Lawn & Yard Work Tips

With May upon us, and hopefully sunnier weather, folks will be heading outdoors to work on their lawns and yards. Following are some helpful tips for lawn & yard maintenance. Remember to follow social distancing guidelines while working on your yard.

• Adjust your soil pH: soil pH (acidity level) is very important. Just because your dirt looks rich and black doesn’t mean it’s the right pH for grass. You can fix soil pH problems by adding lime to raise the pH or iron to lower it. Most grasses prefer a pH of 6.0 to 7.2.
• Feed shady areas less: When it comes to yard maintenance, people tend to over apply fertilizer to shady areas because the grass is struggling. That just kills it faster! The grass in shady areas needs less water because less evaporates, and it needs less fertilizer because with less sun it doesn’t grow as much. When you go into shade, shift the controls on the spreader so you’re spreading about half the amount.
• Plant trees: Before you buy a tree, look at the shade pattern it’ll have when it’s grown. You’re starting with a little tree, but once it grows up, it’s going to be full grown. Keep enough distance when planting between the tree and your house or shed.
• Healthy grass prevents weeds: Lawns that are nutrient-stressed are a breeding ground for weeds. The best defense is a healthy lawn. Test the soil to see what type and quantity of fertilizer are needed to help your lawn. Proper fertilization improves lawn health. Healthy grass can compete better and crowd out weeds without a lot of weed killer.
• Use ground covers: Ground covers are an easy way to control erosion and weeds. Use rock features and patios or control erosion on slopes. If the soil is good, kill the existing vegetation and leave it in place on the slope to stabilize the bank and serve as mulch. Then plant through the layer of dead material. Add another layer of shredded bark or other mulch after planting to conserve moisture and reduce weed problems while your ground cover becomes established.
• Use plastic edging on curves: Plastic edging will go up and down hills as long as you spike it in well. However, over time straight lines will get a little wavy. Instead use it on places where your garden bed or shrubs curve. Check out these recommendations for the best lawn edger.
• Use shredded mulch around plants: Rock mulch will reflect heat back into shrubs and heat up shallow roots, so it’s not good for the health of the plant. Shredded mulch holds moisture better and stays cooler.
• ​Turn leaves into mulch: If at least a quarter of the grass is showing through the leaves, you can mulch the leaves with your mower. But if the lawn is 80 to 90 percent covered, you should rake some of it up as part of your lawn maintenance. That much mulch creates too much residue, it won’t degrade well, and in spring it’ll be a matted mess that kills the grass.
• Save money on mulch: If you’re mulching a big area, use a cheaper hardwood mulch for most of it, then top-dress it with cedar or cypress. You can also top-dress old mulch. Sprinkle on a fresh 1-inch layer and it’ll look brand new. That way you’re not paying for something you don’t see.
• Protect trees with mulch: Protect exposed tree roots by mulching around the root area. A 2- to 4-inch layer of wood chips or shredded bark protects the roots and creates a good growing environment. Planting grass right up to a tree trunk is a common practice, but it’s not good for the tree because grass and trees compete for water and nutrients. The tree will be healthier and grow faster if you put a 3- to 4-ft. border of mulch around it instead of grass.
• Check out this article: 10 tips for maintaining a beautiful yard