5 Ways To Sabotage Your Lawn Care

When it comes to nurturing a healthy and thriving lawn, there are lots of really helpful things you can do. There are also a lot of things that can cause damage. Many of the things that can harm your lawn were intended for good, so our experts at Nutri-lawn Ottawa put together a short list of the most common, perhaps unintentional lawn care sabotage we see.

Harmful Mowing

Mowing too soon in the spring can stunt grass growth. When the grass plants are just beginning to recover from a winter dormant period, it’s always a good idea to let the grass grow a little longer than you might otherwise to give the grass a good start.

Mowing your grass too short is also a very common problem. Homeowners might be trying to save themselves the extra mowing by trimming the grass very short. Unfortunately, grass that’s shorn too short struggles to produce the nutrients it needs to thrive. If the crown of the grass plants become damaged, the plant may die altogether.

Incorrect Overseeding

Choosing a discount brand of grass seed, “because all that’s different is the packaging”, can be a problem. With grass seed, you really do get what you pay for. Quality grass seed from reputable companies will germinate as promised and thrive quickly provided there’s adequate moisture and good soil. Some discount seed may include weed seeds and may not germinate at all leaving bare spots in your lawn.

Overseeding without providing adequate moisture is an issue. Spring is a great time to overseed because the weather often provides enough moisture, but overseeding in summer may not provide optimal results due to the heat and drought conditions often present.

Treating Before Identifying The Problem

Grass that’s yellowed or gone brown from pet urine needs a different solution than brown grass due to insect infestations. Not all weeds are crabgrass. Thin or sparse grass could be due to too much shade, thin or poor soil, bad seed, or too much traffic. Each problem needs a specific solution. Many problems can be corrected without chemicals, and if time isn’t taken to find the root of the problem you may cycle through several solutions and never address the issue.

Improper Watering

Most homeowners are aware that if the lawn doesn’t receive enough moisture it will go brown. It doesn’t die in the summer when it browns, it goes dormant and will revive when the rains return. However, watering too often leaves lawns vulnerable to a variety of problems due to shallow roots. Watering too little too infrequently will result in a dormant lawn. Lawns need a consistent amount of moisture to thrive, and they need deep roots to withstand winter, pests, and other problems.

Improper Fertilizing

Fertilizer is a great tool to help homeowners have a fantastic lawn, but applied incorrectly or in the wrong concentration can cause considerable damage. The only way to fix this damage is to reseed or resod the lawn. Fertilizer burn looks a lot like pet damage from urine and requires the same solution. When applying fertilizer be sure you know the correct application and strength for your lawn. And be sure there’s adequate moisture available so it’s absorbed fully without causing damage.

Our blog is a great resource to find solutions for all these problems. The lawn care experts at Nutri-Lawn Ottawa are always available for a free quote to address these common problems, or better yet, prevent them from happening in the first place. This summer, instead of fixing problems, why not just enjoy your lawn! Contact us today!