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Who Says The Grass Is Greener On The Other Side - How to Make Your Lawn Greener Than It's Ever Been!
from:It is in man's nature to be competitive. When it comes to homeownership, we are always striving to keep up with our neighbors. The front fronts of our homes and yards are on display for all to see. In fact, other people view where and how we live and maintain our properties has become a staple to the renovating homeowner. Our homes are not just a place to live and survive. It is our Castle! Our Domain! Our Kingdom!
We display our prosperity proudly to relish in our achievements in persuit of a nice home. This article is about the lawn that surrounds many homeowners homes and how to make that lawn compliment it. It is true that a poorly kept yard can affect the value of your property - by how much is up to you.
The lawn you maintain is the most noticable part of your property other than the house and garage. Homes with larger properties have even more grass to display. The look of your grass can also vary from week to week as the season progresses. A lush vivid green lawn at the beginning of the growing season can turn into a drab patch of thatch at the end of the season if you don't look after it properly.
A friend of mine decided he didn't fertilize or water his grass because he was too busy and didn't want his lawn growing too quickly. Trust me, he has an ugly yard. If your lawn is dull and looks worse than a shag rug, then a well looked after lush green lawn can overtake your senses. It's like watching a movie on TV and then going to the IMAX Theater. A beautifully crafted lawn will surely have a surreal effect.
So how do you make your grass greener on your side of the fence?
For starters, read other related artices like this. There's a lot of information out there. But if your juices are starting to flow, that's OK. Spring is here and there's still time. The trees will bud soon and you will be ready to have the greenest and greatest lawn you've ever had.
To digress from the main article for a minute I would like to tell you a little about an article I read in the newspaper in May 2006. The subject was about grass that never needs to be cut. Imagine that. A high profile medical institute did gene experiments that led it into the plant world and they came up with the notion of designing grass that grows only as tall as you want. The genes in the grass would be genetically tweaked to control a hormone that tells the grass how to grow. According to the institute, "no-mow" grass may be growing in your yard soon.
In thinking about the warm weather to come (if you live in the souther States, I'm jealous), you should start to develop a game plan and decide how you are going to do care for your lawn. How have you done this in the past? How will you improve? How have other people in your neighborhood cared for their lawns. Remember, people love to show off their yards. They may be glad to give you some pointers. The point is to gather as much information ahead of time before the growing season starts. Lawns will start to turn green before leaves start to form on trees, so it will be even more noticable.
One person's lawn will probably look differently than the neighbor's lawn. If ytheir lawn is greener than yours, it's probably because he fed and waterd their lawn with just the right amount of water and just the right amount and type of food. The amount and type of nutrients in your lawn could determine the quality of your lawn. The way that lawns are cared also adds to its quality.
If you mow your lawn too often and keep the grass blades too short, you're in effect making it more difficult and more stressful for you lawn to grow properly. Mowing your lawn regularily and the proper height allows nutrients from the soil to be given to the grass. The small amount of grass blades left behind after mowing acts like fertilizer as well as a small cushion from the elements.
Sometimes simple maintenance is not enough. Sometimes it doesn't matter how much care you provide for your lawn. Taking all the important steps you need to have a nicer lawn just doesn't matter. Outside factors may come into play that is totally out of your control. For one you can't control certain conditions like the weather. It may be too severe one year and wreck all your hard work.
Secondly, the location of your lawn may not be right for that perfect lawn. Perfect lawns require perfect conditions. If too much shade is present, not enough sunlight can get through to provide the energy your lawn needs for healthy growth. This can eventually lead to the grass dimming out.
If a tree is preventing sunlight from reaching the grass, you can trim the branches to allow more sunlight to come in. That's what I did for my Mom. The trees on the East side of our yard were blocking the morning sun, so I trimmed the lower branches to provide plenty of sunlight for our lawn and garden. You may also try using lawn seed specially made for the shade.
Exceptions and uncontrolable conditions aside, doing relatively simple maintenance on your lawn like proper watering and proper mowing and aeration of your yard will go a long way toward a healthier and greener looking lawn.
Another thing to consider is the amount of traffic moving (or should I say mowing) through your lawn. People, by nature it seems like to take the shortest path possible between Point A and Point B. They don't even think twice about walking over other peoples lawn. Too much movement over your grass can cause the aeration that is needed for the soil to not move right. It becomes more compact. This can cause the grass to have an oxygen deficiency and may also prevent water from permeating throughout the soil beneath your lawn. If you do have a lot of foot traffic, aerating your lawn can be an especially beneficial treatment for your lawn.
If you notice that the soil is compact, or if there are flat places on the lawn, then you know it is time to start aerating your lawn. Hint - Don't do this in the middle of summer, as it can tend to stress the grass a little too much. In preparation for your yard to become green, it is best to aerate your lawn once in the spring (before it gets too warm outside) and possibly in the autumn before it gets too cold.
As I mentioned above, making your grass greener also involves proper watering techniques. If you water your lawn at the right time and in the right amount you you can't help but have a nice green lawn. The best for watering is in the early morning, as water will be able to move through the soil and soaking the root system instead of evaporating by the sun's heat.
It is also important to make sure to water your lawn evenly throughout your yard, instead of in patches. An easy way to do this is to use an irrigation system or a yard sprinkler for your yard. It is also important to make sure that the soil does not stay too wet or become too dry inbetween your scheduled waterings. It's just like for human beings. If we drink water slowly throughout the day, we will never become dehydrated. Again, proper watering techniques can prevent your lawn from becoming stressed to the point your beautiful lawn isn't so beautiful anymore.
Another point you should be aware of in getting and maintaining your lawn so it becomes greener is to make sure that lawn thatch and other debris aren't taking over your yard. It happens to me every spring. The winds begin to turn bring showers and warmth to the land. Those winds can get pretty strong sometimes, cluttering my yard with paper, branches and other junk. This may mean taking your rake out more often to consistently clean debris and remove thatch that is over a half-inch long from your yard. This will allow for more effective aeration to move through the grass, as well as allow water and other nutrients to move freely through your lawn and the soil beneath.
The type of soil you use in your yard is also an important factor when considering the deepnes of the green color of your grass. The soil should have the right pH balance, as well as the right texture with the grains. If the soild is to acidic or out of pH balance, you can easily add enough compost or proper type of fertilizer to balance out the soil.
This will help with the proper nutrient requirement for your lawn because a pH test will tell you if adjustments need to be done to your soil so it is condusive to a healthy green lawn. The type of fertilizer you use to adjust the pH level of your lawn will depending on the type of soil, other possible lawn problems, and the time of year you're applying the fertilizer.
Other articles on this site touch on other aspects to a greener lawn, but in summary, mow your grass in the morning, and don't cut it too short. Try to keep your lawn to about 2 1/2 inches high and rake just enough grass clippings to keep your lawn from suffocating but not too much so as to let in the light, provide for natural fertilizer and also for some protection from adverse whether. Aeration of your yard during spring and fall is very beneficial for your lawn to grow healthy and lush.
And Finally, my favorite advice for a healthy, beautiful, lush green lawn - Put up a big sign that says "KEEP OFF THE GRASS"!
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