Lawn lovers of the greater Boston area have been blessed with a warm and wet April. Of course, a lawn worth bragging about requires a tad more maintenance than Mother Nature can provide alone. Providing your lawn with some tender love and care can make the difference between a sand lot and turf that Mookie Betts would feel at home fielding.
Rookie and Veteran homeowner alike can benefit from the insights from professionals for whom lawn care is more than a summer pastime. As we ease into the lawn tending season, let’s fine tune our fundamentals from the ground up; starting with the way we mow.
Rethink the length of your lawn. Besides requiring extra laps around your lawn, keeping the height of your lawn short will make it more vulnerable to problems. All too often homeowners will attempt to keep their lawn around one inch in height, while in-fact a taller lawn of three inches is optimum.
Not only does a lawn with more height retain moisture more effectively, Lawn Doctor of Boston’s Horticulturist Mike McDonald attests that, “Keeping a longer blade length will shade the soil keeping the soil temperature lower which prevents weeds and crabgrass from germinating.” Longer blade length can be achieved by simply raising the height of the mower or requesting that your landscaper does so.
You should always apply the ‘One-third rule.’ Never cut more than one third of the blade at once. The more you cut off the more likely you are to shock the lawn and weaken the plant’s vitality. Regular mowing is important so that you are only clipping a small percentage of the blade each time.
The debate over lawn clippings precedes the invention of the ride-on and perhaps even the self-propelled push mover. Many argue that trimmings create natural mulch, improving soil quality and reducing the need for more frequent fertilization. Others retort that clipping smother lawns and cause brown patches. Both parties are correct to some extent. While the benefits of trimmings are not exaggerated, too much of them will smother the lawn. Luckily when following the ‘One-third rule’ trimmings will be sparse enough to easily become broken down into nutrients and will not smother. If you do choose to keep a short lawn, the bulk of your clippings should be bagged.
Another way to keep your blades of grass well maintained is by keeping for mower blades sharp and well maintained. Your mower will thank you for sharpening its blades as it reduces stress on its machinery and reduces the build up and clogging of lawn debris that can spread fungus. Your lawn will thank you for cleanly cutting its blades allowing it to heal quickly. Dull mower blades wound blades of grass. These injured blades have a greater need for watering and a greater potential to cultivate disease.
While ideally you should mow every week when the lawn is growing vigorously, weather patterns still must be observed. Mowing in the rain or when your lawn is wet can become highly problematic. Wet grass is susceptible to tearing, which bears the same problems as mowing with dull blades. And mowing in the rain will compact your soil reducing its ability to transport water and nutrients.
Conversely, mowing should be avoided in long term dry conditions. If there is no rain in the ten day forecast and you lack a reliable irrigation system, hold off on the mowing until the day before the next reported rain. McDonalds adds, “letting your lawn grow longer in a dry spell will allow it to set deeper roots and create shade for itself, both of which will help retain moisture.” So let your lawn grow!
Lawn Doctor is focused on working in harmony with the science of nature. Every service is designed to boost natural growth. This goes beyond the use of simple, green products. The company’s proprietary technology allows its lawn professionals to precisely measure and apply the optimum blend of nutrients and weed control – doing the right thing for your lawn and the environment.
A healthy lawn creates oxygen, removes dust and dirt, and filters water passing through its roots leaving pollutants behind and many more benefits. Lawn Doctor of Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod is a local, family owned and operated business serving over 6,000 homeowners in the Greater Boston region. Main offices are located in Hanover, MA.
For more information about Lawn Doctor, visit www.LawnDoctor.com or call 800-831-1319.
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