Spring is still in the air; the weather is perfect, the birds are singing, and your lawn is probably looking its best. Spring is when grass is at its tip-top shape—the right amount of rain coming down to keep its thirst quenched and the sun isn’t coming down too hard to dry it out into that disheartening, light brown shade. You’re probably thinking, “Alright! I don’t have to worry about my lawn until summer!” But, not so fast. Unless you only want your lawn to look good one season out of the year, you’re going to want to use this time to ensure that it looks good year-round.
Don’t Be Basic
In this case, a “perfect 10” is not what you want. You want your soil to be right at the sweet spot on the pH scale—around a 5-7. Ideally, you want it at a 6.5, which leans more towards acidic and not basic. While you’re at it, make sure your plants have the right pH balance in their soil. Find a testing kit and test your soil. Always follow the directions on the package so you can treat your lawn accordingly. It’s best to wait around 30 days after treatment to test again, just to make sure the soil is at an ideal pH balance.
WHAT’RE THOOOOSE?
This step requires a little shopping. Get yourself the latest craze in lawn care fashion: lawn aerator shoes! These sandal-like tools strap on to your feet with Velcro. They have spikes on the bottoms to ensure you can loosen the soil up at your feet. Just like a fine wine, a fine lawn needs to breathe. So, slap on those shoes and let the soil breathe! When the soil is packed in tightly, it stops water and nutrients from getting to the roots of the grass, helping it thrive.
Catch That Thatch
Thatch is stringy, white/yellow-looking stuff that you can see in your lawn. It is made up of the roots and stems from the dead grass. It doesn’t look great—and if you see thatch, you should get rid of it. Most of the time it’s not too bad. If this is the case, you should be able to give your yard a good rake. Yep, even if there aren’t any leaves! If you find it’s too thick to pick up with a rake, you can find a thatching rake to help you out a little more.
No Bald Patches
You go outside to admire your beautiful, green lawn only to find yellow, dry patches in your grass. This is a common problem, especially in the springtime, as your grass starts coming back to life. Sometimes a few little bald patches don’t get the memo. Don’t worry—they’re easy to fix! First, you will need to rough up the dry patch with a rake to pull dead grasses away. Do the same with the soil to break it up. From here, you can sprinkle some lawn repair mix on the patch. Take the hose and make sure you water it well while keeping it at a gentle spray. You want to make sure this patch stays damp, but not flooded. Keep checking on it throughout the next few days to get rid of the bald patch.
Feel the Need for Seed
It doesn’t matter if you’re resuscitating a lawn from the dead or starting from scratch—it’s important to find the right seed. A big indicator of what kind of seed you should use is the area you live in. The main two kinds of seeds are warm season and cool season grass seed. It’s worth it to do a little research when it comes to grass and the best type of weather where you live.
Doses of H2O
Some people overwater and some people underwater. Heck, some people don’t even water their lawn at all! After you’ve done the research and found the right grass seed for you, make sure to find out how much you need to water your lawn. It will vary by grass type, so make sure you know the right amount. If you find yourself forgetting to water, it may be time to invest in an automatic sprinkler with a timer.
You Need to Cut It
This is the bread and butter of lawn care: cutting your grass. But, you’d be surprised how wrong it can go sometimes. These are two of the biggest mistakes when it comes to mowing:
- Never cut your grass too short. This can kill your grass, causing brown or bare spots. You generally only want to cut about 1/3 of the grass.
- Don’t let your grass get too long before cutting it. It’s for your own benefit because it can be extremely difficult for whoever mows the lawn. When the grass does get cut, it just ends up looking like a huge mess!
Keep the Clippings
Believe it or not, lawn clippings are good for grass if they are well spread out. The grass clippings that we often pile up in garbage bags provide nutrients. Take caution, though. You’ll need to spread the clippings out effectively. Do not leave giant clumps in one spot. The grass needs to be spread out pretty evenly in order for it to actually be beneficial.
Mower Care 101
Didn’t think about this one, did you? Many people buy a mower and leave it in their shed until it’s time to mow the lawn. But this negates the money you put into the mower! They’re costly and upon purchase, make sure it sticks around for a while. The best way to keep your mower in good condition is to get it tuned-up every year. Another important thing to keep in mind is to make sure the blades are nice and sharp, to ensure your lawn is looking good, too.
Too Much to Handle?
Fertilizing, seeding, putting on those spikey shoes! It takes a lot to keep a lawn looking great but it’s always worth it. If you don’t have the time to follow all of our tips but still want a well-kept lawn, leave it to us, TurfPride Lawncare. We provide many of these services and are dedicated to helping you grow and keep a beautiful lawn. Call today for more information at (770)-590-7200