The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and it doesn’t have to be.
Make your neighbors green with envy by learning how to make your lawn greener. The lush, green grass of your dreams is within your grasp if you put in the time and effort to find it, or hire a professional.
Achieve green grass by following these instructions. It will explain how to conduct soil tests and fertilize your lawn in accordance with its requirements. You’ll also discover the best ways to take care of your particular type of grass.
Grass can only thrive in soil that is rich in nutrients, free of pests, adequately watered, and minimally disturbed.
1. Do A Soil Test
Do an annual soil test to determine what the required lawn amendments are. Giving your soil exactly what it craves will result in a more robust, healthier, and more aesthetically pleasing lawn.
How to do a pH Soil Test
- Make a small hole that is only two to four inches deep.
- Clear away any rocks or sticks in the way and fill the hole with distilled water, which is neither acidic nor alkaline.
- When the hole you made in the soil turns into a muddy pool, put the test probe in it.
You should get a reading after about a minute.
Why should a homeowner perform soil testing?
For your grass to thrive, the soil must be rich in the nutrients it needs:
- A pH of 7 is considered to be neutral.
- Lawns prefer a pH range of 5.8 to 7.4.
- Generally speaking, cold season grass prefers soil with a higher pH.
- More acidic soils are better for growing warm-season grass.
To achieve the greenest possible lawn, you may have to adjust the pH of your soil.
2. Avoid Homemade Weed Killers
Homemade weed killers will certainly kill anything they come into contact with, so this might be a good option for isolated weeds. Use a selective herbicide on weeds within your lawn. When used at the right rate, selective herbicides will kill only the weeds you want to get rid of and not the plants you want to keep.
Crabgrass and weeds can detract from a pristine lawn, even if the grass is otherwise healthy. Preventing weed growth is the key to successful weed control. There are three ways to get rid of weeds that have already taken root in your lawn:
Dig up the weeds
For a more natural approach, try digging up weeds. To get rid of weeds the old-fashioned way, all you need is a spade or weeding tool, kneepads, top soil, and a firm determination. When removing weeds by hand, be sure to remove the roots. There’s no limit to how far those tap roots can go.
This may be essential for certain weeds such as crab grass or goose grass, as these are very resistant to selective herbicides.
Spray Your Entire Lawn with a Herbicide-Infused Fertilizer
If you have a large lawn, the task of removing weeds can be overwhelming. Use a selective herbicide that contains fertilizer. This is a great way to supplement the nutrients that lawns require.
Choose a herbicide that kills based on the needs of your lawn. A selective herbicide is a popular choice because it doesn’t harm grass and focuses on weeds. Take a look at the weeds you’re dealing with before making a decision. This type of weed killer is designed to kill only the unwanted vegetation.
Individual Weeds Should Have Herbicides Applied
Alternatively, you can use a different weed killer on the offending growth only. If you decide to take that route, make sure you’re properly protected. Rubber gloves and a face mask are essential. The bottle or bag’s instructions should be followed to the letter.
3. Perform Pest Control on Lawn
Homeowners often take on the task of performing pest control on their lawns themselves. This is a great way to protect the health of your lawn and keep pesky pests from destroying your property. Before you begin any pest control efforts, it is important to identify the type of pest you are dealing with and the damage they have caused. Once you have identified the pest, you can begin to understand the best way to control them.
Use a lawn bug killer
There are a variety of products on the market that can be used to control pests such as insecticides, fungicides, and other natural remedies. It is important to read the instructions carefully before using any type of pest control product to ensure that you are using it correctly and safely. Additionally, it is important to follow the directions on the label to ensure that the product is applied correctly.
Finally, it is important to monitor your lawn regularly to ensure that the pests have been eliminated. With a little bit of effort and a little bit of research, homeowners can successfully perform pest control on their lawns.
Weeds are less likely to thrive in a well-cared-for lawn. It’s easier to maintain a lawn with no bare spots because weeds don’t have a place to grow.
4. Lawn Fertilization
Lawn fertilization is an important part of keeping a healthy and vibrant lawn. Fertilizer helps to replenish the soil with essential nutrients, increasing the growth of grass and other plants. It also helps to reduce weeds, keeping the lawn looking neat and attractive. Regular fertilization will help to ensure a lush, green lawn all year round.
When to fertilize lawn?
Your lawn’s type influences when you should fertilize it, as it does with other aspects of lawn care. Spring and fall are good times to apply fertilizer to cool-season grasses. Fertilizer applications should be more frequent on lawns in the warmer months.
They thrive in the heat of the summer and will continue to expand throughout the season. The manufacturer’s instructions should always be followed when applying fertilizer. Adding too little fertilizer is wasteful, but overdoing it can burn your lawn.
Or you can hire the professionals at On Demand Pest Control to handle it for you. Learn more about our lawn program here.
Choosing the right fertilizer
Choosing the right fertilizer is an important part of making your lawn greener. Nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are the primary nutrients in lawn fertilizer. Grass thrives thanks to the presence of these nutrients.
This is how it grows from the ground up and maintains a lush, green appearance. Grass that is lush and green is largely due to the presence of nitrogen.
Learn more about when to fertilize your lawn by clicking here.
5. Use Grass Seed
Fixing brown or barren areas with grass seed is an excellent solution. Plant the seed in areas that have been cleared of old weeds or thinned out by a brisk walk. Maintaining a consistent shade of green in your lawn is easy if you follow a few simple rules.
Seeding is a good option if your entire lawn is looking a little sparse. Reviving a worn lawn can be done quickly and easily with new growth. Overseeding is essential to maintaining a lush, green lawn throughout the year. Manual spreading of seeds can be done with a seed spreader or by hand.
Fertilize and water your lawn after you’ve seeded it. Maintaining a moist soil is especially critical. Seeds of grass require water in order to sprout. Pine straw can be used to protect newly planted seed from evaporation.
6. Water Your Lawn
Keep your lawn watered, even if it seems obvious, to ensure lush and green grass. Ensure that your lawn receives 1 inch of water each week. Use a sprinkler when it’s not raining frequently.
As an alternative, water your lawn in the morning as part of your daily routine. It’s best to water before the sun gets too hot and evaporates the water. To begin the day, give your grass a good soaking. It’s a great way to keep your lawn healthy and happy during the sweltering summer afternoons.
7. Aerate Your Lawn
Playing and walking on the lawn causes the soil to become compacted. These conditions make it difficult for the grass roots to take in the necessary nutrients as well as the necessary water. This could be the reason that your lawn isn’t as green as it used to be.
Grass roots are just as energized by fresh air as people are. When the time is right, aerate your lawn to help it breathe better. There is a noticeable improvement in your lawn’s health and greener grass after doing this.
Warm-season lawns should be aerated in the late spring or early summer. In the winter months, when your lawn is dormant, avoid aerating your lawn.
A lawn aerator can be rented or purchased to aid in the delivery of oxygen to the roots of your lawn. It doesn’t matter how you do it. Like a lawnmower, simply push the tool along. It will be appreciated by your garden.
You can consider seed immediately after aerating. Afterwards, time and nature will work their magic on your lawn, so you can simply sit back and relax.
8. Replace Lawn Mower Blades
Lawn edges that are cut with dull mower blades turn brown quickly. Rather than being neatly trimmed, the individual blades of grass will appear frayed. Therefore, it’s time to go get some lawn mower blade sharpening done.
Sharpening your lawnmower’s blades can go a long way in improving its appearance. Mower blades should be sharpened at least twice per year, an easy task that you can perform on your own.
Alternatively, replace your blade if it’s beyond repair.
When using a sharpened mower blade, be careful not to cut your lawn too short. Only remove one-third of the grass height at a time for the healthiest lawn. A burnt appearance can result from chopping off a large amount of grass with a single pass of the lawn mower. The mower and your lawn will both suffer as a result.
Different types of grass prefer to grow at different heights, which is interesting. Grass does not all grow to the same height, just as not all flowers do.
Learn how to make your lawn greener by paying attention to the type of grass you have.
Kentucky blue grass, for example, prefers its blades to be kept short in the cooler months.
It is normal for St. Augustine grass lawn to grow taller during the summer months.
When you’re trying to achieve the greenest lawn possible, the height of the grass matters. Lawns that have recently been mowed should always appear lush and healthy.
Request FREE Quote from On Demand Pest Control
On Demand Pest Control is a South Florida based pest control company that specializes in providing safe and effective extermination methods. In order to provide the best pest control services possible, our highly-trained staff treats pest control as a scientific endeavor.
Call us today for a free inspection and no-obligation estimate.
