Get a Thick and Lush Lawn with These Tips - The Great Outdoors

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Watering and mowing are tasks that are done nearly all year around. Other jobs have to be completed at certain times of year to get the desired results. These projects include fertilization, over seeding, and core aeration. It is critical to know not only how to do these things but when to do them.

Knowing Your Grasses
There are two types of grasses that could be found on your lawn. The first are cool season grasses that grow primarily in the cool months of the early fall and spring. The second type is a warm weather one like Bermuda, Soiscia, or St. Augustine. They thrive in the warm months of the summer. Both of these grass types go dormant in their off season. During dormancy the grass will not grow regardless of what is done to it.
The grass type that is found on your lawn determines when you should over seed and aerate. An ideal time is when the grass you are working with has its first flush of growth. For cool weather grasses this is in September or October and then again in March or April. The warm months of May and June are when you want to cultivate your warm weather grasses.

Core Aerating Your Yard
There is nothing better for your lawn if it rests on a dense, clay based soil than core aeration. Renting an aerator for an afternoon will do more good than any amount of fertilization, irrigation, or pest control. It’s the only way to truly cultivate the soil to provide infiltration and percolation. The spinning tines on the underside of the machine remove tiny plugs of soil and immediately kick them out onto your lawn. The plugs disappear after the first hard rain or several mowings. If this is done in the flush of a grass’s growth, it will make all the difference in achieving a lush, thick lawn.

Over seeding and Fertilizing Your Grass
As with aerating, over seeding and fertilizing should be done when the grass is entering its period of growth. After consultation with a garden professional, use a spreader to sow seed and fertilizer over your bare spots or “thinning” areas. Be aware that you need to have an even distribution to prevent striping.

It is essential that the seed and fertilizer get into the soil as opposed to on top of it. Rent what’s called a VertiCutter to work your seed and fertilizer into the soil. A VertiCutter has fast spinning blades that work like a high powered rake. It churns the soil over your seed in very little time and significantly cuts down on labor.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that cool season grasses have a flush of growth in the late summer and early spring and the warm season grasses start up in the early summer. Determine what kind of grass you have, get the right fertilizer and seed, rent a VertiCutter from your store, and get to work on producing a healthy, beautiful lawn.

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