How to Grow a Lush Lawn That Rivals Your Local Golf Course

Your lawn undergoes a lot of wear and tear. Chances are, after several months of yard sales, barbecues, and playing Frisbee with your golden retriever, there are some thin patches where the grass has been worn out.

Many people also neglect Fall maintenance that enables your lawn to come back healthy after the spring thaw. This guide will give you all the information you need to get your lawn looking beautiful this year.

Prepare your lawn

The first step to getting your lawn ready in the spring is a soil test. When you determine what your lawn needs to be healthy, you can plan the rest of your lawn care agenda.

While you're waiting for test results, remove any dead leaves and other debris, and mow the grass down to about two inches in length in order to remove dead tips and encourage new growth. It also helps to rake the lawn to bring the blades of grass in a more upright position after having been compressed by months of snow.

After the winter months, your lawn usually has a layer of dead material on the top of the soil called "thatch." This dead matter blocks water and nutrients from penetrating the soil, so you’ll want to use a thatching rake to pull up thatch and open up the soil. You could also rent a power dethatcher if you have a heavy-duty job to perform.

Aeration, although it is usually performed in the Fall, might also be beneficial in spring preparation if you use weed control products along with your first applications of fertilizer. Aeration removes plugs of soil at repeated intervals throughout your lawn’s surface to enable penetration of fertilizer deep into the soil.

Fertilize after the first mow

The time to add fertilizer in the spring is right after the first time you mow the lawn. Use a uniform application of 32-0-4 fertilizer after the first mowing job, and repeat again four to six weeks afterward. If you use organic fertilizer, it will take about one week longer for you to see an improvement in the green color of your lawn.

Plant new grass

If you have bare patches on your lawn, you’ll want to plant new grass. In this case, it’s important to get the highest quality grass seed that you can. Cheap seed will not yield good results even if you fertilize thoroughly. Do some research to learn about the premium varieties of seed, such as Midnight Kentucky bluegrass, or go to a specialty store online and learn about top-performing products.

Some companies will create custom blends that work perfectly to match your lawn and climate conditions. This will allow you to get the type of lawn you want, such as a darker shade of green or softer blades of grass. If you're concerned about your lawn's health during drought conditions, it's important to know which varieties of grass are best suited for survival. Some of the heartiest grass in water shortages are Bermuda grass, buffalo grass, and Zoysia grass.

Rid your lawn of weeds

Your approach to eliminating weeds depends on the severity of the problem. If you have a few weeds in isolated spots, use a hand weeder or hand spray to eliminate them. If weeds cover the majority of your lawn area, the problem will require a soil sample and a major overhaul of the lawn before it will have the lush, beautiful look of a luxurious lawn.

Sharpen your lawnmower blade

If you have a dull blade on your lawnmower, it will leave ragged ends on the tips of the grass. This prevents them from healing after each cut and it makes the blades of grass more vulnerable to diseases.

Sharpen the lawnmower blade after every four to six mowing sessions. If the blade impacts rocks or other tough solid objects, inspect it for nicks and file away chips or other damage to the cutting edge.

Water your grass

The proper amount of water for most lawns is about one inch of water per week. Keep track of the rainfall and water your lawn when the needs arise. At least one inch of water is needed to penetrate the top six inches of soil and deliver enough water to the grass’s roots.

Also, you don't want to overwater the lawn or the soil will become too soggy while making the grass more susceptible to damage. After planting new grass seed, you will want to keep the soil as moist as much as possible until the new grass grows to a height of three inches.

Grow the lawn of your dreams

If you want to finally enjoy the green lush lawn that you have always wanted, it's important to understand basic lawn care preparation and maintenance as listed above and make any changes that are necessary to help your grass stay healthy in every season.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.