5 Rules for a Plush Summer Lawn

When considering home improvement projects that can add value to your home, increase curb appeal and even help it sell faster if a sale is your goal, don’t forget to pay attention to your landscaping and particularly your lawn.

Start with filling in any dead spots, especially in front of the house.

Following a few simple rules should help you achieve a greener and more luscious lawn.  As temperatures soar and we reach for sunscreen to protect our skin from damaging rays, did you know that our lawns need protecting from sun damage as well?

These lawn healthy habits could help yours maintain a lovely shade of green all summer!

1. A main reason lawns brown is due to being cut too short! A plush lawn is plush because of longer grass blade length.  Raise your mower blade to between 2-3 inches.  The extra length has immediate healthy effect on your lawns look and feel:

• Longer blades of grass trap more moisture down on the roots where it’s needed most
• Those plush blades stop the morning dew from evaporating so quickly
• A little length will help the blades absorb sunlight, maintaining healthy roots

2. Keep those mower blades sharp! Not only does this make mowing easier, it’s healthier for your grass, too:

• Sharp blades cut rather than tear. It not only looks more uniform, but torn grass is more susceptible to fungal diseases

3. Water as needed, rather than on a set schedule, always following any local restrictions. Your lawn only needs about 1 inch of moisture per week for optimal health: 

• The best time to water is in the morning for minimal evaporation
• If it rains a good soaking rain, you can skip watering that week

4. Break fertilizer applications up throughout the season rather than doing it all at once
5. Use pesticides sparingly, as they may be more trouble than they’re worth

Your local marketing specialist will tell you that maintaining a healthy lawn isn’t just pretty to look at and pleasant to play on, that increased curb appeal will enhance the value of your home when the time comes to sell.