It’s easy to see why so many homeowners take pride in their lawns.
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Since your lawn is among the first thing people notice when setting eyes on your home, it’s only natural that you’d want to make a good first impression. Unfortunately, a meticulously-kept lawn often requires a fair amount of time and effort. Even if your lawn is important to you, caring for it isn’t worth working yourself to the point of exhaustion or sacrificing the bulk of your leisure time. Anyone looking to obtain a picturesque lawn and enjoy their downtime to the fullest will be well-served by the following pointers.
Work with a Professional Lawn Care Service
One of the best ways to save time on lawn care is to outsource the maintenance of your grass to seasoned pros. A professional lawn care service can ensure that your grass is regularly watered, aerated, fertilized and mowed to its ideal length with requiring you to lift a finger. This option is particularly convenient for homeowners with enormous yards that are difficult to properly maintain on one’s own.
When shopping around for the right lawn care service, there are a number of factors you’ll need to consider. For starters, make sure they’re available on a schedule that works for you. If they’re difficult to book, the care your lawn receives may be inconsistent. Secondly, any service you work with should be insured. This way, any accidental damage that occurs to your property will be fully covered. Lastly, before committing to work with a company, take care to peruse feedback from other clients. While most businesses are bound to draw a negative review or two, you should reconsider working with any company for which the feedback is overwhelmingly bad.
Switch to Low-Maintenance Grass
Outside of dedicated lawn care enthusiasts, many homeowners never consider the exact type of grass they have on their property. However, the type of grass that makes up your lawn can determine how much time you’ll need to spend on general upkeep. For example, while some types of grass require a meticulous degree of maintenance, others barely require any attention at all. So, if you have neither the time nor inclination to maintain delicate grass, switching to a low-maintenance variety may be worth your while.
In your search for low-maintenance grass, there are a variety of options to consider. Buffalo grass, which is known for its drought-resistance and love of sunlight, is a fantastic option for homeowners in areas that receive a fair amount of heat. Alternatively, if you live in a cooler part of the country, cold-weather grasses like fescue grass should be right up your alley.
Install an Automatic Sprinkler System
If your grass requires regular watering, you can automate the process by installing an automatic sprinkler system. As the name suggests, these systems serve to administer specific amounts of water at specific times, thereby taking any manual labor out of the equation. When having a sprinkler system installed, make sure the sprinklers are positioned in a manner that doesn’t waste any water. In addition to ensuring maximum sustenance for your lawn, this will prevent a valuable natural resource from being squandered.
Don’t Over-Mow Your Lawn
Many of us mow our lawns more often than we need to. Although we like the uniform appearance of short grass, mowing too often can have an adverse effect on lawn health. When grass is cut too short, it’s ill-equipped to absorb and maintain certain nutrients. As such, over-mowing can lead to persistent discoloration and a needlessly delicate lawn. For best results, stick to a mowing schedule that’s uniquely suited to your type of grass. Furthermore, instead of cutting the grass as short as possible, learn the ideal length for your grass type and adjust your mower settings accordingly.
Proper lawn care is among the foremost tenets of responsible homeownership. A healthy, vibrant lawn has the power to accentuate the aesthetic beauty of your home, whereas a lawn that’s habitually neglected is liable to make your home look poorly cared for. When it comes to lawn care, many of us believe that our options consist of toiling away for hours or being completely indifferent to our grass’s wellbeing. Fortunately, proper lawn care doesn’t have to entail sacrificing untold amounts of energy or well-earned downtime.