A great lawn starts with great care. To prevent damaged lawn and encourage healthy growth, its best to take steps up front rather than try to fix what's already on the decline. It's easier to feed and thatch grass in the spring than it is to revive dead patches in the heat of summer.
But why? Why should we care about having a perfect lawn? Well, it isn't all about bragging rights around the housing cooperative neighborhood. Good healthy grass can help keep pests and rodents away, provide a welcoming surface area for gatherings, improve your co-op's curb appeal and give you a sense of satisfaction.
Using the following 6 steps will get you on the right track to improving and maintaining an optimal lawn no matter where you are.
1. FERTILIZE REGULARLY
You eat roughly 3 times per day. Your lawn needs to eat regularly too. How regularly depends on what type of fertilizer you use. Your choices are many, but new studies suggest that choosing organic feeding options is best. In fact, synthetic fertilizers have proven to be not as effective as organic in keeping rich, green grass with a healthy root system. Plus, it's better for the environment and your family.
Compost from your garden and household food scraps is a great way to fertilize your lawn, however, applying it can be tricky. It is suggested to make compost water instead, which essentially means placing compost into a bucket full of water and allow it to sit overnight. Then, using it to water your grass.
Another composting method is to purchase dehydrated compost from the store and apply a thin layer evenly over your lawn.
2. THATCH AND AERATE
Thatching removes dead grass promoting new growth early on in the season. Aerating helps to loosen up the soil, making it easier for water and nutrients to seep deeper into the grass's root system. Do both in early spring and enjoy a healthy lawn all summer.
3. FILL IN PATCHES WITH QUALITY GRASS SEED
Cheap seeds rarely grow quality grass that can withstand drought, pests and foot traffic. In spring, and again in fall, sprinkle high quality grass seed on bare patches in your lawn. As a member of Cedarwood, you can grab seed for free from the office in spring while supplies last.
4. WEED NATURALLY
Synthetic weed killers do more harm than good. Roughly 60% of the chemicals make there way into our water supply, causing harm to our endocrine, reproductive and immune systems. In addition, these chemicals kill roughly 90% of earthworms in your dirt, which are extremely beneficial for a healthy lawn.
Before weeds produce seeds, dig them up by the root with a small shovel. Discard them and fill in the small hole with a little dirt and grass seed. The good news s that a healthy lawn will actually prevent weeds by suffocating the seeds and preventing them from reaching maturity. When you focus more on getting your grass healthy, weeds naturally fall to the wayside.
5. EDGE AND TRIM REGULARLY
After your lawn is in full growth mode, make sure you edge and trim regularly. A clean edge job can transform the look of a lawn instantly. I creates sharp lines that draw your attention to the lush greenery inside the borders, versus the ragged overgrowth that creeps onto the sidewalk when not in check. Trimming regularly achieves a similar effect.
6. WATER EFFICIENTLY
Watering in the heat of the day not only "burns" the blades of grass, but it also wastes water through evaporation. Instead, water in the evening when the sun has almost set to allow the water to soak in and actually hydrate the roots.
Also, to conserve water and naturally protect your lawn, leave grass clippings on the lawn every other mowing. Also, cut the grass higher and more often rather than lower and less often. Due to Cedarwood housing cooperative's lawn requirement, grass must remain below 3" so cut grass to a height of 2.5" and mow every week.
That's it! By following these 6 easy steps, you will have a green, lush, perfect lawn in no time. Have any tips on keeping your lawn healthy this summer? Leave a comment or contact us to let us know!