Spending time with your family and friends in your yard can inspire some of your most memorable memories. The outdoors is a great place to entertain guests, play with your kids and pets, or just enjoy life. However, achieving and maintaining a beautiful, lush lawn is not an easy job. It entails a lot of crucial tasks, and making a simple mistake or neglecting the space can result in the need for total lawn renovation.
One of the essential tasks involved in lawn care is weed control. If weeds overpower the healthy grass, it will be too difficult to get rid of the former. So as soon as you notice weeds growing in your yard, deal with them immediately. Experts in lawn care in Liberty Township, OH emphasize that poor maintenance weakens healthy turf, making it susceptible to weed invasion.
A great way to reduce the weed population and prevent extensive invasion is to implement an integrated weed management program. It may be impossible to eradicate weeds totally, but they can be kept at tolerable levels. Proper lawn maintenance is essential to keeping your yard healthy and looking vibrant.
Weed management before planting turf
If you are planting new turf in your yard, there are ways to ensure that it will grow and thrive.
Prepare the planting site properly
A healthy, beautiful lawn starts with a well-prepared site, so make sure to remove any existing vegetation before planting. For instance, cultivate the soil and remove stems, tubers, and rhizomes by raking them off.
Soil solarization is another brilliant way of preparing the planting area. For excellent results, this process is best done when solar radiation is high or during the summer.
Amending the soil with nutrients or organic matter can also boost the site’s health. Amendments will improve drainage, which is crucial in establishing a healthy root system and maintaining a vigorous yard. Lawns thrive best in soil with superb drainage, allowing for a smooth flow of water, nutrients, and oxygen.
Choose the right type of grass
Turf comes in different species – some thrive best during the cool season while others flourish in the warm season. Generally, cool-season variants will require more water as opposed to warm-season grasses in the same site.
When choosing an appropriate grass type, pick a kind that can withstand your location’s weather condition. Planting inappropriate grasses will make your yard prone to weed invasion, thus requiring more intensive lawn maintenance. Also, plant the grass at the right time – cool-season grasses must be planted in early autumn or spring while warm-season grasses must be planted mid-spring or mid-summer.
Weed control in established lawns
It is common for weeds to grow even in well-prepared sites. You have to remove weeds by hand as soon as you notice them growing to prevent a more extensive invasion. Keep the weeds under control by performing routine lawn care and maintenance.
Irrigate properly
Poor irrigation practices will weaken the grass, so maintain even water coverage at all times. Areas that haven’t been properly watered will result in dead or dry spots. Once the sprinkler heads become obstructed or broken, replace them immediately.
Water requirements differ depending on the grass type and the climate. Cool-season grasses require more watering, especially during the hot season, while warm-season turf will only need to be irrigated weekly or bi-weekly. Ideally, turf should be watered deeply enough to infiltrate the soil.
Mow at the right height
Every grass type has a precise mowing-height requirement. Mowing too short will deteriorate the grass and invite weed growth. On the other hand, mowing the grass higher than its height requirement will reduce water penetration.
Ideally, you should not remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade every time you mow. If you remove too much leaf blade, the grass would take some time to recover. The weeds will then have the opportunity to invade.
Feed the right type and amount of fertilizer
Fertilizer is the primary ingredient in maintaining a healthy, lush lawn. Here are important rules for lawn fertilization:
- Fertilize your lawn at the right time, which is during spring when the soil’s temperature is just right for the grass to grow.
- Know what the numbers on the label represent.
- Water your lawn based on the fertilizer label. Some fertilizers require the lawn to be soaked before application.
- Use the right spreader to ensure that fertilizers are spread evenly.
- Don’t over-apply. Applying fertilizer in excessive amounts will kill the grass.
- Sweep all stray fertilizer and collect excess granules so the rain won’t wash them away.
Feeding your lawn is a crucial task that keeps the grass healthy. But if you don’t know how to do it properly, experts in lawn care in Mason, OH and elsewhere can help you. These pros know what products to use, as well as when and how to apply them. Also, they can provide you with the right kind of fertilizer so you don’t have to purchase and store these chemicals at home. This way, your kids and pets will never have access to them.
Aerate regularly
Over time, the soil can get compacted, especially in heavy traffic areas. Compaction will limit the flow of water, essential nutrients, and oxygen to the roots, leading to weed invasion.
Thus, it would be best if you alleviate compaction by aerating your lawn regularly. Lawns with low foot traffic should be aerated at least annually, while lawns with heavy traffic or on clay soils should be aerated more frequently. Keep your eyes on the holes created by the aerating device because weeds can flourish there.
Invest in professional lawn care services
If weeds get out of control, hiring experts to get rid of them is an excellent move. Lawn care pros have the right knowledge, skill, and equipment to remove weeds while ensuring that healthy grass is unharmed.
Moreover, experts may recommend partial or complete lawn renovation, depending on the extent of the weed proliferation. Caring for an unhealthy yard is just a waste of your time, money, and effort.
To prevent your yard from being overcome by these unwanted visitors again, you might want to invest in professional lawn care and maintenance services. Experts can take care of everything – from mowing to fertilization to weed control. With these expert services, you are assured that you will be enjoying a lush, healthy yard all year round.