Your lawn is a source of pride – a beautiful green expanse with mega curb appeal that welcomes everyone who visits. Home maintenance shouldn’t be just about cleaning the gutters, removing blockages from the downspouts, or repairing the roof. Get your lawn summer-ready this spring with these simple lawn care tips and trick.
Check Your Soil pH
If it was a battle all spring and summer last year to keep the grass looking good and plant/flower beds healthy, check your soil pH (acidity level) – it could be out of balance. Soil pH directly impacts how your grass, and all of the other plants and trees on your property, grows. Raise the soil’s pH level by adding lime or lower it by adding iron. To test the soil pH of your lawn, use a soil test kit or soil pH meter. A reading of 0 to 6.9 will indicate the soil is acidic while a level of 7 and above shows the soil is alkaline.
Shaded Lawn Areas
When fertilizing the lawn, take the shaded lawn areas into consideration. Because often grass in shady parts of the front yard or backyard appear to be struggling, people tend to apply the same amount or more of fertilizer than they do to the sunnier areas. But in reality shaded areas of your lawn need less fertilizer since it doesn’t grow as fast. Over fertilizing can kill the grass instead of encouraging growth by enriching the soil. When selecting the right fertilizer to use factor in how much of your lawn receives direct sunlight, shaded areas, and local climate.
Overseed the Lawn
Overseeding is the term for applying seed to a lawn that already has grass. It is an important part of lawn care for several reasons including color enhancement, improved consistency, and thickening the lawn, which helps prevent weeds from taking hold. The best time to overseed a lawn is in the months of April and May. Use a hand-held spreader to distribute the grass seed evenly or a push broadcast spreader if you have a large front yard and backyard. Overseeding will also take care of bald spots caused by shade, busy foot traffic, and pets.
How and When to Water
Knowing how and when to water your lawn can play a big role in how good it looks (and you can conserve water too).
Don’t overwater. If you’re watering according to a certain schedule say once a week, test the lawn first. Step on it and if the blades of grass spring back when you step away, the grass doesn’t need watering. Due to circumstances such as cooler temperatures or a substantial rainfall the lawn might not require weekly watering.
Water the lawn early in the morning. As the temperature heats up, water plants and grass early in the morning when the sun won’t rob your garden of moisture. In late spring and summer, watering during the hours of the day when the sun is hottest can actually “burn” the grass and roots of plants and trees. Another option is to water the garden in the evening once the sun has set.
Use a watering can. After lightly raking earth over new grass seed, use a watering can to moisten the lawn. A hose, even on fine spray, could “flood” the newly seeded area; gently watering with a watering can will dampen the earth enough to connect with the grass seed without undue stress.
Use a garden hose. Hand water a small to medium sized lawn with a garden hose that has a fine-spray setting. It might seem like more trouble than it’s worth. But hand watering allows you to make adjustments for changes in climate conditions, helping you to conserve water.
Invest in a Lawn Edger
A lawn edger is used to cut grass that grows at the very edge of a lawn or flowerbed; typically it’s a place where the lawn mower isn’t able to reach. Trimming tufts of grass growing beside a pathway, fence, or herb garden helps maintain your great curb appeal.
