Tips for Lawn Care and Maintenance

Just like humans, lawns need water to live. How much water they need depends on the time of year and the type of grass. During the dry summer heat more frequent watering is required, whereas in winter, cooler temperatures and lower humidity help grass retain moisture. Kentucky Blue Grass is a very common choice for lawns but also happens to drink more water than any other type of turf. Choose a grass such as Buffalo or Bermuda if you are looking for a lawn that requires less watering.

Fertilizing

Food is another necessity we have in common with our lawn. Only instead of meat and potatoes, grass subsists on fertilizer. Fertilizer is made up of plant food additives that contain essential nutrients; the most important of these being nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Again, when to fertilize depends on time of year and type of grass. Cool season grasses such as Kentucky Blue Grass and Rye Grass benefit the most from fertilizer during early spring and early fall. Warm season grasses, on the other hand, like to be fertilized in the summer. These types include Buffalo and St. Augustine.

Weeding

Weeds are a major pain for homeowners. Aside from making your lawn look disheveled, they can kill your grass and take over the entire area. You can chop them down with your lawnmower, which will temporarily mask their appearance, but to eliminate them permanently try one (or all) of the following options:

  • Pull them out. Make sure you pull from the base and get the entire root or they will just grow back.
  • Lay mulch. This will smother them so they can no longer grow.
  • Apply an herbicide. This is a poisonous chemical that will kill the weeds.

There is a lot to remember, so it helps to experiment with different techniques until you establish an effective plan. It may sound easy, but achieving a perfect lawn can be tedious, time consuming and frustrating. It can be well worth it to hire a professional lawn care and maintenance business that can take care of all the hassles for you.

It may sound easy, but achieving a perfect lawn can be tedious, time consuming and frustrating. It can be well worth it to hire a professional lawn care and maintenance business that can take care of all the hassles for you.

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