Earthly Garden

Keeping a green lawn seems to be challenging to some and to others it seems to come with ease. So what is it these people that have the most beautiful lawns on your block know that you don’t? Here are some tips to keeping that yard looking fabulous and that your neighbors will envy.

1. Weak Grass: The best thing for weak grass is fertilizer. If you fertilize twice a year in the cool-season and gain in the warm-season you will prevent your grass form becoming weaker. Fertilize once around Halloween and then again around the Fourth of July.

2. Mostly Moss: Moss is an issue more in the rainy areas, because moss loves wet. Pulling out moss by hand or with a tool may be tiresome, but if you allow your grass to receive more than three to four hours of sun a day moss will eventually get gone. Otherwise change out where moss grows with a ground cover or a shade-tolerant plant.

3. Grass Disease: Water your grass in the early morning to help against disease. And if disease is still a problem, talk to a gardening center to learn more about what you can do to help.

4. Too Much Shade: Grass needs full shun no mater what. If your lawn gets too much shade consider putting in fescue or turf-type grasses instead.

5. Crabgrass Issues: Apply an herbicide to help against crabgrass and then apply a second application six weeks after the first.

6. Grub Worms: Use insecticide, it is the best way to combine grubs completely.

7. Compacted Grass: High traffic and other means can compact grass and it’s mainly in sandier soils. To prevent this Aerate your lawn whenever you see compaction and continue to do this regularly if foot traffic or other traffic is an issue. Collection of rainfall could be another issue, so divert your rain collecting in one or more areas.

When it comes to keeping a green lawn, it really is easier than you might think. If you mow once a week and allow the cutting to stay in the lawn then it will help mulch the soil as well as provide the grass with nutrients and minerals that it needs to flourish.

When cutting the grass of your lawn it’s best to keep in mind the 1/3 rule. The 1/3 rule is best for the height with a shape blade. If you remove anymore than 1/3 of the grass-blade height it could damage and might even kill the grass blade, therefore leading to dead spots in the lawn that are unsightly.

If your lawn appears to have “dog-spotting” the best way to treat this is move the offending dog and spray the urine area spotting with a lot of water to break down the salt content in the urine that could kill grass. If it is dark green spots you are dealing with it could mean that there is a high level of nitrogen in the grass. The nitrogen in the urine is acting as a fertilizer in your lawn.

Weeds are another issue, and with the recent postings on weeds, the best way to get a handle on them is to get rid of the promptly when they appear. Either with a tool that has a sharp blade or with good ole’ elbow grease.

Keeping a healthy lawn isn’t difficult, and it can be achieved in one growing season alone. Simple changes can lead to a healthy, beautiful lawn that the whole neighborhood will envy.

Your lawn ultimately is a living thing. It breathes, grows and needs water to live, but did you know that the chemicals that we put on our lawn can actually make it sick and sometimes may even kill it.

Just like humans, if we get too much of a chemical it can make us sick, so why are we putting these chemicals into our own lawn where our children play, our pets walk and we walk across as well? The best way to keep a healthy lawn is to go chemical-free and follow some of the suggested tips below.

1. Test your soil: If you consult with your county extension office to have them help. You can search for your local office by visiting the USDA Cooperative State Research and click on “Local Extension Office”.

2. Go Organic: The best bet for compost is to look for labels that meet the standards of the National Organic Program (NOP) or Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI).

3. Go Native: If you choose plants that are native to where you live you are also choosing plants that will attract native birds, bees and even other insects. They can in turn help pollinate your plants and if you have a nearby garden this is particularly beneficial. If you plant exotic and other non-native species you are inviting invasive species to take hold in your area and it may get to the point where you can never kill it off.

4. Mow Less: Letting your grass grow longer than you normally would isn’t a bad thing. The good length of grass is about 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches tall. And if you must mow, have the blades super sharp and the best way is to avoid mowing and avoiding chemicals altogether is to use a push mower that is a manual tool. It can help reduce emissions and beats having that long cord with an electric mower.

5. Keep Weeds Controlled: Pull out the weeds by hand. You will burn calories and prevent the use of any chemicals. If you start when the weeds first appear then you can stay on top of them easier.