A lush, green lawn will give you a sense of pride but keeping it healthy and looking its best takes some time and effort. The lawn care basics below will give you the knowledge on when, how much, and what to apply.
Before you get started you should measure your lawn so you know exactly how much to put down of any given product. This also ensures you aren’t putting down more seed or fertilizer than you need to. Once you know your lawn’s total square footage, here are some basic lawn care tips to help you get started:
1. Choose the right grass type.
The first step to having a healthy lawn is choosing the right grass for your climate. There are many different types of grass, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some grasses are better suited for hot climates, while others are better suited for cold climates.
Here in New England we use cool season grasses, able to survive our cold winters: Perennial Ryegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass or Turf Type Tall Fescue. Good options for grass seed are Jonathan Green’s Black Beauty Original or Black Beauty Ultra.
2. Prepare the soil.
Once you’ve chosen the right grass, you need to prepare the soil. The soil should be loose and well-drained. You can add compost or other organic matter to improve the soil quality.
3. Seed or sod your lawn.
Once the soil is prepared, you can seed or sod your lawn. Seeding is a more affordable option, but it takes longer for the grass to fill in. Sodding is more expensive, but it provides instant results.
If seeding, more is NOT always better! Be sure to follow the bag directions on how much seed to put down per 1000 square feet. If you put down more than the recommended seed rate, it can result in poor germination with seedlings competing with each other for sunlight, water, and nutrients. When seeding your lawn, be sure to apply a starter fertilizer such as Scotts Starter Fertilizer.
4. Water your lawn regularly.
Watering your lawn is essential for keeping it healthy. The amount of water your lawn needs will vary depending on the climate, soil and the type of grass. In general, I water my lawn every other day at about half an inch of water each time.
5. Mow your lawn consistently.
Mowing your lawn is another important part of lawn care basics. Mowing helps to keep the grass healthy and prevent weeds from taking over. You should mow your lawn at about 3 inches or higher. Mulching the grass clippings is also beneficial as it returns nutrients back to your lawn.
6. Fertilize your lawn regularly.
Fertilizing your lawn helps to provide the nutrients it needs to grow healthy. Fall is the best time to fertilize your lawn, but it can also be done in the Spring. Good fertilizer options are Scotts Green Max or Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food. Read this article if you want to learn more on how much fertilizer to put down in your lawn.
7. Control weeds.
Weeds can quickly take over a lawn if they are not controlled. There are a number of ways to prevent crabgrass and weeds, including hand-pulling, weeding, and herbicides. An inexpensive herbicide that works well is Weed B Gon which you can use to spot-spray weeds. Try to stay away from weed and feed products to prevent spreading herbicides where they are not needed.
8. Detach your lawn
Dethatching your lawn helps remove dead material that can prevent water or fertilizer from getting down to the soil. You should dethatch your lawn once every other year, either in Spring or Fall. A great little machine that’s a huge help with this is the Greenworks Lawn Dethacher. If you have a smaller area to detach, the Groundskeeper 2 Rake is an excellent tool to use.
9. Aerate your lawn (optional)
Aerating your lawn helps to improve drainage and prevent thatch buildup. You can aerate your lawn every year or two. If you employ the lawn care best practices listed above, you shouldn’t need to aerate your lawn unless your soil is extremely compacted, which for the most part isn’t the case in residential lawns. Aerating can also bring up weed seeds that have been buried in the ground.
10. Overseed your lawn.
Overseeding your lawn helps to fill in bare spots and improve its overall appearance. You should overseed your lawn in the fall.
Additional Lawn Care Basics
- Rake up leaves and debris regularly to prevent thatch buildup.
- Do a soil test to get your soil’s pH and adjust it as needed by using lime.
For more details on what to do for your lawn and when, consider registering to access the lawn care guide that I follow.
