Lawn care is an essential part of responsible home maintenance. Not only is being attentive to your grass’s needs crucial to its long-term health, but it’s also highly conducive to accentuating the beauty of your home. When people walk by your residence, the condition of your lawn is among the first things they notice, so if you’re interested in making a favorable first impression, lawn care should not be regarded as an afterthought. Homeowners who strive to keep their lawns clean, healthy and looking their best should consider the following pointers.
Limit Lawn Clutter
Even if your lawn is meticulously maintained, its healthy appearance can be adversely impacted by the presence of clutter. Lawn-based clutter is particularly common in homes with small children. Kids tend to leave messes wherever they go, and lawns are hardly an exception. In addition to encouraging your family members to pick up after themselves, make a point of thoroughly scanning your lawn for clutter before mowing. Certain objects can present safety hazards if they find their way into a mower, so take care to be as eagle-eyed as possible when carrying out these cleanups.
Limit Foot Traffic
Excessive foot traffic can lead to patchiness, discoloration and uneven growth on certain types of grass. If your lawn is vulnerable to the ravages of foot traffic, make a point of limiting direct contact with the grass and encourage other members of your household to heed your example. However, as any parent can attest, this can sometimes prove challenging for households with small children. While there’s no way to keep little kids off the grass entirely, you can help minimize the amount of time they spend on it by creating a designated outdoor play area for them. Not only will this provide your little ones with a clearly-defined play space, it’s also likely to diminish the appeal of running around on the lawn in their eyes.
Mow as Needed
Consistent mowing is one of the tenets of good lawn care. However, it’s important to note that most lawns are mowed far more often than they need to be. Additionally, many people opt to keep their mowers on the lowest possible setting. While wanting to keep your lawn nice and short is certainly understandable, excessive shortness leaves the grass blades vulnerable to the elements and ensures that they’re ill-equipped to retain water and assorted nutrients. With this in mind, look up the ideal length for your type of grass and adjust your mower settings accordingly.
Although many homeowners mow their lawns on a set schedule, this often leads to over-mowing. For example, just because you’ve gotten into the groove of mowing once a week doesn’t mean that your lawn actually needs you to do so. During its prime growing season, your lawn may need to be mowed once or twice a week, but outside of this period, you may only need to get out the mower once or twice a month. So even if it’s a designated mowing day, there’s no need to fire up the mower if the grass is already an acceptable length.
Fertilize Regularly
Fertilization is a great way to provide your lawn with essential nourishment all year long. Additionally, depending on the type of grass you have, you may only need to perform this task once a year. If this isn’t a chore you have much experience with, reach out to a professional lawn fertilization service. The right company will help you determine the best type of fertilizer for your grass and work with you to create the perfect fertilization schedule. If your grass is delicate or temperamental, look for a company that offers custom lawn fertilization plans.
Lawn care should be among the foremost maintenance priorities for any responsible homeowner. A vibrant, well-kept lawn can add character to your home and help accentuate its aesthetic strong points. On the flip side, a lawn that’s patchy, discolored or overgrown can put a noticeable damper on an otherwise lovely residence. Fortunately, tending to your lawn doesn’t have to eat up a great deal of time or money. Putting the previously discussed tips to good use can prove invaluable in your efforts to preserve the health of your grass.