Lawn Mowing Tips For A Healthy Lawn
Advice For A Healthy Lawn
The typical homeowner spends 4 hours per week in the garden and mows the lawn as much as 30 times per year! Whether you have a fescue or bluegrass lawn, mostly found in the north, or a Bermuda or zoysia lawn, found in warmer regions, these 4 questions will now be addressed.
How Can I Make My Grass Thicker?
Watering – Water is the key to life, and it is no different when it comes to your lawn. On the whole, lawns require a few inches of water on a weekly basis; of course, this depends on the type of soil and grass you personally have. Sandy soils require twice as much whereas clay soils might need less. When setting the sprinkler you ought to bear this in mind. You also need to consider watering your lawn early in the morning, so that evaporation doesn’t undo your hard work; evening watering can encourage mold and fungi. If watered effectively, lawns will have healthy, deep roots, which in turn will lead to thicker, more luscious grass. Ineffective watering will lead to shallow roots, and the grass will not have that same look.
Mowing – Only the top third of the blades of grass should be cut off, and clippings should be left where they fall. This is because the top third of the blade is leafy and thin; it decomposes rapidly after being cut and can pay back more nitrogen into the surrounding soil. It slows down the evaporation process and prevents weeds (using a weed torch) from flourishing. The bottom two-thirds of a blade, however, take longer to decompose, and can create sun-blocking, air-blocking, water-blocking, nutrient-blocking ‘thatch’. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to cut your grass when it’s about 3 inches tall, and only cut off the top inch. Grass in a cool climate is best kept at no more than 4 inches, while in a warm climate 2 inches should suffice. Whether you use a cord lawn mower or cordless lawn mower, you’ll also not want to cut it too short in strong sunlight, because this can expose and shock the base of the stems, causing them to dry out and die.
How Can I Make My Grass Greener?
Greenness and blade-setting and condition are most definitely linked. The type of mower (corded lawn mower, cordless lawn mower, or even a robot lawn mower) is secondary. Your primary concern should be the calibration and quality of the blades. In cooler climates, a mower’s blades should be no more than 0.5 to 1 inch in cutting height for that first, post-winter mowing. This should remove the dead, old grass and enable sunlight to gently reach into the grass plants. In summer months the blade should be set to 2 inches. Finally, you should go back to 0.5 to 1 inch for the last mow of the year, before winter kicks in again.
The blade’s sharpness is crucial, in order to achieve a clean and even cut. Blades that are blunt tear instead of slice off the grass. This can end up turning the grass yellowish, making it more vulnerable to disease. You’ll end up spending more on grass seed, as well as having to use the garden hose more than is good for your wallet or the environment.
How Do I Kill Weeds Without Killing The Grass?
Chemicals – In the early spring or summer, it is important to launch a pre-emptive strike on weeds like crabgrass because they damage germinating plants while they sprout. Other weeds like broadleaf weeds need to be destroyed when they’re young and active. When dispersing the weed-killer on your lawn take care to scrutinize the instructions carefully. Certain chemicals require moisture, while others are neutralized by water. Some require you to wear gloves due to their toxicity and potential harm to the skin.
Aeration – Aerating is important, especially after treating your grass with a weed-killer. It helps water and fertilizer get right into the soil, lessens soil compaction, frees up space for roots to grow, and removes ‘thatch’. A gas-powered aerator can be rented for this purpose. Without proper aeration the roots of each blade of grass struggle to absorb enough water, air, and nutrients, so you’ll end up spending more on grass maintenance in the long run.
How Do I Get A Nice Lawn With My Dog?
If possible, a more rugged, tougher grass is more suitable for dog owners. Dwarf perennial ryegrass is suitable for dogs who love to twist and turn; smooth stalked meadow grass is durable, too. It reproduces underground via its network of stems, so you won’t constantly have to be replenishing a finer type of grass with expensive replacement seed. You might touch up your lawn with a lawn edger and garden strimmer, but it’s nice for your dog to frolic around in slightly longer grass. You can mow it less often, and save some gas or electricity, as a result.
Sources:
- Tips for a Healthy Lawn – University of Nevada, Reno
- Mowing Practices for Healthy Lawns – UMN Extension
- Guidelines for Mowing Lawns Properly – Lawn Talk – University of Illinois Extension