Green and Healthy Lawn Essentials

green and healthy lawn

A green and healthy lawn is the ultimate goal for any land owner, but getting there isn’t always easy. You water, you fertilise, you weed, but you still think your lawn could look better. However, you don’t want to spend every free moment or a huge sum of money caring for your lawn. Fortunately, you don’t have to. By following these essential lawn care practices, you’re sure to get the lush green lawn of your dreams.

When to Weed

The best time to weed your lawn is whenever weeds first pop up. You can use chemical weed killers to rid your lawn of unsightly plants, but they may damage your grass. Your best bet is to remove any weeds you find including the roots and discarding them away from your lawn. Resist the urge to mow them down with your grass, as this will often spread seeds and leaves the root system behind, giving new weeds the opportunity to pop up. A few moments of weeding here and there will keep your lawn looking its best and save you time, as the job will only get worse the longer you put it off. Regularly weed your lawn in the early spring and summer to stay ahead of the game.

However, we know that sometimes these weeds will get ahead of you and spot weeding is just not possible. That’s when applying a weed killer to your lawn may be the best approach. Weed killer will only work when weeds are actively growing. Good seasons to use weedkiller are autumn and late winter. You need to get to the weeds early before they flower. So if it gets hot in spring, they tend to flower quickly and set seed.

Other Tips:

  • Never apply weedkiller straight after mowing as the weed killer needs leaf to attach to
  • The lawn needs to have moisture in it before applying weed killer, so a day or two after rain is ideal
  • Only apply when your lawn looks green and healthy, not when you going through a drought
  • Check the forecast, and never apply weedkiller before any rain as the chemical will be washed away.

When to Fertilise

The best time to fertilise your lawn is in the early spring when the ground is moist. Fertilising at this time of year helps stimulates root growth, giving your lawn the ability to grow thicker and healthier. A thicker lawn means that weeds will have less of a chance to grow in the first place. The thicker grass will use the bulk of the sunlight, water, nutrients, and space the weeds need to grow and proliferate.

When and How to Water

Rather than watering your lawn a little bit every day, try giving it a good soak as needed instead. Soaking your lawn promotes deeper root development, which creates stronger, healthier grass. Simply sprinkling your lawn means that only the surface soil and root systems are getting watered, which promotes the growth of weeds and sickly looking grass. This could also cause dead spots in your lawn, which is prime real estate for weeds. Also, resist the urge to water your grass at night. Night watering could cause fungi or bacteria that are harmful to grass to grow in the soil. This is because the ground won’t have a chance to dry out properly overnight.

Other Tricks for a Green and Healthy Lawn

To keep your lawn looking green year-round, cut it to a height of one and a half inches for the first and last mows of the season. As the weather warms, raise the blade height to two inches. A sharp mower blade will result in a straighter cut, making your lawn appear decidedly green. Finally, mow your lawn regularly so you only cut the top third of the blades, which should be left on your lawn. Leaving large piles of clippings on your lawn can cause damage, so you’ll want to rake those up. However, the top third of a blade of grass, which will decompose quickly, adds essential nutrients such as nitrogen to the soil. By leaving these clippings, you’re giving it the opportunity to grow greener, healthier, and thicker than ever before.

Written by: outdoor garden lover

 

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