Stepping on a carpet of fresh green grass, not everybody notices how beautiful a lawn is and can be; yet a poorly maintained lawn will easily invite criticisms and annoyance. When the grass is too high, walking will be hard and pests will be invited in. Accidents can happen, especially when there are kids who always come out and play. When the grass loses its green, the garden is stripped of lush and gives off an atmosphere of drought and melancholy.

Yet a beautiful and well-maintained lawn gives a color of life to any garden. You can walk in anytime you need some peaceful time to think. Kids have a soft carpet of grass to run and play on. You have a good and fresh place to exercise, play, do yoga, have a picnic or simply sit or lie down—there, out in the open, under the fluffy clouds or the twinkling stars.

For all its worth, keeping a well-maintained lawn is important, not just for the joy, comfort and beauty that it brings, but also for safety. Here are some tips to get you started:

Feeding your lawn

The balanced diet

There are different types of lawn food and fertilizers: organic, chemical, liquid and dry. Whatever you choose, just remember to keep the perfect balance of the N:P:K ratio. Check the lawn food label. Nitrogen (N) makes the leaves glow green, Phosphorous (P) strengthens the roots and makes them grow deep and have a good grip of the ground, and Potassium (K) makes the grass more resistant to diseases and drought. Choose a fertilizer that enhances growth in all three areas. A good pick is an “all rounder” with 11N, 4P and 8K.

Remember the balance. Too much nitrogen will make the soil more acidic and earthworms, which aid in making your soil healthy, will leave or die. If you opt to use sulphate of ammonia, make sure to give your lawn organic fertilizer in the next feeding.

How to feed your lawn

1. Aerate the soil if it is too compacted. Use a garden fork to create space for better fertilizer and water penetration.
2. Remove weeds, especially those with large leaves. They will compete with your grass for nutrients. Patch holes with lawn dressing or sand. If weeds are too hard to remove, use lawn food with herbicide. Make sure to choose one that won’t kill your grass too.
3. Plan your route to make sure you don’t miss or double fertilizer application in an area. You can either divide your lawn into rows or quarters. Use strings or the hose as guide.
4. Use a spreader for powdered or granular fertilizer. Plastic pots with drainage holes make good alternatives.
5. Water properly. Depending on the fertilizer you use, you have to water your lawn either before or after the application of food. Always follow instructions.

Preparing for season changes

Especially in areas with four seasons, extreme weather conditions can affect the health of your lawn. Summers can be too hot and winters can be too cold for them to withstand. For that, it is best to “feed” your lawn during friendlier seasons.

Nourish your lawn during spring to prepare for summer. Choose organic lawn food with natural products such as seaweed, animal manure, fish and rock minerals. These will make your lawn more resistant to diseases, drought, patchiness, moss and weeds. There are also granular fertilizers and lawn food that are slow release, which means that they release nutrients slowly to allow the lawn to survive through the drier and warmer months.

You can also feed them fertilizer that is higher in Nitrogen (N) during spring, when leaf growth is at its best. In autumn, you can feed food with more Potassium (K) to toughen the roots in preparation for winter.

Lawn Maintenance

1. Remove thatch. Thatch refers to a layer of dead grass that collects on top of the soil and prevent moisture and air from reaching the roots. If you walk through your lawn and feel something spongy, it’s probably a thatch buildup. Remove it with a de-thatcher or scarifier.

2. Aerate your soil. Lawns where people often walk on or where cars are usually parked are prone to having compacted soil. Soil pores are clogged and water, food and air can’t get in. Use tools such as garden forks to loosen the soil again. Some hire corers for bigger lawns. Do this at least once a year.

3. Keep dressing your lawn. Over time, there can be bald or damaged parts on your lawn. Use sandy loam or soil mix to patch them up.

4. Always check your soil’s acidity with a pH kit. The ideal acidity is around 6-6.5. The pH meter measures 1-14, 1 being most acidic. Apply treatments as necessary.

5. Mow your lawn properly and regularly. The frequency depends on the rate of your lawn’s growth. Just remember not to remove more than 1/3 of its height. Choose quality lawn mowers and make sure all lawn mower parts are properly installed. Always keep the blades high to avoid scalping the grass.

6. Water properly. Check with your local water authority for policies and restrictions in your area. You can use a hose, sprinkler system or watering can, depending on the size of your lawn and area regulations.

Becoming an expert at lawn maintenance takes time, effort, experience and passion. Even beginners and moderate gardeners like you can eventually become experts as long as you keep learning, even from your own mistakes. The accumulated lessons from your experiences in maintaining and caring for your lawn will eventually shape a good gardener out of you. And with your growth as a gardener is the growth of your lawn with flaunting health and beauty.

Author Bio:

Penelope Carrington is a Marketing Consultant for J. Thomas, a leading supplier in lawn mower parts, gardening tools, and landscaping materials.

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