Do you want to get the perfect lawn?
Your lawn can give a huge first impression of your home. It can often represent how much a homeowner cares for their home. There’s a sense of beauty in having an organized space you call your own and a form of tranquility as well.
The question is how to keep and maintain a manicured lawn? You have to know your lawn – the environment, climate, pests, and weeds. Most of all, you need elbow grease.
If you combine proper knowledge with time, love, and commitment, you’re sure to succeed. So to give you a head-start, we’ve prepared this comprehensive guide. From having the right tools to keeping up the right practices, you’ll be one step closer to your dream lawn in no time.
Have the Right Tools
Having all the best lawn care tips won’t matter if you don’t have the right tools for the job. You might think that a lawnmower is more than enough to get your lawn in shape. While there is some truth to that, taking the extra step – doing its edges – boosts its appeal.
Don’t only trim the grass; make sure the edges of your lawn are also taken care of. This is what gives it a look that’s professionally done.
To do this, you’ll need the right lawn edging equipment. You’ll often find them in a well-stocked hardware and gardening center.
They can be either manual, electric, or even chemical. Choosing the best one for you depends on your skill, experience, and even budget. That said, if you’re new to landscaping your lawn, it’s best to stick to the lower-end lawn edgers and work your way up.
Keep It Pest-Free
One of the most neglected lawn upkeep steps would be making sure it’s pest-free. If you ask most lawn experts, they’ll tell you to beware of Japanese beetles, especially the grubs. They wreak havoc to your lawn as they bury deep into it, killing the grass’s roots.
More damage also happens when wildlife like crows or raccoons try to feed on them. They often pull the grass out and dig to get to the grubs, making your lawn look unsightly. Make sure your lawn is grub-free by applying approved grub control products.
It helps to note that certain pests can be seasonal. Good examples include chinch bugs in the summer. Billbugs can also infect your lawn in the winter and hatch early in spring.
If your lawn also has a fair amount of flowers, shrubs, and trees, look into which pests it can attract.
Address the Weeds
There’s nothing more irritating than having weeds sticking out of your manicured lawn. Although dandelions might the most common culprit, there are others you have to watch out for. Many lawn owners also struggle with crabgrass, plantains, and the common ragweed.
Other times, you might also find yourself battling with plants that spread too fast. These include morning glories, ivies, and catnip. Depending on the state, these plants can have the classification of noxious weeds or invasive species.
Trying to rid of them requires constant lawn maintenance if you don’t know what you’re doing. Although, most of the time, the right treatment can get an early infestation in check. If things are proving too much to handle, then it’s best to call the experts.
Feed and Water It
The key to a beautiful lawn is nurturing it, which means fertilizing and watering it. However, they’re only beneficial when done right. Doing things on a whim, and without researching what your lawn needs might even end up killing it.
It’s important that you assess how things are first, and time your next action accordingly. Know your lawn’s health and its issues. Is it drought-stricken, is its soil conditions good, or is the change brought on by stress and disease?
Answering these questions can be overwhelming for those only getting into lawn care. Seasoned landscapers, like those in Franz Witte, can give you a better idea of what you need, and even deliver it. Take the guessing game out of your lawn maintenance and care, and spend more time admiring it.
Prepare for Seasonal Changes
As the season’s change, so do your lawn’s needs. Don’t let the colder seasons be an excuse to not do any upkeeping at all. While lawns become more dormant during late autumn to winter, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t need care.
Start by collecting and bagging all the autumn leaves on your lawn. Don’t let it rot on your grass, since as it decomposes, it releases more than enough Nitrogen onto the soil. During colder months, this is more than your lawn can process, thus doing more harm than good.
Depending on your zoning, you might not have as much snow or none at all. With this in mind, take the time to still aerate the soil and focus on rough patches, if any. In the winter, your lawn will still need mowing too, though not as frequently.
Turning to Turf
To many, lawn care is a practice to take pride in – though not everyone sees it that way. This is where turf (or artificial) lawns come in. To some, choosing to go turf is the answer to all their lawn problems.
It isn’t always the case though. While it might look more appealing from afar, it still doesn’t hold a candle against a real manicured lawn. It’s also way more expensive and will need consistent maintenance for it to last its lifespan.
Turfgrass can be a nightmare – imagine dropping a cigarette butt, or hot barbecue coal on it. More so, depending on where you live, the heat index might get high enough to melt and clump it. Though there are ways to fix it, it isn’t always the prettiest sight.
Maintain a Manicured Lawn
Maintaining a manicured lawn isn’t as complicated as it seems. All it takes is hard work, knowledge, and a bit of planning. The key to all of it is consistency and putting in the effort.
For those of you on the lookout for more tips and tricks, then check out our site. We have plenty of info to help you get the lawn of your dreams.