Learn to take care of your lawn so it can be the lawn of your dreams!!!
1.) Mowing: Mow grass whenever it is growing, provided the ground isn't too wet or icy to walk on. In spring, mow once a week with the blades at their highest setting, and gradually lower them as growth accelerates. Use a box to collect the clippings, which can be composted, or use a "mulching mower" which doesn't remove the grass but chops it into fine pieces, returning nutrients to the lawn. Rake off thick patches of clippings, which will damage the turf. In summer, a high-quality lawn may need cutting three times a week, but in autumn, as growth slows, once or twice a week should suffice.
2.) Watering: In dry periods, water newly laid turf, freshly sown areas, and high-quality lawns. Leave established lawns unwatered, but stop mowing because longer grass helps protect the roots. The grass may turn brown, but will recover once it rains.
Water a new lawn every week in dry spells, until it is established. You can tell when fine lawns need watering because they lose their spring when walked on. Reduce water evaporation by using sprinklers early in the morning or at night. Move seep hoses by 8 inches every half hour.
3.) Feeding: The amount of fertilizer you need to maintain lush green grass depends on how rich the underlying soil is, and if you occasionally leave the clippings on the lawn, which help top up the soil nutrients. Apply granular or liquid lawn fertilizer at least once a year. Spring and early summer feeds are high in nitrogen to boost leaf growth; products for use in early autumn are low in nitrogen but high in potassium to aid grass roots in winter. Do not overfeed because it can result in weak growth and fungal problems.
Divide the lawn into a grid of yard squares using stakes. Apply fertilizer at the rate according to the package. Rent a calibrated spreader for large lawns, and water if it doesn't rain within three days after feeding.
Tips to Reseeding Aging Lawns As lawns grow older, they might need to be rejuvenated, replaced or reseeded to help survive. Reseeding is an easy way to help bring a thinning lawn back to life.
To help, Cardinal Lawn Care put together a few tips on reseeding that can help an old lawn look like new. Pick the best time to reseed the lawn. The fall is a good time to reseed because the soil is still warm, but the temperatures are cooler.
Get rid of the dead stuff. Using a rake, remove all old clippings and dead grass or weeds before reseeding. If you have trouble spots, remove them or treat them before reseeding.
Nourish the soil. Have the soil analyzed to help determine what nutrients and conditioners may need to be added to the soil. Then, rake a thin layer of the recommended enriched soil and fertilizer onto the lawn before reseeding.
Level out the land. Loosen the soil and make sure the lawn is even for best reseeding and to avoid pooling of water and seeds. Aerate or power rake the lawn.
Select a seed that will grow best, depending on the region, shade, sunlight, and foot traffic on the lawn. Choose a high-quality seed that is 99.9 % weed free to prevent weed issues in the future. To save money, purchase the seed in bulk, but avoid over seeding the lawn. Extra seed may actually lower the germination rate of the seeds.
Spread the seed evenly onto a prepared lawn by following the seed instructions carefully. Try mixing the seeds with sand to increase their chance of taking root.
Keep the new seeds moist for best germination. During the first few days, water generously, and then reduce watering to a normal watering routine. Avoid watering in the evening am is best. Avoid watering too much because you risk washing the seeds away.