Watering and Fertilizing for a Lush Green Lawn

If you want a beautiful lush green lawn, then you need to learn how to properly mow and fertilize your lawn. We’ve put some tips together to help you out. Water is a very important thing for all of life. Not just plants. But properly watering your lawn will help it to grow beautifully. To have a lush green lawn it is vital that your lawn gets about an inch of water each week. If it rains a lot in one week, then you’re off the hook for watering. But if it doesn’t rain, then you have some work to do.

It is a good idea to be familiar with your landscape. Landscapes that have softer soil will need more water to keep grass healthy. Whereas, landscapes with thicker soil, like clay for example need less water.

The best times to water your lawn would be the earlier hours of the day, before the sun bakes up what you just watered. Avoid watering the grass in the hotter hours of the day. It would be almost pointless to water when the sun is beaming hot. The sun would just evaporate majority of the water. Watering in the morning causes less evaporation.

Shaded areas of the lawn may not need as much watering as areas that have direct sunlight.

How much water does your lawn need you ask? Well, it needs to be about six inches deep. Healthy grass roots are about six inches deep. So you’ll want the water to reach all of the roots. The first time you water your grass, you should check it every 15 minutes to know how much watering you will need to keep your lawn healthy.

It is best to check the forecast before you water your lawn. You’ll want to try to do it on the coolest days of the week. The cooler the air, the better the water will soak into the soil. The earlier you water the lawn in the day the better. You don’t want excess water on your lawn over night. It’ll grow fungus that is not wanted.

You don’t want to over water the lawn. This is almost as bad as not watering the grass enough. Too much water will make the roots smaller and again, you risk growing fungus in your lawn. Soils that are more clay based will need to be watered once a week. Softer soils should be watered about three times a week.

Fertilizing your lawn can help it to grow better than ever. There are many positive effects of fertilizing if you do it correctly.

There are different types of grass and they all have different fertilizing needs. You’ll want to add fertilizer so that is roughly within the same time as the peak growing time for grass. There are some types of grass that will need it in the warm season or cold season. If you grass is warm season grass then it is best to fertilize in last spring or earliest of summer. If your grass is cold season the fertilizing is best in the fall once a year.

Shaded areas of the lawn may need to be fertilized more often. Make sure to trim larger trees so that the sun can reach as much grass as possible.

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1. Oscillating Sprinkler- This is the most common type of sprinkler. It can water up to 4,000 square feet of space, in a rectangular pattern. The problem with this can be that water can build up and create puddles on your lawn. This is caused by the curving of the water when it comes out of the sprinkler. You will need an oscillating sprinkler that has at least 15 spray jets. The cheaper the sprinkler the more you’re going to get puddles. So try to spend a little more so it works like it is supposed to.
2. Stationary Sprinkler- This is the best sprinkler for smaller spaces. You can get this sprinkler in three different patterns; circular, rectangular and square. This is the kind of sprinkler that a lot of people use for their kids to jump through. There is a bonus to this stationary sprinkler. It is one of the cheapest ones on the market. Although there are positives to everything, there can be negatives. The negative with this sprinkler is it can clog up easily, and is usually made of plastic, so it can break quickly.
3. Pulsating Sprinkler- This type of sprinkler makes a circular pattern, and it can water up to 10,000 square feet of space, given there is enough water pressure. This is the best sprinkler for spaces that have an irregular shaped space. The water rarely makes puddles with this type of sprinkler. The down-fall to this sprinkler is it is a little bit louder than other sprinklers, and it doesn’t work as well if you have low water pressure.

These three water sprinklers all have different prices and they all have different jobs. If you pick the right kind of sprinkler for your lawn you can end up saving a lot of money on water. Too much water can be bad, for a number of reasons; it’s bad for the environment, your wallet and your lawn. If you take the time to find the right sprinkler for your lawn that your lawn will thank you. You will also be happy with it because you will have a nice, green, lush lawn.

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Lawn Care Maintenance:

This is a must summer, spring, winter and fall! The spring and summer months should be spent watering and fertilizing and the fall and winter months should be spent protecting it from cold, harsh weather.

Weeds and dead leaves should be removed from your lawn as soon as you spot them. Weeds not only look unattractive but they also cause your healthy grass to die. There are a variety of pesticides available at your local home improvement store. Be sure to use them on a regular basis to prevent weeds from growing on your lawn.

Your trees and shrubbery should be trimmed as required. Plant flowers that welcome people to your home and make sure you cut grass no lower than three inches to the ground. Cutting it shorter can damage the blades and the health of the grass!
If you’re unhappy with your current grass, it might not be a bad idea to purchase grass seed and replant. There are tons of varieties of grass available and planting these seeds will put you on the path to a gorgeous lush lawn!

Hire A Professional:

Hire one of the dozens of companies that offer professional lawn care services in your area. Professional lawn care specialists can take care of things that you cannot do on your own. Unsure of what that entails? Give them a call and ask them what they can do to help your lawn be as beautiful and healthy as possible.
Be sure to ask around before you pick a lawn care technician. It’s important to compare licensing, experience, and competitive pricing when picking a company. Lawn care doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, and if you compare companies, you can find an affordable price to work with your budget.

Final Thoughts:

Landscape Edging has tons of benefits for your lawns, gardens and even your pools or playgrounds. Check out what products we offer and their benefits here.

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We are all guilty of falling into the trap of judging the quality of our turf by how green the grass is or how think they appear. So the real question is, “How do I get there?”

Start by doing a soil report. By knowing what nutrients are in the soil, organic matter content and how they all relate to one another to increase plant health is what soil reports are designed to do.  Having a soil report done is like having a starting line of soil health and can act as a report card to see the progression of how your soils are being managed.

It is important to get several samples to get an overall snapshot of not only the troubled areas, but also the above average conditions to see how your soils are responding to micro climate areas. This is a very affordable way to ensure your budget isn’t being wasted on things that don’t work.

Knowing the history of products applied and when they were applied is just as vital to interpreting and understanding the data from the soil report. Your soil report will show what nutrients are available, deficient, and in excess. Having this information would allow a turf specialist to customize a soil fertility amendment program custom to your turfs needs.

Once the program is followed and well established, the results will be truly outstanding. There will be fewer weed infestations, fewer insect populations, deeper and denser root masses, less thatch accumulation and a better utilization of nutrients that up until now, were unavailable to the plants.

So you’ve taken care of the soil, but there’s another important factor – water! Most soils that are “dysfunctional” at various times of year are usually over or under watered. There are technologies developed to be incorporated into irrigation systems to maximize efficiency and minimize waste.

In the end, with a basic, balanced cultural approach to turf, irrigation, and soil health, we can make best use of what nature has provided.

What is your lawn telling you?

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1. Spring Cleaning

Hopefully the leaves from the fall were raked last year. If not, grab the rake and get to work! A deep raking can also help remove any grass that may have died during the winter.

2. Inspect

Walk around your lawn and look for any bare spots or brown patches that might need your attention. Also, take time to inspect your landscaping equipment. Will your lawn mower start? Does the blade need sharpening? Is the sprinkler system working? Does your lawn have any winter salt damage from de-icers and salt?

3. Reseed

After winter, your lawn might have some bare spots. Grass and weeds compete for space, so it is important to fill the void with new grass to prevent the weeds from taking over during the summer.

4. Mow

Once the warm weather sets in and the average daily temperatures rise above degrees Fahrenheit, grass will start sprouting. The new growth will require mowing. Set your mower higher and make sure not to cut your lawn shorter than 2.5 inches or more than 1/3 of the length when you mow. Cutting it too low removes too much of the grass leaf. Longer grass blades have longer roots, adsorb more nutrients and prevent weeds from growing.

5. Edge

Edging your lawn adds a clean appearance  that improves your curb appeal and the overall look of the lawn. Edging also prevents overgrowth onto sidewalks and flowerbeds as the lawn becomes more active in the late spring and early summer. For some great landscaping options, check out YardProduct.com.

6. Feed

Fertilizer is like giving your lawn and plants a multi-vitamin. It helps them grow greener and lush! Use a soil test to figure out the exact type of fertilizer to use.

7. Weed

Prevent the spreading of weeds by applying a pre-emergent herbicide, a preventative weed killer. If crabgrass is a problem in your area, consult your local landscaping professional on what can be done to prevent it.

8. Prune

Trim your shrubs and plants for optimal growth. Spring’s blooming shrubs need to be pruned after they bloom, not before!

9. Water

Watering scheduled vary by region and plant type, as well as Mother Nature and in some cases, local restrictions play a role in watering frequency. Regardless of all the factors, you never want to over water. Use a water gauge to be precise with your watering schedule.

10. Aerate

Consider aerating your lawn in the spring in cases of over compaction from traffic, thin turf from dying grass and excessive thatch from a poor watering/feeding schedule. Aerating relieves these issues and promotes healthy lawns.

Have any questions or things to add? Let us know in the comments below.

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Well, the good news is that we have the answers for you and they are easy to do! All you have to do is follow these four easy steps and you’ll have the perfect yard just in time for all the outdoor fun!

Grass Seeding         

The idea of seeding your lawn might feel silly and maybe a bit pointless, but there are a few reasons why you should reseed your yard – even if you have grass already growing. When was the last time you or a previous resident planted grass? If you think decades may have passed, there is a possibility that the species of grass could be weak due to disease or more dependent on water. Not to mention that by reseeding you can put an end to those unsightly brown spots and bald areas.

Watering and Fertilizing

Setting aside a time to water your lawn may be more important than you realize. Watering during the day will cause the water to simply evaporate and when done at night, it can lead to fungus, disease and a sick lawn. The best time to water is either in the dawn or between the hours of four and eight in the morning. Fertilizing is just as important as watering your garden; you should feed your lawn a slow-release fertilizer about every five to six weeks.

Lawn Aeration

As intimidating and difficult as it may sound, aerating your lawn is actually fairly easy and extremely beneficial to your grass. Simply rent an aerator, preferably commercial-grade and follow the instructions. This process will help the water reach the roots of your grass, ensuring you waste less water while your yard gets all the nutrients it needs! Not only this, but it also prevents compaction, allowing your grass to breathe and grow. Watch your grass grow greener and healthier!

Ideal Length

Most people cut their grass short because they believe they won’t have to mow as often and they will have a healthier lawn with fewer weeds. The truth is that the shorter you cut your yard, the more problems you will have. Taller grass needs less water and tends to grow thinker with will prevent weeds from growing. The taller grass shields the roots which allows for a longer root system and ensures that the water soaks deeper into the ground.

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Rake and remove Leaves and Moss

If you have a small lawn, you can do this with a hand rake. Alternatively use a lawn mower with a bagger or mulcher. Removing the leaves allows sunlight and rain to reach the grass and prevents the grass from dying. Put the leaves on a compost pile to create free compost for your garden.

Remove weeds

Apply a lawn herbicide according to package directions. If you want an organic garden, pull weeds by hand, or use an organic herbicide.

Aerate to improve soil structure

Aerating should be done every 2-3 years or when the soil has become compacted. Aerating removes small plugs of soil and improves the soil structure. If you have a small lawn, use a garden fork or aerating sandals to make the holes. For larger areas, rent an aerator or hire a landscape contractor.

Apply top dressing

Top dressing is a prepared mix of sand and soil. After raking and aerating, apply top dressing and use a garden broom to bush the dressing into the aeration holes. Top dressing is available from garden centers, it provides nutrients for the lawn grass and improves the soil texture.

Feed your lawn with lawn fertilizer

Fall is the best time to fertilize the lawn. Choose a high-nitrogen lawn fertilizer and apply it while the grass is still green and before the ground freezes.

Add seed to thin spots

If the weather is warm enough for germination, sprinkle grass seed over bald patches or areas where the grass is thin. Water the area if you do not get any rain. Cover the seed with a thin layer of hay to prevent birds eating the seed.

Drain the lawn irrigation system

If you have an in-ground irrigation system or lawn sprinkler, drain the system to avoid pipes bursting when the water freezes.

Continue to mow

In the fall, grass grows more slowly but it’s a good idea to keep mowing as needed. Cut the grass shorter but make sure it’s at least two inches tall. The closer cut allows more sunlight to reach the base of the plant and this encourages healthy root growth.

Follow these simple fall lawn-care steps and you will be rewarded with an attractive lawn the following year!

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