A beautiful lawn to match a beautiful house is every homeowner’s dream. No need to feed all those chemicals to your green turf. Instead, you can just do the natural way of keeping it lush and green. Having a healthy lawn is a result not just of many hours of labor but also of how you maintain it.
That said, here are some great and easy ways to help you maintain a healthy and beautiful lawn.
Conduct a regular lawn aeration
If you have kids and they often spend their time playing in your lawn, the soil below the grass is probably already compacted. Soil compaction leads to some problems, such as increased soil density. Such condition decreases the ability of your plants’ roots to penetrate into the soil for nutrients, thus curbing their growth. Moreover, earthworms’ activity will be also be affected when the ground is hard and compacted.
The roots of grass should be exposed to a good amount of oxygen, nutrients, and water. Lawn aeration will help you do that as it involves loosening the soil in your lawn to facilitate a better air-to-soil interaction. If you aerate your lawn regularly, grasses would grow healthier because the loose soil provides enough space for roots to grow and the improved air circulation allows them to “breathe.” Furthermore, good microorganisms will be able to easily situate themselves in your aerated soil, providing benefits to your grass and other plants.
Deep watering is way better than frequent sprinklings
Are you the type to just leave your sprinkler on for a couple of minutes a few times a week thinking that you’re giving enough water to your lawn? If so, then you definitely have to let go of that habit because frequent sprinklings—no matter how often you do it—won’t just cut it. Instead, you have to learn how to water your lawn deeply to promote the formation of deep roots. Light sprinklings will only touch the grass and the surface of the soil, which only leads to shallow root growth. The water should go all the way to the bottom for your lawn to maintain its lushness even during enormously hot seasons.
Feed it with natural fertilizers and apply weed killers
Natural fertilizers do more good to your lawn than synthetic and chemical-laden ones. Not only are they better for your grass, but they are also environmentally friendly. Plus, natural fertilizers are also safer for your family, especially for your kids and pets who frequent the lawn. The best season to feed your lawn with organic fertilizers is during early spring to encourage root development. You can continue feeding them in the fall to promote damage repair brought about by the summer season. As for weeds, the best repellent for them is actually a thick and healthy lawn that is difficult to penetrate and without lots of open space for them to grow. You should get rid of the weeds during early spring and summer so that they won’t be able to establish deep root systems or reproduce.
Implement the grass-cycling method
Did you know that grass clippings benefit your lawn? I bet many of you did not until now. Grass cycling is a method that involves the recycling of grass in the form of grass clippings that are produced when mowing a lawn. Because grass clippings decompose fast, their valuable nutrients can be used to feed the soil by just leaving them on your lawn rather than throwing them away. This method does not only save you time and money, but it will also help reduce the negative impact on our environment when grass is recycled as fertilizer instead of dumping it into the landfill.
Cut your grass accordingly
The proper grass height when cutting depends on several factors, such as the type of grass, the time of the year, and the growing conditions. For instance, cold-season grasses like tall fescues and Kentucky bluegrass, which grow best during the cool weather of spring and fall, are best cut between two inches to four inches high. Generally, cool-season grasses are cut as high as possible. For warm-season grass, such as Bermuda and zoysia, their growth peak time is during hot temperatures when summer is at its usual long course. Their typical grass height can span from an inch to three inches high. To remove the dead blades, it is better to cut them at the lowest cutting height during early spring. However, if you’re not sure of what type of grass you have or you simply want to be 100% certain, you can ask a gardening specialist to identify it and check with them the cutting recommendations. There are a variety of rubber tracks for sale specifically designed for your lawnmower. Use them instead of steel tracks.
A healthy lawn adds value to your property. It just feels good to come home to a beautiful front yard after a long day at work and see your kids happily playing outside. Hence, maintaining your lawn is a must. It is not just a matter of aesthetics; it’s an investment in your happiness, too!