Best Practices for Lawn Care

Let’s keep it simple and cost effective.

First, I recommend that you only fertilize your lawn once or twice a. I apply one application around Labor Day or the first part of September. You can use a straight fertilizer or a weed and feed combination (sometimes called winterizer fertilizer). I apply the second application in the spring, around the first of May, depending on the weather. Again, this can be a straight or a combined fertilizer and pre-emergent weed combination.

You, and your lawn, do not need more fertilizer or weed killer in a given year. Four or five applications is a waste of your money. And the grass, nor the environment, needs it. One or two and no more.

In fact before you apply any fertilizer take a sample of your lawn and send it to the University of Minnesota for a soil test. $17 bucks. Cheap. A soil test will determine the condition of your soil, whether you need to add fertilizer or nutrients and, if so, what type and how much to apply to your lawn. Smart!

Keep the height of your lawn mower at 3” throughout the growing season. Longer grass protects the roots from wind, heat (expect hotter summers!), and stress from drought or less rain. Thicker lawns mean fewer weeds and, therefore, less need to apply herbicides or weed killers. Now that we are moving into fall, decrease the height of your mower, gradually. With the last few mowings, cut your grass shorter going into the winter. This will help prevent mold growth over the winter.

Keep your mower blades sharp. Sharp blades lower the lawn’s susceptibility to disease. No disease, no need for fungicides.

Mow your lawn frequently and leave the clippings on the lawn. Lawn clippings add organic matter to the soil. Clippings do not create thatch. Repeat: lawn clippings do not create thatch. Leaving the clippings on the lawn is equivalent to one application of fertilizer.

If you need to re-seed your lawn, do it the first part of September. Cooler temperatures ensure better germination. However, do not re-seed if you intend to use a weed and feed fertilizer. The weed killer will prevent your grass seed from germinating. Not a good move.

If you believe you need to aerate your lawn, do it once every 3-5 years. Aeration decreases soil compaction and helps move air, water, and nutrients to the grass roots. Caution: if you have an underground sprinkler system, make certain the pipes-tubing are at least 9-12” below the surface so the aerator does not cut into or break the tubing.

And that is all you need to do to have a better lawn next year. Simple and cost effective.