Most homeowners dream of having a perfect, lush, green, healthy lawn. It not only adds more value to your home and beautifies it, but it also provides a safe and healthy space to spend some time with your friends and family. Lawn care calls for proper home improvement and maintenance needs, like any other home maintenance task.
For optimum results, you must use various approaches according to the needs of each season, depending on the weather conditions. In this article on lawn care for beginners, we will elaborate on everything you need to know about lawn care and keeping it in top-notch condition throughout the year.
Spring Lawn Care Tips
Spring is the one season where your lawn requires your maximum attention. This is because your lawn has been through and survived the rough winter. The actions you take during this time will determine how unhealthy or healthy your lawn is going to look in the upcoming months.
Feeding
Your lawn may start to appear greener and fresher after winter is over, but do not start using fertilizers right away. A general rule of thumb is to wait until the grass grows out completely before using fertilizer. The main reason behind it is that the roots still store ample nutrients to start early spring growth. So a fertilizer will be of more use when the grass has exhausted its nutrients. Make sure you use light, slow-release, or organic fertilizers for best results.
Watering
Don’t water your lawn more than an inch every week. This is because there is still sufficient moisture in the soil. If you live someplace where there is frequent rainfall, don’t use a sprinkler system as overwatering may result in weed growth.
Over Seeding
Over seeding is the process when grass seeds are scattered all over your lawn. If you are using turf grass, spring is a great time to over seed. However, since higher temperatures in summer cause photorespiration, new seeds for this type of grass merely grow shallow roots.
Pest Control
Earthworms, moles, and other bugs begin to emerge as the weather starts to warm up. The best time to lay traps is during spring, just before the moles begin to dig their tunnels. You can also use bait to lure bugs out and then spray them with a plant-friendly insecticide.
Weed Control
Crabgrass and other types of weed generally begin to grow in late spring and bloom fully during the summer. You can use a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weed growth. It is the most effective and critical chemical component to eliminate weeds.
Aeration and Detaching
Use leaf rakes or other similar tools to remove any left-over winter leaves from your lawn. Don’t forget to aerate the soil afterward. You can aerate the soil when it is slightly damp, but not completely soaked. Aeration allows for nutrients, water, and oxygen to reach deep within the roots of the lawn.
Summer Lawn Care Tips
Lawns are ideally used more intensively during summer as more and more people spend time outside. Your lawn is likely to suffer more during the summer months due to increased foot traffic as well as drier days.
Mowing
Mowing is probably one of the most important things to do to prepare your lawn for the summer season. Lawns that are maintained at higher lengths typically develop deeper root systems. But make sure that you don’t mow too frequently, especially if you have winter turf grass. Instead, commit to mowing the lawn once a week. This way, you won’t be cutting more than a third of your grass.
Watering
You must water your lawn deeply during summer due to excessive dryness and heat. Watering deeply will promote root development and healthier-looking grass. However, don’t forget to take rainfall into account while watering your lawn.
Weed and Pest Control
Weeds grow fully during the summer and can become even more prominent if they’ve already started to grow. If you did not use pre-emergent herbicide, you can either use chemical control or cultural control methods to prevent weed. The chemical control method uses post-emergent herbicides to eliminate weed, whereas the cultural control method involves removing weed with your hands.
Fall Lawn Care Tips
With winter around the corner, it is time to maintain your good-looking lawn to ensure that it stays this way throughout the winter. Lawn care activities during the fall season will reap fruit benefits in the coming months.
Detaching
For quick growth, you must begin by removing the thatch. More thatch is generally produced during the fall season (including fallen leaves and branches). If you fail to remove the thatch, you will eventually suffocate the lawn and trap excess moisture.
Aeration
Lawns benefit from aeration in every season. You can break down compacted soil by making holes in your lawn, thus allowing nutrients and water to reach the deeper roots under the soil. However, every part of the lawn does not need to be aerated completely. Ideally, you should aerate areas that have more grass and more foot traffic.
Over Seeding
If you over seed in the fall, you can prevent the grass from turning brown during the colder seasons. The amount of over seeding is dependent on the type of turf grass available in your yard. You can also consider using resilient grasses that can easily withstand harsher temperatures.
Fertilizing
Your grass will stay green and healthy if you apply slow-release fertilizer during early fall. You should choose a product that has controlled-release nitrogen. This will help the grass retain its natural color. Again, the amount you need to use depends on the type of grass you have. You can also use fertilizers that contain potassium as this will help in drought tolerance, root growth, and disease resistance.
Mowing
You don’t have to stop mowing completely because winter hasn’t arrived yet. However, cutting the grass too short is not recommended as it might limit root growth and become dry.
Watering
Even if it rains during the fall, your lawn will still require ample water to grow. Keep your sprinklers on if your lawn does not get at least an inch of water every week.
Winter Lawn Care Tips
Since winters are extreme, there is not much you can do to prevent your grass from drying or turning brown. This, however, does not mean that you should completely ignore your lawn.
Weed Control
If the summer heat does not kill them, weeds will continue to flourish during winter. You can use store-shelf herbicides to control weed growth during winter.
Dethatching
One of the most important things to do for your lawn during winter is to remove unnecessary leaves, debris, and other material to avoid smothering the grass. An exception would only be when the leaves are not too thick or too wet for the grass.
Watering
At times the soil may become too hard and not allow water to go through the roots. If this happens, you can use a rake throughout the lawn to break down the tough clumps and cover up the seeds. You can then use a spray or a garden hose to water your lawn.
Conclusion
Regardless of the season, it is essential to take care of your lawn for optimum growth and health of the grass. If you’re just starting out with your lawn, follow these lawn care tips for beginners while taking care of your lawn.
