Lawn Care 101

Lawn care is nothing new for Canadians. But have you ever thought about what we used to do before the lawnmower was invented? Before 1830, we relied on sheep to cut the grass and provide it with nutrients. Now, we have a plethora of methods and lawn care solutions to give us the lush landscape we’ve been dreaming of without taking on a new family pet.

How To Maintain A Healthy Lawn

Maintaining a healthy lawn care routine is no easy feat. It requires timing, consistency, and a little bit of know-how. Lucky for you, our staff at Blue Grass can answer any of your questions when you call or visit one of our locations. But if you’d like to know a little bit more about how to turn your grass into the thriving lawn you’ve been dreaming of, read on for our top tips.

Watering your lawn: how much and how often.

You don’t necessarily have to water your lawn. In fact, some homeowners choose to avoid it entirely. You can adapt the natural rainwater method, but you may not have the lush green grass your neighbour has maintained for years. There’s no doubt it may sport a shade of brown for parts of the year.

If your goal is to have the fairest lawn in all the land, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what you need to do:

• Only water in the early morning or late evening, avoiding it entirely between 10 am-6 pm. This is due to the sun and hotter temperatures that are more likely to evaporate the water before it has a chance to soak in.
• Water a lot, less often. This helps your grass develop deep roots. Depending on the type of soil you have, this could be up to 1 inch of water every 7-10 days, unless it rains. You can measure 1 inch of water by setting a tuna fish can or the Blue Grass Frisbee upside down under the sprinkler and turning it off once it’s full. When you buy sod from one of our locations, you get one complimentary!
• It’s in your best interest to turn off your automatic sprinklers if there’s rain in the forecast to avoid overwatering.

Best mowing practices.

How frequently you include mowing in your lawn care routine will depend on how quickly your grass grows. Certain types will act differently in various environments, so it’s vital that you adopt a schedule that works best for your lawn.

For most yards, you should set your lawnmower blade to a minimum of 3 inches or higher. You typically don’t want to cut more than ⅓ of the height of your grass at one time, which can give you an idea of how often you’ll need to mow to maintain it. Sometimes less is more – and that’s certainly the case for mowing your lawn. Over-mowing can lead to dead grass that is more prone to disease and insect issues.

Tips for fertilizing your lawn.

You don’t need to fertilize your lawn every week, but you should give your grass a boost if you want it at its healthiest. Typically, you only need to fertilize in the early summer or late summer (no later than August 15) to help with growth to combat the tough winter ahead. If your nutrient levels drop, you can fertilize more often throughout the year to maintain it.

The type of fertilizer you need depends on your soil and grass type. We’ve developed our own formula that has been perfected on our sod fields over the last 50 years. It’s best to try what you know will work!

How to remove thatch from your lawn.

No – that’s not a typo. Thatch is the organic waste on your lawn – aka, the cross-section of soil and grass roots where dead and living plant material form at the base. Sometimes you don’t need to do anything about it, as grass clippings or leaves decompose on their own. But if you have more than 1 inch of it layered on your lawn, it’ll block the water and fertilizer from helping it grow.

You can use a special thatch rake to cut through the debris and remove it from your grass. You’ll want to be sure to help your lawn recover faster after dethatching by watering and fertilizing the area.

How to revive dead spots on your lawn.

The most common sign of a lacklustre lawn is bald patches or prominent traffic areas from frequent walking or minimal slow growth. This can happen due to weather changes, insufficient watering, or common landscape diseases/pest problems.

If you don’t have any signs of disease on your grass, the best route is to reseed or plant sod. Homeowners that want instant results with less ongoing maintenance will benefit from the easy sod installation that can bring their lawn back to life.

Ways to deal with weeds.

Weeds are pesky little things. They grow faster than your grass and are more challenging to get rid of year after year. Luckily, you have a few options to uninvite weeds to your backyard BBQ without adding harmful chemicals that may end up killing your grass too.

• You should aerate every year to promote airflow and help your lawn in its germination stage in the spring.
• Fertilizing your lawn every spring and fall with a great quality product is highly recommended to give the grass what it needs to thrive.
• Pull the weeds by hand to remove any already invading your lawn. Try to get as much of the roots as possible, so they don’t regrow within a few days.
• Use a herbicide that will kill the weeds but won’t harm your grass.

Your lawn is the first thing – and sometimes the only thing – people see. If you’ve struggled to maintain the grass you’ve been dreaming of, you’re not alone. Understanding your yard can be tricky, and depending on your soil, area, and grass type, what works for you may not work for someone else on the other side of the city. Come by our Calgary, Edmonton, or Red Deer location to get the advice you need for a thriving lawn this year.

Have you ever revived a lacklustre landscape? What were your lawn care steps? Share your tips with our readers that want to level up their yard this year.