Lawn Care Facts

A healthy lawn takes lots of work and maintenance.

Growing a healthy lawn takes work, primarily in the preparation and maintenance stages of managing turf. While lawn care will vary based on your region and grass type, a few universal principles can help you take care of your grass.

Facts

Thatch buildup --- while natural --- can damage your lawn if too much sits on your turf. Remove anything more than one-half inch thickness of thatch. To repair damaged turf areas, add a seed repair mix --- such as Kentucky Blue Grass, Fine Fescue and Perennial Rye Grass --- depending on whether the lawn lies primarily in the sun or shade.

Maintenance

Mow your lawn to a 3 inch height in the summer and down to a 1-inch height prior to winter, as this prevents spring mold. Apply fertilizer one to three times in June, September or mid-October, depending upon your specific needs. Lawns need about one inch of water per week through deep root watering.

Control

Spraying herbicides for weed control is best in late September. Healthy lawns will crowd out weeds. Most times, it is better to control weeds in a spot fashion rather than spraying the entire lawn, according to the University of Wisconsin.

References

• University of Wisconsin-Extension: Lawn Care Facts
• American Lawns: Basic Lawn Care