Top Penny-Pinching Lawn Care Tips

Save Money on Lawn Care & Still Have a Nice Yard

If you're looking for ways to stretch your dollar and still have a green and beautiful yard, take heart. There are some penny-pinching projects and tips that will help you save a dollar or two while still maintaining a nice yard. Some of them involve your time and energy, but they'll pay off nicely in the future. Others involve doing basic things right or foregoing some frills.

Let's take a look at what you can do to keep some money in your pocket (or purse) this year when it comes to yard care:

• Let your lawn grow a little longer. It's okay if you don't mow quite as often - it won't hurt your lawn, it saves some gas and it even saves a little wear and tear on your mower. When you do mow, however, it's very important to cut only one-third the length of the grass in any single mowing. Don't let your lawn grow up and then scalp it. This will damage your lawn, causing weed and pest problems. For more information on mowing read: How to Mow Your Lawn Correctly.
• Fertilize when it will do the most good. Fertilizer can be expensive, especially if you have a large yard. If you don't want to part with the money to fertilize as often as recommended for your area, fertilize at least once - when it will do the most good. This means when the grass is actively growing. In the North, apply the fertilizer in early fall, and in the South, apply it in mid-summer. Watch this easy how-to video on fertilizing.
• Use your grass clippings wisely. Instead of bagging your grass clippings, leave them behind when you mow as a natural fertilizer. A light layer of clippings is okay. If you have a mulching blade on your mower, this is done automatically. If you do bag your clippings, use them as mulch in your flower or vegetable garden beds or start a compost pile (more on this later).
• Maintain your equipment. For your mower, do preventive maintenance once a year. Change the oil, clean or replace the spark plug, and change the filters. Use a fuel preservative so the gasoline won't go stale, which it does in about 30 days. Thirty minutes of maintenance can save you hundreds of dollars in repair bills. Learn more on how to tune-up your mower.
• Make your own compost. This costs nothing but a little time as opposed to purchasing bags of compost at the garden center. It's easy. Start a pile that includes most leftovers from your meals (excluding meat and bones). Add coffee grounds, eggshells, vegetable peels and yard waste such as leaves and grass clippings. Keep it damp and stir it occasionally and you will have nutrient-rich compost in a few months.
• Let nature water your lawn. Your lawn needs about one inch of water a week to thrive and be green. If water is costly where you live, let nature handle irrigation. If too little rain falls, your lawn may go dormant, but it will green up when the rain falls again.
• Maintain garden tools. Maintenance takes minutes and can save you the cost of replacement for several years. Wipe off your implements after you use them. Remove rust with steel wool or by applying rust remover such as naval jelly (read directions on container). Store your shovels, spades, rakes and other garden tools away from moisture - hanging them is best.
• Patch your lawn with your lawn. If you have a small patching job to do, forego purchasing an entire roll of sod and find a hidden area of your yard where you can remove some of your own turf to use.
• Need equipment? Buy quality and look now. Late summer deals are everywhere when it comes to lawn and garden equipment, from mowers and tillers to hoses and flowerpots. Buy quality - it will last longer and help you get the job done right.
• Start a garden. When you are working in your yard, always think ahead. Now is a good time to start preparing a garden bed for next year. And you can still plant some crops that will mature by fall. Growing your own food, is not only economical, it's fun!