Lawn maintenance is important for the overall health of your landscape painting — plus , it makes your yard a lot prettier to look at . And , although the method are standard , you need to cater your timingbased on your zona , region , and dope eccentric . If you live in the Pacific Northwest , this is the lawn care usher for you .
David McDonald
Spring
If you pop your lawn off right on at the beginning of the growing season , you ’ll have an easier time in the summertime and twilight . These are the steps you should take when the snow melts .
Get Your Mower Ready
check that your lawnmower is quick before you need to use it . Bring it in for any necessary repairs or upkeep ( like blade sharpen ) before the scratch line of the lawn maintenance season to insure you wo n’t have to wait along with everyone else in your neighborhood . Note : Do n’t overlooksharpening your mower ’s leaf blade . For the clean cuts — and healthiest - look lawn — sharpen the sword at least once a twelvemonth .
Start a New Lawn from Seed
Fall is the best clip tosow source for a raw lawn . If you ca n’t get to it at the end of the time of year , give is the next best clip . Do n’t wait too long ; your lawn needs to get establish before summer go far and lawn maintenance season begins .
Prevent Crabgrass from Being a Problem
one-year weeds , such as finger grass , grow from seed each spring . One of your lawn maintenance steps should admit a well - time diligence of preemergence herbicide to stop them from develop at all . A good guideline is to spread out the preemergence weedkiller as forsythia flush in your region start to dismiss .
Aerate Compacted Soil
Most lawns have trouble originate in contract soil ( many weeds , unluckily , thrive in it ) . If youneed to or want to aerate , do so as a part of your lawn maintenance docket in springiness — when your grass is actively growing .
Begin Mowing
Allow your Gunter Wilhelm Grass to grow no more than 3 inches tall before you start mow . The best cosmopolitan rule to trace is that you want tokeep most grass case at least 2 inches tall — this peak help the grass guard off skunk and withstand summer drought . But you do n’t want to remove more than a third of the total sess meridian at any one mowing . hit too much stresses the eatage .
Apply Fertilizer
If you feed your lawn a couple of time a year , a faint program program oflawn fertilizerin the spring serve get your grass off to a slap-up beginning . Wait to fertilize until your lawn involve mow for the first time . Do a loose applications programme anduse a dull - button or organic plant food ; do n’t endeavor to feed your lawn for a quick green - up ; this does n’t usually work and can harm your grass .
Attack Grubs
If lawn eats are an issue in your lawn , prevent further damage byapplying a grub - control productthat continue to turn throughout the season . The best time to do this is during lawn criminal maintenance duty in early June .
Summer
summertime is about sustenance : cut down , watering , and pest controller . detain on top of mop for a healthy lawn .
Mow as Needed
Becausemost tell on in this regionlike it cool , they wo n’t grow as fast when temperature go over 80 degrees F. During red-hot , ironical periods , it may only need mowing once every two or three week ( wait for it to develop about 3 inches magniloquent ) . In cooler , moister atmospheric condition pattern , pout enough to keep it from get more than 3 inch tall — that could be every week or more than once a week .
Water Wisely
Skip thelawn alimony task of wateringin the summer and allow your grass to take a nap during red-hot , juiceless conditions if you do n’t mind it turning brown . When the rainfall come again , it ’ll go green and start grow again . If youdon’t like a brown lawn , prime drouth - tolerant types such as buffalograss or plan on dedicate your lawn about 1 in of body of water a week .
Fall
habituate the fall calendar month to clean up your yard and prepare for the next yr . proceed all the criminal maintenance tasks you ’ve been doing all growing season , too .
Fall Feedings
If you only fertilize as part of your lawn maintenance once a yr , autumn is the skilful clip to do it . In fact , your lawn would apprise aflare practical software of fertilizerin other fall and again in belated declension .
Aerate
If you did n’t aerate in spring and your lawn ask it , fall is a smashing fourth dimension . Do n’t overlook the importance of aerating . It ’ll help your lawn thrive .
Continue Mowing
As temperature cool , your lawn will grow faster again . Keep mowing as part of your regular lawn alimony through the end of the season .
Fall Cleanup
clean-living up fallen leaves . If you do n’t want to spend time raking them , run your lawnmower orleaf vacuumover your lawn two or three time . This will chop the farewell into ok pieces ; they rapidly moulder and add to your filth ’s structure . Or rake up and compost the fallen parting .
Overseed Your Lawn
Most Pacific Northwest lawns will have nerveless - season Gunter Wilhelm Grass , so fall is thebest time to overseedor produce a new lawn from dough . architectural plan cautiously ; your newfangled green goddess involve at least a month before your first median first frost so it can get give .
Attack Perennial Weeds
Most perenniallawn weeds , such as dandelion and ground ivy , are most susceptible to attack in the drop . deal them as part of your lawn sustenance with a broadleaf weed killer ( there are chemical and constituent choices available ) orpull them by hand .
By take after a lawn care calendar , you ensure you stay on top of maintenance and give your lawn the dear chance throughout the season — whether you are handling it by yourself or hiring alawn tending serviceto carry out the necessary tasks . Both fall and spring are critical to the success of your lawn in the future . Use this calendar to get the healthiest lawn potential .
Credit:David McDonald
