Tips to Grow Your Lawn

The Right Grass

• Plant the right type of grass for your location and growing conditions. Read the labels on grass seed packages and talk to local landscape contractors about the kinds of sod they install locally. Having the right grass in your yard means less maintenance, fewer weed and disease problems, and better growth.

Keep a Water Log

• A healthy green lawn depends on consistent watering. Keep track of weekly rainfall and how much you water the grass in a water log. A simple daily record in a notebook where you write how much water falls on your lawn each day is all that's needed. You can see at a glance when the last time was that it rained or you watered. Keep it to at least 1 inch of water per week for healthy growth.

Set the Mower Blades High

• Set the blades on your lawn mower to the highest setting and keep them sharp. Cutting the grass too low damages the plant's crown, causes browning and may leave the plant vulnerable to disease and insect infestation. Cutting the grass with dull blades tears at the grass leaves instead of cleanly cutting the tops. This leaves the plants vulnerable to disease.

Build the Soil

• Your lawn's health depends on the soil's health. Add organic matter to the lawn at least once a year in fall or spring by spreading a thin layer of aged and sifted compost. Do this more often if possible, especially if your soil is poor or your grass is not thick and healthy. A mulching lawn mower returns organic matter from grass clippings to the lawn's soil.