Five Common Lawn Mistakes

A beautifully manicured yard is something all of us can appreciate and certainly something most of us would like to have. Achieving that beautiful yard may seem illusive, but it really does not have to be that difficult. Avoid these five lawn care mistakes and you will be well on your way to achieving a great yard.

1. Scalping the grass – Cutting the grass too short may be the number one lawn care problem. People tend to do this so they can cut their grass less frequently. Big mistake. Scalping your lawn can be devastating to the overall health of your yard - especially during periods of summer heat which can stress the lawn. When grass is cut too short, it is physiologically shocked as its ability to survive (absorbing sunshine through its leaves) has been temporarily interrupted. While the grass won't likely die, it will have a decreased ability to defend itself against diseases and insects. An even bigger issue is that scalping encourages weed growth. Light can more easily penetrate what's left of the lawn, providing an ideal environment for weed seeds to germinate.
2. A properly mowed lawn naturally decreases weed encroachment. This may help explain why more weeds are found around areas that are trimmed with a string trimmer, which is very prone to scalping if not operated properly. The best way to mow is to follow the 1/3 rule - never cut more than a third of the leaf blade off during any single mowing.
3. Over-watering – This is the second most common mistake. Over- watering wastes money and resources and is bad for turf grass development. A waterlogged soil will discourage root development as the roots cannot grow into soil pores filled with water. Wet ground and leaves also are the breeding ground for summer lawn diseases.
4. Watering properly involves timing, frequency and duration. While it is not possible to predict every lawn's watering needs due to different soils, grasses and environment, you can follow some general rules of thumb. Water early in the day to avoid evaporation. The sun will be up shortly to dry the lawn's surface, minimizing moisture-loving diseases. Assume you need once inch of water per week in the late spring and during the summer – be sure to count any rainfall into your total.