How to maintain a green lawn

Steps to a Green Lawn

Your lawn can make a big difference in the curb appeal of your home. We want to maintain a healthy, green, and full lawn, but variables such as pests, weather, and weeds generally mess up our perfect lawn. Follow these steps to help maintain a greener lawn or recover the green in your lawn.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• water hose and sprinkler
• nitrogen-based fertilizer
• sharp lawn mower blades and blade sharpener

1. Water your lawn in the morning

   Water your Lawn Correctly. One of the most common lawn care pitfalls is incorrect watering. Some people over-water, and other under-water their lawns. When you under-water your lawn, you are not watering your lawn enough, or long enough for the water to get to the roots. And when you over-water your lawn, you can actually promote fungus growth. The best way to water your lawn is to do it less frequently and at longer intervals to make sure that you are reaching the deep roots. Instead of watering your grass every three days, water it once a week for a longer amount of time. The best time of day to water your lawn is usually in the morning before the sun rises. Use a garden hose or a sprinkler system.

2. Use a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer

   Fertilize your lawn. A lot of people do fertilize their lawn, but they do it too close to summer or they use too much fertilizer. When you use too much fertilizer the nitrogen in the fertilizer can actually burn your lawn when the temperatures increase outside. When you burn or yellow your grass, it can not fight off insects. You want to fertilize your lawn with a nitrogen-based fertilizer in early spring and then again in mid-spring. You should also look for a slow-release fertilizer with a lower nitrogen content to prevent burning.

3. Sharpen your mower blades

   Cut your lawn correctly. If you own a riding lawn mower or a push mower, it is critical to cut your lawn with sharp blades. You should always sharpen your blades at the beginning of every mowing season. You can have your mower services or do it yourself with a mower blade sharpening bit that you an attach to your drill (available at hardware stores). Cut cool-season grasses (such as Kentucky bluegrass and fescues) higher, and cut warm-season grasses (such as zoysia and Bermuda) lower. (see my other article about sharpening your blades)

4. Keep these off the lawn!

   Keep objects off the lawn. One of the easiest ways to kill your grass is to put anything on it and block out the sun and compress it into the ground. Avoid putting play-houses, slip-and-slides, volleyball courts, bad mitten courts, etc on your lawn. Keep everything off your lawn, and treat it right!

5. Grow Turf

   Lawn alternatives. If you live in an area that gets a lot of shade in the spring and summer, then you may want to consider planting a ground cover instead of grass. Turf is a great low-light alternative. Conversely, if you have an area that is exposed to a lot of light and high temperatures, look into a warm-season grass like zoysia or Bermuda.