Best Practices for a Healthy San Diego Lawn

When you’re deciding on how to maintain the lawn in your new home, purchasing a lawn mower is the first step. There are different options available when you purchase a lawn mower, and depending on the size and surface of your lawn you may want to opt for one over another. Manual lawn mowers work best on small even lawns, while gas mowers can work on small or large lawns with either flat or uneven surfaces. Electric lawn mowers work well on most sizes of lawns, but work best on flat surfaced lawns. One benefit of electric mowers is the fact that they don’t have any emissions, but gas mowers work better on thicker grass than electric mowers do.

String trimmers are great to have if there are places in your yard where your mower is too big to go, and edgers can be used to cut clean dividing lines between your lawn and your driveway, or walkways.

There is a misconception that cutting your lawn very short is better, and will ensure that you mow less, but that’s not the case. Keeping your grass too short damages the grass, and makes it easier for weeds to take root. Cutting your lawn a bit longer shades the ground, retains moisture, and enables root development. In reality, the time it takes for a lawn to look unkempt is not dependent on the length of the grass.

Depending on where you live, your watering schedules may vary but in general it’s better to water for longer intervals a few times per week rather than to water for a short amount of time daily. Watering in the early morning is the best time, especially if you live in a hotter part of San Diego county. If you water at night, the grass is soaking for too long, and that can cause disease. Watering during the day is also not recommended because the hot sun will cause the water to evaporate quickly and car dry out your lawn.

Other tips for keeping your lawn healthy include spot training your pet to use a specific part of the lawn to avoid scattered dead spots, aerate your lawn when the soil gets too compacted, keep your mower blades sharp for an even cut every time to avoid ragged cuts which can leave your lawn discolored, and fertilize your lawn twice a year-in the Spring, and in the Fall.

Keeping your lawn healthy will only add to the beauty of your home, and the curb appeal of your property.