If you’re new to caring for a lawn, you might be looking to avoid some common lawn care errors…or maybe you’ve already made them. We know that caring for a lawn can be complicated but we want to help by providing some beginner lawn care advice.
Owning a lawn can be exciting and we want you to be able to get the most out of it! These new homeowners lawn tips will help.
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There are a lot of different lawn care mistakes that can be made when taking care of your turf. We’ll focus on the 4 that we see most commonly.
Some of the most common lawn care errors that we see homeowners make relate to mowing the lawn. Specifically, mowing the lawn too short. People usually don’t realize how harmful it can be to cut the lawn shorter than the recommended cut height for their grass type.
The biggest problem is that when a lawn is mowed too short, you can create an environment that is 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 advise raising the mowing deck to 4 inches. While we know that people love a short lawn, if it’s too short, it’s not going to be healthy.
Cutting too much of the grass blade at one time is another way that lawns can be mowed improperly. The ideal rule of thumb is to avoid cutting more than one-third of the grass blade at a time.
Another mowing mistake is cutting the lawn with a dull blade or an unlevel mowing deck. Make sure that the mowing equipment that you are using is in top shape. You want a clean cut that is not going to put extra stress on your lawn.
Improper watering is another common lawn care mistake. Homeowners might water at the wrong time or apply the improper amount.
It’s a lawn care myth that you can water your lawn at any time. In reality, there is a “best time to water,” and that’s during the morning hours.
When you water your lawn in the morning,it allows plenty of time for that water to soak down to the root zone where it’s needed before being lost to evaporation. On a windy or scorching day, water is going to evaporate quickly.
But another key reason why watering in the morning is important is the fact that watering at night exposes your lawn to the risk of fungus growing. When water is left to sit on the lawn overnight, it creates just the right conditions for fungal growth.
You also want to make sure that you’re watering enough.
Lawns require around 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. It’s not uncommon to overestimate how much rain is actually falling. In order to be clear on this, it helps to purchase a rain gauge, which is a simple device that collects and measures rainwater. If you are not getting enough rain, be sure to supplement with extra.
Of course, you don’t want to water too much. Overwatering your lawn can drown the roots.
This is another lawn care basic that feels like it should be simple but can get complicated. You can remove a lot of the guesswork from this process by investing in an irrigation system that can be programmed to deliver exactly what your lawn needs. Typically, watering each zone for around a half hour twice a week will deliver what your lawn needs.
Applying the improper amount of fertilizer is another common lawn care error. Homeowners attempt to tackle fertilization services on their own by picking up a bag of fertilizer at the hardware store. But if you put down the wrong amount, it can have negative consequences.
Unfortunately, we do sometimes see “fertilizer burn” on lawns where too much fertilizer has been applied (or accidentally dumped). This can leave a bare spot on your turf.
While under-fertilizing is not as damaging, it can mean not getting the full benefits out of these products.
If you want to get the most possible value out of fertilization, it just makes sense to leave this in the hands of a pro. It’s also important to keep in mind that even though fertilization is a vital service, it’s only one piece of the total lawn care puzzle.
There are other equally important services like weed control and pest control that are also key.
When homeowners take weed control into their own hands, they are often dissatisfied with the results. Weed control products sold at the hardware store simply aren’t as effective as what a pro is using. In addition, there are often a variety of different weeds growing in any given Louisville yard. You must make sure that you are treating the right weeds with the right products in order to effectively control them.
It’s important to recognize that the best weed control strategy is one that is multi-faceted with various approaches and a wide-variety of products (including specialty controls when they are needed).
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.
In our beginner lawn care advice, we also want to emphasize how much weather (and Louisville’s conditions) can impact lawn care results.
The biggest challenge that lawns face is with our hot and humid summers.
The heat and humidity (particularly when combined) can definitely take a significant toll on grass. Hot and humid weather makes the growth and spread of lawn fungus much more prevalent. In addition, high temperatures can lead to heat stress in your grass, which causes browning and wilting.
Even when you’re properly caring for your lawn, the weather can have a negative impact.
That can be exacerbated if you practice poor cultural practices like overwatering or watering at night.
Fertilizing your lawn during hot and humid months can also get tricky as there’s an increased risk for fertilizer burn. The hot and dry conditions can be a perfect recipe for turf burn. This is a good reason to leave fertilization services in the hands of a professional who will understand the optimal rate of application and the types of fertilizer to use, especially during summer months.
Avoiding lawn care mistakes is important as errors can lead to bigger problems, like discoloration, thinning, and bare patches.
But how can you prevent lawn care issues?
We always stress that the best lawns are the result of a partnership between a lawn care professional and a homeowner. There are going to be cultural practices that homeowners must be responsible for themselves like watering and mowing and it’s important that these are done properly.
But when you work with a lawn care pro, you can also anticipate helpful recommendations on how these tasks should be performed.
Along with that, we suggest working with a lawn care professional on services like fertilization and weed control. Performing these tasks properly can get complicated but a pro will be trained on exactly how they should be done. Along with that, they’ll also have access to high-quality, commercial-grade products that are going to deliver superior results.
It is through this partnership that we feel lawn care mistakes can be avoided.
If you are new to lawn ownership, you might be feeling overwhelmed. But hopefully after reading this article, you have a stronger sense of what’s involved in caring for your lawn and how you can avoid some common lawn care errors.
We know it might feel like a lot. There are many factors that go into maintaining a healthy and thriving lawn. It can all be a bit overwhelming…but it doesn’t have to be! That’s because a lawn care professional can help.
When you make a wise choice in lawn care services in Louisville, you’re finally able to let go of the stress and worries associated with maintaining a beautiful lawn and simply start spending more time enjoying it.
One of the biggest benefits of this is that you’ll gain peace of mind. Instead of feeling as though you’re on your own, you’ll have an expert to turn to when you have questions. You’ll also ensure that services like fertilization and weed control are performed regularly for superior results. Before you know it, you’ll be proud to show off your amazing lawn.
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.