How Green is Your Grass?

It is every homeowner's dream to have a lush green lawn. But who hasn't, at some time or another, had a lawn that looks less than that? Not all lawns are the same and it is likely to have different requirements depending on soil condition, drainage, moisture, and such. 

Read on to learn some practical tips on how to avoid common lawn dilemmas:

Even for grass, the winter months are a time of hibernation. But once spring arrives and the temperatures get warmer the lawn will start to grow again. Spring also marks the time for you to take pro-active steps toward a lush and healthy lawn. 

De-thatching will benefit the grass

The benefit of de-thatching the lawn is that it will remove dead turf and leaves, and miscellaneous other particles preventing new growth. However, it isn't necessary to eliminate all the dead grass. Leaving a bit behind will provide all-natural plant food in the form of vitamins and minerals. Leaving behind about 10mm is plenty. It's best to do this in the springtime before the lawn has started to grow.

Aerate the soil

Over time the dirt below a lawn comes will be become compacted and hard. This makes it hard for air, water, to penetrate. It also makes it harder for worms to travel through the soil to distribute necessary nutrients and dampness. A solidly compacted lawn has a more difficult time to grow, although weeds, being hardier than grass have no problems growing.

By aerating your lawn in the spring -- using a garden roller or yard fork -- you'll be separating the compacted dirt and also allow air to penetrate and keep the grass healthy. 

Re-seed and cross-seed as necessary

No matter how great you are with your overall lawn care regimen, not all areas of a lawn are going to be growing rich and lush. Even the best of lawns sometimes have grassless areas or areas that are taken over by weeds. In some cases, you will find brown spots caused by the urine of family pets or wildlife. Spring is the very best time to start re-seeding these areas with seed or re-sod. Just rake out any kind of dead turf, or remove weeds and re-seed or re-turf. You might also consider cross sprinkling grass seed all over to yield a thicker growth. Just be sure to keep the new seed moist for better germination. 

Level out uneven areas

An uneven lawn surface will create a multitude of problems.  If there are ups and downs in your yard, a normal lawnmower is going to shave this area much too thinly compared to the rest of your lawn, and water can pool in these in locations, creating drainage problems. Depending upon your particular situation, you ought to fill dips as well as squash bumps. This will quickly improve the look of your lawn, and make it simpler to care for.

Cut the grass at the ideal height

A great deal of the nutrients in the grass are stored closer to the tip. By cutting away way too much can influence the health of the turf. Furthermore, the shorter you cut the grass, the more you expose the soil to the hot sunshine providing weeds a chance to grow. Longer grass blades will choke out weeds.

Leave the yard cuttings on your lawn

We all like a "manicured" lawn but consider leaving some grass cuttings behind as they serve as a natural fertilizer for the rest of your lawn. 

Fertilize

Just as your body needs vitamins and minerals, so does your lawn. At least, give your lawn a good fertilizer application in the spring to foster growth and one in the fall to encourage deeper root development.  You can also consider applying an additional dressing during the summer, depending on your situation.  Always follow the fertilizer manufacturers' instructions.

These are just the most practical, common-sense lawn care maintenance tasks to follow if a healthy-looking lawn is important to you. Of course, you could do this yourself or if you rather outsource it.

Shamrock Landscape in Benicia, Vallejo, and American Canyon has been providing lawn care services for 30+ years and can assist you with all of your lawn care needs.