A lawn with a garden of flowers can add life to any brick and mortar construction. But unlike trees or flowers, the lawn as the central part of your garden isn’t just there to look at – it needs to be thick, vibrant and above all functional.

Typically a lawn can get damaged from a lot of things like children playing on them, poor quality of soil, pest infestation, weeds, improper mowing, or drainage techniques. So, the secret to maintaining a healthy lawn isn’t necessarily a lot of care but taking routine care.

Here are a few tips to improve your lawn and make it the healthiest and greenest carpet on your block: 

Cutting the Grass to the Recommended Cutting Height

Knowing the right height for cutting your grass is important as it helps the grass to stay strong and healthy. For cool climate grasses, the recommended cutting height is 1 ½ ″ for the first mowing of the year as it will not only remove the dead grass from above but also allow adequate sunlight to reach the crowns of your grass.

For mowing in the summer heat, the blades can be raised to 2 ″ more and again back to 1 ½ ″ for cutting at the latter part of the year. However, for warm climate grasses, the cutting height needs to be ½ ″ lower.

Water Deeply but Less Often

Watering your lawn lightly but frequently is not a good practice as it does not allow the water to settle in the soil before getting evaporated.

Watering your lawn deeply and infrequently lets the roots of your grass grow deeper into the soil which in turn makes your turf look lush and vibrant. It’s recommended that you water your lawn with 1″ water once per week to help your grass stay green during the periods of extreme summer temperature.

“Grass-Cycle” your Grass Clippings

Grasscycling is the process of leaving the grass clippings created by your mower and letting your lawn reuse them naturally.

The top end of a blade of grass is leafy and it decomposes quickly when cut, contributing to one-third of nitrogen that your lawn needs to stay healthy. Since the clippings decompose quickly, they return the much needed nutrients back to the soil. They can also help your grass to retain water, acting as natural mulch.

Aerate your Lawn

Aeration is simply the process of punching holes throughout your lawn to about 3 ″ deep. Overtime, the soil beneath your grass can become compacted and cause problems in air circulation and nutrient absorption.

So, removing small plugs of soil can help your grass roots immensely by providing them with oxygen, water, and nutrients. Aeration allows water and fertilizers to penetrate the soil easily, reducing soil compaction and thus providing more space to the grass roots to grow and develop.

Timely Use of Natural Fertilizers

Natural fertilizers are not just good for your grass but also beneficial for the health of your family and environment.

Early spring is the ideal time to fertilize your lawn and help your grass start the process of root development. Fall feeding always helps in repairing the summer damage and spur root growth that goes on for several weeks, which in turn helps the grass survive the cold winters.

A lush green carpet in front of the house is the dream and desire of every homeowner. In order to keep your dream healthy and fresh, make sure you take good care of your yard and make it an inviting outdoor space for your family and friends.