|
Great
Tips On Lawn Care For Beginners
Do you enjoy the look
of a lush, green lawn? Do you take pride in your yard, but wish you
knew more about taking care of your lawn? If you want to learn how
to make your yard the envy of the neighborhood, then here are some
great tips on lawn care for beginners.
The Basics
In order to have a great lawn, you must first understand the
essential elements that are needed. All lawns require five things:
Soil, Water, Air, Sun and Grass. All five are critical to properly
take care of your lawn.
*Soil - If the ground does not have the right nutrients or is too
acidic, it can cause your lawn to grow poorly. Have the soil tested
or find out what nutrients it is lacking. You can often find the
material you need at the local home improvement or nursery.
*Water - Grass requires water to grow. If you have not had
sufficient rainfall, then supplement with hand watering or
sprinklers. Make sure you water in the cool of the day, whether it
is early morning or early evening. Watering during the heat of the
day can damage your lawn.
* Air - Grass needs air in order to grow. Obviously it has plenty on
top of the ground, but it needs air in the ground as well. If the
soil is hard or compacted due to heavy foot traffic it can prevent
the roots from having any place to spread out. In cases like this,
the lawn needs to be aerated. This can be accomplished by poking
holes in the ground and loosening up the soil with an aeration tool.
*Sun - All lawns need an average of six hours of direct sunlight per
day. If you live deeper in the south, you may only require five
hours of sunlight per day. If your yard is covered in shade trees,
trim them back to allow sunlight through to the lawn or consider
planting a seed that grows with less sunlight.
*Grass - This may seem like a no-brainer, but often, grass is
planted in regions of the country where it does not grow well. Check
with your local nursery to find out what grasses grow best in your
area.
Tips for maintenance and lawn care beginners
There are many things you can do during the year to assure your lawn
grows and develops the way you want it to.
* Keep leaves from piling up on the lawn during the fall. These
piles of leaves, although great for composting, will prevent those
sections of the lawn from receiving needed sunlight for growth.
* Do not mow lawns when they are wet. Some people like to see a
short, closely cut lawn, but it is actually better for the grass if
it is cut no shorter than 2 to 2 1/2 inches high. It is alright to
leave the grass clippings on the lawn and even advisable to do so,
as long as they are short clippings and not covering or compacting
the grass. Make sure to keep lawnmower blades sharp, as a clean cut
is healthier for the lawn. Also mow the grass during the cool of the
evening, which will put less stress on the lawn. Each time you mow,
use a different direction and alternate. This will keep ruts from
developing in the yard.
* The most important time of the year for giving special attention
to your lawn is in the spring. Rake the lawn, not for leaves but for
its thatching benefits. Thatching a lawn is like thinning out hair.
It allows it to grow better. Spring is the time to fertilize and if
possible add lime to your lawn for better growth.
These tips will allow you to have a much healthier, happier lawn
that you can enjoy while relaxing on the porch.
Jo Alelsto is a writer
for Japanese Knotweed Solutions, (http://www.jksl.com), experts in
Japanese Knotweed elimination. If
you are a devoted gardener, a home builder or a lover of nature,
sooner or later you will stumble upon this pervasive nuisance.
Japanese Knotweed is one of the
most damaging weeds, causing tremendous amounts of damage each year
to houses, office blocks, and the environment.
|
