Want your lawn to be the envy of the neighborhood? Well, with some simple planning this article can help you get the lawn you deserve this summer. Plants need nutrients, sun and water to thrive and grass is no different. Provide it with the right environment and it will become the perfect lawn. If you know your type of lawn you can look for additional specific needs beyond typical care and maintenance.
Soil Testing: Grass needs the right combination of nutrients and pH to thrive. Testing your soil is key to understanding your lawns needs. You can obtain a cheap kit at any garden store than can tell you pH levels and nutrient levels. Unfortunately, these kits give poor, ballpark results. Also, they do not help at all to remedy your problems. Instead, try a university in your area that provides soil testing. These testing facilities use equipment that not only tells you whats wrong but how to fix them with exact amounts of additives for your specific need.
Mowing: Every type of grass has different needs and grows at different rates. In general, however, mowing your lawn too short is a bad idea. It weakens the plant itself as it struggles to grab capture sunlight for photosynthesis. It also allows weeds to take purchase by allowing sunlight to penetrate to the soil. Try to keep your lawn at a height of three to four inches during peak growing season. Also ensure your lawnmower blade is sharp. A dull blade will damage grass rather than cut it, slows growth and invites disease by weakening the plant.
Fertilizing Your Lawn: Feeding your lawn is important for great color and lush growth. Make sure you follow a feeding schedule to avoid over-feeding. Overfeeding can be more damaging to plants than not feeding at all and can lead to sudden death or severe grass burn. During the winter months grasses still need nutrients to survive. In fact, providing the right levels of phosphorus can help grass roots overwinter better and emerge stronger in the spring.
Watering: All grasses have different watering requirements. Warm weather grasses are dormant during the fall and require very little water, if any. Cool grasses do require a weekly watering. You should avoid light watering to allow roots to penetrate deeply into the soil and strengthen the plant. Shallow, frequent watering is bad for your lawn as the roots get what they need close to the surface. Any new seed should remain damp until the roots have properly taken. Also avoid watering at the hottest part of the day. This will burn your lawn as the water droplets act like magnifying glasses. Instead, water early in the morning. This will allow the grass to dry before the sun hits it.
Bugs and Disease: Even well maintained lawns can become victim to pests or disease. Monitor your lawn for any discoloration or other obvious problems. At the first sign of a problem take action. Disease can spread very quickly. Visit a garden store or talk to a landscaper at the first notice of any issues. Keeping weeds at bay is an easy way to reduce the likelihood of pest infestation. Try an organic herbicide if possible which can be applied in the spring or fall to kill emerging weeds.
Soil Testing: Grass needs the right combination of nutrients and pH to thrive. Testing your soil is key to understanding your lawns needs. You can obtain a cheap kit at any garden store than can tell you pH levels and nutrient levels. Unfortunately, these kits give poor, ballpark results. Also, they do not help at all to remedy your problems. Instead, try a university in your area that provides soil testing. These testing facilities use equipment that not only tells you whats wrong but how to fix them with exact amounts of additives for your specific need.
Mowing: Every type of grass has different needs and grows at different rates. In general, however, mowing your lawn too short is a bad idea. It weakens the plant itself as it struggles to grab capture sunlight for photosynthesis. It also allows weeds to take purchase by allowing sunlight to penetrate to the soil. Try to keep your lawn at a height of three to four inches during peak growing season. Also ensure your lawnmower blade is sharp. A dull blade will damage grass rather than cut it, slows growth and invites disease by weakening the plant.
Fertilizing Your Lawn: Feeding your lawn is important for great color and lush growth. Make sure you follow a feeding schedule to avoid over-feeding. Overfeeding can be more damaging to plants than not feeding at all and can lead to sudden death or severe grass burn. During the winter months grasses still need nutrients to survive. In fact, providing the right levels of phosphorus can help grass roots overwinter better and emerge stronger in the spring.
Watering: All grasses have different watering requirements. Warm weather grasses are dormant during the fall and require very little water, if any. Cool grasses do require a weekly watering. You should avoid light watering to allow roots to penetrate deeply into the soil and strengthen the plant. Shallow, frequent watering is bad for your lawn as the roots get what they need close to the surface. Any new seed should remain damp until the roots have properly taken. Also avoid watering at the hottest part of the day. This will burn your lawn as the water droplets act like magnifying glasses. Instead, water early in the morning. This will allow the grass to dry before the sun hits it.
Bugs and Disease: Even well maintained lawns can become victim to pests or disease. Monitor your lawn for any discoloration or other obvious problems. At the first sign of a problem take action. Disease can spread very quickly. Visit a garden store or talk to a landscaper at the first notice of any issues. Keeping weeds at bay is an easy way to reduce the likelihood of pest infestation. Try an organic herbicide if possible which can be applied in the spring or fall to kill emerging weeds.
About the Author:
Quality Landscape Design Ideas for any need. Visit LandWorks Landscaping at www.morriscountylandscaping.com. We provide virtually any outdoor construction need. Stop by the site to learn more.
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