Ten Ways to Keep Your Front Lawn Healthy

The very first impression that your house makes to the outside world is the front load. This is where the curb appeal really begins and it’s the first place people glance as they walk down the road past your house. 

A healthy lawn doesn’t just enhance the appearance of your home in general, but it contributes to a cooler environment, improves your air quality, and provides a relaxing outdoor space for your family. 

Achieving and maintaining a lush green lawn isn’t just something you can see on TV. It does require more than the occasional mowing, however. With the right care and attention, especially attention to seasonal needs, you can keep your lawn thriving all year round. Don’t believe us? We’ve got 10 practical tips to help.

Start mowing at the right height.

It’s one of the most basic rules of lawn care: mowing can actually harm your lawn if not done properly. Cutting the grass too short can stress the roots and make it more vulnerable to weeds, drought, and disease. It’s important to stick to the rule of thumb that you should never cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade in a single mow. 

Different grass types prefer different mowing heights, so cool season grasses like fescue or bluegrass generally do well at 2 1/2 to 4 inches in height. In the warm season, varieties like Bermuda prefer shorter cuts. You can adjust your mower heights accordingly and keep the blades sharp for a clean even cut every time.

Keep your yard clean.

A few leaves scattered on the lawn are not harmful to the grass, but thick layers of leaves can smother the grass especially during the fall and early winter months. Raking is the usual way to handle them, but a cordless leaf blower can offer a faster and easier as well as quieter solution. 

Cordless models are lightweight, emissions free, and very easy to use which makes them ideal for regular lawn maintenance without noise or the hassle of gas powered versions. If you want to maintain airflow to the grass, keeping debris off the lawn is the first step.

Be wise about water.

Healthy lawns required consistent moisture, but competitor indoor gardens, outdoor ones generally tend to have the climate to thank for their watering. During dry spells, you do need to make sure that you’re keeping up with the water levels of your garden, but shallow watering doesn’t always mean better results. 

Doing it too frequently, or too lightly, can lead to weaker roots for grass, but you can aim for deeper and less frequent watering. If you do around 1 to 1 1/2 inches per week, including rainfall, he will end up with a lush garden that grows well. Watering early in the morning to reduce evaporation will also help, and it allows the blades to dry out during the day, which will really help those fungal diseases and pests to stay away.

Don’t forget your annual aeration.

Soil beneath your lawn can become compacted overtime, and that’s especially the case in high traffic areas like pathways. This restricts the air flow to the soil, prevents water penetration, and stops nutrient absorption. 

By aerating, you’ll remove small plugs of soil from the lawn and loosen compacted soil. This encourages healthier lawn and root systems. The full months are the great time to aerate cool season lawns while spring is better for those warm season varieties. You can rent an aerator or you could hire a professional for this task, because after all, you only need it once a year.

Feed your lawn well.

If you want your grass to grow thick and green, you need to feed it the right nutrients. A balanced fertilizer that is appropriate for your grass type and the season will help your lawn to grow. You should do this two to four times a year starting in the spring and ending in the full. 

Don’t over fertilize, though, because you can burn your lawn or cause excessive growth that stresses the grass. Slow release fertilizers are always the better option for long lasting nutrition.

Weeds have the capacity to ruin the appearance of your lawn, and they compete with grass for water. They also compete for sunlight and nutrients so the best defence is a thick and healthy lawn. Weeds can still sneak in however so play apply pre-emergent herbicide in the early spring to stop the weeds before they germinate.

Don’t forget to reseed the bare patches.

In a warmer climate, grass can easily thin. Before you add any more seed, loosen the soil and remove any dead grass. Then you can apply the seed evenly, watering lightly but frequently until the new grass has established itself.

Mulch the grass clippings.

Instead of packing those grass clippings every time you mow, consider adding them to your mulching. You can mulch them right back into the lawn, because they decompose quickly and you reckon return valuable nutrients to the grass. You can use mulching mowers or mower attachments to break up the clippings finally as long as you’re mowing regularly and not removing too much at once.

Test out the soil.

The foundation of a healthy front lawn is soil health. If your lawn is struggling despite proper care, the problem may be laying underground. By testing your soil, you can reveal some important details about pH levels and nutrient deficiencies. Based on the results, you can adjust your fertilising plan, apply lime or sulphur to balance pH, and choose the right grass seed for optimal growth.

Be seasonal with your lawn.

You lose needs will change through the year, so focus on recovery in the spring and watering in the summer and aerating and fertilising in the full. Winter is all about clean up and preparation, so stay in tune with the seasons to help your lawn stay resilient. When you get to know your lawn, you can care for it and keep it well all year around.

Author: Evangeline