BLOG

How to get a near perfect looking yard

  Posted on April 10, 2018

Every spring it happens, people sharpen their blades and fire up their lawnmowers, in pursuit of the perfect lush, green, lawn. Let’s face it, in certain neighborhoods there is a unspoken competition between homeowners about who has the nicest yard. I remember one fateful spring day when our neighbor, who is very conscious of how his yard looks, hired a company to fertilize his newly budding lawn. The problem was, they unfortunately used a fertilizer that burnt his entire yard up and left a vast brown wasteland of grass. Every night we would watch him stand in his doorway shaking his head while surveying the disaster before him.  Later that week they had to start completely over. Several lessons can be learned from his unfortunate experience, and hopefully these tips will help you to achieve the green thick grass you are looking for. 

Living in Ohio, it can warm up to 70 degrees in February and snow as late as April (as we have all experienced this spring). Because of this, it is important to wait until your lawn is ready for lawn applications.

Rake-

Over the winter leaves and patches of dead grass can accumulate, which can block sunlight and moisture that is essential for your turf. Once the turf dries out rake the debris away to encourage new growth. 

Fertilize- 

Fertilizing in the spring should be done with a lighter application than in the fall. A well balanced slow release nitrogen fertilizer encourages growth, while reducing the risk of turf burn and fungus. 

Control weeds-

Timing is everything when it comes to weed control. If you wait until you see weeds growing it is already too late- you want to prevent them before they start- an old rule of thumb is once the forsythia bushes start blooming that is the time to put the pre-emergent down. 

Get your mowing height right-

According to American-lawns.com most grasses can survive a mowing height of 2'-3' in the spring and fall. In the summer try to set it a little higher. 

Use a Sharp blade-

For professionals a blade should be sharpened every 8 hours of use, for a homeowner twice a year is recommended. If your blade isn't sharp you will notice a jagged brown line across the tip of the cut grass. 

Regulate water intake-

Over watering can hurt your yard even more than lack of water. Grass requires 1”-1.5” of water per week. Investing in a rain gauge can help you to monitor how much rain you are getting.

Photo Gallery