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Homeowners across the country work tirelessly every year to achieve the emblem of the American home—a lush, green lawn. The desire for a verdant paradise to call one’s own is so strong that many homeowners even dyed their lawns green during drought conditions in 2012. Drought-stricken lawns are sometimes unavoidable, but leave the dyes aside and follow EBSCO Research’s tips for maintaining a healthy, green lawn.
Mowing
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Start up the mower. Whether you have a small patch of grass or a rolling hillside, mow your lawn regularly to give it that clean-cut look. Regular mowing will actually encourage new growth, so plan to cut your grass once a week during the spring and summer. Also, remove no more than one-third of the grass blade at any given time. If you return to a prairie in your backyard after a two-week vacation, just mow your lawn a couple of times that week to catch up. For more expert grass-cutting tips, read our article on lawn mowing.
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Sharpen your blades. Dull blades actually rip, shred, and tear the grass. If you’ve ever seen a lawn with faded brown edges at the top of the grass blades, it’s likely they were hacked up by a lawn mower with dull blades. By contrast, sharp blades will execute a clean, healthy cut.
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Scalp, if necessary. Homeowners with Bermuda grass will want to scalp—the practice of cutting your grass at nearly the lowest blade setting—just before spring arrives to promote quick green-up. It’s normally OK to leave the clippings during a routine mowing, but the massive clippings generated from scalping could encourage diseases and pests. Also, too many clippings will block the much-needed warm, spring sunlight from penetrating to the soil, so be sure to bag these up after scalping. For more information, check out our in-depth look at lawn scalping.
Treating
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Give your lawn a breather. Particularly on lawns compacted by heavy foot traffic or lawn mower use, aerating—the systematic removal of small cylinders of soil—will allow oxygen and nutrients back into a choked root system. Aerate in the fall for cool-season grasses and in the spring for warm-season grasses.
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Bring in reinforcement. For warm-season grasses, overseeding in the fall with a cool-season grass will keep your lawn looking green year-round. For all other grasses that are just looking a little thin and faded, overseeding can provide much-needed support. After aerating, spread the seed with a handheld spreader or other device and then apply fertilizer.
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Feed your lawn. Malnourished lawns often suffer from brown spots, slow growth, weeds, and pest problems. Fertilizer will help create the robust lawn you’ve been dreaming of; however, unless you’ve really done your homework, fertilizing should often be left to a professional. A lawn care specialist can perform a soil analysis to determine the right type and amount of fertilizer to apply as well as the precise timing for fertilizing your lawn.
Watering
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Start in the morning. Water in the early morning, between 4:00 and 8:00 a.m., before the brutal sun evaporates available moisture. Unless restricted by local water laws, avoid watering at night because moisture-loving mold and fungi may be encouraged to take root in lawns watered after the sun goes down. For more irrigation tips, read our article on best watering practices.
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Water deeply, less frequently. A good root system anchors a healthy lawn, but a quick, daily drink of water will only support shallow, drought-intolerant roots. A good soak once or twice a week will push the grass roots to dig deeper into the soil for moisture. How much water you need will depend on your soil and turf type, so consult with a lawn care professional to determine an appropriate regimen for your yard.
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Consider ditching the lawn. As water resources become costly and scarce, many homeowners have turned to drought-tolerant lawn alternatives. Some cities and counties incentivize—or even require—homeowners to ditch their turf. Since 2009, the city of Los Angeles has paid out $1.4 million in rebates to homeowners who replace their lawns with water-savvy alternatives.
With these lawn treatment tips in mind, this could be your year to turn heads with a beautiful, lush lawn. If neighborhood bragging rights aren’t enough, the feeling of oh-so-soft grass beneath your feet will surely keep you on top of your maintenance schedule.