Homeowners need to put forth effort in maintaining a lush, healthy lawn for optimal results. Here are some DIY lawn care tips that will get beginners on their way.

Water your lawn on a regular and consistent basis – preferably early morning when its effects can have maximum benefit before sun heat warms the soil further.

Know Your Grass

To keep your lawn green and lush, it is crucial that you know which kind of grass exists on it. Different varieties thrive in different climate regions and knowing which variety you have will enable you to select an effective lawn care program.

Lawns can be made to look their best through proper mowing, watering and fertilization practices; however, it’s also important to remember that maintaining a beautiful lawn takes considerable hard work – often requiring help from friends and family in the form of advice, assistance or extra hands on deck – just one bit can mean the difference between an unattractive brown patchy yard and one with lush grass!

Cool-season grasses like fescue or rye require a mowing height between 3-4 inches. A height any higher will put stress on plants, making them more prone to diseases and insects. Furthermore, cleaning and sharpening your mower on an annual basis are both helpful. Furthermore, leaving clippings on your lawn after mowing provides nutrients back into the soil underneath it.

Common lawn care issues include bald spots and patchy areas. There are various methods available to correct this, such as overseeding. Thinning grasses can also benefit from this technique.

Another effective approach for repairing lawns involves sowing seed to fill in any bald spots or patchy areas. Doing this requires proper planning; firstly it is important to determine your grass type so that the seed chosen best reflects both soil conditions and climate region requirements.

Aerate

At parties, backyard BBQs, and when kids run through sprinklers or pets play on lawns, soil compaction and thatch buildup are frequent issues. Thatch is a layer of loosely-compacted organic material such as stems, roots and shoots which accumulate faster than it can organically decompose; creating a dense layer that limits oxygen to reach grass roots while making it harder for soils to absorb nutrients from nutrients into their core layers.

Aerating can provide the solution. Aeration involves puncturing holes into your lawn in order to break up compaction, allow air, water and nutrients to enter, as well as reduce pest infestation. Core aeration removes small plugs of dirt more effectively and less damagingly than spike-style aeration which simply pokes holes. Aerating also helps prevent pest infestations such as chinch bugs and sod webworms as well as grass diseases such as brown patch and dollar spot fungi – as well as disease testing is advised as low pH levels may hinder their access to vital nutrients needed by lawns to thrive.

Mow

An attractive lawn can be attractive for several reasons. It provides an outdoor entertaining area and adds curb appeal, but its main benefit lies in helping control weeds, protecting soil and water quality, preventing erosion, as well as decreasing pests and diseases in your lawn. If you want to know more about golf course lawn store, you can check the hyperlink!

Though it might be tempting to skip mow your lawn every now and then to save time, the best course of action would be to maintain a regular schedule with frequent lawn mowings in order to maintain an ideal height lawn. By doing so, this will prevent overgrowth of grass in your lawn area and ensure its healthy development.

By keeping to a consistent mowing schedule, your lawn will grow faster. This is because when cutting short the blades must reclaim their proper length quickly after being cut short; leaving grass too long requires additional energy for recovery and can actually strain its growth back towards its original size. It is also essential that no more than one third of its existing growth is removed at any one mowing session (known as “The 1-3/3 Rule”).

When it comes to mowing, using sharp mower blades is also crucial. Dull blades will rip instead of cut the grass, leading to excessive damage that leaves brownish patches throughout your lawn. In addition, make sure that you only ever mow when your lawn is completely dry; wet grass makes cutting more challenging as well.

Fertilize

Lawn fertilizers can make all the difference when it comes to maintaining a lush green yard. Lawn fertilizers supply vital nutrients like phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen which your grass requires in order to grow healthily and thickly without creating patches of dead grass or unhealthy spots on its turf surface. Without them your turf would likely suffer, leading to patchy or thin growth with spots or even developing diseases.

When applying fertilizer to your lawn, the ideal time and amount may depend on both its location and type. As a general guideline, two applications per year is sufficient for optimal health and appearance of the yard. Unfortunately, applying too much or at the wrong time could encourage weed growth or burn it altogether; to protect your grass be sure to follow all instructions contained within your product and avoid over-treating your yard.

If you have just seeded your lawn, it is advisable to wait at least a week or two before using fertilizers on it, to allow the seeds enough time to take root and germinate. If necessary, “starter” fertilizers with high phosphorus ratio will assist seedlings in establishing strong roots while simultaneously fighting disease while encouraging leaf growth.

Your local garden center or home improvement store likely carries an assortment of fertilizer products, from liquid and granular varieties, often used to cover larger areas in your yard, to liquid options with special application tools that help distribute treatment evenly across it. Granular fertilizers may be spread using lawn hose nozzle attachments or special spreaders to ensure an even application.

Subsoils lose essential nutrients over time, with this loss being further compounded by natural rain and storm events. Fertilizing will promote healthier soil that may become less depleted over time and promote a lush and vibrant lawn.

Water

Your water consumption impacts the health of your lawn in two ways. Too much can cause overgrowth of grass that leads to weeds and diseases; too little may not provide the needed nutrients. Failing to water at an ideal time and depth could cause harmful nutrient runoff that threatens environmental sustainability as well as potentially endangering plants, insects and wildlife populations.

Ideal lawn watering times should occur in the morning to allow enough time for your grass to absorb the liquid before it evaporates in the sun. If necessary, make sure your evening irrigation ends prior to sundown so it does not remain on your grass all night long and create an attractive habitat for pests and diseases.

Be mindful that different areas in your yard have differing watering needs. Shaded areas will require less hydration than open and sunny spaces; overwatering a shady spot could lead to weak grass that quickly uproots itself.

A well-kept lawn is essential to any home. A lush and healthy carpet of green can increase your curb appeal and provide an inviting outdoor space that invites friends and family into your space. Use these tips to keep your grass lush and flourishing this spring – or if you’re new to homeownership use them as an incentive to achieve your lawn care goals for 2018. When the time comes to enjoy your new space!