Lawn Tips for a Luscious Yard!

June 6, 2017

For a lawn that looks its greenest and healthiest, you need to do more than water and weed! We assembled some quick tips from the pros to help you grow a luscious lawn all summer!

CUTTING AND GROOMING

Cut it wrong and your yard will struggle to survive. Cut it right and you’ll make great gains during warm weather.

The pros agree, never mow off more than the topmost third at one time. Even if you left town for a month and your lawn is totally overgrown, still mow off just a third. After a couple of days, mow off another third. Why? Because each blade of grass supplies food for its brother and sister blades, and if you mow too low, some of the roots may die. They’ll also be less able to withstand drought or assaults by bugs and disease.

The optimum heights of various grasses are different, and while there is no one best grass recommended for Colorado lawns, Denver Water lists the seven most common varieties with the corresponding benefits and attributes of each.

LAWN MOWERS

Raise your hand if you’re grateful for technology that made pushing a 42-pound machine around on your lawn obsolete! (Insert raise-the-roof emoji here!)

Most gasoline and electric mower manufacturers make so-called mulching mowers that chop up the cut grass and leave the pieces on the lawn. While it’s always a good idea to leave grass clippings behind (they return nutrients to the soil as they decompose), the super-fine clippings that mulching leaves speeds up the decomposition process.

Blades ought to be sharpened at least once a year and to avoid dulling the blade, and don’t mow over thick branches or stones. When you cut your lawn with a dull blade it creates whitish or brown hued tips instead of that gorgeous green we all covet! Better Homes and Gardens offers a great guide to choosing a  mower that will fit you and your lawn.

REMOVING WILY WEEDS

From yarrow and sheep’s sorrel to dandelions and creeping thistle, HGTV.com identifies 12 stubborn and noxious weeds and the best ways to rid your yard of these intruders.

AERATION

If your lawn has dry and bald spots (if you can’t sink a pencil 4 to 6 inches into a moist lawn) it needs aeration. Aeration improves drainage, breaks up thatch, stimulates lawn growth, and boosts overall lawn health. A pair of aerator shoes from Amazon.com are $19 to $25 and will give new purpose to your morning walk. Experts agree that a thicker, healthier lawn will crowd out those wily weeds!

FERTILIZING

 This Old House recommends organic fertilizers for an effective boost during the growing season. These contain ingredients like seaweed for potassium, bone meal for phosphorous, and feather meal for nitrogen. Unlike conventional fertilizers, which deliver a heavy, instant dose of synthetic nitrogen (as well as phosphorous and potassium), organics provide an easier-to-handle diet of nutrients that are released more slowly. Just take care not to use too much – less is better!

WATERING

The city of Aurora has set watering guidelines according to your sprinkler system type, with precipitation measurements updated every Monday. The pros say the best time to water your lawn is one hour before sunrise, but if you don’t have an automatic sprinkler, you might want to set your alarm!

THE GREENING OF SOUTHSHORE

The late spring snow and warm, almost-summer weather has given a green hue to lawns in the master-planned community of Southshore. If you’re a homebuyer, stop in to explore the interior of the brand new models from Richmond American Homes and Century Communities‘ latest home designs at The Hills in Southshore! Live lakeside in a brand-new ranch or two-story home, priced from the upper $300s to the $700s.