evaporation and gives the water a chance to soak in. If the soil is slow to absorb the water, try using several 15 minute cycles with enough of a break in between to let the water soak in. Avoid watering at night, since if the grass remains wet for a long time, it can result in the growth of fungus and disease.
- Mowing/Mulching: Be sure that the mower blades are sharp so they cut rather than tear the grass. Don't cut off more than about one third of the grass height since it can shock the grass. The goal is to have grass that is at least two inches, and preferably three inches tall. Longer grass will grow longer roots and will be healthier. Tall grass will also prevent the sunlight from reaching the seeds of weeds so they can't grow. Use mulching type lawn mower blades. This will cut the clippings into fine pieces, eliminating cleanup and thatch build up. It will also return the nutrients in the grass back to the soil and reduce the need for adding fertilizer
Whether you do your own lawn care or bring in a professional, these practices will help you establish a lawn that you will be proud to show off.
Thomas P. Elliott independently author's articles for WebDrafter.com, Inc. SEM clients like Minneapolis lawn care company Advanced Irrigation. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author, and not of any other person, company, or organization. No guarantee or warranty, express or implied, is made regarding the accuracy, fitness, or use of the content herein.
Article provided by Thomas P Elliott