The lawn is a point of pride for many people. Something about that green pasture speaks to the hearts and souls of homeowners. Healthy lawns require some effort, but they don’t require substantial monetary investments.
There are some key practices to understand in order to keep a healthy lawn. Fancy mowers and expensive fertilizers aren’t going to help you if you don’t have these fundamental ideas in place.
We’re going to take a look at what makes healthy lawns today, giving you some essential insights into lawn maintenance. Hopefully, the ideas below give you the inspiration to get out there with a new appreciation of your yard.
Let’s get started.
1. Adjust Your Blade Height
As the seasons change, so, too, should your blade height. The first cut after winter should be at about 1-1/2 inches. This is shorter than the standard height that most people use.
A shorter cut at the beginning of the season gives the crowns more access to sunlight and nourishes any smaller grass that might be budding. High cross will crowd and cast shade on the smaller plants. That reduces the fullness and vibrance of your lawn in mid-summer.
2. Don’t Overwater
Healthy lawns need a couple of inches of water every week, delivered every four or five days. So, go out every four days or so and deliver an inch of water to your lawn.
Further, make sure that you’re soaking when you do this. Soaking lets the water seep deep into the soil and promotes the grass to expand its roots. Wider roots mean healthier and sturdier grass.
When you sprinkle, you only touch the top of the soil and promote shallow root systems.
3. Aerate Your Lawn Each Season
Aeration is the process of poking holes in the lawn to give the soil access to more nutrients.
Aeration allows the soil to interact with the air, for natural nutrients to enter into the soil, and for water to penetrate the soil on a deeper level. If you use fertilizer, it will also be more effective on an aerated lawn.
Try to aerate at the beginning of each season.
4. Don’t Clip Too Low
While you should trim a short lawn after things thaw out for the season, you shouldn’t ever clip more than the top third of the grass the rest of the year.
The base of the plant is where most of the nutrients get stored. Clipping too low could jeopardize the health of the lawn. Further, don’t rake up the clippings.
Let them decompose and work back into the soil to provide more nutrients.
5. Hire a Professional Company
Some things like aeration and fertilization are better left to the pros. This is especially true if you have pests in your lawn that are wreaking havoc.
Contact a company like Holmes Lawn & Pest to get your lawn in tip-top shape.
Want to Learn More About Healthy Lawns?
Healthy lawns require knowledge and attention. The more you know, the better you can treat your grass and reap the rewards. We’re here to help with more information.
Explore our site for ideas on lawn maintenance, lawn mowing, home maintenance, personal wellness, and much more.