To some people, there is no better symbol of warm days and relaxation than a fresh, green lawn. Whether as a good place to lay a picnic blanket, a safe ground for sprinkler running, or as a border between dazzling garden spaces, a lawn is an elegant, comforting, and useful garden feature. Growing a healthy lawn can prove perplexing to novices, who may be tempted to pull the whole mess up and install gravel instead. Yet with a few great lawn care tips, the verdant carpet of a homemaker's dreams may be only weeks away.
One of the most important lawn care tips is to regulate watering. Lawns can die of thirst, certainly, but they can suffer even more damage through over watering. Most grasses require less than two inches (5 centimeters) of water per week. Purchasing a water or rain gauge can help ensure that the lawn is getting the proper amount of water. Rain gauges are available at many home and garden stores and nurseries, and can save the gardener an incredible amount of trouble by accurately measuring soil moisture.
Lawn care tips about fertilization can vary depending on the type of grass used and the surrounding climate. Like most other plants, grass requires nourishment to grow, and the healthy nutrients in fertilizer allow grass to flourish throughout the growing season. Most experts recommend fertilizing the lawn at least three times per year, although some lawn care tips suggest that the best lawns are fertilized five or six times annually.
Laying down fertilizer is not enough to ensure a healthy, growing lawn. Some important lawn care tips involve what to do once fertilizer is in place. For instance, do not fertilize the lawn during droughts or water-rationing periods. In order to work, fertilizer must undergo several heavy waterings and will dry out and prevent nourishment from reaching plants if too little moisture is present. Consider talking to a professional local gardener or nursery employees to get more lawn care tips regarding proper fertilization for the area and type of grass present.
Lawns are environmentally friendly, and work to absorb carbon dioxide and lower ground temperature. If the lawn at home is thriving, consider donating time to help improve the lawns of other people. Some organizations work with local gardening centers and nurseries to provide lawn and garden care for active military personnel and hospitalized or debilitated seniors. In addition to giving less-experienced gardeners a chance to beg for lawn care tips from experts, this is a great way to help the community and do charitable work that benefits both individuals and the environment.
