Do you have a “Saturday” morning lawn care and maintenance routine? Is it absolutely necessary… will your lawn die if you don’t? Certainly not… at least not right away.

Perhaps more so in Nature than in human experience, consistency is a life-factor. Even from a purely practical standpoint, a consistent lawn care and maintenance program saves money and helps build equity in your home.

An established, well maintained lawn garden adds considerable value to your home.

A typical “Saturday” lawn care schedule…

Of course, “Saturday” is optional… pick any day. Just be consistent.

Mow the lawn as early as you can get yourself out of bed, BUT not so early as to offend your neighbors.

Edge the lawn where needed and sweep porches, sidewalks, and driveway. If you insist on using a leaf blower instead of a broom, PLEASE don’t rev the motor. The constant vroom, vroom, vroom when a more constant vroom will do the same thing, seems to be a point of contention with most neighbors.

Water the lawn. If it’s mid-day or later, wait until the next morning. Watering soon after mowing gets water into the root system quickly, but your lawn needs most of the day to breathe.

An alternative… If you’re not a morning person, or your neighbors object to morning noise, a successful option is to mow in the late afternoon, and then water deeply early the next morning.

In amongst all the spring, summer, and fall “Saturdays”, include the following ones for specialized, seasonal lawn care and maintenance.

A “Saturday” in early Spring…

30 days before the growing season starts:

Mow the lawn… Set the mower blades to a bare 2″ height for this first mowing.

Apply a fertilizer… Use a fertilizer that targets above-ground growth… high in Nitrogen and Potassium.

Water deeply… Apply an optimum 1″ of water, using a rain gauge or an empty tuna can to measure.

A “Saturday” in mid Spring…

When northern lawns achieve a ground temperature of 50F, or 70F for southern lawns:

Mow the lawn… Set the mower blades at a 2.5″ to 3.5″ height for this mowing.

Roll an aerator over the entire lawn… You can rent or purchase aerators, and they are quite reasonably priced.

Re-seed or re-sod… Identify any problem areas in your lawn, and apply grass seed or sod. (This is similar to spot-treating clothing.)

Water deeply… Apply an optimum 1″ of water, using a rain gauge or an empty tuna can to measure.

A “Saturday” in late Spring…

60 days after the first application of fertilizer:

Mow the lawn… Set the mower blades at a 2.5″ to 3.5″ height.

Apply a fertilizer… Use one that targets above-ground growth… high in Nitrogen and Potassium.

Water deeply… Apply an optimum 1″ of water, using a rain gauge or an empty tuna can to measure.

A “Saturday” in mid Summer…

120 days after the first application of fertilizer:

Mow the lawn… Set the mower blades at 2.5″ to 3.5″ height.

Apply a fertilizer… Again, use one that targets above-ground growth… high in Nitrogen and Potassium.

Water… As above, unless the fertilizer instructions advise otherwise.

A “Saturday” in early Fall…

180 days after the first application of fertilizer:

Mow the lawn… This time, set the mower blades at a mere 2″ height.

Apply a fertilizer… This time, use one that targets below-ground growth… high in Phosphorus with a bit of Potassium for cold weather resistance.

Water… As above, unless the fertilizer instructions advise otherwise.

Depending on where you live, you may need to include a few “Saturdays” during the winter months for deep watering. This is especially true if your grass variety does not go dormant.

There you have it… Just 5 days of simple lawn care and maintenance chores spread over 8 months will keep your lawn in top condition!

Susan Nelson Hopkins is a reformed gardener and lawn lover. She is resigned to the inescapable fact that we all must conserve water and do our part to protect the environment. But she has learned that this doesn’t preclude lovely, healthy gardens… and lawns. Her tip… less is more! Check out the rest of Susan’s Lawn Gardens. She is also webmaster of Susan’s Bird Gardens and several more gardening sites and blogs.

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Ideal growing conditions are essential for successful lawn garden care and maintenance, because they generate healthy grass. And healthy grass overcomes weeds and resists droughts, pests, and diseases.

Healthy grass needs loamy soil and the right amount of water… two very crucial ingredients of effective lawn care and maintenance.

How to have the right soil conditions for healthy grass:

The ideal soil is a loamy combination of sand, silt, and clay because it absorbs water readily and stores it.

Here’s how to determine if your soil is the right consistency… Squeeze a handful of moist soil. If it doesn’t hold its shape when squeezed, then it has too much sand. If it sticks together and barely breaks apart (if at all) when touched, then it has too much clay. If it holds its shape until poked, and then crumbles, then celebrate… you have loamy soil! This is the absolute best soil consistency for a healthy lawn.

If your lawn garden has too much clay or too much sand, all is not lost. The treatment for either is actually the same:

• Aerate the entire lawn so amendments can reach the grass roots easily and quickly.
• Sprinkle amendments like organic compost or peat moss over the entire lawn surface. 

How to water correctly to maintain a healthy lawn:

Watering to a soil depth of 4″ to 6″ promotes a really healthy lawn root system. This equates to 1″ of water for a healthy lawn with loamy soil.
And one deep watering is much more effective than several light waterings. Lawns require about 1″ of water per week (if it rains, include it in the 1″), unless the weather is extremely hot and sunny.

Then you may need to apply 1″ (including any rainfall) of water every 3 to 4 days. Good news… when a lawn is healthy, it requires less water, even in droughts. Just follow these guidelines:

The tuna-can-tip for measuring that crucial 1″ of water… Place a rain gauge or an empty tuna or cat food can on the lawn while watering. Then, stop watering when the can has 1″ of water in it. This is an easy way to figure out how long to water to achieve that optimum 1″ standard (remember to include any rainfall received during that week).

The best time of day to water… Early morning is optimum because it gives the lawn ample time to breathe. Also, water when it is not windy so you can control where the water goes.

Combine these soil and watering tips with good lawn care and maintenance (such as seasonal aeration, scheduled applications of fertilizer, and mowing at the correct height), and you will always have a beautiful, healthy lawn.

And… the healthiest lawns for our family and pets comes from following an organic lawn care program.

And a healthy lawn will make your lawn care and maintenance chores much easier!

Susan Nelson Hopkins is a reformed gardener and lawn lover. She is resigned to the inescapable fact that we all must conserve water and do our part to protect the environment. But she has learned that this doesn’t preclude lovely, healthy gardens… and lawns. Her tip… less is more! Check out the rest of Susan’s Lawn Gardens. She is also webmaster of Susan’s Bird Gardens and several more gardening sites and blogs.

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What’s the secret to having the perfect organic lawn? Just combine organic products with these 3 traditional gardening techniques:

1. Enrich the soil with organic compost…

Grass thrives in loamy (crumbly) soil. Here’s a simple way to check for loamy soil…

Squeeze a handful of moist soil. Does it hold its shape? Now, poke or touch it. Does it crumble? If the answer to both questions is yes, then you have loamy soil.

If, however, it sticks together and barely breaks apart (if at all) when touched, then it has too much clay. Or, if it doesn’t hold its shape when squeezed, then it has too much sand.

Adding an organic compost to soil achieves the optimum soil texture, because it adds nutrients in a natural, easy-to-absorb state… with several bonuses:

• Increases the soil’s organic content, hence it’s water-holding capacity
• Improves the soil’s physical structure, allowing more air to get to the roots
• Increases bacterial and beneficial fungal activity, making nutrients more available to grass roots
• Organically derived plant nutrients are less likely to contribute to water pollution because they are very slow to leach from the soil

But here’s the “super” bonus… the response to this enriched soil is a deeper, stronger root structure that withstands drought and disease!

2. Apply liquid seaweed…

Seaweed is loaded with trace elements like iron, magnesium, and zinc which maintain root development and plant health. They also enhance the lawn’s ability to fight off fungal diseases.

Applying liquid seaweed to your lawn is a basic, necessary step to ensuring an organically healthy lawn. Fortunately, it is not expensive. So, apply it at least once a month, or as recommended by the product.

Actually, even less frequent applications still have very strong benefits.

3. Water deeply and early…

Organic lawn care advocates about one inch of water applied once per week. This deep watering encourages deep roots… enabling your lawn to withstand droughts and diseases.

The question is, how can you gauge that one inch? First, take into account the total rainfall during the week. The weekly watering is just to make up the difference between the total week’s rainfall and the 1″ requirement. If you still need to water, here’s a really simple tip to determine when to turn off the water:

Place a rain gauge or empty tuna or cat food can on your lawn when you water it. Keep an eye on the gauge or the can.. it’s really easy to see when to turn off the water. No more guessing, no more thirsty lawns.

The best time to water lawns is early in the day, providing plenty of time for grass roots to breathe. Fungal invasion due to insufficient evaporation can result from watering in the evening.

These are just three essential organic lawn care techniques, but they add up to a potent combination for that perfect lawn!

Susan Nelson Hopkins is a reformed gardener and lawn lover. She is resigned to the inescapable fact that we all must conserve water and do our part to protect the environment. But she has learned that this doesn’t preclude lovely, healthy gardens… and lawns. Her tip… less is more! Check out the rest of Susan’s Lawn Gardens. She is also webmaster of Susan’s Bird Gardens and several more gardening sites and blogs.

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It’s never too early to start Spring lawn care and maintenance. So what if it’s raining cats and dogs or there’s a howling blizzard outside.

Tools need sharpening and equipment needs… something. Besides, you have high hopes that Spring is right around the corner. Ah, beautiful spring bulbs, plum blossoms, and flowering dogwood. You can already see it… by heaven, you can smell it!

Well, almost.

But right now, it’s time to revive your trusty old Spring lawn maintenance tips clipboard. Don’t forget the new seed company calendar, and your old-fashioned number 2 pencil… well sharpened (or are you a whittler). Anyway, pull a stool up to the work bench, and let’s get started.

Tip #1 – Fertilize your lawn…

The general rule of thumb (make that “green” thumb) for a lawn care fertilizing schedule is:

Apply fertilizer 4 times per season
First application should be 30 days before the growing season starts
Space the remaining 3 applications 60 days apart

This will span Spring, Summer, and early Fall. Remember to use a formula suited to the time of year. For example, Spring lawns require fast above-ground growth, but Fall lawns require strong root growth to survive the Winter.

Tip #2 – Aerate the soil under your lawn…

Before this can be done, northern lawns need to achieve a ground temperature of 50F, while southern lawn ground temperatures can be 70F. Remember, grass varieties developed specifically for your location wake up when Nature does its thing… so be patient.Watch the weather channel, or another source for this vital information, and mark your calendar for this first major Spring lawn care chore. Referring to the previous 1-3 years’ calendars is often helpful for “guess-time-ating”.

Tip #3 – Revive trouble spots in your lawn…

There may be worn areas from the previous year, or patches that didn’t survive the winter.Decide whether to seed or sod these spots, and give them special attention until they’re well on their way. It’s worth the extra lawn care and maintenance because healthy lawns discourage weeds and other pests.

Tip #4 – Water your lawn and save money…

wateringYes, you read that right. Proper lawn care watering promotes a healthy lawn and ecosystem. From your wallet’s point of view, the lawn you don’t have to remove and replace means money in the bank. As does the effect of a cool lawn on air conditioning bills.

Keep in mind also that aerating your lawn early in the Spring guarantees improved drainage.

Root growth is encouraged by this deep watering… which translates into your lawn being able to survive on 1 inch of water per week, even in drought conditions.

Another neat benefit is water no longer runs off your lawn and into the street. Of course your streets won’t be as clean, but your wallet will certainly be happier!

Tip #5 – Mow your lawn the RIGHT way…

Interestingly, mowing is the most misunderstood and probably the most incorrectly performed part of lawn care and maintenance.

The ideal lawn height is 2.5″ to 3.5″… any shorter and you risk sun scald and a solid growth spurt of weeds!

Taller grass looks and feels better, is healthier, develops strong roots, and combats weeds quite effectively.

Well, your new lawn maintenance calendar should be pretty well filled up by now… fertilizing, aerating, reviving, watering, and mowing are all scheduled.

Meanwhile, since you’re waiting for the snow to melt or the rain to stop, there’s always tools and equipment to work on…

Somehow, right now lawn care and maintenance doesn’t seem like a chore. Those flowering dogwood blossoms falling onto a newly mowed, green lawn will be worth it!

Susan Nelson Hopkins is a reformed gardener and lawn lover. She is resigned to the inescapable fact that we all must conserve water and do our part to protect the environment. But she has learned that this doesn’t preclude lovely, healthy gardens… and lawns. Her tip… less is more! Check out the rest of Susan’s Lawn Gardens. She is also webmaster of Susan’s Bird Gardens and several more gardening sites and blogs.

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