To tune up your lawn it is good to do the following. One or more of the following may be applicable. How the lawn should be repaired really has a lot to do with what is causing the problems.

These are some things that can help

1) Thatching- especially if you have cool weather grasses, moss instead of lawn, or a lot of dead material in your lawn. Experts recommend thatching cool weather grasses once every 3 years.   (For on dethatching a lawn.) 

2) Aerating- this helps to soften hard soils. It also allows deepen penetration of air water and fertilizer into the soil. The main purpose of aeration is to allow roots to go deeper and eventually create thick, self-sustaining turf.

3) Regular mowing- never mow more than 1/3 of the blade at a time. The general rule is mow high, mow often. For more information see our article on mowing. Mow more frequently during peak growing seasons and less frequently during slow grow seasons.

4) Fertilizing often also helps maintain a thick healthy turf. With the advent of slow release fertilizers, one can usually get away with fertilizing every two months during periods of active growth. In the northwest, this would be about 4 times a year.

5) Top soil or topdressing is also a good idea, especially when the soil is lacking in organic material. It can also be very good to use when you are over seeding.

6) Over seeding. With cool weather grasses this is best to do in the spring or in the fall. With warm weather grasses it is best to over seed in the late spring or early summer. If it never gets cold where you live, we can overseed any time the grass is actively growing. The most important thing to remember when overseeding is to water your lawn daily and keep the grass seed and seedlings wet. This will affect the germination rate of the new seed.

]]> http://lawnrepairdiy.com/six-ways-to-do-lawn-repair/feed/ 3 http://lawnrepairdiy.com/how-to-properly-mow-a-lawn/ http://lawnrepairdiy.com/how-to-properly-mow-a-lawn/#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 05:25:18 +0000 spencer http://lawnrepairdiy.com/?p=21

Is your lawn a cut above the rest? The best way to drive your neighbors green with envy is to have healthier and greener lawn. To really make them change color, mow your lawn a half an inch higher than theirs and mow it more often. There are two mistakes most people make and some even do both. Most people mow their lawn to either too short or they don’t mow it very often.

A lot of people mow short so they won’t have to mow as often. Mowing a lawn to short is detrimental for two reasons. First, roots don’t grow very well when the grass is to short and second the grass can get burned or dried out very easily. Mowing the grass to short can also make it appear yellow. A short lawn will also respond slower to fertilizers.

Mowing a lawn infrequently allows the grass to get to long. Long grasses expound more energy on shoot and less on roots. In addition grass is less dense because each plant takes up more room. When you do mow the lawn short, the ending result is a lawn that looks sparse or patches and this is a perfect invitation for weeds.

Most grasses need to be mowed at a height of between 2 and 3 inches. (nearly 80 percent of lawns.) The generally rule with mowing is mow high and mow often. Never mow more then 1/3 of the blade at a time. Sometimes this may require you to mow twice a week, but following this rule is one of the best ways to keep your lawn and prevent weeds from invading.

Additional tips:

For cool weather grasses, Leave them a little longer in the summer. These may help your lawn retain moisture.

Another tip is to sharpen your mower and change the oil at least once a year. Having a sharp blade helps you prevent lawn diseases and change your oil helps your engine run longer. Some older engines should be checked for oil every time they are used. We suggest once a month.

Another tip is to mulch and not bag clippings on the lawn. Since clippings are 95% water they break down quickly and can serve to fertilize you lawn. If you are cutting more than 1/3 of the blade, always bag. This is why we suggest mowing more often, because doing this might make mowing a lot faster.