A Green, Healthy Lawn
Growing a healthy lawn can be a challenge but it isn’t totally out of reach. The key to a greener lawn is consistency and care. From weeding to feeding to mulching, it’s possible to take your grass from brown and spotty to lush and green. Follow these 12 lawn care tips and learn how to get a green lawn and keep it that way.
1. Prevent Weeds Before They Come Up
Stop lawn weeds before they even germinate by using a pre-emergent herbicide. This type of product controls the dreaded crabgrass and other hard-to-eliminate weeds by stopping their seeds from sprouting in your lawn. For best results, use a pre-emergent herbicide early in the spring.
When using lawn treatments or lawn-care products, always follow package directions regarding proper clothing, protective equipment, application procedures and safety precautions.
2. Eliminate Broadleaf Weeds Once They’ve Sprouted
Broadleaf weeds are the big weeds that are immediately obvious in your lawn. The bright yellow faces of dandelions with their scatter-in-the-wind seeds, white-flowering clover and big-leaf plantain all stand out. Granular weed control products should be part of your regular lawn maintenance. If there are just a few offenders, you can remove them by hand with a few garden tools.
Wait until there’s heavy morning dew to apply granular weed control products. The granules need moisture to stick to weed leaves, and a dewy morning provides that for you. Otherwise, lightly water the lawn (don’t soak) before applying the products. For best results, always follow the specific label instructions on the product that you’re using
3. Mow High and Frequently
Mowing your lawn too short may seem like a time saver, but this can damage your grass as well as allow weeds to establish roots. If you keep your lawn a bit taller, it’ll result in healthier grass. The general guideline is to never cut off more than 1/3 of the grass blade.
Explore tips for mowing a lawn correctly.
4. Keep Your Mower Blade Sharp
A dull blade tears the grass, resulting in a ragged edge that makes the lawn look grayish-brown. It takes longer to cut the grass and also weakens the grass, leaving it more susceptible to disease and weeds. Sharpen or replace the mower blade when it shows signs of wear or at least once a mowing season.
The size of your lawn and your mowing frequency will dictate how often you should sharpen or replace your lawn mower blade. Take a look at a blade of grass after mowing; if it’s shredded or frayed, it’s time to sharpen up.
5. Water in the Morning
The best time to water your lawn is early morning because the sun will help dry the grass. Nighttime watering can result in prolonged moisture on the blades, opening the door to some diseases. It’s better to water less often but for prolonged periods. Just wetting down the grass isn’t sufficient, and it can contribute to thatch. You need to soak the lawn so the soil is moist several inches down.
Are you watering the right amount? Try the soup can test. Set an empty can next to your lawn sprinkler. When there’s about 1/2 inch of water in the can, it’s time to turn off the sprinkler.
6. Aerate Your Lawn
Aerating is the process of counteracting soil compaction by creating small holes in the lawn, which allows water, fertilizer and seed to reach the soil. Aeration can be done by hand, using a push aerator or by attaching an aerator to a riding mower. Aerate once a year — in the fall for cool-season grasses and in the late spring for warm-season grasses — to help your lawn thrive.
Learn more about how to aerate your lawn.
7. Feed Your Lawn
What do lawns like to consume? Nitrogen is the most important nutrient in a grass fertilizer. Look for a mix of fast- and slow-release lawn-greening fertilizers that’ll work quickly and feed over time. In northern regions, feed in fall and spring. In southern regions, feed in spring and summer. Don’t feed dormant grass, as it can’t take in nutrients. Note that drought can cause the grass to go dormant in summer.
Learn more about how to fertilize your lawn to help it reach its full potential.
There are times when more is better, but this isn’t it. If you put too much nitrogen on your lawn you’ll burn it, which could lead to thatch. Always read the label and follow the application directions for any product you’re using that contains nitrogen.
8. Spot-Train Your Dog
Spot-train your dog in the same way you did house-training. Walk your dog out to the area to use and give treats for positive reinforcement.
9. Dethatch Your Lawn
One culprit of brown spots is thatch — a layer of organic buildup on the surface of the soil that can prevent water and nutrients from reaching grass roots. If your lawn is struggling, dig up a small section to look at the thatch. Less than 1/2 inch of thatch is healthy, but more than that can keep your lawn from flourishing. To dethatch, use a thatch rake for small jobs or, for bigger jobs, use a riding lawn mower dethatching attachment or push dethatcher.
10. Reseed Sparse Lawns
If your lawn is a little thin in areas, you can overseed the area to help make it lush. Fall is the ideal time to reseed cool-season grasses, and late spring is the best time to reseed warm-season grasses. Overseed your lawn by applying seeds after dethatching, aerating, fertilizing and mowing.
Learn more about the best grass seed for your lawn and reseeding grass.
Make sure you don’t apply a pre-emergent preventer at the same time you plant the seed, as it’ll stop your grass seedlings from growing. Watch our video How to Use a Lawn Spreader.
11. Edge Your Lawn
Edging the lawn, or cutting the grass along the driveway, curbs, pathways and/or roads, will help keep the boundaries of your lawn healthy, green and tidy. Use an edging tool or turn a grass trimmer to be parallel with the grass to get clean, green lines.
