If you need lawn care tips, then I have several that will help you improve the look of that yard you fell in love with when you purchased your home. When my family purchased our home, I was fairly clueless about what it took to maintain those long stretches of soft green grass. From trial and error, however, I’ve mastered a number of lawn care tips and strategies which I’m going to share with you.
Really, lawn care comes down to only three steps: water, mow, and fertilize. That sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Well, it can be even if you understand how to do each of those steps correctly.
Tip #1 – Water Your Lawn
Grass like all living things does require water to live. All you have to do is look at the horrible, dry, brown patches of grass in neighbors after a serious drought to understand why it’s critical to keep your grass watered. The question is how do you water properly?
Your best choice is an automatic sprinkler system. Unlike manual models which need to be positioned and turned on, automatic systems do all of the work for you. They water the grass when you want them to, they water the sections of grass you want them to, and they do so at a level you want to achieve.
Here are a couple of basic guidelines to follow when watering your grass:
l Watch for signs of dehydration in your grass – browning, curling, stiffness – and water immediately
l Make sure your grass receives about two inches of water every five to seven days whether from your sprinklers or from nature
l Water your lawn during the early morning or late evening hours when less water will be evaporated by the hot sun
l Avoid watering on windy days – the water will end up being blown around by the wind and may not reach the designated areas
Tip #2 – Mow Your Lawn
Before I had my automatic sprinkler system installed, I believed watering my lawn was the hardest part of lawn care. Then that first summer when I had to roll out the lawn mower I quickly realized I was wrong. Lawn mowing isn’t easy, but it’s a necessity for a beautiful lawn.
Good landscaping and lawn care starts with the right tools and lawn mowing is no exception. When you invest in a lawn mower, be sure you are choosing a tool that generates the results you want. For example, if you don’t care much about the look of the lawn – you just want to keep the grass from getting too high – then buy a rotary lawn mower. It will get the job done. However, if you want a gorgeous landscaping job, then invest in a reel mower. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
The golden rule is to mow your lawn once a week. Remember not to mow too short. Short grass is more vulnerable to dehydration, pests, and other problems.
Tip #3 – Fertilize
When I first began to fertilize my lawn, I had never even looked at that section of my local DIY store. After trying a number of brands and doing plenty of research, I discovered the best type is organic fertilizer. Organic lawn care is definitely becoming more popular because it simply works betters.
Using other types of fertilizer can actually make your soil less productive over time. That’s a problem you won’t have with organic fertilizer. It does cost a little more and can be more challenging to find, although that’s changing, but it’s worth the effort.
Read the back of the package to discover how much to use on your lawn. Use half of that amount when spring begins. Use the rest at the start of autumn. If you repeat this process every year, then you’ll be on your way to having a fabulous lawn.