Why do you want a beautiful lawn? Well, your yard is part of your home, and your home should be a place of comfort. Many home owners will give majority of their attention to the interior not realizing that the exterior requires just as much maintenance.
But there are a few things that you can start to implement now at very low cost to start improving you lawn. Not only will your homes aesthetics improve, but it will be much more useful for you to enjoy and be more beneficial to the overall environment. Did you know that an acre of grass can produce enough oxygen for 65 people per day?
1. Patience:
The first thing to have is patience. It’s important to understand when improving the quality of your lawn that it can be a long term investment. Even if you go for the quick fix of re-sodding your yard, the lawn will need to be properly maintained with additional treatments. Grass is a plant, and plants take time to grow. Let’s say for instance you add an overseeding, this will not generally start to take effect right away as the seed can take upwards of 8 weeks to fully germinate and a year to properly mature. Just know, that if you are doing all the right things your lawn will thank you for it in the long run.
2. Water:
We know that grass is a plant, and what do plants love most? A little H2O! This seems obvious but sometimes it’s as simple as making sure your lawn has an adequate amount of water. It’s really the first step to improving the quality of the lawn and can work wonders in itself. It’s also difficult to assess on the next steps that your lawn may need until it has this vital nutrient. An under-watered lawn almost negates other services as they are really reliant on this initial step.
3. Growth:
Many homeowners that we come across prefer their lawn really short. However, we recommend to allow it to grow. Your lawn is not a golf green which receives daily maintenance and is comprised of different seed and soil to keep it at that length. Having a short lawn will make it susceptible to weeds and drought which can cause long-term damage. In fact, one of the best ways you can combat weeds is to keep it at a height of 3″ or more. The grass blades offer shade to the soil which will retain moisture and choke out weeds keeping their seeds at bay that are attracted to sunlight. It will also add more cushion which is rather pleasant underneath your feet!
4. Nutrients:
After implementing the first few steps your lawn should be looking very sharp. If you would like to take it to the next level, it’s wise to give it nutrients to allow it to thrive. First and foremost would be adding regular fertilizing throughout the season. Fertilizer adds vital nutrients that your lawn requires to grow to it’s full potential including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. This also can help the PH levels of your soil which can greatly determine the quality of your lawn. Other ways to add nutrients to your lawn would be to add compost, or simply allow grass clippings to decompose back into the soil.
5. Additional Services:
Really, you’ve done everything your lawn requires to live. But some additional services may be needed to maintain the quality and fast track it’s improvement. Things like aerating will improve the root system strengthening the lawn and making it less susceptible to things like bug infestations, weeds and drought. Overseeding will help to keep the lawn thick and offer different varieties of grass to withstand different situations. Compost and dolomite lime will improve soil composition and PH levels. Grub control can help to eradicate grubs that can cause massive damage resulting in costly repairs.
Overall, each lawn, yard and homeowner is different. The first few steps anyone can begin to implement immediately and be on their way to healthier lawn and more enjoyable yard at a minimal cost. Remember, that having a healthy lawn doesn’t need to break the bank and will ultimately be a better option for the environment as well as air quality. Like all plants, grass takes in Co2 and as mentioned above is an excellent producer of oxygen.
If you’re looking for a better lawn, make sure to check out our packages and see how we may be able to help you achieve your goal!