We all want the perfect lawn. It is not as difficult as you think. The right planning and these five tips can help you get the lawn you want. All grasses need the same things; fertilizer, water, sunlight and a weed-free environment. Start in the fall or early spring with proper testing. Also make sure to check your specific type of grass for special growing requirements and use these tips and get ready for a great lawn.
Soil Testing: Grass needs the right combination of nutrients and pH to thrive. Testing your soil is key to understanding your lawns needs. You can obtain a cheap kit at any garden store than can tell you pH levels and nutrient levels. Unfortunately, these kits give poor, ballpark results. Also, they do not help at all to remedy your problems. Instead, try a university in your area that provides soil testing. These testing facilities use equipment that not only tells you whats wrong but how to fix them with exact amounts of additives for your specific need.
Mowing: Every type of grass has different needs and grows at different rates. In general, however, mowing your lawn too short is a bad idea. It weakens the plant itself as it struggles to grab capture sunlight for photosynthesis. It also allows weeds to take purchase by allowing sunlight to penetrate to the soil. Try to keep your lawn at a height of three to four inches during peak growing season. Also ensure your lawnmower blade is sharp. A dull blade will damage grass rather than cut it, slows growth and invites disease by weakening the plant.
Fertilizing Your Lawn: Feeding your lawn is important for great color and lush growth. Make sure you follow a feeding schedule to avoid over-feeding. Overfeeding can be more damaging to plants than not feeding at all and can lead to sudden death or severe grass burn. During the winter months grasses still need nutrients to survive. "In fact, providing the right levels of phosphorus can help grass roots overwinter better and emerge stronger in the spring," says Nate Merchant who performs Morristown Landscaping.
Watering: All grasses have different watering requirements. Warm weather grasses are dormant during the fall and require very little water, if any. Cool grasses do require a weekly watering. You should avoid light watering to allow roots to penetrate deeply into the soil and strengthen the plant. Shallow, frequent watering is bad for your lawn as the roots get what they need close to the surface. Any new seed should remain damp until the roots have properly taken. Also avoid watering at the hottest part of the day. This will burn your lawn as the water droplets act like magnifying glasses. Instead, water early in the morning. This will allow the grass to dry before the sun hits it.
Keeping Disease and Pests Away: The sad truth is that nobody is safe from pests and disease effecting their lawn. Disease and fungus can spread very quickly and be devastating to lawns if not identified and treated quickly. Keep and eye out for any strange patches or changes to your lawns color. Call an expert or visit a garden store at the first sign of a problem. You can reduce the incidence of these problems by keeping weeds at bay with a herbicide applied in the spring and fall.
Soil Testing: Grass needs the right combination of nutrients and pH to thrive. Testing your soil is key to understanding your lawns needs. You can obtain a cheap kit at any garden store than can tell you pH levels and nutrient levels. Unfortunately, these kits give poor, ballpark results. Also, they do not help at all to remedy your problems. Instead, try a university in your area that provides soil testing. These testing facilities use equipment that not only tells you whats wrong but how to fix them with exact amounts of additives for your specific need.
Mowing: Every type of grass has different needs and grows at different rates. In general, however, mowing your lawn too short is a bad idea. It weakens the plant itself as it struggles to grab capture sunlight for photosynthesis. It also allows weeds to take purchase by allowing sunlight to penetrate to the soil. Try to keep your lawn at a height of three to four inches during peak growing season. Also ensure your lawnmower blade is sharp. A dull blade will damage grass rather than cut it, slows growth and invites disease by weakening the plant.
Fertilizing Your Lawn: Feeding your lawn is important for great color and lush growth. Make sure you follow a feeding schedule to avoid over-feeding. Overfeeding can be more damaging to plants than not feeding at all and can lead to sudden death or severe grass burn. During the winter months grasses still need nutrients to survive. "In fact, providing the right levels of phosphorus can help grass roots overwinter better and emerge stronger in the spring," says Nate Merchant who performs Morristown Landscaping.
Watering: All grasses have different watering requirements. Warm weather grasses are dormant during the fall and require very little water, if any. Cool grasses do require a weekly watering. You should avoid light watering to allow roots to penetrate deeply into the soil and strengthen the plant. Shallow, frequent watering is bad for your lawn as the roots get what they need close to the surface. Any new seed should remain damp until the roots have properly taken. Also avoid watering at the hottest part of the day. This will burn your lawn as the water droplets act like magnifying glasses. Instead, water early in the morning. This will allow the grass to dry before the sun hits it.
Keeping Disease and Pests Away: The sad truth is that nobody is safe from pests and disease effecting their lawn. Disease and fungus can spread very quickly and be devastating to lawns if not identified and treated quickly. Keep and eye out for any strange patches or changes to your lawns color. Call an expert or visit a garden store at the first sign of a problem. You can reduce the incidence of these problems by keeping weeds at bay with a herbicide applied in the spring and fall.
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The best Morris County Landscapers, Landworks provides Landscaping and Hardscaping services throughout North Jersey at great rates. Stop by and see some past work and contact us to schedule a FREE estimate.
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