Lawn Care 101

Having a great lawn is a source of pride for every homeowner. Indeed, who does not want a lush, green lawn that accentuates the beauty of your home? Its strategic location in the front of your house creates the perfect first impression for your guests.

But having a great lawn involves a lot of hard work. The lawn just doesn’t grow by itself, you know. You will have to water it, fertilize it, and keeps weeds and pests out. And if you do not have the time to do it, then you have the option to hire someone. Whatever approach you choose to take, a little knowledge on lawn care basics goes a long way.

Below are some questions you may ask concerning lawn care basics:

What do the numbers mean?

If you are not new to home gardening, then you may have been to one or two horticulture shops and bought a few bags of fertilizers for your lawn. You have probably noticed the numbers on the front of fertilizer products, but what do they mean?

Actually, the numbers are called “Guaranteed Analysis” and they stand for the N-P-K content of the fertilizer. The first number represents Nitrogen (N), which if you know your lawn care basics is the primary nutrient for growth and greening. The second, Phosphorus (P) aids in root development and strengthens the plant. The third, Potassium (K) is for strengthening plants against stresses, such as cold temperatures and disease.

The N-P-K content of your fertilizer is one of the lawn care basics that you need to learn, because not all fertilizers are created equal. Often, your lawn may need a different kind of fertilizer, depending on the soil’s pH level.

Proper Soil pH

Like fertilizers, soil varies from lawn to lawn. Some soils may have higher acid content than others. And because of these differences in soil acidity, the nutrient requirement may also differ. Part of lawn care basics is to get the soil pH in order to measure the acidity and alkalinity of the soil. The ideal soil pH is about 6.5 to 7, the level which allows fertilizers to be more effective.

Knowing your lawn care basics will also tell you that pH below 7 is acid and can be corrected by adding lime. On the other hand, if the pH is above 7, then it is alkaline. Add sulfur to lower pH.

Controlling Crabgrass and Moss

One of the foremost problems in lawn care basics is controlling certain opportunistic types of grass, such as crabgrass and moss. These species are undesirable for lawns because they hog space and consume the nutrients which would have otherwise gone to the lawn grass.

In lawn care basics, the best way to control crabgrass is to use a pre-emergent and early post-emergency control product. That way, the product effectively prevents crabgrass from starting and controls it for up to 4 weeks after crabgrass germination.

When dealing with moss, lawn care basics also provides you with various moss control products that kills moss quickly. For best results though, get moss control with fertilizer. That way, you can rid your lawn of moss while at the same time provide a better opportunity for grass to become established.

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