As the warmer weather is approaching its time to start thinking about the proper techniques in maintaining a healthy and luscious green lawn. Here are 7 Steps for a Healthy Lawn.
- The first step to be thinking about is dethatching your lawn in the early spring. Dethatching your lawn refers to the mechanical removal of the thatch in your lawn. Thatch is the build up of soil, dead roots and grass tissue that prevents the flow of water and nutrients to the new blade roots. By removing the built up thatch your lawn will be able to breathe and gain nutrients to help in the aid of giving you the healthy lawn that you wish to achieve.
- Get out your spreader and spread some lime on your lawn. Use a lime that is finely ground. Finely ground lime is absorbed by your lawn better. If you’re not sure that your lawn needs lime, you can purchase a soil test kit. The soil test kit will tell you if you soil is acidic and you need to spread lime on your lawn.
- Use a pre-emergent herbicide to keep weeds from germinating unless you are over seeding your existing lawn. If you are over seeding, you will want to spread your seed and let it germinate prior to applying the pre-emergent herbicide. There are some organic options that work well like corn gluten.
- Use a fertilizer that has a time-release formula that will supply your lawn with nitrogen over the next few weeks. Nitrogen is the most important nutrient that grasses need as it wakes up after being dormant for the winter months.
- After applying lime, a pre-emergent and nitrogen fertilizer it is time to get onto a healthy water schedule. It is best to irrigate your lawn in the early morning or evening to allow the blades of glass to soak up as much of the water that they can before the heat of the midday sun hits. Overwatering or under watering your lawn can help to destroy the healthy lawn that you at trying to create. Roughly a inch of water a week is best for your lawn during the heat of the summer months.
- While watching the amount of water you put on your lawn you also need to work a proper mowing schedule out. It is best to mow your lawn on a high setting being sure not to cut down the blades of grass too short, which could cause drying and death in your lawn. Mowing on a regular schedule will help to maintain a healthy growing pattern for your lawn throughout the summer months.
- As the summer months continue it is best to continue to fertilize your lawn every 6-8 weeks depending on the amount of water and mowing schedule you start in the beginning of the season.
Follow these 7 Steps for a Healthy Lawn and you should enjoy lush green all spring, summer and fall.
If you’re looking for landscaping services in New Hampshire, contact the at Elf’s Landscaping today! Based in Rochester New Hampshire we service the surrounding communities of Portsmouth, Dover, Somersworth, Newington, Exeter, Durham, Berwick Maine, and Kittery Maine.