How to Avoid Damaging Your Lawn.

There’s nothing like the look and feel of a beautiful, lush, vibrant green lawn. But if yours looks more like a dried out, weed infested mess than the fertile landscape you once prized, something in your care and maintenance routine might be to blame.

Here are 6 common mistakes homeowners make when it comes to lawn care – each one well worth avoiding.

1. Frequent Watering – Your lawn doesn’t need water as often as you might think. Even during the dog days of summer, your lawn gets more benefits from a deep weekly watering than from an every-day sprinkle. Less frequent and more intense watering promotes deep root growth which makes the grass stronger over time, whereas daily watering causes shallow roots which make the grass more susceptible to insects and disease.
2. Bad Timing – Whenever possible, water your lawn in the early morning hours so it has the entire day to dry out. Otherwise, all that water will be wasted due to wind and evaporation. What’s more, watering in the late afternoon or early evening means your lawn is wet going into the night, which makes it susceptible to fungus and mildew.
3. Too Much Off the Top – Tempted to mow your lawn a little shorter so that you can go longer between mowings? Well, doing so removes too much of those necessary photosynthesizing grass blades, causing your lawn to rely on stored energy in the roots for survival and eventually starve. Try to cut no more than a third of the length for a stronger, healthier lawn.
4. Mowing Wet Grass – Always wait until your lawn is completely dry before mowing to prevent clumped clippings from spreading weeds and diseases while also helping to avoid turf damage.
5. Using Dull Blades – When was the last time you had your lawnmower blades sharpened?  If your answer falls somewhere between “can’t remember” and “never”, it’s time. Dull blades rip the ends off your grass.  That, in turn, causes moisture to wick up and rip off the ends of your grass instead of cutting the blades cleanly.  Later on, moisture will be driven out, thus creating space for bacteria and other pathogens to enter, dry out the grass, and expose it to diseases.
6. Zapping Bugs – Too many bugs and insects can quickly ruin a good time outside. But some are actually very beneficial to your lawn and garden. For example, spiders help get rid of some pesky insects, while ladybugs attack aphids, and bees pollinate your flowers and plants.

Could your lawn and gardening chores benefit from one or more added sources of outdoor water?  If so, contact Connor Plumbing, tell us what you need, and we’ll come out to inspect your home and property to give you our best recommendations regarding they type and placement of outdoor taps.  We can even hook up an outdoor hot water faucet or shower for you, especially useful if you want to keep more of the dirt outside for easier indoor cleaning.