Lawn Care Basics

Posted on May 13th, 2015

Keeping a well-manicured, green and glamorous landscape is a definitely a tough job.  Proper maintenance is often time-consuming and tiresome, but don’t worry!  We’ve compiled a list of three basic lawn care tips to help you keep your lawn in tip top shape.

1. Trim. Contrary to what popular belief, when it comes to mowing your lawn, less is more.  Paul James, host of HGTV’s Gardening by the Yard, “recommends raising the mower to the highest possible notch so you’re mowing only the top third of the grass when you cut.”  Longer grass blades help to shade the soil from drying out in the sun and will perpetuate root growth.  Shading the soil also helps to prevent the germination of weeds, saving you countless hours of weed-whacking in the long run. 
2. Hydrate.  A thorough watering once a week should do the trick, but make sure to take into account the type of soil that you have.  Clay-based soils tend to hold onto moisture, while sand-based soils are more likely to require extra hydration.  If your lawn is newly seeded, it will need a little more nurturing in the beginning.  A suggested five-to-ten minute daily watering session should suffice.  Once your grass begins to grow, you can increase your watering time to fifteen-to-twenty minutes daily. 
3. Fertilize. Grass gets hungry too!  Make sure to fertilize at least twice a year: once in the spring and once in the fall.  The ideal fertilizer will contain micronutrients such as sulfur, copper, and iron.  Keep in mind that your soil’s pH level can have an impact on the way that it absorbs nutrients.  As a best practice, monitor your soil’s pH level regularly and apply dolomitic lime every few years to help regulate acidity levels.

There you have it!  Follow these basic tips and your lawn will be glowing green in no time. Not up to tackling the challenge on your own? No problem!  At Turf Unlimited we know that your landscape is an important part of your living environment, which is why we offer countless lawn care services to help keep your yard healthy and flourishing. Call us today at 888-649-9919 to learn about the maintenance plans that we offer.