A beautiful, well-maintained
lawn is a reflection of the care you put into it. Growing a lush, green lawn
isn’t out of bounds, it’s very much well within the capabilities of any
homeowner, as long as you follow a few simple rules. Many homeowners don’t
realize that maintenance is always easier and less expensive than repair. But
sometimes, a particular maintenance routine can lead to detrimental and costly
problems for homeowners. Unfortunately, many lawns fail because of some bad
practices and misconceptions.
So, to help you have the
greenest and healthiest lawn in the neighborhood, we are outlining some tips to
avoid the biggest pitfalls standing between you and a great yard:
Frequent Watering- Watering
too often does more harm than good, even in the heat of summer. Instead, opt
for deep watering once a week which will help your grass establish deep roots
that will make it stronger down the line. Watering frequently or on a daily
basis promotes a shallow root system, which makes your grass more prone to
disease and insects.
Watering At The Wrong Time-
The best time to water is in the early morning hours, not during midday or
evening hours as then you’ll lose water to wind and evaporation in the
afternoon, thus making your grass susceptible to mildew and fungus at night.
Cutting Lawn Too Short-
Homeowners often are tempted to give the yard a crew cut in order to save time
between mows, but mowing the yard too short or removing more than one-third of
a grass blade results in a weakened root system and leads to future lawn
issues. Set the mower height to about 2 1/2 inches and never cut off more than
1/3 of the grass blade at any one time, which will allow your grass to develop
a deeper root system to support the longer blades and need less water.
Over Fertilizing- Lawn
grass, like any other plant needs nutrition. But excess of anything can be a
bad thing. Over fertilizing your lawn will actually burn your yard and it will
turn brown. Make sure to follow manufacturer’s instructions when applying
fertilizer. Also, it is best to apply fertilizer when the grass is rapidly
growing, with late spring, late summer, and after the last mow of the year
being the ideal times to fertilize.
Not Testing Soil- It’s
important that you test your soil before doing anything significant with regard
to lawn care because no amount of fertilizer can make up for poor soil. Having
this vital information will help you determine what direction to take. Grass thrives in soil
with a pH of 6 to 6.5.
Mowing With Dull Mower Blades- Dull mower blades will tear grass blades instead of cleanly cutting
them making them more prone to disease and insect damage. Sharp mower blades is
key to avoiding these unwanted results. Experts recommend that you sharpen your
lawnmower blades at the beginning of each season and possibly once more about
mid-way through the season. Also, do not mow the lawn when it’s wet which will
only damage the turf. Wait until your yard has dried out before giving it a
chop.
Ignoring Weeds- Every
homeowner has to deal with weeds, and it can be difficult to know the best way
to get rid of them- to pull them or to apply herbicide. No matter what measure
you take, do not ignore them. Get rid of weeds early before they can spread, or
it might be too late.
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