7 DIY Tips to Clean and Maintain Your Lawn

A beautiful healthy lawn is more than just looks. A well-maintained lawn has many benefits including improved soil, reduced temperature, air cleansing, and Carbon dioxide reduction. However, to maintain and clean a lawn is not always an easy task so below are the seven DIY tips to help you better clean and maintain your lawn.

Also be sure to check out how to upgrade your garden with these 5 easy hacks.

1. Clean out weeds and leaves

Did you know that fallen leaves and weeds in your lawn allow pests to settle in? Moreover, weeds compete with flowers for moisture and nutrients. It is easy to stop weeds from growing in your lawn by using a pre-emergent herbicide. This will help to prevent and reduce the presence of crabgrass and other weedy plants from growing. 

Not a fan of using chemicals in your yard? No problem. You can also remove weeds naturally rather easily if you do it after a rain. The soil is softer and the weeds will pull out without as much effort. 

A good tip for after cleaning out falling autumn leaves is to let them sit for a year behind shrubs. After a year, you can then use them for flower beds because they become humus-rich leaf mold.

2. Clean out gutters 

Gutters are known for becoming clogged with leaves and other debris and this problem may lead to sagging gutters, foundation problems, or even worse, a flooded basement. 

If you have gutter covers, remove them, then flush the gutters with a water hose to remove any collected leaves. Also, don’t forget to clear out the down spouts too. 

3. Trim branches 

Overgrown and rogue tree branches take away the beauty of the tree. Damaged, diseased and odd growing branches can also kill your shrubs and trees if they are left unattended. 

You should inspect the trees and shrubs in your lawn and cut down branches that have died or seem out of place.

After trimming, always use a rake to remove debris and dead leaves. Dead leaves and debris can be dangerous since they invite bacteria and mould to grow which results in infection on shrubs and trees. 

4. Mow grass appropriately

A properly maintained lawn is denser and has the ability to resist weeds. To ensure it stays protected, always use a mower with sharp blades to achieve a clean cut. Dull blades will damage the lawn and make the surface uneven. 

Adjust the height of mower so that it can trim the grass to about 2 ½ inches. Selecting this height is beneficial for grass growth as it will not only leave your lawn looking plush but also better prevent weed growth and pests. 

Another good tip is to always change your mowing pattern by mowing at a 45 or 90-degree angle from the last time you mowed. This will result in upright grass growth and reduced soil compaction.

A cordless mower is the best choice for you as it cuts the grass evenly and easy to control. It is also less expensive to maintain over time and costs less to operate than a gas-powered mower. If you are wondering which lawn mower is suitable for your home then read this guide on the best cordless lawn mowers. It has everything you need to make a good choice.

5. Protect the mower deck

A deck is a covering for grass cutting blade at the base of your lawn mower. You need to ensure proper precautionary measure to protect the deck. Clean your lawn mower deck twice during mowing period will reduce the incidence of grass clippings sticking to the lawn mower’s underside.

It will boost mower performance as well as reduce the emergence of lawn diseases. Use water, soap, and a brush to clean lawn mower from dirt and grass clipping. A unique tip here is that you can spread vegetable oil on the deck after cleaning it to prevent any future grass clippings from sticking to it.

6. Water and feed grass 

The two most important things that your lawn will need are water and nutrients. Early morning is the best time to water, because the sun is not as harsh and won’t dry it out as fast. When you water the lawn in the night it will result in prolonged moisture too. 

Simply wetting the grass is not watering though. You need to fill the lawn with enough water so that moisture reaches a few inches down into the soil. Nitrogen is the most important nutrient lawns like to consume. Feed your lawn with a mixture of slow and fast releasing fertilizers so that grass grows quickly. 

Fall is the best time to apply fertilizers because the grass will utilize fertilizer to grow healthy roots and reserve some nutrients for a healthy start in spring. 

7. Apply grass seeds to bare spots

Naturally, a patchy lawn is hated by every lawn enthusiast. Determine and remove the problem which is causing dead turfs such as fungi, bacteria bugs or other pests. You can use a sharp shovel to cut the area around the bare spot. Remove the dead turf and fill the area with clean soil. 

Cast seeds on the area and spread compost on it. Dampen the area with a good bit of water and then cover it with mulch or hay to protect it from the sun and birds. Continue to water the seeds in early morning and evening until they germinate.

If you enjoy home grown veggies, we’ll show you how to grow your own veggie seedlings from scratch.