Watering – This is the very first important component for lawn care. Water is not just important for human beings but also very much needed by your lawns. At least 6 to 8 inches of deep into the soil is required to deeply penetrate it to its roots to grow. This may also have different variations according to the type of soil. To have a healthy lawn, grass should not be left dry. Water your lawn early in the morning before the sun rise so it wont easily evaporate and will make a cooling effect to the grass especially during the season of summer.

Mowing – This component helps grass expand more and grow healthy. However, it should not be cut down too short,it should maintain regular length for the grass to easily absorb nutrients and grow thicker so as not to be susceptible to lawn diseases or weeds. The recommended time to mow your lawn is during its growing period. For cool season grasses, it would be best to maintain 3 inches tall and 2.5 inches tall for warm season grasses. But during the season of summer, let it stay long to serve as shade for the soil.

Fertilizing – the most basic component is feeding your lawn to protect them diseases and maintain its nutrients. Spreading granular fertilizer would promote healthy growth at least two times annually. Or if you choose to go organic it will also be best for the lawn.

Aerating – In traffic areas from your lawn, it needs to aerate for the soil to breath and absorb enough nutrients, That will enrich them to grow and produce green lush grass. Aerating it periodically will best for the lawn.

De-thatching – As most people do believe that it composed of grass clippings but a true thatch is compose of culms and crowns that dried out normally. This helps also save water in soil because they block evaporation process.but too much thatch is not also good since it hinders air and water to the soil. Therefore, it is best to de-thatch the excess of it.

Weeding – This is the process wherein you can detect easily that your grass needs your help. It means it is weak when you see lots of weeds grow in your lawn. This shows that you have cut down grass too short that water in your soil is logged.

Fighting Disease – A sick lawn simply shows that your lawn is being invade by pests. When this happens, you should take immediate action, order to eliminate pests within your lawn. They should be treated with pesticides or fungicide to stop them from attacking to your lawn.

Image Source: Greenline Company

“Weed control is more than making a pretty yard. Weeds compete with grasses for water and nutrients,” says Walheim. “A well-cared-for, vigorous lawn will resist weed invasions.”

Below are the five steps to keep your yard in top shape for weed resistance:

1. Mow high – Mow the upper end portion of the required height for the type of your grass encourages deeper roots and better heat as well as drought tolerance because the grass helps shade the soil to reduce evaporation and it maximize the soil moisture content. With this, the need for frequent water could be minimize. Mower should be set at 11/2 inches high for common Bermuda; 1 inch high for hybrid Bermuda; 3 inches high for tall fescue; 21/2 inches for Kentucky bluegrass; and 21/2 to 3 inches for St. Augustine.

2. Water properly – Water the soil thoroughly down to its depth of 6 – 8 inches to prevent shallow root system, It is important to wet the soil properly so they could absorb the water very well. To check for its thorough absorption of water, insert a rod or screwdriver into the soil; it will stop when it reaches dry dirt.

3. Fertilize at the right time of year - This is one of the most important step. This depends on the type of grass. Fall or spring for cool-season lawns and late spring and early summer for warm-season lawns. But be aware of the insects that might ruin your grass like grubs that eat grass roots.

4. Aerate and dethatch - Remove small cores of soil as it is necessary for better water and penetration of nutrients.

5. Kill weeds – Buy such product that would be best for your lawn and try to know what kind of weeds you have in your lawn so you could have the right protection for your lawn against weeds. And learn to follow instructions properly.

Source: Lawn Care

Renovate your dull, full of weeds, thin and thatchy lawn to give new fresh look. Here are Simple steps to follow:

1. Plan renovation so you can reseed during ideal planting time ‘ early fall or early spring for most typical cool-season grasses, such as bluegrass and fescue.

2. Kill the whole lawn if it is hopelessly infested with weeds; spray with a broad-spectrum herbicide like glyphosate (Clean-up or Round-up), and wait the length of time recommended on the label before proceeding with replanting. If weeds are not a big problem, you don’t have to kill anything.

    

3. Dethatch the lawn with a power dethatcher, available for rent at many rental yards.

4. Rake up the thatch and dispose of it, or add it to a compost pile.

5. Aerate the lawn with a power aerator, available at rental yards. Leave the dug-up cores (they’ll break down) or rake them up.

6. Level uneven spots by spreading topsoil and raking.

7. Reseed the lawn with a grass type adapted to your area.

8. Lightly cover the seed with 1/4 inch of organic matter spread with a cage roller; see “How to Plant a Lawn From Seed.” Apply dry lawn fertilizer, and water it as recommended.

9. Keep the new lawn moist until grass is established. Then water as usual.

Tips & Warnings

- It may take several weeks for sprayed weeds to die completely, so plan ahead accordingly. If you have really tough weeds, such as Bermuda grass, you may have to spray again in a few weeks to kill them completely.

- It will be easiest to use a dethatcher and aerator if the ground is lightly moist, not soggy or dry.

- Adjust the depth of the dethatcher blades to match the thickness of the thatch.

- Most herbicides work best if sprayed during hot weather.

- Follow herbicide label instructions precisely. Many herbicides will kill any plant they touch, so avoid spraying on windy days.

- Flag below-ground sprinklers before operating equipment. Otherwise, you may damage them.

Source: eHow

1. Check for excessive thatch - that’s the thick mat of clippings, cuttings and stems that builds up between the green blades and the soil surface. Get down on your knees and part the grass with your hands to see if it’s built up to more than an inch.

2. Understand how de-thatching works: When air, water and light cannot reach the soil surface any longer because of thick thatch, you have to rip it out. The lawn looks rough for a while, but soon you’ll see healthy new grass shoots taking off.

3. Start by really raking the grass with a stiff-tined garden rake or a de-thatching rake. Work up a sweat - sink the tines into the thatch and pull out as much as you can without pulling up the grass.

4. Can’t see the ground even after vigorous raking? Try using a de-thatching blade if your mower has one, or rent a de-thatcher from a reliable dealer who can brief you on its safe operation.

5. Water the lawn the day before de-thatching only if it’s very dry. Begin running the de-thatcher at the farthest point from your home so you can master it before hitting the high-traffic areas.

6. Watch what you’re doing - keep the de-thatching blades on target to cut through the debris without scraping the soil surface. Run the machine over each swath of lawn only once.

7. Use a leaf rake to clean up the messy piles of thatch you’ve removed. Recycle all of it in your compost pile.

Tips:

• Make annual raking a part of your lawn care routine to prevent thatch buildup.
• Fertilize once after de-thatching with a slow-release lawn food formula.
• Keep foot (and paw) traffic off the area for one month if possible.

Warning!

• Use a power tool only if you understand its operating and safety features.
• Always wear long pants, closed-toe shoes and safety glasses when operating power equipment.

Source: eHow: How to De-Thatch a Lawn

Thatch is a layer of dead stems and roots that can build up on the surface of the soil. Digging into the lawn with your finger, would help you differentiate between the soft, light thatch and the hard, heavy soil. A quarter inch thick layer of thatch is of no concern. If thatch is an inch thick, disease problems are almost sure to occur. Keeping the lawn green will also make a lawn require more water and fertilizer. There are several products available to reduce thatch. They contain microbes that will break down thatch quicker. If the thatch is an inch thick, then it is better to use a thatcher, also called a power rake, to quickly remove thatch before diseases develop. Before using a thatcher, mow the grass as low as possible to reduce the damage to the grass. Set the depth on the thatcher so the teeth just reach the mineral soil. Then run the thatcher over the lawn twice, going east-west one time and north-south the other. The loosened thatch then needs to be raked up and hauled away. Do not bother adding it to the compost pile since it is tough roots and stems which are very slow to break down.

Thatching usually leaves bare patches so it is a good idea to spread starter fertilizer and grass seed after thatching so the bare patches fill in before weeds get started. The frequency of thatching depends on the type of grass. Bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrass and creeping fescue may need to be thatched every year or two. Perennial ryegrass and tall fescue may never need to be thatched.