The common homeowner spends approximately 3.8 hours every week on yard care and mows their lawn about 30 times a year. The time you take to work on your yard pays off, as it serves as an air conditioner that keeps your home cool and provides you with tons of oxygen that ensures you and your family are healthy.
Not every homeowner chooses to fully experience the benefits of a well-kept lawn. Many people are too busy to keep up with even the most minimal care. The following are a few of the easiest ways you can keep your lawn healthy and green.
1. Cut Your Grass to the Time of Year
If you’re living in a cooler climate then you want to cut your grass to about 1 or 1 ½ inch for the first mowing of that spring. Doing this will remove the dead layer and allow sunlight to reach the crown of the plants.
During the summer months, you can allow the blades to reach 2 or more inches. At the end of the year, lower the height back to 1-1 ½ inch. Keep the height at about ½ inch lower if you live somewhere with a warm climate.
2. Always Use A Sharp Blade
You always want to cut your lawn with a mower that has a sharp blade. If you use a dull one, it will tear the grass rather than cut it cleanly. Tearing will damage the blades, turning them yellow and making them more susceptible to disease. If your lawn is damaged then you’ll need to use more water and provide more nutrients to ensure it recovers properly.
Sharpen and balance the blade at least three times a year to maintain a nice cutting edge. If your yard has a lot of rocks, you might want to sharpen it a few more times.
3. Soak and Sprinkle
Letting the water soak into your yard helps develop deep roots into the ground. However, your grass doesn’t need deep watering every day. If your lawn needs a boost in resiliency then you’ll want water until the soil is moist up to 4-5 inches deep. Water again when the top layer, about 1 to 2 inches, is dried out. From there, ensure that your lawn gets 1 to 2 inches of water per week either from your sprinklers or from Mother Nature.
To accurately get the right amount of water, set out a cake pan and turn on the sprinkler. Time how long it takes to fill to 1 inch. Keep in mind that different types of soils need different amounts of water. Take into consideration the type of grass you have, the soil conditions, and the temperature of your area.
Water your lawn in the early morning and ensure that the water pressure is high so that less water is lost to evaporation and that your lawn has plenty of time to dry. Grass that remains wet overnight is more susceptible to disease from fungi and mold.
4. Aerate Your Yard to Breathe
To properly grow, your grassroots need oxygen in combination with normal nutrients and oxygen. Aerating is a great way to get more oxygen to your lawn. The process of aerating is done by removing small plugs of soil, improving air-to-soil interaction. By purchasing a home lawn aerator, you’ll reduce the chances of soil compaction and open up more space for the roots to grow.
To get the full benefits from aerating, you have to get your timing down. While it’s possible to aerate your yard in the spring, you should do it in the fall. It’s during this season that there are fewer weed seeds and more chances of your soil compacting.
The Bottom Line
A healthy lawn is your best bet at increasing curb appeal, keeping your home cool, and ensuring your family stays healthy. It’s also one of your best defenses against weeds. The combination of the steps above followed by the careful use of herbicides ensures that your lawn not only is healthy but always looks good.
