Maintaining a Healthy Lawn: Tips and Advice:

There's nothing more rewarding than seeing your lawn in green and tiptop condition. You can easily keep it in healthy shape any time of the year without much effort and cost as long as you know the right techniques. Some factors also need to be considered since lawns may grow differently depending on the season, external elements and grass type. Here's some advice. The Basics Your lawn needs to be mowed regularly. There are lawns that may grow slower or faster compared to others due to availability of rain or the type of soil. Once a week mowing will suffice for most but you may also do it twice if you have enough time. Make sure you mow properly by starting from one end of the space then moving across in a straight path and shifting downward to cover everything in well-patterned rows. You may use a weed eater to manicure the green perfectly and check for remaining grass and stalks. A push mower is useful enough for standard size lawns but bigger areas may be better off with a gas-powered lawnmower. Never take off more than one-third of the grass blade in a single mow. Check for the presence of weeds, crab grass and other plant species that may be disturbing the fullness of the green. Pull out weeds or spray them with weed killer. After some time, you will develop an eye for unusual objects in your lawn like holes, brown patches and uneven growth. You need to ensure that the soil is healthy and conducive for grass growth. Soil can easily be replaced by patch. Dig up the unhealthy spot and fill it in with new soil. You may conceal the top layer with a patch of grass which is available in most flower shops or you may also wait for it to naturally grow. Border Protection You may want to place grass seed to take care of squirrel problems. Mole traps will also keep other critters out from digging holes on your lawn. To prevent damage from human beings, simply place a sign indicating "Keep Off the Grass". If you intend your lawn to serve as a nice picnic spot during certain times of the year, you can invest in different grass types that can tolerate weight and pressure. This way, the whole family can get to lie down and play on the grass for long hours without you worrying about bent grass or ugly markings. Huge lawns can use rider mowers but push mowers are more useful in reaching hard to reach areas. Apply lawn fertilizer to keep the entire border looking good constantly. More Healthy Habits On the average, lawns need around 1 inch of water every week during the summer. It is recommended to water heavily once each week instead of sprinkling daily. The entire root zone should be wet to promote growth and avoid burns. Do not water in the evening since it can increase the chances of fungal development. Aeration is a better alternative to de-thatching since it increases air, water and nutrients entering the soil without encouraging weed germination. You may aerate once every year, especially if you live in a high-traffic location. As for fertilizers, always follow instructions and read the label fully before using. Make sure the entire lawn is free of items and debris before application. You may be advised not to water the lawn for several hours after application or not to apply if you expect rain soon. Maintaining a healthy lawn may also mean learning about the acidity of your soil or soil pH. Sulphur or ammonium may be added to correct and maintain normal acid levels.