Landscaping can be a tough job, but if you have a lawn you need to take care of it. There’s no two ways about it, if you want your lawn to be appealing, then you need to put in some work. Keeping your lawn fresh and green isn’t always easy, but these top tips will help get you started:
Soil Testing
Before you start dumping fertilizer in your soil it’s best to make sure that the extra nutrients are needed. Otherwise, it’ll be a waste of time, money and fertilizer, not to mention the harm it will cause to local waterways. Take a soil sample and have it tested in a lab to see if there is a deficiency. Based on your results, you can choose your fertilizer. Your results will also give you an idea of what you’re looking for when you’re shopping for fertilizer. If the soil needs potassium, then purchase potassium rich fertilizer.
Fertilizing
We’ve already talked a bit about fertilizers, but let’s delve deeper into the subject. If your soil needs fertilizing, then it’s best to go organic. Chemical fertilizers are a major cause of pollution in local waterways, so choosing something more natural and organic is the way to go! It’ll be good for the soil and the environment. Organic fertilizers can be cheap, so you could also end up saving money. You can save even more by using homemade fertilizer also know as compost. Things that you toss out on a regular basis, such as eggshells can be used to improve your soil. Learn how to compost to turn food scraps and yard debris into free fertilizer for your yard.
Mulching
Adding mulch to the soil not only improves fertility, but also retains moisture. If your lawn is covered by weed, then mulching can be of great help to you. All you need to do is add bark chips to the soil. If you don’t want to go through the extra trouble, then just leave the grass clippings after mowing the lawn. It’s also advisable not to use pesticides unless you absolutely have to, because they kill earthworms as well. I hope you realize that an earthworm is a gardener’s best friend. And we don’t use pesticide on our friends, do we?
Lawn Mowing
Lawn mowing is a skill that you need to master if you want your lawn to be perfect. Just because you have a ride on lawn mower doesn’t mean you ride it around until there’s no grass left. It’s a chore, not a leisure activity. Cutting the grass too short is not advisable. You should at least leave it 2-3 inches tall depending on the grass. Also remember to leave grass clippings on the lawn as a free source of fertilizer and to never put them in the storm drain!
Watering
Water the lawn sparingly and don’t drown the grass. Most grass in our region can thrive on just 1 inch of water per week. Invest in a rain gauge to track how much rainfall your lawn has received. If you do need to water, it’s best to do so early in the morning to prevent evaporation and mold/fungus growth. Learn more about smart outdoor water use.
Well, there you go. That’s pretty much everything you need to know about landscaping. Now make sure you use these tips to create a lawn that you can be proud of.
Guest blog post contributed by Leslie Kramer a freelance writer and gardening enthusiast who is currently writing for The Big Mower an outdoor power equipment dealer.