Common Lawn Care Mistakes That Homeowners Need to Avoid
Many people decide to manage their lawns all by themselves instead of hiring companies that offer professional and affordable lawn care services. However, if you’re maintaining your lawn all by yourself, you do have to be careful about the steps that you’ll take. Otherwise, you can commit mistakes that can threaten the health of your lawn, such as the following:
Mowing Too Low
Cutting your grass too short can lead to stressed grassroots, making it more challenging for your grass to grow and encouraging weeds to develop more readily as a result of weak patches in your lawn. It can also cause inadequate sunlight absorption, which can slow down plant food production and affect lawn growth and health. To avoid these issues, follow the one-third rule: never cut off more than a third of the grass height at once.
Over- or Under-Watering Your Lawn
Watering is essential for a healthy green space, but both extremes can be detrimental. Over-watering, for example, can cause shallow root systems due to insufficient oxygen supply, while under-watering hampers grass development and critical nutritional uptake. To strike the right balance, water your lawn deeply but infrequently (once or twice a week), ensuring an average of 1-1.5 inches of water per session.
Fertilizing at the Wrong Time or with Excessive Amounts
Fertilizers are necessary for promoting overall plant health and disease resistance. However, misapplication can lead to an increased susceptibility of your grass to pests and diseases, and it can even overload your lawn with nutrients and cause adverse effects on growth. Avoid these problems by following the recommended application rates and timings for specified fertilizers.
Ignoring Soil pH and Aeration
Soil compaction restricts root development by limiting vital air circulation, while an imbalanced pH level negatively impacts nutrient uptake and growth. To keep your lawn healthy and thriving, always ensure that you have well-aerated soil and that it has a balanced pH level. You can achieve these goals by aerating your lawn once a year or so and testing the soil pH frequently to determine if amendments like lime or sulfur are necessary.
Avoid the mistakes listed above to keep your lawn healthy! If you’ve decided to outsource your lawn maintenance needs, reach out to MJ Maintenance & Landscaping and take advantage of our professional and affordable lawn care solutions in Kaysville, UT. Call us now at (435) 220-7105!