4 basic mistakes made by lawn owners
4 basic mistakes made by lawn owners
It might seem like lawn care is no big deal. Grass grows everywhere without our help, so how difficult can it be to maintain a home lawn? Contrary to appearances, it's easy to make mistakes that can be fatal to the lawn... or to your wallet. Learn about them, and you'll be able to avoid them.
1. Mowing wet grass
Even if the grass is so tall that you can't stand to look at it, don't move yet. lawn mowersFirst, make sure the lawn is dry. Mowing wet early in the morning, when dew has settled, or after a rainfall means mowing grass blades that are bent under the weight of the water. A wet-mowed lawn will therefore appear uneven once it dries, and worse still, despite the correct mower settings, the grass may be cut too short.
The biggest problem with mowing wet grass is its increased susceptibility to various diseases. Wet, cut grass has limited resistance to harmful microorganisms. So, if you ever notice your lawn is diseased and requires expensive treatments or, worse yet, replacement, it may have been because you mow it too soon after a rain.
2. Low lawn trimming
A petrol lawnmower is a powerful tool, and it's tempting to take advantage of its capabilities. However, common sense is essential. Avoid scalping the lawn—cutting it too short, below one-third of the blade's length. Grass cut this short won't develop deep roots, and therefore won't absorb nutrients from the soil. As a result, the lawn will be sparse, dull, and prone to drying out. Leaving the grass longer will allow it to thicken, and the shade the blades cast on each other will keep the lawn moist even on warm, sunny days.
3. Ice melting salt
If your lawn has a sidewalk, you probably take steps to avoid slipping on it in the cold winter. Some people sprinkle salt on the path, which works quickly and effectively, but is also deadly to the lawn. Salty water inevitably runs off onto the grass and seeps into the soil, creating patches of dead brown grass.
Of course, this isn't an irreversible disaster. Eventually, rain will wash the salt out of the lawn, and it will be green again. If spring is dry, you can do nature's part by watering the lawn a few times. However, using salt will still leave you with a lawn full of unsightly, dark patches for the first few weeks of spring.
4. The belief that nature will take care of itself
Using the lawnmower, fertilizer, and garden hose is pure pleasure for some, but for others, it's torture at least as excruciating as washing dishes. Some people give up on lawn care, placating their consciences by claiming that "the grass will take care of itself." Can we really just leave the lawn to its own devices and watch nature do its beautiful work? Nothing like it.
Nature isn't perfect; it doesn't create perfectly even, perfectly green lawns that are always equally pleasing to the eye. Furthermore, the area right next to your house has nothing in common with nature. It's a human-designed space, also utilitarian in nature. If you set up a barbecue, raise the temperature of the lawn, and inadvertently sprinkle it with kindling, you'll be interfering with nature so profoundly that you'll have to tidy up the lawn yourself. If you want your lawn to look its best, you have to create the right living conditions for it. Unfortunately, this requires work. If you're not willing to do it, hire a specialist... or don't have a lawn at all. Nothing spoils a property like neglected grass around it.
