Congratulations! You’re a new Utah homeowner, and you’re now caring for your own lawn. You’re going to make the most of the opportunity, of course, as you do everything in life. Your vision for your new lawn is, naturally, a thick, lush green expanse of beautiful turf grass that will delight your family, friends, and neighbors. Your yard will be the perfect place to relax at the end of the day and a favorite weekend barbeque place for everyone you know. That’s the plan. Now it’s time to start your basic Utah lawn care regimen and make the yard of your dreams a reality.
The 7 Basics of Successful Lawn Care
As you’ve already learned, whatever you want to accomplish requires a goal and a plan with steps that lead to it as simply and efficiently as possible to produce high-quality, lasting results. Use these basic lawn growing tips to realize your vision for growing the ideal Utah lawn:
Improve your soil health
For a healthy lawn, you need healthy soil. You can test your soil to determine the essentials. Take samples of the best areas of the existing yard, plus samples of bare spots and other trouble spots. Send your samples to your local agricultural lab, probably available through your county government for analysis and recommendations on how to help grass grow. Soil amendments may be needed. For example, if needed, add nitrogen, potassium, or other nutrients, or balance the soil pH by adding lime or aerating compacted soil.
Learn which turf grasses are best for your specific location
Grass species thrive best in the climate zone to which they’re adapted. Their drought tolerances, performance in the shade, and various other growing conditions vary from one turf type to another. Planting seeds, vs. sod, multiplies your options of grass species and the features of grass you can choose. For example, you can prioritize texture, darker or lighter shades of green, durability, etc. Choosing lawn grass types best for Utah and your elevation will need less watering, maintenance, and other resources to flourish.
Seed the lawn properly
Correct timing is essential when seeding new lawn areas, working to increase the thickness of your existing grass, or overseeding your entire lawn. Schedule your grass seeding in the ideal period for seasonal growing. For a sustainable lawn with the best resistance to disease, lawn grubs, other pests, and drought, buy high-quality turf grass seed. To learn how to maintain lawn grass, start by learning how to understand and use seed tag information and familiarize yourself with the producer of the seed you’re buying. To avoid a lot of typical mistakes that cause lawns to perform poorly, plant the seeds according to professional recommendations.
Fertilize the grass correctly
Naturally, proper nutrients are key to a healthy lawn. For example, nitrogen is a high priority for dense, rich green grass. Calculate the total number of pounds of nitrogen your grass will need each year for the amount of square footage in your yard. The estimated amount will be based on various factors. Read the fertilizer label to determine the amount of nitrogen and other nutrients it contains. Avoid fertilizing too frequently or overfeeding. Set a fertilizing schedule that is appropriate for your lawn, and don’t overdo it. Get professional advice as needed.
Manage to water correctly
Water your grass deeply vs. frequently. Watering too often is counterproductive to your goals. It promotes shallow root growth, which is vulnerable to stresses like Utah droughts, soil compaction from heavy foot traffic, and other challenges. Consider grass types that conserve water in order to reduce water use, save utility costs, and grow stronger grass that can withstand changes.
Mow your grass properly
For consistent results, use lawn mowing best practices. Establish your mowing schedule based on the rate of your grass growth, vs. just picking arbitrary weekdays or bi-monthly dates. Set the blade height on your mower to mow your grass at heights that are right for the turf type and that vary with the seasonal conditions. For example, Tall Fescue grass should be mowed at around 2 to 3 inches, whereas Bermuda grass should be at only around 1.5 inches. Leave all grass types a little taller in hot weather.
Prevent lawn weed growth
Weeds strive aggressively to crowd out healthy grass and steal critical water, nutrients, and sunlight. Learn to recognize common weeds in your area. Use the recommended methods to kill broadleaf weeds in ways that minimize the cost and work. Get expert help if needed to avoid excessively repeating weed control treatment. Use additional spot treatments to control the most tenacious yard weeds.
When It’s Time for Expert Assistance
In some situations, it can be very difficult to overcome all the particular difficulties of some lawns and meet all the requirements to produce a thriving lawn without professional intervention. Big League lawn rehabilitation experts can evaluate your lawn and recommend periodic treatments that will achieve the results you want. We specialize in lawn care services designed to correct severe grass health problems! Our Big League remedial lawn solutions can transform your poorly performing grass to give you the most gorgeous lawn in your neighborhood.
