Tips for Caring for a Healthy and Weed-Free Lawn

Fill in Empty Spots

Many lawns suffer from empty spots that definitely interfere with the aesthetic perception of the area. There are several ways to fix this issue. The slowest approach is to address the cause of the empty spot and wait for the area to fill in naturally. A much more effective solution is to install lawn grass from The Grass Store so you don't have to spend extra time restoring new grass. You still need to ensure the same problems won't lead to the death of new grass, but the advantage is that you won’t have to wait months or even years for the grass to slowly fill in empty spots.

Sharpen Mower Blades

Sharpening mower blades can be just as important as lubricating the hinges on decorative curtains, but there's a real reason to do it. When grass is cut with dull blades, more edge damage occurs. This causes stress, increasing the chances of disease development. Clean cuts heal easier for grass, leading to a healthier lawn.

Use Proper Herbicides

What makes a plant a 'weed'? In most cases, it's simply a plant that grows in the wrong place at the wrong time. Dandelions are usually considered weeds, even if they have beautiful yellow flowers and medicinal properties. When they appear in your uniform yard, they are definitely weeds. Even grasses like Bermuda grass can be considered weeds if they grow on a St. Augustine lawn.

Most herbicides are carefully designed to eliminate specific plants while leaving others alive. If you want to get rid of weeds on your property, make sure to use an herbicide designed for your needs.

Start Mowing More Frequently

If you haven’t optimized your mowing schedule, this tip probably applies to you. Usually people wait until the grass becomes a true jungle, then cut most of it and repeat the cycle. However, this really stresses the grass compared to more frequent mowing that removes less grass. Generally, you should cut about one-third of the lawn height at a time. For grass that should be around two inches tall, this means it can grow up to three inches in height. This might seem like an excessive mowing schedule, but in most cases it will only require you once a week.

Give Your Lawn the Right Amount of Water

How much water does your yard need? This will depend on the type of grass, as well as the climate where you live and current seasonal conditions. If this seems complicated, don't worry — it's actually not that difficult.

Firstly, find out how much water your grass needs; a simple Google search will give you the right answers. Most types of grass can withstand significant variations in water amounts, but each type has its optimal level. This is where it will be the healthiest and strongest — exactly what these tips are about.

Secondly, pay attention to temperature changes, droughts, seasonal shifts and so on. They will give you signals for adjusting the amount of water your lawn receives — another way to avoid stress on the grass.

Calibrate Irrigation Systems

To know how much water your lawn is receiving, you need to calibrate irrigation systems. This holds true whether you install irrigation systems yourself or use an automatic system. Again, it's simpler than it seems! Just take a plastic container and make a mark one inch from the bottom. Then place it under the irrigation system while it waters the lawn and track how long it takes to reach that one-inch mark. This will show how long irrigation systems need to deliver one inch of water, giving you much greater accuracy when watering your yard.

Fertilize Your Lawn

Nutrients are washed out of the soil over time, even with the best lawn care methods; it just works that way. Grass absorbs nutrients from the soil every day, and rain or watering washes nutrients beyond the root zone of grass. It's helpful for grass clippings from each mowing to decompose back into the soil, but this isn't necessarily a long-term solution.

The easiest way to add nutrients back into the soil is to use fertilizers, but it should be done thoughtfully. Before simply sprinkling or spraying any fertilizer on the lawn, you must conduct a simple soil test to determine which nutrients (if any) are deficient. Test strips are usually available at local garden centers, and fertilizers to address any soil deficiencies.

Aerate the Soil

Over time, any part of your yard under pressure becomes compacted. This makes it harder for grass to access oxygen, let alone form new roots. It can slow growth and make the lawn less resilient overall. Core aeration is the best solution, using a machine that makes small holes in the top layer of soil. This loosens the earth, making it easier for grass to breathe and grow new shoots.

Conclusion

Even if your yard isn’t in perfect condition, you might be closer to an amazing lawn than you think. Following these tips, your lawn will stay healthy and weed-free before you even notice.