Do you often wonder why the grass is literally greener on the other side? Making a lawn pristine, healthy, and groomed takes extensive care and effort. There is much more to maintaining the grass than planting grass seed, watering, and mowing every week. If you feel like you’re doing everything you can to keep your lawn healthy and still haven’t found the solution, you may likely be victim to some lawn care mistakes that are easy to make. The first step is learning what they are.
1. Too Much Fertilizer
Yes, your grass can be too ‘healthy.’ If you overuse fertilizer, you’ll ‘overdose’ it with the nutrients it needs. Fertilizers often contain minerals and nutrients like salt and nitrogen that are great in small amounts but can kill in large quantities.
These minerals build up in your lawn and can keep your grass from growing completely. Excess fertilizer might be the culprit if you don’t have pets and you see consistent yellowing or browning of your grass. The appropriate amount of fertilizer will depend on the fertilizer, yard size, and grass species. One pound of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet is the general recommendation. Check your fertilizer brand for more tailored instructions.
2. Dull Mower Blades
As you use your lawnmower to cut grass, the blades will wear over time, causing them to be blunt and ineffective at cutting grass cleanly. You can even shred your grass instead of slicing it, which can cause poor lawn health.
Lawns always need time to heal after each mow, but uneven cuts with dull mower blades require even more time. During recovery, the lawn can be exposed to overdrying or invasive pests. Many homeowners ignore blade replacements for lawnmowers until it is too late and their lawn is dry and brown. As a rule of thumb, it’s generally recommended to sharpen or replace a lawnmower blade at least once a year or every 25 hours of lawnmowing use. Your mower’s blade should be easy to locate and replace or sharpen. If not, you may want to consider purchasing a more versatile mower. If you’re asking, ‘What do I look for in lawn mowers for sale near me?’ You want to research how accessible the mower’s blades are and if they offer affordable replacements.
3. Overwatering
You don’t need to water your grass too much. If you overwater your grass, the roots are more likely to become shallow instead of deep. Shallow roots are more prone to rot, disease, and destruction than deeper roots. Wet grass also fosters an excellent home for funguses, which can kill your grass or reduce its vibrancy. Brown patches can be attributed to overwatering, too. In general, it’s recommended to water your grass in twenty-minute sessions three times a week, but this will depend on your grass and climate.
If you get a lot of rain, you may want to water less. If you are in a drought, your grass may need more. A good way to test if you need to water is to step on your grass. If you see footsteps, you may need to water. Your steps should spring back up after you step on your grass in adequately hydrated soil.
4. Cutting Too Short
Cutting your lawn short may seem like a good idea to save time and effort on your next mow, but you can harm your grass. The grass blades are the entire plant’s source of food and energy from the sun. When you cut it too short, it doesn’t have as much access to receive food and nutrients from the sun. Without adequate food from the shortened blades, the grass must use emergency energy reserves to stay healthy and fed.
You can stunt your grass’s growth and starve your lawn this way. It may take a very long time for the grass to recover after being cut too short, as it will take longer to grow back and may not at all if cut too short repeatedly. The rule of thumb is to keep grass lengthsbetween two to two-and-a-half inches for warm and three to four inches for cool seasons. Research your specific grass type and climate for more accurate measurements, however.
I’m 5. Not Checking the Soil
Your yard’s soil plays a huge role in your lawn’s health. Many homeowners will maintain their lawns correctly but fail to check the soil for issues. Healthy soil should hold moisture well but also have decent drainage when there is excess. The pH level should usually be between six to seven, with no excess alkalinity or acidity. Soil should be free of hazardous or excess chemicals that can stunt grass growth. You can test your soil’s pH and health at home or at your local Department of Agriculture. You can raise or lower the soil’s pH with various natural ingredients, like lime for raising pH or sulfur for lowering, but be careful about quantities and check the pH regularly.