Summertime, for many of us, means putting in some extra work around the yard. Besides tending the vegetable garden and making the flowerbeds look up to par, lawn maintenance is high on the to do list. Here are 4 lawn care tips to abide by.
Tip 1: Mowing
Set your lawnmower blades to high. Check with the cooperative extension office at your state university to see what height you should keep your type of grass.
Mowing your lawn too short leads to shallow root systems and thin, dry, or sometimes dead grass.
Tip 2: Fertilizing
Early spring or fall are the ideal times to apply fertilizers to your lawn. Fertilize grass no more than 4 times a year and make sure to wait at least 60 days before applying fertilizer again. You can hit your lawn with fertilizer 30 days before your growing season begins.
Avoid applying fertilizer in July and August. Your lawn has already been stressed by the summer heat and you don’t need to add insult to injury. Always follow fertilizing instructions on the bag.
Tip 3: Weeding
Do you admire your neighbor’s lush green lawn? Does it look smooth and level? It probably looks that way because it doesn’t have any weeds. Controlling weeds on your lawn is especially vital for keeping lawns looking and growing healthy.
You can slip on a pair of gardening gloves (I prefer to get my hands dirty) and use a small spade or a weed puller and pull weeds the old fashion way. If you prefer, you can hit your local garden center and pick up a weed killer – make sure to read instructions and uses carefully to avoid killing areas of your lawn.
Tip 4: Watering
It’s really not necessary to water your lawn everyday even if there is no rain in site. Watering the lawn deeply a few times a week will do.
When your lawn has been watered deeply it encourages a strong root system for your grass and discourages weeds from growing. Deep watering allows the water to stay below the surface, making it harder for weeds to establish themselves and grow.
Have you decided to go green? If so, how are you applying this to your lawn maintenance?
Beaulieu Industries of Maine 