I have one of the best lawns on my street – avoid a popular hack for making yours greener, it’ll only lead to problems
A LAWN expert has urged gardeners to avoid a popular hack to make their lawns greener.
Though the technique instantly deepened the colors of greenery, he explained that it was bad news in the long run.
Kevin, a writer at DIY Lawn Expert, shared tried-and-true lawn maintenance tips and tricks on his blog.
He revealed on his website that through many trial-and-error attempts and lots of hard work, he took his lawn from lean to mean and green.
“Two years ago I had the worst lawn on the street, now I have one of the best,” he wrote.
“DIY Lawn Expert is a website where I share things about lawn care as I learn them, condensing my research and experimentation.
“My goal is to help other homeowners establish and maintain a great lawn, in an efficient and affordable way.”
While it may be tempting, Kevin warned gardeners to avoid taking shortcuts by using lawn paint.
The idea of a get-green-quick solution was appealing, he said, but covered up what needed to be addressed.
“Avoid! If your lawn is painted, you won’t be able to see what it’s telling you, leading to all sorts of problems,” he said.
While Kevin was the proud owner of the best lawn on his block, he said there was no shame in adjusting to your and your lawn’s needs.
“There’s nothing wrong with letting your lawn go dormant in the heat of the summer if you want to save water,” he added.
“And if you can’t stand the look of a dormant lawn, go with astroturf!”
Some of the issues that can fly under the radar, among other common mistakes Kevin sees often, are over-watering, incorrect mowing, and fertilizing.
“Over-watering your lawn actually causes more damage than a lack of water,” he said.
“Most turf grasses can handle dry spells, but not flooding.
There’s nothing wrong with letting your lawn go dormant in the heat of the summer if you want to save water.
Kevin
“As a rule of thumb, turf grass needs about an inch of water per week in the summer to maintain green color and active growth.”
With lawns, less water is more.
“If you overwater, roots stay within the top few inches of the soil’s surface, making the grass dependent on you for its survival and it becomes more susceptible to fungus and diseases,” he added.
To ensure proper mowing, he followed his personal “One-Third Rule” that guaranteed the perfect cut.
“Never remove more than one-third of the blade length in a single cutting,” he revealed.
“Removing more than one-third at a time puts undue stress on the grass limiting its ability to thrive.
“You may have to mow every three to four days during the spring/early summer when the grass is actively growing but only once every seven or more days when growth is slowed by heat, drought, or cold.”