There are over 20 million acres of lawn in the United States-equal to 32,000 square miles-more than any other crop, according to the National Wildlife Federation. That's a lot of land to maintain.
Lawn care does not have to be time consuming, expensive, or complex. With careful planning, patience, and basic knowledge, you can have a beautiful, luxurious green lawn without spending much money. Here's some advice:
Get the right grass: Half the battle is ensuring that your lawn is filled with the appropriate kind of grass for your climate. Do some research to figure out what variety you should plant.
Mow higher: If you have the right kind of seed, your grass may not need to be mowed at all. But most lawns need to be cut periodically to help propagate growth. Cutting too much at one time is stressful to grass because it exposes the roots and dries out the soil. Set your blade a little higher to create deeper, stronger roots and fewer weeds. As a rule of thumb, don't cut off more than a third of the height of your grass in one mowing. Blades set at a height of two inches is good for most grasses, though bentwood varieties should be at around one inch.
Let clippings lie: Instead of blowing them away, chopping them into tiny bits, or collecting them in a bag, leave grass clippings on your lawn for some free fertilizer. Reduce spending on expensive store bought fertilizer and allow your lawn to refuel itself. This should cover at least 25% of your lawn's fertilizer needs. It'll save you work and money.
