A lush, green lawn can really transform your home. If you’re trying to grow grass for the first time on a plot of soil, or if you’re trying to improve what’s already in your yard, you need these helpful tips for maximizing grass growth.
Check Your Soil
All soil is not created equal. In order for grass to grow, it needs loose, nutritious soil that doesn’t hold too much water. You might be surprised at how rare it is to find all of these qualities in one’s yard. But there’s no need to worry– if your soil isn’t the best for growing grass, you can improve it quite easily. It may be as simple as applying an organic pre-fertilizer to your lawn, or you may need to bring in new soil. Whatever direction you take, it will be a worthwhile investment in the health of your yard.
Pick Fertilizer Carefully
If you’ve just planted your grass and have already prepared the soil with the needed organic materials mentioned above, you shouldn’t take off and start fertilizing it just yet. Some fertilizer products on the market can actually do more harm than good if they’re used too early. The high nitrogen concentrations can help weeds to take root, and since these plants grow faster than grass, they’ll choke it out before it even gets started. Instead, opt for starter fertilizers with lower amounts of nitrogen. These products help the grass to grow a strong support system of roots so that the plants don’t grow too quickly without laying down roots and exhaust the new ecosystem.
Water Correctly
Don’t rely on sprinkler systems to water your newly planted lawn– they are almost certain to miss some spots and overwater others. Grass seedlings require a significant amount of water in order to sprout, so you’ll need to be diligent about keeping them hydrated. You should keep the seeds moist, but not drowning, at all times. The best way to do this is to apply small amounts of water several times a day. Oncethe plants are growing, you can reduce watering to once a day, and as the fall approaches, begin to water even less.
Minimize Traffic
If you’ve just planted grass seed, you should restrict all traffic across the area as much as possible. People can stress the area or trample weak seedlings, and pets may dig up the soil and scatter the seeds before they’ve even sprouted. If your family spends a lot of time on the lawn, you should plant hardy grass to help reduce the amount of wear over time.
