Do you dream of having a picture-perfect lawn filled with strong, luscious grass? If you’re new to lawn care and want to start taking care of your patch, you may be wondering how to get started. Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as you may think but it may take a little longer to see results than you’d hoped. Grass becomes dormant over the winter months, so fall tends to be the best time to lay the groundwork for a beautiful lawn next spring. Here are five simple tips that will help you get your lawn ready so that when next spring rolls around your grass has a luscious shine.
1. Aerate your lawn
Aeration simply means creating holes or “plugs” in your lawn which helps break up compacted soil and lets air get down to the roots. Most gardeners aerate their lawn at the start of spring, but you can do this any time of the year. In the fall, the grass is barely growing anyway, and your lawn’s soil may be highly compacted. A simple DIY option is renting an aeration machine from your local hire store. This will get your lawn care plans off to the best possible start.
2. Mow frequently
DIY lawn care is slightly different from other types of tasks you may have completed in the past. As the old saying goes, the more you mow, the better your grass will grow. Having a good quality mower is important as is mowing frequently and regularly. “When choosing a lawn mower, it’s important to consider yard size and features, mower features, and your personal schedule”, explained Fran Caprotti of Herzog’s Home Center in Kingston, NY. Frequently mowing helps all types of grass grow and encourages root growth. At a bare minimum, set a weekly mowing schedule and be consistent. If you’re really dedicated, aim to mow twice a week. No matter what state your lawn is currently in, biweekly mowing will help you see results, and quickly get a thicker, healthier lawn. Be sure to get your mower regularly serviced so that it continues to cut cleanly.
3. Measure your lawn
The third tip is to properly measure your lawn. Lawn care doesn’t have to be complicated, but there is a little math involved to make sure you get great results. Measuring your lawn is important because it lets you calculate exactly how much fertilizer you need. This prevents you from accidentally smothering your lawn with too much, or inadvertently using too little. To measure your lawn accurately, you can use a long cloth tape measure, or refer to your property deeds if you have access to them.
How do you use these measurements? You’ll notice that the bottom of every sack of fertilizer has a “bag rate”. This tells you how many square feet of grass the bag will cover. When it comes time to apply fertilizer, you can use your lawn’s dimensions to calculate exactly how much fertilizer is appropriate for your lawn’s size.
4. Buy a proper spreader
The fourth tip is to spend a few bucks on a proper spreader for your fertilizer. You can pick up a cheap one for under thirty bucks, and it will make a huge difference to your lawn care efforts. Spreaders let you effortlessly spread an even amount of fertilizer across your entire lawn with minimal fuss. This will give your lawn a much nicer, more even look as it helps you avoid the ‘clumpy’ look that fertilizer can sometimes give when it is spread by hand.
Once you’ve chosen a good fertilizer, simply fill the hopper and set the gate to one-third open. Make straight passes across your lawn and overlap slightly on each pass. There are many variables when it comes to spreader settings, so try to dial in whichever setting gives you the right coverage for your lawn.
5. Use organic fertilizer
Always choose a high-quality organic fertilizer for your lawn. Where possible, try to source the fertilizer locally so that it is suitable for the type of grass on your lawn. If you’re on a budget you can try “grass-cycling”, which simply means cutting the grass and letting the clippings lay on the lawn instead of bagging them. This is an established way of letting the nutrients from the cut grass get absorbed into the soil and can be a cost-effective way to fertilize your lawn compared with store-bought organic lawn fertilizer. One option is to use Scotts® Natural Lawn Food that can help build a thick, green lawn … naturally! You don’t have to worry about waiting after application before you can use your lawn again – it is safe to walk on immediately after application!
Conclusion
If you are looking to get started with lawn care, hopefully these tips will help you succeed. Getting your lawn in top-notch condition requires dedication, persistence, and care. Try to establish a twice-weekly mowing routine and make sure you properly calculate the amount of fertilizer for your lawn. Be consistent and you’ll have a strong, healthy lawn in no time.