94% of US adults report that they have had lawn work done on their homes. Many, up to 81%, say they do the lawn work themselves over hiring someone.
The truth is we want our yards to look nice. They are the wealcome committee to our homes and can make a lasting first impression, good or bad.
Yet, no matter how much we want our lawns to look nice, often they, well, don’t cooperate and give us the lush green lawn we hope to achieve.
Read on about these lawn maintenance errors and how you can avoid them on your own lawn.
1. Don’t Cut Your Grass Too Short
Sure, it’s important to get your grass cut and cut regularly. And yes, it can seem like it grows with the speed of light. Many a homeowner has thought, didn’t I just mow this grass?
Yet, don’t address your fast-growing grass by deciding to cut it a little (or a lot) shorter. Grass that is cut too short will have a hard time getting the nutrition that it needs to be healthy-looking.
Many lawn experts advocate the one-third rule which says that you should cut off any more than one-third of the grass at any time.
2. Overwatering
You know your grass needs water. And surely you’ve seen what happens when your lawn doesn’t get any water. But often people respond to the need for water and just put too much on their lawn.
The average lawn should need between 1″ and 1 1/2″ of water a week. That’s much less than you might expect. It’s highly unlikely your grass needs watering daily which many people with irrigation systems will do.
Watch your grass and see how long it can go before it needs another good soaking. Consider factors like how much sun hits the area and the temperature outside. Obviously, more sun and more heat will make your grass need water sooner.
3. Unsharpened Mower Blades
Did you know you should remove your mower blades and have them sharpened?
Over time the blades on your mower become more dull, just like a kitchen knife that’s used over and over. When you use a dull blade on your grass, it doesn’t actually cut it. Instead, the dull blade rips the grass.
This is unhealthy for your grass and will impact its appearance.
4. Overfertilizing Your Lawn
Fertilizers can do wonderful things to help your lawn look its best. Yet, it can be tricky to know how much to apply and when to apply it.
Because you know your lawn needs fertilizer, you may be giving it more than it needs. When you over-fertilize you can actually cause more damage than good to your lawn.
Fertilizer application is one time to consider using lawn care services, let the pros get the fertilizer application right.
5. Prepping Your Lawn for Winter
You don’t want to ignore your lawn during the fall months. Sure, you might be getting tired of the maintenance, but your lawn needs the care to prepare it for its dormant season.
You should address any weed issues you have in your lawn before winter. You also want to make sure you apply a fall fertilizer so your grass can develop good strong roots and be ready for the spring growing season.
Avoid These Lawn Maintenance Errors
Avoid these lawn maintenance errors on your grass to get the picture-perfect lawn you desire. With a little care and planning, your grass will be the envy of the neighborhood.
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