Keeping A Healthy Lawn
Water deeply but only occasionally (let the top 2 inches dry out between waterings), mow high (above 3 inches) and leave the clippings, change mowing direction each time, use a fertilizer around a 3:1:2 nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio with no number above 10, fertilize in late fall, and aerate once a year in fall or spring.
A beautiful lawn doesn't require a ton of work or chemicals. Careful watering, mowing and fertilization keep your lawn healthy, along with annual de-thatching and aerating. With the right approach, your lawn can be healthy enough to resist disease, weeds and drought.
Tip 1: Water occasionally but thoroughly
Deep roots keep your lawn healthy, and heavy watering on occasion promotes root growth. After watering, let the top 2 inches of soil dry out before the next watering. The exact amount of water needed per week depends on the grass type and season. Watering late in the evening or early in the morning reduces water lost to evaporation during the warmer hours.
Tip 2: Mow at the highest setting on your mower
Cutting grass taller (above 3 inches) is very important for lawn health, especially in summer. Taller grass shades the ground, which blocks weed sprouts and promotes beneficial microbe growth. Leaving the grass taller also helps root growth, which strengthens disease resistance. Leaving the clippings on the lawn after mowing returns nutrients to the soil.
Tip 3: Change your mowing direction
Mow in a different direction (or pattern) than your last mow to help the grass grow more evenly.
Tip 4: Choose a good fertilizer
The three numbers on a fertilizer bag are the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen matters most for your lawn and should be higher than the other two (a 3:1:2 ratio is ideal). Avoid fertilizers with any number higher than 10, since these can easily burn your lawn.
- Ideally, choose a mix of 30-50% slow-release and 50-70% fast-release fertilizer. This gives the lawn an instant boost and keeps adding nutrients over the next few weeks.
- Organic fertilizers are better than synthetic fertilizers, since they improve soil health as well.
Tip 5: Fertilize your lawn
If you don't have a fertilizer spreader, rent one from a tool rental company. A drop spreader works best for small lawns. A broadcast (rotary) spreader saves time on large lawns, but keep it away from lawn edges, water sources, and vegetable and flower gardens to avoid pollution. Follow the instructions on the spreader and the fertilizer package. Fertilize once a year, preferably in late fall when cool weather promotes root growth.
- To avoid stripes of uneven color, set the spreader to half the recommended setting and walk the lawn twice, in two sets of rows at right angles to each other.
- Put on gloves and hand-spread fertilizer in corners, edges and small, tight areas so it does not land outside the lawn.
- If you want the perfect lawn, you may fertilize three or four times per growing season, but it's easy to burn the lawn or cause excessive quick growth this way. For advice specific to your climate, contact your local university extension.
Tip 6: Aerate your yard in fall or spring
Annual de-thatching and aeration are very important for lawn health. Once a year, remove plugs of soil with a lawn aerator that has ½ inch (1.25 cm) tines, to a depth of 3 inches (7.5 cm), passing over the lawn until you have about 8 plugs per square foot (88 per square meter). This fights soil compaction, disease and thatch buildup.
- Aerate while the soil is on the dry side, but just wet enough for the tines to penetrate.
Common questions
How high should I mow my lawn?
Above 3 inches. Taller grass shades out weeds, encourages deeper roots and improves disease resistance, especially in summer.
What fertilizer ratio is best for a lawn?
Nitrogen should be the highest number. A 3:1:2 nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio is ideal, and avoid any number above 10, which can burn the lawn.
When should I aerate my lawn?
Once a year in fall or spring, while the soil is on the dry side but wet enough for the tines to go in. Aim for about 8 plugs per square foot, 3 inches deep.
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