Keep your Grass Green: Doctor Your Turf or Sod

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Homeowners who import grass or turf use all kinds of strategies to keep their yards healthy. Keeping your sod grass healthy is a headache for many; everyone wants a nice patch of green grass in front of their home, but not everyone knows how to get it. Some general yard care tips will contribute to healthy grass on your lawn, and sod contractors can help you keep your sod looking fit.

Grass Irrigation

No two yards are alike and different grass types, climates, and soil conditions will need different amounts of watering. A rule of thumb is one inch of water per week in hot weather, but to really zero in on what your lawn needs, check your soil type. The drainage of soils varies widely; get your soil tested for clay, acidity and other factors to get to know your yard better.

Experts suggest that in many cases, one weekly watering is better than a little every day. When you know what your yard’s threshold is, work up to the optimal level of irrigation necessary. Over-watering is not a good idea, especially if there is dead grass or other material trapping the water at the ground level. Keep an eye on the sprinkler to make sure you don’t flood your yard.

Grass Fertilizing

Experts recommend fertilizing new turf or grass over the spring and fall, not during the summer. When it comes to the right kind of fertilizer for your lawn, you’ll be looking at your soil types again. The common type of fertilizer combines three ingredients for good healthy green grass: potassium, phosphorous and nitrogen. This mix is usually spread on lawns in pellet form: lawn care workers drive “hopper” dispensers across the yard in mowing-type patterns, scattering the fertilizer pellets across the ground. Hoppers can be rented at your local equipment shop.

Yard Aeration

Lots of people outside of the lawn care industry miss this one. Aeration is another treatment that will get you healthy green grass; again, it’s usually done in the spring or fall. Yard aeration is basically making holes in the ground for your grass to breathe. Healthy grass needs an air supply. Over time, dead grass can create a layer that stifles your lawn. Lawn care contractors use motorized “aerators” that make these breathing holes in your yard. The marks of aerating will be visible for a few days, but it doesn’t tear up your yard too much, and the benefits usually outweigh the short-term disturbance of the yard. Consider aeration for keeping green grass in your yard; yard care workers can help you with aeration and other sod design and installation ideas.

Seasonal Lawn Maintenance

In addition to aeration and fertilizing, some property owners do other lawn care over the annual cycle. Many choose to do some pesticide application in the spring or summer. Others do “seeding” for additional grass at a specific time of year. It’s important to be consistent with your seasonal cycle and to always keep an eye on how your treatments are affecting your grass.