Mike Ferrara, also known as The Lazy Homeowner, gives a brief summary of lawn-care techniques. If you have patches of lush green lawn interspersed with crabgrass and weeds, it's time for some basic lawn care. Fortunately, given proper care, a lawn will almost take care of itself. If you want a healthy lawn, you must perform four tasks regularly: - Dethatch to remove built-up layers of fallen grass blades
- Aerate so that oxygen, water and nutrients can get to the roots
- Fertilize to provide nutrients, and
- Reseed to create a dense stand of grass that will crowd out the weeds.
Aeration is the process of poking holes in the turf so water, oxygen and fertilizer can readily reach the root zone of the grass plants. Several tools may be used for aeration: a pitchfork, aeration shoes (figure A) or a power aerator, available at rental-supply stores. If your lawn is relatively small, you may be able to do the job with aeration shoes strapped to your regular shoes. Just walk back and forth across your lawn, punching holes as you go. Wear them while you mow your lawn, and perform two chores at once. To dethatch your lawn -- or remove the dead layer of grass that can prevent sufficient oxygen and moisture from reaching the roots -- you can use a thatching rake, rent a dethatching machine or add a dethatching attachment to your lawnmower (figure B), at a cost of about $100. To slow the buildup of thatch, bag your grass as you mow. Your lawn may have a thick thatch layer if irrigation water runs off rather than soaks in. After dethatching, you'll want to fertilize your lawn. Whether you choose an organic or inorganic product, always follow the manufacturer's recommended dosage instructions for best results, and water the lawn well after applying fertilizer. After applying fertilizer, overseed the lawn as needed so the turf will grow healthy and thick. If you're not sure which grass to use, call your county agricultural extension office for recommendations. Cool-season grasses do well in mild summer climates, and warm-season grasses thrive in heat. When you begin shopping for seed, check the label. Some mixes may contain weed seed, which will be listed. If the weed content is 0 or close to 0, the seed is of good quality. Also check the date on the bag to make sure the seed is fresh. Spring and summer maintenance chores include mowing. Set your mower blade at about 3" for cool-season grasses, lower for warm-season varieties. If you're not sure about the proper mowing height, consult your agricultural extension agent. Longer grass blades encourage roots to grow more deeply and protect your lawn from drought by shading the roots, which helps the soil retain moisture and discourages weed growth.
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