Get Green Grass
Getting green grass can take time, but you may find it worth the effort. A green lawn can be inviting. It may provide a relaxing atmosphere for family and friends or serve as a playground for children. Proper lawn care may add value to your home, especially if you maintain the rest of your home's curb appeal. The process to getting green grass may vary depending on the type of grass you have and your geographical location.
Steps
- Choose a variety of grass seeds that will work best in your yard.
- Each type of grass has its own set of instructions based on climate and environment. Some variations of grass prefer shady areas, while others like the sun. Some varieties do better in warm weather, and others like cooler temperatures.
- Test your soil for nitrogen, phosphorus, pH levels and other elements with a soil test kit. This will help you determine whether your soil is lacking a necessary ingredient for a green lawn.
- Your lawn may need boosters to create richer soil. Your local lawn care shop should have the boosters you need for a green lawn.
- Providing sufficient nutrients is important to getting green grass. Depending on the elements your soil needs, you may be able to correct problems with fertilizers, which release nutrients over a period of time.
- You don't have to use poisonous or harsh chemicals to fertilize your soil. Humus, organic matter broken down, has the ability to fight weeds, insects and disease, especially when you use the hardier native plants.
- Water your grass around the same time each morning. If you recently planted new seed, be sure to water it every day.
- The best time of the day to water your lawn is early in the morning. The water will be less likely to evaporate, and there are generally lower winds. Watering the grass in high wind can cause the grass to dry before the water penetrates the soil.
- For a green lawn, water your grass until the water penetrates at least 6 inches (15.24 cm) deep into the soil.
- Make watering the grass part of your lawn care during the summer. You may need to water the yard at additional times to prevent the grass from drying out.
- Grass needs to be watered about one inch per week. If you use sprinklers, you can place a can in your yard and see how much water filled the can after you water one hour. This will give you the hourly rate of using sprinklers to water your lawn.
- If you put a cup of Ammonia (nitrogen source) into a five gallon pail of water and a cup of epsom salts (magnesium sulfate), mix and throw it on your lawn with a cup it will make the grass greener. The Nitrogen stimulates green foliage and the magnesium sulfate makes the foliage retain water so the foliage is thicker and greener. After you throw it on your lawn, hose down the grass to make the chemicals go down into the roots. This is way cheaper than Nitrogen based grass fertilizer and works well on grass.
- Mow your lawn 1 day after watering. In doing so, you will help your lawn heal better from the recent cut. This can prevent the tips of the grass from becoming brown.
- If you mow your lawn high it will be more durable against drought and against frost.
- In the summer it is good to mulch the lawn (don't vacuum up the grass) so that you can spend less on water.
- Aerate your lawn at least once in the spring and again in the fall for a green lawn. The process of aeration makes small holes in the surface of your lawn, allowing water, nutrients and air access to the roots.
- Aeration allows better drainage, which reduces runoff.
- The best way to prevent weeds is to plant more grass with seeds. Thick grass chokes out weeds and makes it harder for them to grow or spread within your lawn.
Tips
- An alternative approach is to 'paint' your lawn. While this may seem like a strange idea, it is growing in popularity, especially in California, and other drought stricken areas such as Western Australia. Using a non-phytotoxic pigment based treatment, lawns are sprayed and can instantly be made green again. Search out your local supplier if this approach appeals.
Warnings
- Some geographical areas are prone to lawn diseases, which can make getting green grass difficult. If normal methods are not producing a green lawn, consider hiring a local lawn care company to diagnose your yard.
Things You'll Need
- Grass seed
- Soil test kit
- Fertilizer
- Water
- Mower
- Aerator
