How to Keep Your Lawn Green and Healthy

Watering your lawn during dry periods keeps it healthy.

Keeping your lawn green and healthy can be difficult, particularly during the hot summer months or if you live in an area that receives little rainfall. Obtaining and maintaining a lush, green lawn requires careful consideration with regard to mowing, watering and fertilizing. While different kinds of grass require slightly different care methods, following basic guidelines will put you well on your way to a lawn that will be the envy of your neighbors.

Things You'll Need

• Lawn mower
• Fertilizer

Instructions

Mowing

1. Keep your mower blades sharp. Dull blades put added stress on your grass when you mow, leaving the blades with jagged edges that contribute to water loss.

2. Adjust the height of your mower blades to keep your lawn between 2 and 3 inches high. Cutting your grass on the short side is usually fine during the spring and fall months, but leaving it longer during the hot summer months and periods of little rainfall will keep your lawn healthier.

3. Mow frequently enough so that you are not removing more than one-third of your lawn's height each time you mow. For example, if you want to keep your lawn at 3 inches, do not allow the grass to get higher than 4 1/2 inches before you mow.

4. Turn the direction you mow 90 degrees at least every third time you mow to prevent your lawn from leaning over too far. A slanted lawn can alter your measurements when determining mowing height.

Watering

1. Water your lawn only when necessary to prevent overwatering, which can lead to yellowing. Most types of grass require 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water per week to stay green and healthy. Keep a rain gauge, small bucket or can on your lawn to monitor the amount of water your grass gets each week.

2. Set up sprinklers so that the pattern overlaps to avoid missing spots in your lawn.

3. Water your grass in the early morning hours to prevent evaporation during the hottest parts of the day. Watering at night when temperatures are cooler increases the risk of disease.

4. Analyze your soil to determine how often to water. The sandier your soil, the more often you'll need to water. Loamy and clay soils retain moisture better and won't require water as frequently as sandy types.

Fertilizing

1. Choose a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content. The University of Illinois recommends a ratio of 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for most types of grass.

2. Apply fertilizer every four to six weeks during the spring and summer months when your lawn is growing to keep it healthy.

3. Apply 1 lb. of nitrogen for every 1,000 square feet to prevent overfertilizing your lawn. Calculate how many pounds you need to cover your entire lawn by dividing 1 lb. by the percent of nitrogen. Multiply the resulting number by the size of your entire lawn in square feet and divide the result by 1,000 to determine how many pounds of fertilizer you need.

References

• Utah State University Cooperative Extension: How Do I Keep My Lawn Green During the Hot Summer Months?
• University of Illinois Extension: Watering Lawns the Right Way
• The Ohio State University: Lawn Mowing
• University of Illinois Extension: Sound Fertilizing Practices