Lawn Maintenance and Fertilization Mistakes to Avoid in Your Pleasant Valley, NY, Area Home

If every year you look forward to the lushness of your Pleasant Valley, NY, lawn taking hold in the summer but instead you end up with brown patches and uninspiring grass, it’s time for a change. The problems could have something to do with an overuse of fertilizer or incorrect additives, and this can end up hurting your lawn. Here are lawn maintenance and fertilization mistakes that should be avoided. 

Not Paying Attention to the Soil

If you think about it, the soil is the foundation for your entire landscape. When you don’t have your soil tested regularly, it can be missing the key nutrients that it needs to supply to the living plants on your property. Testing the soil can help target exactly what your landscape needs to thrive. 

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Dull Mower Blades

At the beginning of the mowing season, sharpening the mower blades should be a priority. When the blades are dull, the mower actually rips them instead of cutting the blades. Not only do you not get the sharp cut that looks great, but the torn blades can give your lawn a brown appearance instead of the lush green you want.

Cutting the Grass too Low

When you cut the grass too low, it exposes the tender roots to the harsh sun and can burn them. Once they burn, that grass is dead. Keeping the mower cutting level high protects the roots with the cover of grass and the trimmings can decompose to bring nutrients back into the soil.

Watering Incorrectly

Overwatering can lead to disease in your lawn and not the thriving grass that you want. Most lawns may only need to be watered two to three times per week, but this should usually happen in the very early morning before the sun comes up to give your grass time to absorb the water. Overwatering your lawn is simply running up the water bill, while not achieving the goal of a healthy lawn. You want the moisture to seep into the soil to a depth of about 2 to 3 inches so that it reaches the roots. 

Planting Grass Where It Won’t Grow

When you have grass planted where it won’t grow, disappointment is going to happen. Grass needs full sun to thrive, and planting it in shady areas can turn out to be unsuccessful. 

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Overdoing the Fertilizing

We often think that if something is good, more must be better, and this is certainly not true of fertilizing your lawn. Too much fertilizer or fertilizer applied at the wrong time can burn your grass. Using a fast release fertilizer instead of slow release can cause your grass to green up quickly, but you may risk hurting the lawn more than helping. The proper slow release fertilizer applied in the correct amount and at the right time is probably what you want for your landscape.

Not Enlisting a Professional

Trying to do the lawn care at exactly the right time, especially when you lack the necessary tools and knowledge, can also be a mistake. When you hire a landscape service with experience and a proven six-step plan for a green, lush, healthy lawn, your Pleasant Valley, NY, property will be the envy of the neighborhood.