The Ultimate Lawn Maintenance Guide

If you’re the do-it-yourself type, you probably enjoy taking care of your lawn.  Lawn maintenance can involve many tasks, however, and even the most dedicated lawn enthusiast might get lost in all of the steps and their timing.  If you’ve ever wished there was a basic how-to guide for lawn maintenance, this article is for you!

There are four basic tasks required to maintain a healthy lawn: watering, mowing and edging, lawn fertilization, and weed and moss control.

Watering your lawn is perhaps the most essential yet overlooked part of lawn care.  Fortunately, the most common lawn grasses in Richmond only require approximately one inch of water per week.  This water can come from a sprinkler system, a manual sprinkler, a handheld watering hose, or even rainfall.  Just remember that, during the summer, many Vancouver-area municipalities are under watering restrictions.  Be sure to water on the correct day and only during the allowed hours to avoid fines!

When your grass receives the water it needs, it will grow.  This is what we want, of course, but it also means that regular mowing and edging are required.  During the summer, you will need to mow your grass at least once a week.  While the correct height for your grass varies by the type of grass you have, the general rule is to never cut off more than one-third of the grass at one time.  This keeps your grass healthy while not requiring you to mow any more often than necessary.

Like any other living organism, grass needs to be fed.  Lawn fertilization is the best way to ensure that your lawn has all of the nutrients it needs to thrive.  We recommend applying fertilizer in the spring once your grass has started to grow.  Fertilizer should then be reapplied any time your grass starts to look a little bit less lush than it should, which is usually every six to eight weeks.  Once your grass starts to go dormant for the winter, you can stop fertilizing.

We recommend using an organic slow-release fertilizer to feed your lawn without causing any sudden growth spurts.  There are many general use fertilizers available that usually work very well, but if you want to be sure your grass gets exactly what it needs, you can have your soil tested.  The results will tell you exactly what mixture of nutrients you need to add to create the optimum growing conditions.

Weed and moss control works best when weeds or moss are actively growing.  It is therefore best to make an application in the spring.  A second application can be made if needed, but do not overdo it!  Spot treatments can be used throughout the growing season as needed.  Once weeds and moss have been eliminated, one application a year is often enough to prevent them from returning. 

You are now equipped with the basic information you need to care for your lawn.  If you have questions or run into trouble, do not hesitate to give our lawn maintenance experts a call!