Do you take pride in your yard, and want to ensure that you have the greenest one in the neighborhood? Are you interested in learning the best ways to take care of it so that you come home to a lush, green landscape that sets the tone for the rest of your property? If you said “yes,” there is no time like now to begin!
While broadleaf weeds, such as dandelions, are enjoyed by some folks who use them for beneficial teas and tinctures, they can ruin the aesthetics of your yard. Although it might be childish fun to blow these little seeds away, they are likely to take root and bring your weed problem to new areas of your yard if you do so. Treat them before they go to seed, or the problem will only worsen.
It is important that you choose the right type of grass seeds or sod for your yard. If it is currently in poor condition, you might opt to remove what is there and replant with something more desirable. Remember that it is easier to reseed your grass than to replace disturbed sod patches. However, with the appropriate lawn care, you should be able to avert any major disturbances to your yard.
The ideal grass will grow naturally in the local climate, and that requires little water to thrive. For instance, Kentucky Bluegrass and Ryegrass must be watered weekly, where Bahia and Bermuda grass can go up to three weeks between watering.
Establish a place for the elimination needs of your dogs. Otherwise, the appearance of your lawn will continue to decline. Tackle the situation just as you did housebreaking: with lots of patience and treats.
Of course, you still don’t want an area with wilted and dying grass. Instead, use some bricks or similar low garden borders to designate an area for Fido. You can use mulch, gravel or some other form of material that will help to disguise the waste.
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when mowing their yard is to cut the grass too short. Your mower should be set between three and four inches. Shorter cuts will expose the roots and soil, drying the former while depleting the later of vital nutrients.
As a rule of thumb, you should never cut more than one-third of the grass leaf’s during a mow. If your yard is overgrown, start with a higher setting for your first mow. Then, you can lower it on the next mow. Doing so will help to ensure that the grass and roots are healthy.
Also, you shouldn’t mow the yard when it is too dry nor too wet. Both of these situations can create more damage to your mower and yard.
In order to have a pristine yard you must keep the mower blades sharp. Dull blades rip and shred rather than cut. You should take them in for a professional sharpening at least once per year. If you have a large yard or mow a lot, you might need additional sharpening services.
While mowing gets a lot of attention, many folks fail to remember to aerate their lawns. You can find simple tool for this at virtually any store that sells lawn and garden equipment. These special digging forks allow you to open up the soil and roots so that fresh air, water and nutrients can penetrate beyond the uppermost layer of the soil.
Speaking of watering, this is another factor that you have to get right in order to spruce up your yard. If you have selected a grass with lower water needs, you are already on the right track here. In fact, you might even experience sufficient rainfall during all or part of the year to keep your grass healthy.
However, most homeowners must use supplemental watering with a sprinkler or irrigation system. For a really spectacular watering schedule, use an automated irrigation system that is hooked into your smart home system. Invest in a unit that will monitor the weather and soil moisture levels to determine how much to water your lawn at the preset times.
As for the schedule itself, you should always have the system come on in the early morning before the temperatures begin to rise. This will give time for the soil to fully absorb the water to prevent evaporation. However, it will be at a good level by nightfall. You don’t want your lawn too wet after the sun goes down because it is more prone to diseases and illnesses.
Find out the exact fertilizer that you need for your lawn before you start buying anything. Have a pro take soil samples from several locations in your yard. Once these have been analyzed in a laboratory, you will know exactly what type of amendments you need to add to the soil. Otherwise, you are just guessing.
If you have cool-weather grasses, like Kentucky Bluegrass, then you should fertilize in the springtime. Warm-weather grasses respond better to fertilizing between June and September.
Add some beautiful greenery to complement your yard. Sure, gorgeous grass with a professional appearance is going to get your lawn noticed. But, you will need more than that if you want to have the most noteworthy property on the block.
Think about adding bushes, shrubs and plants in strategic locations on your property. These can add a touch of color and class to your landscape and can help to pull your yard and house together to form a cohesive piece of property.
Another way to beautify your lawn is with the use of water features. Whether you opt for a small fountain or a large waterfall, these can be incorporated into your lawn with stunning effects when done well.
In fact, there are all kinds of things that you can do that will accentuate the lush green lawn you are growing, including hiring a lawn service provider . Use some of them to boost the visual appeal of your efforts. Along with the other tips mentioned above, these ideas will get you going toward a great new look for the exterior of your property.