GET  THIS WEEKEND

 - 5 EASY STEPS TO A BEAUTIFUL LAWN

There is no magic pill to get a better lawn, however there are some basic steps you can follow that will give you the best results. Here then are the 5 basic steps to help anyone achieve a beautiful lawn.

n  GET YOUR MOWING HEIGHT RIGHT
One of the most fundamental steps to a  perfect lawn is getting the mowing height right for your type of lawn and for the season.
                          
Spring and Early Fall
Most grasses do best with a length of 2 - 3".

Summer
Set your length even higher. Never go below the minimum 2”.  Mowing height is important because the grass uses the extra length to absorb the sunshine it needs to grow and develop into a healthy plant.

Don’t Just Mow on Saturdays
You never want to remove more than 1/3 at any one mowing.  

Leave the Clippings on the Lawn After You Mow
This not only saves time and energy, but the clippings decompose and adds nutrients into the soil.  Clippings remains have similar effects as a bag of fertilizer. 

n  IT'S NOT THE SIZE OF THE MOWER, BUT THE CONDITION OF THE BLADE
A dull blade tears the grass apart. Look at the grass a few days after mowing. If   the blade is dull you'll notice a uneven brown line across the tip of the cut grass.  These uneven edges caused by a dull mower blade make it more difficult for the grass to fight off pests and disease.  You should sharpen your blade at least twice a year.

n OVER WATERING YOUR LAWN CAN BE WORSE THEN LACK OF WATER
Most turf grasses can handle dry spells, but not flooding. Most grasses require 1 - 1.5" of water per week. This is enough water to moisten the soil to 4 - 6" below the surface for clay soils and 8 - 10" for sandy soils.

n  DON'T GUESS AT HOW MUCH WATER YOUR LAWN IS GETTING 
Purchase  a rain gauge. Check to see how much it rained during the week, and extra water only if needed.

n   GIVE YOUR LAWN A REGULAR BALANCED DIET - BUT NEVER OVER-FEED IT
Only four balanced fertilizer applications a year is plenty: spring, summer, early fall and after the first frost. If you're in drought conditions, skip the summer feeding.

n  CONSISTENT MAINTENANCE IS KEY
Preventing problems is better than having to correct them. Repair bare spots as needed. Spot treat for weeds with the right herbicide following label directions. Use pre-emergent herbicides for most grassy-type weeds like crabgrass.

Soils can become compacted in high-traffic areas or in areas that have mostly clay soils. Have your lawn aerated once a year, preferably in the fall when soil temperature is around 60 degrees.
That's it. Pretty simple actually and easy to follow.