Realistically, your lawn is the centerpiece of your garden space. It’s the main thing that attracts attention, and it can really make or break your garden. A healthy lawn makes the whole area look more attractive, but an unhealthy one will do the opposite.
Unhealthy lawns are far too common because we often make mistakes when looking after this part of the garden. With that in mind, you’re about to see the three biggest lawn care mistakes people make, which you need to avoid at all costs!
Cutting the grass too short
Without a doubt, this is the number one lawn care mistake that we’re all guilty of making. We cut our grass too short because we think it means we have to cut it less frequently. Sure, your lawn will take longer to grow back, but shortcuts will harm it! You end up ‘scalping’ the lawn and damaging the grass, often leading to muddy patches. These patches are harder for your lawn to correct because the low-cut has damaged it. To avoid this, never cut your lawn on the lowest setting. Try to keep it at least three inches long at all times. Does this mean you might have to cut it more frequently? Yes, but that’s just part of garden maintenance – if you want a healthy lawn, you can’t take any shortcuts.
Not giving your lawn enough water
Watering your lawn is essential to keep it healthy, or else it will dry out. The biggest mistake people make in this department is they don’t give their lawn enough water. As this lawn watering guide mentions, the common error is to water your lawn too frequently, with hardly any water. Staying outside for ten minutes isn’t going to give your lawn the water it needs for the roots to grow. Instead, you should be out there for 30-45 minutes, a few days per week. This forces the roots to grow longer, ensuring your water stays nourished during the hot and dry months. A little sprinkle of your watering can every day won’t do enough – you need to learn how to water your lawn properly!
Using dull blades to cut the lawn
Another issue relating to cutting your lawn, and one that’s just as damaging as cutting it too short. Dull lawnmower blades have a harder time cutting grass than sharp ones. As a result, they tend to tear your grass and rip it up. This leaves you with jagged edges, a mismatched cut, and unhealthy grass. From here, it’s more likely that your lawn will get brown quickly or suffer from some diseases. The good news is, you can so easily avoid this by sharpening your mower’s blades. Do this once or twice a year, and you will never have dull blades again, leading to a much smoother cut that doesn’t damage the grass.
Generally, the way you cut and water your lawn will play a massive role in how healthy it is. If you can nail these two maintenance tasks, your lawn is going to look luscious and green!
