LAWN CARE TIPS
Everyone can have a beautiful lawn. Follow these tips and your neighbors will have lawn envy!
For DIY homeowners, stick to a 10-0-10 EXTENDED RELEASE type of fertilizer. You only need the Phosphorus part on a new or reseeded lawn.
Apply at the recommended rate or less for your spreader. Practice on your driveway to see how far your spreader throws it at a normal pace. Try not to overlap too much if at all.
Plan on spreading a normal or weak mix every 4-6 weeks from early spring to late fall in the snow belt. Never walk on frozen grass.
Whether you use liquid or granular, it needs to be watered in. If you don't water your lawn between the rain showers, don't even bother fertilizing as your lawn will never look good.
Use a granular fert with premergent as your first application. This will stop most weeds and Crabgrass from emerging in the first place. Pre_emergent is a SEED GERMINATION preventer. It does not kill weeds that are already sprouted and growing.
Do not spread new grass seed in the spring as the pre-emergent will kill it and you will also need to water the entire seeded area weekly all summer. Wait until the fall. (Sept. Oct.).
Don't bother with granular weed killer/fertilizer combos, which is different than Pre-emergent/fert combos.
When using liquid weed killer, only spray where the weeds are. Anything else is a waste of time and money. Weed killer is a CONTACT KILLER and needs to hit a weed that is already growing.
Aerate or Aerate/Overseed every fall if your budget can handle it. If you overseed, make sure you give it plenty of water between the raindrops and stop using weed control after seeding.
If you overseed, only spread seed on an area that you can water weekly, every week, if it doesn't rain. If you have a big lawn, you will probably not water it all every week and the new grass will die off.
Don't scalp your lawn. Lawns should be 3-4inches. Cutting it short during the growing season can actually make it grow faster to get back to a healthy state. A longer lawn is cooler, retains water longer, and lets less sunlight penetrate to the soil where the weed seeds are lurking.
Don't expect instant results. If your lawn has been neglected for years or more, it can take 2-5 years of time and money and water to get that golf course lawn.
Try to water in the early mornings. You want the water in the soil before it gets too hot. Watering at night will promote damaging fungus on your lawn.
Water is the most important, (and most neglected), part of a healthy lawn. If you can't or won't water between the raindrops, don't bother with fertilizer as it will be wasted. Use preemergent once in the spring and spot treat for weeds as needed.
Plan on spending $500-$1000 an acre, (or more), for a perfect lawn with fert, weed control, mowing, trimming, aerating and watering. How much depends on how much you do yourself and your local climate.
If you can afford it, put in a programmable underground sprinkler system. It will save you time, water and hassle.