Your lawn is a lot like a child; you have to nurture it, give it attention, and feed it if you want to see it grow. Unfortunately, it can be easy to slip into bad habits that can be disastrous to your lawn. At Lawn Love, we want to see your lawn blossom and grow – so here’s some of the best advice we can give you to help keep your Omaha lawn out of the danger zone.
You Skip Mowing Your Lawn
This may not seem like a huge problem, but neglecting to mow your lawn weekly can lead to lasting lawn problems. If you allow your grass to get tall it will grow into a shaggy lawn, not a lush, dense and thick one. Neglecting to mow thins out your lawn because fewer blades will be encouraged to grow as they compete for sunlight. When you finally get around to mowing, the gaps between the blades make room for weeds to take root.
You also run the risk of scalping your lawn if you let it grow too tall. If you cut off more than a third of the height of a blade of grass at one time, it stresses your lawn out and can create lasting damage by opening the door for disease or weeds to ravage your lawn.
Solution: Mow at least once a week – because even 10 days between mowing is too long. If you want to go pro, mow your grass twice a week. It will create a very lush lawn that will rival your favorite major league baseball diamond.
You Overfertilize Your Lawn
If you use too much fertilizer on your grass it can burn your grass – meaning it dehydrates the grass and makes it look as if it was burnt. If you avoid that fate when you overfertilize, you always run the risk of applying so much fertilizer that your lawn grows too quickly; that can lead to the aforementioned scalping of the lawn that is best to avoid.
Solution: If you choose to fertilize your own lawn, understand the recommended amount on the fertilizer package is the maximum amount you should use. It’s also worth the money to invest in a slow-release or time-release fertilizer.
You Don’t Know Your Lawn
How well do you really know your lawn? By that, we mean what kind of grass do you have? Not all grass is the same; there are at least four or five different types of turf your lawn can be sprouting. The reason why it’s important to know your lawn is so you know what type of seed you should buy and how to care for the unique needs of the grass growing outside your front door.
Solution: Take a sample of your grass to a garden center, hardware store or home center – or call Lawn Love! Any place that sells grass seed or cares for lawns should be able to let you know what type of grass is growing in your lawn.
You Overwater Your Lawn
More isn’t always better. Overwatering your lawn isn’t just a waste of resources, it’s also a behavior that puts your lawn at an increased risk for disease and lawn scalping. It can wash away any fertilizer you’ve applied to your lawn as well, so proceed with caution.
Solution: An easy way to ensure you don’t overwater your lawn is to buy a soil moisture meter. This simple tool lets you know when you lawn needs water and when it’s doing just fine.
Are you guilty of developing any of these undesirable lawn care habits? If you ever have questions about caring for your lawn, don’t forget the pros at Lawn Love are a great resource!
