Now that warmer weather is on its way, it’s time to consider how you’ll keep your lawn looking its best. We highlight seven lawn care tips that will help your grass stay healthy all season long.
Aerate your Lawn
If you want your grass to easily absorb water and nutrients, you’ll need to aerate your lawn. Aeration simply involves poking small holes into the soil. Many people don’t understand aeration and thus overlook it, but it can significantly change how your grass looks. Most importantly, aeration prevents soil compaction, which can cause foundation settlement.
Feed Your Grass
Fertilizers give your grass the essential nutrients soil can’t always provide, and they also promote new growth. All you have to do is water your lawn a day or two before applying the fertilizer. Then, spread your fertilizer of choice evenly across the grass, and you’re good to go. However, be careful not to fertilize too often—you’ll only need to do this three or four times a year.
Add Mulch
Nothing is better in the summertime than a stunning yard. Mulch will make your landscaping look spectacular, but it also has a few benefits—this organic matter discourages weed growth, retains moisture, and maintains soil temperature. As a bonus, if you lay mulch in your garden beds, you won’t have to water as often.
Mind the Mow
You don’t want to cut your lawn too short, as it’ll become more prone to diseases and weeds. Mow once a week at first, then reduce your mowing frequency to every other week. Grass that’s about three inches tall is generally stronger and looks greener. Additionally, be sure to alternate mowing patterns, as this encourages vertical growth. If you consistently cut in one direction, the grass will begin to grow horizontally.
Properly Water
One of the biggest secrets to healthy grass is an effective watering routine. Be sure to water in the early morning, before it starts to heat up outside. This way, water can make its way to the roots. It’s also important that you don’t overwater your lawn. Instead of watering it daily, thoroughly water your grass a few times each week so that roots can grow deeper into the soil.
Treat Bare Spots
Without a doubt, patchy lawns aren’t pretty. If you have bare patches in your lawn from drought, insect infestations, pet urine, or even foot traffic, you can either reseed the patches or patch them with sod. Once you’re done, fence off these areas to give them time to restore themselves. Repairing these patches is simple, and it’ll only take you a couple of minutes.
Whack the Weeds
Weeds take light, nutrients, and water away from your grass—they can be quite the nuisances. To prevent weeds before they sprout, try planting flowers, shrubs, and vegetables close together. Also, consider using a pre-emergent herbicide before weed seeds germinate or after you cultivate the soil. Finally, make sure you consistently pull weeds, as this eliminates hundreds of potential offspring.
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