A lush green lawn is a hallmark of a well-maintained property. But sometimes, even the most careful homeowners find that their grass is not growing as well as it could be.

Watering the lawn at the right time is important. Watering too often and for short periods encourages a shallow, weak root system.

Aeration

Aeration is a vital lawn care maintenance tip to keep your grass healthy. It involves perforating the soil with small holes so that air, water and nutrients can reach the roots of the grass. It also alleviates soil compaction that restricts the movement of essential components. Excessive lawn thatch or heavy organic debris buried under the surface of the soil can starve the roots of these important nutrients, further underscoring the importance of regular aeration.

Aerating the ground makes it softer so that the grass roots can grow deeper and more vigorously. A healthier root system helps the plant withstand environmental stresses such as drought and extreme cold. It also improves the drainage of soil, reducing puddles and runoff.

When done properly, aeration prevents thatch buildup by making it more difficult for the thatch to retain moisture. The process can be accomplished manually by poking holes in the lawn with a garden fork or by renting a machine that creates small plugs of earth, called cores, from the lawn. This can be a time-consuming job, but the benefits are worth it.

The best time to aerate your yard is during the growing season. The holes created by aeration allow the new grass to grow into the bare spots and fill in the holes left from the thatch. It also allows the grass to take in the nutrients it needs for good health and vibrant color.

Most people who want a lush, green yard invest in weed control and lawn care services. While a professional can take care of all these factors, many people choose to do some things themselves. If you are considering a DIY approach to your yard, it is a good idea to stock up on some basic lawn maintenance tools and equipment before getting started. Here are some items you will need:

Fertilization

Lawns require a lot of attention to grow into the lush, inviting greens we all want. Standard lawn maintenance services like grass cutting and weed control help keep lawns looking good, but they are not enough to promote true healthy lawns. To really get your lawn into great shape, you need to invest in fertilization and other specialized services like core aeration and grub control.

The right timing for fertilization is crucial for a beautiful lawn. The exact fertilization schedule depends on the type of grass in your lawn, climate and mowing practices. Many lawn care professionals recommend beginning with a soil test to determine what nutrients are present in the soil and which are lacking.

In addition to determining the best time for fertilization, you need to choose the right type of fertilizer. Fertilizers are usually comprised of three primary elements: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (also known as NPK). Organic-based fertilizers containing meal byproducts like blood, feather, and bone meal work well in warm weather because they release their nutrients slowly, which helps to prevent scorching and burning of lawns.

Watering your lawn at the proper times is also important for a healthy yard. A lawn that is watered at the wrong time of day can encourage the growth of fungus and other diseases, which can damage or even kill turf.

A fungicide treatment can help control fungus and other lawn diseases that can affect the health of the plant. Some of the most common diseases include snow mold, fairy rings, and red thread. A lawn care service should offer a preventative fungicide treatment to prevent the spread of these disease outbreaks.

When choosing a lawn fertilizer, look for products that have uniform particle sizes. This will make it easier for rotary spreaders to evenly distribute the nutrient across the entire lawn surface. Avoid granular fertilizers that contain large amounts of dust and broken clumps because they are not as easy to handle and will not spread evenly. It is also important to avoid applying fertilizer during a heat wave or when the ground is already wet from rain, frost, or snow. These conditions can bury or wash away the fertilizer before it has a chance to penetrate into the root zone of the grass.

Weed Control

When weeds take over your lawn, they choke out the grass and prevent it from getting enough light and nutrients to grow properly. Regular mowing and frequent weeding with a weed eater or weed pulling tool will keep the weeds from growing and spreading their seeds in your yard.

A quality lawn care company will also overseed your lawn in the spring and fall to keep it thick and healthy. Overseeding will add better varieties of grass to your lawn that have a more resilient nature to resist stressors like drought or insects. It will also help fill in bare areas from wear and tear from pets or foot traffic.

While there is a common tendency to think that all lawn care companies are the same, it is important to work with one that does a great job at weed control. Those that do not will give you a patchy, ragged looking lawn and ultimately waste your money.

Weed control methods can include cultural (picking weeds before they go to seed), chemical (using pre-emergent or post-emergent solutions) or even mechanical methods (pulling large weeds with a weed puller or digging out larger patches with a garden spade). Pre-emergent weed control solutions are applied in early spring when annual weed seeds begin to germinate.

The chemicals in these products work by blocking their cell membranes to keep the seeds from sprouting. Post-emergent herbicides are then used to treat weeds that have already emerged.

It is also a good idea to be vigilant about other types of weeds that can grow in your lawn such as ground ivy, creeping woodsorrel and nutsedge. These weeds can be very difficult to kill or remove.

In addition to weeds, lawn pests such as chinch bugs, sod webworms and grubs can cause major damage to your turf. A quality lawn service will monitor your property for these pests and treat accordingly when they are found. They will also instill a grub control program as grubs can destroy your entire lawn in short order if not addressed quickly. It is a much better idea to trust these services with your valuable property than to attempt them yourself.

Mowing

A healthy lawn requires regular mowing to keep it looking sharp. In fact, a well-manicured lawn gives your property great curb appeal, and also helps to improve the overall look of your home. Plus, it can help to keep city code enforcement officers off your backs when you get caught with a messy yard. But, mowing can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. Unless you have the necessary equipment, it may be difficult for most homeowners to complete this task without hiring an experienced professional.

A professional lawn care service can do the job far faster and more efficiently than most DIYers could on their own. Additionally, they have the necessary tools and equipment that are specifically designed for lawn mowing. In addition, a professional can aerate your yard with ease and precision to ensure that all parts of the grass are getting the proper air, water and nutrients. Aerating your lawn will improve its health and give it a rich green color that makes it stand out.

In addition, a lawn maintenance company can do other tasks to promote the health of your property. For example, they can weed the yard and scatter grass seed in bare areas to encourage growth. They can also cut the grass a little longer to prevent it from becoming too short in the heat of summer and to help it better withstand drought conditions.

Other standard lawn care services include blowing away organic debris and removing leaves. This is because leaving these materials on your lawn can lead to diseases or pest infestations. A good lawn care service will also blow away any grass cuttings to prevent them from becoming a health hazard.

They can also watch out for common outdoor pests like sod webworms and grub worms that can cause serious damage to your lawn. Keeping an eye out for these insects will not only save you money but also keep your yard healthy and attractive.