If you’ve never cared for a lawn before, you might be feeling overwhelmed. Whatever the case may be, whether you’ve moved into your first home or you’ve lived in an HOA or apartment in the past, you might suddenly be feeling out of your league if you have to care for a lawn for the first time.
While it’s true there can be a lot involved in lawn care, once you know what to do, you’ll be able to tackle it. Half of the battle is understanding which lawn care steps are most important.
In this article, we’ll share some advice on beginner lawn care for Louisville homeowners.
We’ll take lawn care step by step so that you’ll know exactly what needs to be done. In addition, we’ll talk about which lawn care steps can be handed over to a pro, so that you can remove some of the burden from your plate.
While lawn care is certainly not rocket science, there is more to it than just buying a bag of fertilizer and dumping it in your lawn. It’s important to care for your lawn properly if you want to get the best results. Lawn care mistakes can set you back and cause you extra hassles and headaches.
Here’s some beginner lawn care advice, step by step.
One of the very first lawn care tasks that you’ll be likely to tackle on your new lawn is mowing.
During the active growing season, this will be a critical task to keep up with. We recommend mowing weekly. When you mow too infrequently, you’ll have to cut a lot of the grass blade at once, which is very stressful for the lawn. The goal should be to cut no more than one-third of the grass at a time.
While most people assume that mowing is very straightforward, there are actually quite a few mowing mistakes that homeowners make, which negatively impact their lawn’s health.
The biggest mistake that people make is mowing the lawn too short. When a lawn is mowed too short, you can create an environment more susceptible to weed growth. That’s because a short lawn is under a lot of stress. This can also give diseases a better chance of spreading. We recommend setting your mowing deck at it’s highest setting. This should be ~4” above the ground. This will make your lawn look lush and healthy, as well as grow deep roots.
You’ll also want to make sure that you’re mowing with a sharp mowing blade and a level mowing deck. The equipment that you’re mowing with can certainly impact the results. We know that cheap mowers can have perpetual problems. It might make sense to invest in a higher-quality mower so that you can get the best results.
As we talk about how to care for your lawn, it’s also important to mention watering.
Proper watering seems like such a simple aspect of lawn care, but it’s absolutely critical when it comes to getting the best results. All living things require water to thrive and your lawn is no different. With the right amount of water, you aren’t going to see the best possible lawn care results.
Ideally, your lawn likely needs around 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. In order to create a lush lawn, rain fall alone will not be enough.
Water each zone in your yard for around a half hour twice a week. This should help you meet the goal of 1 to 1.5 inches. Obviously, the rate at which the water comes out is a factor to consider (and will differ depending on what you’re using). Ask your irrigation company to assist you with setting the proper amount of time for each zone. If you notice that some areas of your yard are browning in the late summer, you’ll need to increase your time in that zone. Conversely, if you notice water pooling in a particular area, you’ll want to reduce the time in that zone. Micro adjustments in your watering schedule is the key to a great lawn and minimal water bills.
Keep in mind that the time of day is also a factor. It’s not just a beginner lawn care mistake to assume you can water anytime of day. A lot of homeowners mistakenly believe this lawn care myth.
In reality, the best time to water is in the early morning. If you water at night, it can actually be problematic as it increases the likelihood of fungal growth. Water left to sit on the lawn overnight can create a breeding ground for fungus to grow and spread.
Watering in the heat of the day will likely mean that a lot of water is lost to evaporation.
Instead, water early in the morning and give your lawn ample time to soak in the water before the excess evaporates.
There’s no question that lawn fertilizer is incredibly important when it comes to the growth and success of your Louisville lawn. But you should know that there are varying degrees of quality when it comes to fertilizer and you want to make sure that you’re using the best possible products.
Applying fertilizer can also be complicated. If you apply at the wrong rate, you risk harming your lawn. Fertilizer burn can kill the grass.
That’s why this is a service that makes sense for a professional to handle. While it’s true that you can buy fertilizer at your local big box store, it’s not going to be the same high-quality product that a professional is using.
Along with that, when you’re paying to have a pro apply fertilizer on the lawn, you are also paying for their knowledge and experience that they’re applying it properly. This can make a big difference when it comes to your results.
There can be a lot involved with fertilization, and rather than having to worry about this on your own, you can hand this lawn care step over to a pro.
Another huge component of caring for a lawn is addressing the weeds.
It’s important to recognize that the best weed control strategy is one that is multi-faceted with various approaches. If you truly want to tackle tough weeds, you’ve got to be prepared to put up a good fight!
For that reason, this is another service that is typically best handled by a pro. There are a lot of invasive weeds in our region and different weeds are going to need to be controlled in different ways. A lawn care professional will know exactly what your lawn is dealing with and how to handle it.
They’ll also have access to the highest quality weed control products. You’ll need a weed control strategy that includes both pre- and post-emergent control.
It’s also important to know that promoting a thick and healthy lawn will start to choke out weeds on its own. When you invest in a comprehensive lawn care program that includes fertilization services, you’ll be more likely to grow thick grass that makes it difficult for weeds to control.
Comprehensive lawn care also helps address disease and pest problems that can pop up and wreak havoc on your lawn.
The better shape that your lawn is in (and the fewer problems it’s already dealing with), the better it will fare against weeds.
While most homeowners typically handle mowing and watering on their own, they prefer to hand other lawn care services like fertilization, weed control, preventative grub control, and disease control over to a pro. That’s because a pro knows exactly what your lawn needs and when it needs it. They’re also using commercial-grade products.
All of that adds up to better results.
At Limbwalker, we want to be your partner in success. We commend your efforts for wanting to understand beginner lawn care. But we also want you to know you don’t have to do it all on your own. We’re here to help!
In fact, we view our relationship with homeowners as a true partnership. Together, we can have lawn care success.
Are you ready to have a thick and healthy lawn that’s getting everything it needs at your Louisville, KY home? Get in touch with us to get a quote for our lawn care programs, which include three lawn care pricing options.
