Five Steps to a Great Lawn This Summer
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Whether it’s a simple matter of taking real pride in your yard, or maybe you’re looking to upgrade the curb appeal for a possible sale, a well-maintained yard is a very valuable commodity. With the short growing season we have in the Laramie Valley, you’d think that there is little time and much work to be done getting your place ready. Well, it’s actually pretty much common sense. So, let’s take a look at what needs to be done right now to help your place look its best this summer.
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Pull the Weeds Now
Yep. That weeding is important. For one thing, you won’t get much of an attractive turf if you’ve got stickers and weeds all over the yard. Check with a local garden supply center for a good and effective weed-killer that will work in this environment. Getting rid of the weeds NOW eliminates their chance to spread in the summer. And follow the directions carefully. Weed killers are designed to, well…kill stuff… so let safety be your watch word.
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Use a Thatch Rake
You can not breathe if your face is covered by a quilt. Pretty simple, right? The same goes for your yard. The first nice day you come across, grab a thatch rake and get to work. That layer of dead plant matter does two things; neither one of which is good. First, it stops water absorption and doesn’t let air get in. It also makes any seeding you might want to do nearly impossible. Trust me, if you haven’t thatched in a while, you’ll be amazed at how much good it does.
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Clear Any Winter Kill
Dead plant matter doesn’t do much to help the appearance of trees, shrubs and plants. If it’s been a long, hard winter, you’ll need to clear out the kill and give your plants the chance to grow new stuff. I always waited until I had new growth on my shrubs and bushes, then, just took my hands and pulled on the dead stuff. It it came off in my hands, it wasn’t doing anything for the plant.
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Fertilize or Aerate The soil
Has it been a while since you’ve fertilized or aerated? Again, getting air down into the soil helps water and nutrients to trickle down further around the roots. Aerating is done best when you have a little moisture in the soil.
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Reseed Where Necessary
Just take a leisurely stroll around your place and be on the look-out for bare spots. If you’re finding bare spots in addition to weed patches, you’ll need to attack on two fronts: as noted earlier, kill the weeds and then look for a hardy and attractive grass to fill in the spots. If you’re unsure of the type of grass you need to re-seed with, just head to your nearest garden center or County Extension agent’s office. Either one will be more than happy to help you make the selection you need.
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