How to get Green Grass Forever Like a Professional, Without a Professional

How to Get Green Grass Like You Always Wanted

Picture a lovely suburban home. Perhaps you’re imagining a two-story house, with a patio, and a white picket fence. What else have you imagined? What completes the picture? A lush, rolling green lawn, of course.

What but a blanket of verdant, welcoming grass could complete a front yard? Everyone wants beautiful, perfect grass; nothing is more unappealing than a brown lawn. But some factors may make obtaining green grass a bit challenging. In this article, we will cover the common challenges on the journey to the optimal lawn, and how to battle against common lawn woes.

Fertilizer

One way to healthy, green grass is by using fertilizer. There are many brands of fertilizer available, but all are either organic, or synthetic. Both types make grass healthier by strengthening roots, providing important nutrients that aid in growth, and prevent the invasion of pests and unwanted weeds.

The three main nutrients in all fertilizers are potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. All of these nutrients aid in the health of the grass. Fertilizers are available in granule and liquid form in both organic and synthetic options. There is also an option for quick or slow-release types, which contain special chemicals to kill and fight the spread of weeds or other invasive plants, to protect the lawn.

The slow release type of fertilizer is recommended, because you are able to apply it less frequently due to the slower breakdown of nutrients in the mix. It will last longer, so you need not apply as often, saving you time, effort, and money.

The tools needed for different types of fertilizer must also be considered: a broadcast spreader is necessary to push or evenly distribute granule fertilizer, to prevent large concentrations of fertilizer in any one area: the nitrogen present can have a detrimental effect on grass, killing it and making your lawn look patchy and unkempt. After applying fertilizer in the granule form, make sure you sweep any that has fallen onto concrete, so that it doesn’t pollute any water sources.

Sod and Seed Grass

If you are combating an already patchy and/or dead or dying lawn, it may be wise to consider sod. Depending on the severity of the dead grass, sod may be put down even out the lawn. However, it can sometimes be hard to blend in with the rest of the lawn. This can be an expensive option, however, unless you are only dealing with a small section of grass, or choose to entirely re-do your grass in pursuit of a picture perfect lawn. It is always best to take preventative measures in order to maintain the health and appearance of your grass.

Don't forget-an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Grass seed is another option to perk up a less-than healthy looking lawn. The offending patch of grass needs to be roughed up and turned over. Mix the grass seed with fertilizer, and scatter it thoroughly over the patch in question. Smooth out with a rake, keep moist, but do not overwater. This will ensure the growth of the grass in the area, and begin to aid in the appearance of healthy green grass in the patchy area.

Weeds

Weeds are another barrier to perfect green grass. Dandelions are a common weed: they are hearty and have deep roots, which allow them to survive difficult weather in winter and return in spring and summer. The only way to combat the dreaded weeds is to stay on top of them as soon as you notice them. The best and most effective course of action is to dig them out, including the entire root. This is important: just snapping of the top of the weed will NOT eliminate it, and all your hard efforts will be for nothing.

Again, if you have the means, you might consider hiring a gardener to tend to these pesky intruders. Since the only way to ensure your lawn stays free of weeds is to be hyper-vigilant, it may be a good option to pay someone to do this for you, if you don’t have the time yourself.

Another way to combat weeds is to spray your lawn with weed killer, which is available in organic or synthetic options. These types of chemicals can be detrimental to the environment, however, so use with caution.

They can cause harm to both the environment, such as to animals, other plants, or bodies of water, as well as to the person applying them. Take the time to read the directions on the package of whatever fertilizer you have chosen.

Caution! Take care when applying fertilizer to your lawn, wear protective gear, and wash any possibly affected body parts after application.

Watering

Lawns need 1"-1 ½" of water per week, even during the winter months. It is a good idea to water 2-3 times per week as opposed to daily watering. In order to avoid evaporation and water waste, and to ensure your lawn is getting the most water possible, it is recommended that you water early in the morning, if possible.

You can even set a timer to do this for you; just set it, and forget it. If your lawn seems not to respond to the amount of water, make sure you are watering long enough and at the right time of day, to ensure it is receiving the proper amount. Moderation is key.

If you live in an especially dry climate, such as the desert, you will need to water your lawn more frequently, especially in the summertime. If you start to have runoff from watering your lawn, you are watering too much! Too much water on your lawn can lead to dead grass, not to mention a high water bill.

Aerating

This is another good way to help get your lawn to the optimal health and greenness.

Grass needs nutrients and air, as well as the right amount of water, sunlight, and mowing. The type of soil in your yard matters: some kinds of soil are more apt to allow water, air and nutrients to get to the root of the plant, while others are denser and more tightly packed, and require aeration to loosen the soil and get the nutrients to the roots of the plant, which will optimize growth, and ensure you have beautiful, green grass.

There are a variety of tools and brands to use for the purpose of aerating your grass. It may be a good idea to talk to a professional or get an opinion from someone in a hardware store, in order to ascertain the best tool for the job, if you are looking to do this yourself.

Should you hire a professional?

This is a question only you can answer. How much help does your lawn really need? Is it in dire straits, or does it just need a little TLC? What is your budget like? Needless to say, hiring a professional to help in the quest for the greenest lawn around is going to cost a bit more than the DIY option. But if you’re looking for perfection and the current state of your lawn is dismal at best, this may be the best option.

Fertilizer	Water	Aerating	Sod and seed grass	Weeds
Choose a type: ensure the proper application, and take care during the process. Make sure to spread this evenly. Sweep up afterwards to prevent pollution.	Set a timer, water early in the morning, do not overwater: this can kill your lawn. Water more during the hot months and if you live in a dry climate.	Do your homework: you can often rent or borrow tools to aerate your lawn. Talk to home improvement stores for their recommendations.	If your grass needs some perking up, consider these two options. Sod is more costly, and can look patchy against the rest of the lawn. Seed grass can take a bit longer to see results. Depending upon the time and money factors, either of these is a good choice to improve the appearance of the lawn.	These require attention ASAP! If you're busy and have the money, consider hiring a gardener to tend your lawn. Combined with the occasional weed killing treatment, your lawn will be free of weeds! Don't overuse.