Watering The Right Way
Get Your Lawn In Training
To build a strong, healthy lawn it is important not to water it too frequently. Its all about training your lawn to develop a deep root system that will see it through the summer months without the need to switch on a sprinkler every day. To get the roots of your lawn searching for water at a deeper level, you’ll need to give it a long soak two to three times per week, rather than a short daily soak that will create a shallow root system.
Improve Your Mowing Technique
Many dont realize that there are optimal mowing heights. A trick to help keep your grass green in the summer is to let your blades of grass grow a little taller to prevent water from drying too quickly. To do this, set your mower to three inches or the highest setting and mow every two to three weeks. Your lawn will still look neat and well kept, the grass will be just a little taller than youre used to.
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How To Keep Your Grass Green This Year
Now that summer has arrived every Hamilton homeowner wants a carpet of healthy green for their lawn. Getting lush green grass is a labor of love that takes some time to achieve, but its worth the effort. There are some fundamentals you should follow if you want to be the envy of your neighbourhood and attain the best results. Understanding how to proceed is essential in producing a thick, healthy green lawn.
Here are some guidelines to keep your grass green this year.
Lawn Care Tips For Greener Grass
Spring and Fall are the best times to plant a new lawn or rehab your tired old lawn. Follow these 5 lawn care tips for greener grass if you want a healthy, green lawn that will be the envy of the neighborhood.
If youre ready to replace your old gas-powered lawn mower with a new, quiet electric mower, be sure to read our guide to the Top Cordless Electric Lawn Mowers.
Millions of homeowners seem to be on a never-ending quest to have more perfect, greener grass. Thats because a well-manicured, emerald green lawn in the front yard is a source of personal pride. Plus, your neighbors will appreciate the curb appeal you are adding to the neighborhood.
But thats just the beginning. A healthy lawn can improve the property value of a home, and it can make a house more attractive to prospective buyers when its time to sell. Perfect, greener grass might even make your neighbors green with envy.
A gorgeous green lawn might seem unattainable, because healthy turfgrass doesnt happen by itselfand it doesnt happen overnight. Yet, when you know what growing conditions grass prefers and you learn how to properly maintain a lawn, its not that difficult grow happy, greener grass.
Just follow these five steps to a greener lawn and your front yard will set the standard for the entire neighborhood. And check out the .
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What If I Want A Green Lawn From Scratch
When sowing a lawn from seed, the intended use and desired look of the lawn will determine the most appropriate seed mix to use. A lawn that needs to withstand heavy wear and some neglect should contain a high proportion of the tough, broad-bladed ryegrass. For a finer, more refined lawn use a seed mix without ryegrass.
The ideal time to sow seed is September when the soil is still warm, yet moist so choose a calm day with light rain forecasted. When sowing, make sure the surface is weeded, raked and level, this is the only opportunity to get it right. When laying a lawn using turves, make sure you get the soil preparation right. It should be cleared of weeds, then forked, raked, firmed and levelled.
Seed MixesFor a formal lawn 80% Chewings fescue, 20% Browntop bent
For a utility lawn 40% Smooth stalked meadow grass, 30% Chewings fescue, 20% Creeping red fescue, 10% Browntop bent
For a tough, hardwearing lawn 35% Perennial ryegrass, 30% Chewings fescue, 25% Smooth stalked meadow grass, 10% Browntop bent
With these restorative tips for year-round lawn care you can ensure your grass is thick, thriving and full of life all year round. Sorting out your lawn can seem like a mammoth task but with regular maintenance you can keep the time spent tending to your lawn to a minimum, without sacrificing the health of the grass.
Greener Grass Step : Apply Iron
Iron is a key ingredient for making your lawn thick and green without giving you more work. While many people use nitrogen on their lawn, it not only makes your grass greener but also makes it grow faster. Iron helps you get your grass strong, but without the growth nitrogen adds. Both are necessary for a healthy green lawn.
Its ideal to apply iron on your grass in the spring and fall, when the temperatures are still cool. This applies to all types of grass.
However, cool-season grass like Kentucky bluegrass and fescue grass are especially receptive to iron. Youll see cool-season grass thriving with iron during the summer months when it doesnt actively grow.
Itll get back to growth in the fall season, and in the early spring.
How To Apply Iron To Your Lawn
Before you get started on applying iron to the grass, you have to pick the type of nutrients that work for you and your lawn. You can find iron in liquid, powder or granular form, of which we recommend granular for its easy application. You can also pick between organic and synthetic iron supplements for your grass.
These are some of the basics for applying iron to your lawn.
What I Use
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Tip No : Aerate Your Lawn To Help It Breathe
Grass roots need oxygen as well as water and nutrients. Aerating the process of removing small plugs of soil produces multiple benefits. It improves air-to-soil interaction. It allows water and fertilizer to penetrate the soil deeper and easier. It reduces soil compaction and opens space for roots to grow. It removes some thatch and stimulates the breakdown of the remaining thatch. The best tool for this task is a gas-powered aerator, available at most rental centers.
Again, timing is critical. You can aerate in the spring. But fall, after the kids are through trampling the grass and there are fewer weed seeds to set up home in the open spaces, is the optimal time to aerate. Its usually best to aerate first, then apply any weed killers so the open holes are protected against weeds.
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A well-aerated lawn provides space for grass roots to grow, reproduce and take in more oxygen, moisture and nutrients. The plugs, composed of thatch and soil, quickly break apart and decompose. The roots of a compacted lawn have difficulty absorbing air, water and nutrients.
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Now that you have a beautiful lawn, check out these tips for landscaping your backyard.
Speak To An Expert At Patuxent Nursery
For more answers to your questions about lawn care, visit the experts at our Garden Center in Bowie, MD. There, you will find everything you need to keep your lawn green and healthy as well as a friendly and knowledgeable staff to help you choose the right tools and supplies for your needs.
Patuxent Nursery, located in Bowie, Maryland, was started in 1996 by longtime area residents Don and Susan Stelfox. Originally geared toward landscape professionals, Patuxent soon expanded to serve homeowners in Bowie and the surrounding areas in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia.
Our store offers customers a unique shopping experience and features a gardening-oriented gift shop, outdoor living accessories, an assortment of colorful flowers and edibles and the largest selection of trees and shrubs in the metro area.
We specialize in lawn care and we carry all of the products you need to maintain an attractive lawn, including seed, soil amendments, pest and disease control products, weed killer, weed-and-feed, fertilizers and soil conditioners.
Contact Grass experts in Bowie, MD to speak to an expert at our store today and find out how to keep your lawn healthy and green all summer long.
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Spring Lawn Care Tips For Green Grass
Its hard to believe that it is officially spring. I know well have the occasional snow still, but Im already thinking about getting my yard in order for summer. I have a lot of grass, so I love it when it looks nice and plush in June and July. After some research, I found a few spring lawn care tips I thought Id share that will help give your yard a jumpstart on green grass for the summer.
Dont Forget To Fertilize
Fertilizers are important to provide nutrients to your lawn. Aside from feeding your lawn, it will also help your grass fight off some common lawn pests.
This product is a dry mix fertilizer that you can add to water. Use a hose to apply it all over your lawn. The whole bag can cover one acre and since it comes in a resealable foil-lined bag, you can simply seal it after use.
Make sure not to over-fertilize since salt will build up in the soil and make your grass look yellow or brown. You will also need to check if there are any ordinance guidelines for fertilizing your lawn.
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Did All That Work
You tell me! These pictures were taken mid-April, about a month after the before pictures were taken.
Overall I am very happy with the outcome. Keep in mind, Im not a green thumb. I didnt really know what I was doing. I basically looked at the bag, and saw weed and feed, and thought, Yea, thats what I want to do. So in other words, Im obviously, no expert, but what I did, seemed to have worked.
I also had plenty of time to focus on my yard thanks to the Coronavirus. However, Spring IS here. If you find yourself with some free time now think about doing some yard work. It could help relieve some stress.
Are you taking care of your yard? What did you do to get the green back in your yard and what application did you put on the lawn? What do you recommend?
Now the main question is, will the green last? I will come back and post an update on how my lawn looks in a couple of months. Let some heat take its toll on the yard!
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Get Rid Of Thatch Build
When was the last time you seriously cared for your lawn? You probably mow every week, but neglect to do anything else. If thatch buildup occurs, it can be deadly for your grass.
Thatch to some degree is helpful as it protects roots. But too much thatch will block nutrients and water from seeping down into the soil. Spend an afternoon removing thatch to let your roots get the supplies they need.
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Keep Your Grass Longer
Mow your grass on a higher setting. Longer grass will allow for the establishment of longer roots, which can reach more moisture in the soil even when the weather is hot and dry. Keeping grass longer will prevent it from drying out too quickly and ensure that roots are better protected by the longer blades.
Mowing the grass too short can cause damage. It can leave the lawn scorched to the point where the grass may not be able to recover. Luckily, this problem is totally avoidable. As a general practice, avoid mowing your grass shorter than three to three-and-a-half inches or cutting more than one-third of its height at once. Mowing more frequently will make it easier to mow to the right length while still adhering to these guidelines.
Keep in mind that if you choose to mow your grass short, you will have to water it more often and more lightly. Light and frequent watering will cause shorter roots. In turn, this increases stress during droughts.
Greener Grass Tip #: Fertilize
Do some research to find out the best fertilizer for use in your region and to meet your specific needs.
If youre just starting to step up your lawn care game, I recommend starting with a soil test. This small investment will tell you exactly where your yard stands. Youll learn what your lawn needs and , what it doesnt.
This can save you a lot of time and money by avoiding applications of products that are not necessary for a healthy lawn. You can do a soil test annually for the first few years, and then once every few years after you get a feel for your yard and what it needs to thrive.
Your local cooperative extension office will be able to test your soil for you, and Ive used and like as well.
When you do fertilize your lawn, follow the right schedule, and use products that align with your lawn goals and feelings about the environment.
Should You Go Organic?
I like to use organic fertilizer on my lawn because I have kids and pets, but you may prefer synthetic fertilizers which feed your lawn faster. Thats a personal choice for everyone.
Whatever you choose, nitrogen-rich fertilizers will be the most helpful for bringing your lawn to a wonderful shade of green, as Nitrogen encourages leaf growth in plants.
In addition to applying an organic fertilizer to my yard several times a year, I apply a thin layer of compost to top-dress my lawn every other year when I dethatch, aerate, and overseed.
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How To Make Grass Grow Green And Healthy
This brings us to our next consideration: when and how often to water grass for optimal greenery?
The advice that were about to give you should be taken as just that, advice. One of the best things that you can do for your lawn is to get to know it.
Take some time observing how it looks each day, in the morning and in the evening. Try to become aware of all of the different elements that affect it and how these fluctuate throughout the day. The better understanding you have of your lawn and your specific microclimate, the better youll be able to take care of it.
Then, you can consider the following :
- Watering in the morning is the best because temperatures are cooler and winds are normally calmer. If possible, water before 10 a.m. so that all of the moisture can be absorbed before the heat of the day kicks in and evaporates all the water away.
- If you have no option but to water in the evening, try to do so before nightfall .
- When watering, you want the top six to eight inches of soil to be wetwhich equates to around one inch of water per week. This can be done as a single watering or two waterings this every week.
Tips For A Greener Lawn
Michelle Di Micco
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Preparing your lawn for the summer sun and putting in a little extra work to keep it looking lush promises to reward you with grass that will make the neighbours green with envy
Spring leading into Summer can easily be the death of your lawn, however, it is meant to be the absolute best time of year to enjoy it. Too often I see people watering their lawn in the midday sun and I have a total facepalm moment. Said gardener loves their lawn enough to be out in the heat of the day tending to their grass but unknowingly they are doing the wrong thing. So, to lend a helping hand, here are 10 of the best tips to ensure your lawn remains green and lush throughout the warmer months.
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