Lawn Care Techniques
By: National Gardening Association Editors
Lawns have gotten a bad rap in the gardening world the last few years.It's true they take lots of time and resources to keep them looking their best. However, they are a valued part of our landscape and will not be disappearing soon. A lawn is the glue that holds our yards together. Keeping it looking good isn't as hard as you may think. With some attention paid to the watering, fertilizing, mowing, and building the soil underneath the grass, you can avoid many of the weed, insect, and disease problems. That means more time playing ball, barbecuing, and entertaining on your lawn.
Start with the Soil
Nothing -- repeat … nothing -- is more important to the successful growth of any plant than proper soil preparation. Since your lawn is already in place, yearly additions of organic matter as a top dressing (applied on top of the lawn), is the best way to build the soil. Compost is the best organic matter to use on lawns. Every spring and fall, use a lawn spreader to broadcast a 1- to 2-inch-thick layer of compost on your lawn. It will naturally work its way into the top few inches of soil and provide nourishment to your grass plants. Each spring rake up the dead grass so a dead layer, known as thatch, doesn't develop. Also, with an aerating rake or scarifying machine, loosen up compacted soil by aerating your lawn. By removing dead grass and aerating the lawn, you'll allow water, air, and nutrients to freely flow into the soil feeding the grass roots.
Mow Away
Another way to add organic matter is to leave the grass clippings on the lawn. Grass clippings are high in nitrogen, and if chopped finely with a mulching mower, they will decompose quickly while feeding your grass plants. The shorter the clippings, the more easily they reach the soil (as opposed to lying on top of the grass) and the more quickly they decompose. Ideally you should never cut more than one-third off the total height of the grass at once. This means you may need to mow your lawn on a slightly more frequent schedule, but it's a small price to pay for improving your lawn's health while eliminating the effort involved in bagging and hauling clippings around the yard. Mow lawns when the grass is dry and keep mower blades sharpened to reduce tearing grass blades, which invites disease. Keep the borders between lawn and garden clean with a lawn edger. Keep grass under fences or along walls mowed with a grass trimmer. For small lawns mowing with a hand push mower not only cuts the grass, but gives you a little workout as well. Both you and your lawn will be healthier for it.