People love their lawns, especially in the warmer seasons of the year. If you’re aiming to create the perfect lawn for your yard, you’ve probably figured out that it’s a bit harder than it seems. There’s a reason green thumbs are highly sought after. Knowing what to do and what not to do is critical, even if you’re only planting and maintaining grass. This goes for all additions to your landscaping. If you want a gorgeous lawn that will stay healthy throughout the year, you’ll need some expert tips. Here are a few to help you get started.
Get the right type of grass
If you want to maintain your lawn properly, you need to choose the correct type of grass for it. Environmental agencies estimate that as much as fifty percent of water is wasted due to improper lawn watering. One of the factors that contribute to this number is the bad choice of lawn grass.
Depending on your location, you’ll want a different type of grass. For northern, dry climates, it’s recommended that you opt for cool-season grass. Tall fescue might be the best choice. It won’t require as much water, and it will stay alive throughout the winter season. For warmer areas, it’s recommended that you go for warm-season grasses. A Zoysia would be a great option.
Text the soil
When it comes to feeding the soil nutrients, most people just opt for fertilizer and call it a day. As you might expect, this isn’t always the most efficient choice. Indiscriminately applying fertilizer to the soil doesn’t net you much of a result. You don’t know what types of nutrients are present in the soil in the first place. Adding random fertilizer won’t necessarily help boost the nutrient count.
If you want to do the job expertly, you’re going to have to test the soil first. This will give you a detailed overview of what’s in the soil and what is lacking. Sometimes it’ll need sand, while other times it might just need some compost. Either way, by testing the soil, you’ll know exactly what it needs. You can then add a layer of the needed material or nutrients at the top during autumn.
There are numerous companies that can test lawn soil, so you won’t lack options. Make sure to contact them before autumn so that you can have your sample tested in time. You want to place that layer of missing nutrients just as the weather starts to turn.
Aerate the ground
While the lawn requires water and nutrients above all else, it could do with some air as well. Aerating your lawn is an important part of grass maintenance. The ground needs to have a little extra air and breathing room to provide optimal sustenance to the grass. Perforating the soil with small holes should do the trick. It allows air, water, sunlight, and nutrients to better penetrate the soil and roots of the grass. The deeper it goes and the farther it spread out, the more efficient it is.
The question is—When do you start aerating the grass? Experts suggest that the best time to do this is during the growing season. As this does damage the lawn slightly, you should also place a layer of compost over it after aerating. This will make the lawn recover much quicker.
Deepen the roots
Healthy roots lead to healthy plants, and this applies to grass lawns as well as many other plants. With proper root length and strength, you can count on the grass to hold up much better and stay healthier for longer periods. Now, how do you deepen and strengthen roots? The easiest way to do this would be to not overwater it. Let the grass fight for a reasonable amount of water and it’ll come out even stronger.
At the same time, you should also take care not to cut it too often or too much. Don’t opt for the buzzcut on your lawn and instead keep it at a length that seems to suit it. Find the optimal height that still keeps the grass upright while not overdoing the trimming. The higher it goes the deeper the roots will go into the ground. This will reduce the grass’s maintenance needs significantly.
Don’t water too much
The other factor that contributes to water wastage is evaporation. When and how you water has quite an effect on the quality of your lawn. For example—Watering too frequently can cause this issue. Oversaturating the soil won’t do the plants any good, so keep the watering limited to an extent. It’s best to water early in the morning to avoid evaporation from sunlight later on.
If you want to water like an expert, water infrequently and in large amounts. Instead of doing it every day, you should do it twice per week. If you have a big yard, you might find it difficult to balance how much water you’re pouring over specific areas. To water evenly over large lawn surfaces, use multiple oscillating sprinklers. They should be able to cover the lawn just right.
Cycle the grass
When you’re moving the lawn, there’s no reason to throw away all of those grass clippings. They are rich in the exact nutrients that grass needs, and they aren’t harmful to your lawn. By leaving a bit of the clipping behind on the lawn, you can save on fertilizer and reduce your waste.
If you do leave grass clippings on the lawn, you should make sure that they aren’t particularly big. Keep your lawnmower blades sharp and set them to cut around a third of the length of the grass. This will create the ideal blades that break down quickly and provide nutrients evenly throughout the lawn.
Conclusion
There are many things you need to pay attention to if you want to keep your lawn healthy and attractive. While watering and throwing fertilizer around will get you to a certain point, it won’t keep your grass alive for too long. You need to strategize and plan out your lawn before you plant a single seed. Follow the tips we’ve covered, and you’ll be able to grow the perfect lawn in no time.
