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5 Tips on Maintaining the Perfect Lawn
There’s something about an immaculate lawn that makes you stop in your tracks and do a double take. Deep green, luscious, and healthy turf not only enhances your property, but can also boost overall wellness and vitality. A well-maintained lawn is something that any homeowner can be proud of.
If you’ve always wanted a picture-perfect lawn, you’ve come to the right place. Here are our top tips on lawn maintenance in Calgary.
1. Take care of your lawn all year round
Many people make the mistake of focusing on lawn maintenance only in the spring and summer. In Calgary, where the climate sees harsh dry winters and extreme heat, year-round lawn maintenance is essential for keeping your turf strong and healthy. Here’s what to focus on for each season:
- Spring – The growing season is a crucial time for lawn maintenance. In the spring, lawn maintenance services often consist of aeration, weed control, fertilizer, and overseeding. Grass that grows thick and healthy is more resilient against the summer heat, dry weather, and disease. You can also expect lawn mowing to increase during the spring.
- Summer – Under the heat of the sun, your yard needs adequate water. Your lawn needs about 3 cm of water each week, so we recommend watering 2-3 times a week, depending on rainfall and temperature. Be sure to keep your grass 2.5 – 3 inches long when cutting. Grass cut too short exposes the soil to heat and is more susceptible to disease, while grass kept too long can cause the grass to weaken.
- Fall – This is a great time to overseed and fertilize your lawn once again before the first snowfall. Having a strong and healthy lawn during the winter when the weight of snow settles in ensures thick and resilient grass come springtime. Be sure to rake fallen leaves and keep the last mow of the season to 2.5 inches.
- Winter – Avoid walking around the yard when it’s packed with snow, as the additional weight can stress the grass underneath. Create a designated play area for children and pets and shovel a pathway across the lawn to the garage, shed, or fence to help keep foot traffic to a minimum.
2. Invest in fertilizer and weed control
Lawn maintenance involves more than lawn mowing and watering. Achieving a beautiful and healthy lawn requires effort, attention, and a bit of science. While fertilizer and weed control is key for maintaining a perfect lawn, not doing them properly can damage the lawn. Fertilizer burn occurs when too much fertilizer is applied, the wrong type of fertilizer is used, or not enough water with fertilizer causes damage to the lawn.
Additionally, fertilizing without proper weed control can encourage weeds to grow and spread. Weed control and fertilizer often go hand in hand – to ensure that weeds are being taken care of while providing the nutrients that grass needs to grow healthy and strong. For this reason, many homeowners choose to invest in professional lawn care services rather than attempting to do it on their own.
3. Mow regularly
One of the most common lawn maintenance questions is, “How often should I mow the lawn?” There is no concrete answer, as it depends on the season and how quickly your lawn grows. During the growing season, grass might need to be cut once or twice a week, and the frequency tapers off during late summer and into the fall. As a rule of thumb, don’t cut off more than a third of the grass blade.
4. Create a watering schedule
Lawns need the most water during the peak of the summer season when heat from the sun can dry out the soil. Watering the grass is a task that can easily be forgotten during the summer when you’re out and about, and summer activities are in full swing.
We recommend creating a watering schedule on a dry-erase board and placing it where it’s visible, on your fridge or back door, for example. Grass needs about 3 cm of water per week. We recommend watering 2-3 times per week, more if it’s a particularly dry and hot summer.
5. Consider professional lawn care
Last but certainly not least, hiring professional lawn care services is a sure way to achieve a perfect lawn. Professional lawn care ensures that fertilizer and weed control is applied correctly and at the right time. You can also bundle other services such as aeration, power raking, vegetation control, and overseeding, which are beneficial for a healthy, resilient, and strong turf.
