Keeping your lawn in top shape for summer

Even though your annoying neighbor does, it can be hard to find the time and energy to maintain a perfectly manicured lawn, but don’t get discouraged.

“Lawn experts tell us there are three easy things you can do to keep your grass looking great. Don’t overwater it, don’t cut it too short, and use the right fertilizer,” said Angie’s List founder Angie Hicks.

Trimming your grass as short as possible may seem like a good way to save time, but you’re creating more work in the long-run.

“If you’re going to cut the grass real short, from a distance you’re not going to see as much leaf blade so you’re not going to get as much color,” said Dave Fuss, owner of a lawn care company. “The grass is going to be thinner, so weeds can pop up a lot more, and the sun is going come down to the soil and dry out the soil more.”

Don’t go crazy with watering, but don’t slack off either. A general rule is to water an inch per week during the active growing season. You should adjust the amount throughout the year based on your needs.

“If they have a sprinkler systems where they’re set, turned on to where they’re watering, say, 15 minutes every day, what happens is when the sprinkler comes on you’re wetting the turf first, then it works its way down to the base, and then when you start to get into watering the actual dirt, the system shuts off,” Fuss added.

Fertilizer is important for healthy, lush growth, but if you apply it incorrectly, you can quickly turn your lawn from green to brown.

“We use dry slow–release products all year long, because we want to slow feed the turf,” said Fuss. “The granules fall to the base and goes directly to root system, whereas when you spray liquid fertilizer, you’re going to coat the leaf blades of the grass. Then, if you mow, you’re going to mow that off.”

“When hiring a professional to help you with your lawn, remember it’s a process. It’s not something that happens overnight, and honestly, a red flag is a provider that tells you they can fix it overnight,” added Hicks.

Highly–rated lawn care experts tell Angie’s List you want to keep a sharp mower blade for a nice, clean cut. That means you’ll need to sharpen the blade about three times a year – in the spring, summer and fall.