1) Know your soil.
Knowing your soil is more important than most people are aware. Simply put, progress is far more certain if the correct species
of turf
is selected. But without knowing your soil, you simply can't be sure which turf is best suited for your lawn when certain species
will benefit
from
certain soil types while others will struggle to survive. So a little investigation early on will go far in achieving
your picture perfect lawn.
Once you know your soil and have determined the 'right' turf, it's important that you...
2) Feed it right.
Properly fertilizing your lawn is like giving yourself a multi-vitamin. Sure, you get most of the nutrients you need in your daily diet,
but
you
don’t always get enough (or enough of the right kind). Your lawn is exactly the same. Very few soils are fertile enough to
supply
all
the nutrients a healthy lawn needs. So fertilizer focuses on the key nutrients lawns must have to grow thick and healthy.
It's important to note that proper fertilization throughout the year is key to your lawn's health. Feed too little and your lawn can literally starve
to death. But be aware of applying too much fertilizer. Adding “a little extra” is not a good idea. Apply too much and you will risk
harming the
grass, as well as having run off flowing into surrounding waterways.
Make your first feeding after initial spring growth begins
and the final feeding after last mowing of the season. Rule of thumb is to use a
slow-release fertilizer for spring, summer and early fall
feedings, and a faster release formula for late fall.
3) Water it right.
Properly watering your lawn is vital to its health as it speeds photosynthesis and promotes an expansive root structure.
Next to how much fertilizer to use, the biggest question homeowner’s face is how much water a lawn actually needs.
In general,
warm-season grasses need about 1.5 inches of water per week - ( NOT PER DAY ).
For optimum root growth, water should penetrate six to eight inches in to the soil. And just like with fertilizer, “a little extra” does much
more
harm
than it does good. Over-watered lawns are more prone to fungal infections and unhealthy blade growth. Plus, excessive watering
also
increases the risk of fertilizer and pesticide run-off.
Now that your turf has a strong root system, is properly fed and properly watered, a simple maintenance regimen will help to keep it healthy.
4) Mow it right.
Here's a little known fact: Stress is as bad for your lawn’s health as it is for our health. And one way homeowners unwittingly
over-stress
their grass is by cutting it too short.
Truth is, your grass will be much healthier if you raise the height of your mower. So when mowing, mow as high as possible.
Avoid cutting more than one-third of the grass height at any single mowing.
- If your grass is 5 inches tall at mowing time, don't cut it any shorter than 3.25 inches
- If your grass is 4 inches tall at mowing time, don't cut it any shorter than 2.5 inches
- If your grass is 3 inches tall at mowing time, don't cut it any shorter than 2 inches.
This leaves plenty of the grass blades intact and additional leaf area to advance the growth of photosynthesis.
Consistency is the key.
The final piece of the lawn care puzzle is to be consistent. The more invariable your mowing schedule and your overall approach to
lawn care,
the healthier the grass will be, and the more likely you will have the picture perfect, 'envy of the neighborhood' landscape you
can be proud of.
