Lawn maintenance is a hot topic this time year. This is when Atlanta lawns are looking lush, vibrant green, and very inviting.
While riding through our Buckhead Atlanta neighborhoods, I am reminded of author Tom Wolfe’s expression in Man in Full about our lawns, “heaving bosoms of green”.
Keith Blanchard with the Wall Street Journal (April 15,-16) wrote a marvelous article, “What the State of Your Lawn Says About You,” that sums up man’s obsession with lawns.
If you have an interest in a beautiful lawn, whether you tend it or someone else does the work, here are my ten tips to a beautiful lawn. (And, at Gardens to Love, we are always delighted to take care of your lawn for you. We offer full service landscape maintenance and garden care, just ask.)
My tips for a lawn you can love:
1.) Feed it. Use organic fertilizer, as much as possible, for your lawn maintenance.
As tempting as it can be to use whatever might be available or the fertilizer du jour, organic makes a truly beautiful difference in the care and feeding of your lawn.
2.) Don’t irrigate it too much. Wait until early June to start watering.
Too dry and your lawn is likely to get brown patches, too wet and you’ll see that glorious green turn into a sickly yellow. Lawn maintenance is as much art as science and you need both.
3.) Provide plenty of air flow and good drainage.
Like all living things of beauty, a healthy lawn needs to breathe and drain well.
4.) Not too much shade, at least 6 hours of sun per day.
Too much shade and you’ll get moss or muddy bald looking spots because grass needs sunlight to grow well. This is more about where you are planting and the type of grass seed you sow.
5.) Some weeds are ok. They prevent rampant fungus growth.
Not all weeds are bad, and some can even be pretty to look at. (I remember blowing the tops off dandelions as a little girl, betting you’ve taught yours to make wishes that way too.)
6.) Cut the grass at the appropriate height, at the appropriate time.
Regular lawn maintenance that includes proper grass cutting is essential to a healthy lawn.
7.) Leave the clippings on the lawn to feed itself.
This is some of the very best organic fertilizer you can feed your lawn and it’s incredibly easy to come by. Lawn maintenance done organically recycles all the debris as food for your lawn.
8.) Don’t blow the grass. All that debris feeds the grass. See tip no. 1
Change your view of lawn maintenance, don’t see that as debris to be done away with, instead see it as nature’s dessert for your lawn.
9.) Let it grow, it doesn’t always have to be cut every week, especially when it is really hot.
Leaving it a bit longer will protect it from getting scorched in our peak summer months and keep it looking lush much longer.
10.) Appreciate it and all the effort that someone gives for your lawn to be beautiful.
Whether that someone is you, or you work with us on your lawn maintenance, enjoy your lawn for the landscape foundation it is.
We welcome your inquiries about our lawn maintenance and landscape care services.
The idea of using lawn clippings as fertilizer is so smart! That way, you can save money and recycle at the same time! I think it is great to recycle and take care of the environment, and this seems like a great way to do it! Plus, I am sure my lawn will look better because of it.
If you need to let your lawn grow, how often should I let it grow? I usually mow once a week, but it would be nice to do it only every once in a while. That way I don’t have to worry about getting outside so much to mow. It can be difficult and time-consuming when I have other things to do.
I think our biggest issue is having too many trees that cast heavy shade on most of our lawn. You could probably add to the fourth point that if the shade comes from trees, you might also have a leaf problem. Our yard is rectangular, and the back fence lines an edge of a complex of apartments, so we like having the tall, skinny trees for privacy. But those trees are much bigger than they were 15 years ago, and our yard is shaded most of the day. The grass has difficulty growing in many areas.
Great tips! I love organic fertilizer!
These are great tips! Lawn maintenance is so important and it surprises me how many people ignore it. I like your tip number 10. If people would put forth just a little more effort then they’d truly enjoy their landscapes! Great read!