Whether you plant grass from seed or lay sod, you are sure to want your lawn to grow and thrive for many years to come. One of the biggest keys to a lush, green lawn is to keep up with all necessary maintenance and care. Properly maintaining a lawn does take some time and effort, but you will be rewarded with a beautiful lawn that will look great all year long. Use the following tips to help you with your lawn maintenance:
Pay Attention to Watering
One of the most important factors to keeping your lawn healthy is to ensure that it receives enough water. If you have recently laid sod or you have a young lawn grown from seed, you will need to water your grass so it can develop a deep root system. If you do not have the time to stand outside and water your lawn yourself, you may want to use a sprinkler system. Make sure that you let the sprinkler run long enough to ensure that the lawn receives all of the water it needs. It is best to water your lawn in the early morning or late evening to help reduce water evaporation.
Don't Forget to Fertilize
In order for grass to grow in thick and green, it needs a number of minerals and nutrients. While most of the minerals and nutrients that grass needs can be found in the soil, even quality soil can become depleted over time. Perhaps the easiest way to make sure that your grass is getting all of the nutrients that it needs is by fertilizing it. If your lawn is large in size, it is in your best interest to invest in a wheeled lawn feeder so it is easier to spread the fertilizer evenly. Your grass should be watered immediately after fertilizing it in order to wash the minerals and nutrients into the soil, so either fertilize your grass right before a rainstorm or completely water the lawn with a sprinkler after fertilizing.
Utilize Grass Clippings
Many people attach a bag to the back of their lawn mower in order to catch the grass clippings. However, it can actually be much better for your lawn to allow the grass clippings to spread over the area while mowing. Grass clippings will eventually break down and decompose, at which point it will turn into natural food to help keep your grass growing.