The Grass isn’t always Greener

It may be hard to believe to some, but there are people who have spent their entire lives without grass underfoot all the time. For those of us born and raised in an urban setting, grass was exclusive to the parks and vacant lots in our neighborhoods, and sometimes spotted in the wealthier areas of the townships. It’s a world of man’s design, made of grey concrete and black asphalt that only let greenery peak through in it’s worn cracks and crevices.

That said, with such a massive influx of people flocking to Urban areas, there’s a great number of long time urbanites finding themselves making room for this new generation and heading out to greener pastures- literally.

And while lawns are great for outdoor lounging, gardens, and pets, not everyone always considers the amount of work and effort that goes into maintaining an attractive yard. It’s a lot easier than one might think to find themselves with a dead patch of grass riddled with weeds and unfriendly insects. The bright green patch of heaven that possibly was part of the reason they bought the house suddenly becomes a massive eyesore, and source of nonstop stress for these poor owners who just can’t seem to find their green thumb.

So, let’s say you’re one of these poor souls who suddenly realize that keeping a front yard isn’t quite as easy as sweeping off your stoop every couple of days. You suddenly have this massive living thing you need to account for and tend almost like a pet, and you don’t know the first thing about horticulture. If only someone had told you what to expect.

If only there was some concise and collected summary of the difficulties of lawn ownership and maintenance.

If only you were reading it right now.

Why do we even have yards?

The concept of a low-trimmed yard of grass isn’t a new trend. It’s not even relatively new. Records going as far back as the 12th century in Japan and China speak of hand-scythe trimmed yards of grass belonging to wealthy noblemen. And some anthropologists believe that we as a prehistoric species sought areas of low-grass for our homes so predators couldn’t easily sneak up on us. But our modern trend of lawns isn’t rooted in a primeval fear or strategic advantage; it’s a status symbol.

Born in the post-renaissance France, using property for nothing was a sign of wealth. A family could own acres of land and not need to grow food or make other houses because they were well off, and they wanted people to know it. As a major powerhouse in the political theater at the time, the concept of lawns caught on with the English and Dutch and later spread with their colonization efforts.

And thus, the idea stuck with America after its colonization and growth into a world power. It’s especially prevalent these days since there’s so few people dedicated to farming in areas of high population, and ultimately your yard serves only one real purpose today.

To make people jealous.

So the question is, if you don’t know what you’re doing how will you ever be the envy of the block? Well buckle up and grab your gardening gloves, because you’re going to need to get dirty.

Hire a professional

Or you can pay someone to get dirty for you.

This is the easiest way to do it. Leave the work to professional landscapers and horticulturists who can manage and tend your yard with everything it needs to grow green and healthy.

Ok. Maybe that’s not very helpful but it’s true. Even if you plan on doing everything yourself, from moving the grass to picking the weeds, it never hurts to get the input of a professional. Find out what type of grass you have to better care for it, familiarize yourself with any tricks or tips they may have to over, and discover if you have any parasites or vermin that may be causing issues for your garden and home. Just knowing where you should start and what kind of routine to follow could mean a happier and healthier yard for months to come.

That said, even though they have most of the materials and tools on hand and at easy disposal, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for you to do it too. It just takes more time and effort, but could save you more money in the long run at the cost of more of your time.

The Root of the Problem

If you’ve decided that you don’t need a specialist or can’t afford one, then you might be wondering what your first step is. Well, simply put, you need to know your dirt before you can know your grass. This means knowing what your soil’s pH levels are. To do so, you need a special kit that you can obtain by contacting your local county extension office or agricultural agent. You’ll also need to know of a lab you can send it to, which you can find with your county as well.

Alternatively, if you don’t have that kind of time, you can search online for a rough idea. It won’t be as exact, but it’ll give you a good idea of what to expect for your region from other people’s experiences.

From there, it’s more research. This time you want to find out what grasses are common to your area and the best conditions for them to grow. Certain grasses are accustomed to certain climates and average rainfall, so be cautious not to invest in a type that will die in your regions average weather. You can either identify the grass you already have this way and start planting, or you can rip it out and start fresh. Either way, you can purchase seeds that you can then put down either right on top of existing patches to thicken them up or onto fresh soil to grow something new. Alternatively, if you’re starting from scratch there’s always the option of sodding, which is more expensive and involved, requiring a great deal of manual labor and adjustment time before the lawn becomes usable again.

No matter what you choose, make sure to do it right. Plant your grass during it’s normal growing cycle, and investigate the brands of seed and sod you’re putting money into so you know what to expect going forward. Some brands may not be trustworthy and use a blend of seeds that might not be what was on the label.

Once planted, patience is your best friend. There’s a few tips and tricks on how to excel your grasses growth but ultimately, it’s a waiting game.

How not to kill it after you have it

Grass is a living thing, as we discussed, so rearing a healthy and vast yard is really only half the battle. Once you have a thick and full expanse of grass, you’re going to want to keep it that way lest you let all your hard work go to waste.

Maintenance from this point forward comes down to four major factors: Mowing, watering, fertilizing, and protecting.

Now, you may be thinking mowing and watering? It doesn’t get easier than that. But you would be wrong. When it comes to cutting your grass, you need to account for the healthiest length depending on the type of grass you have. Too long and it will start to overgrow potentially cause dead patches. Too short and you’ll expose the sensitive parts of the blades to the elements to be ravaged. Know how long you should cut and strive to keep it there with a cut once per week, and never take more than a third off at any one time.

It’s the same thing with watering. Too little and the grass will dry out and die, too much and you’re just wasting water and potentially killing patches of your lawn. Watch the weather, and adjust your watering schedule accordingly to keep your grass well kept.

When it comes to fertilizing, it’s back to being a little more scientific. That’s right, time to look at your lab results again. Or the rough estimates you collected from online. Or just winging it. You need to know the amount of nitrogen you need in your lawn based off the organic materials present. Generally, expect 1,000 pounds of nitrogen per square foot, which sounds like a lot. When you go get fertilizer, you’ll find most bags have a number on it’s label depicting the percentage of nitrogen in it’s contents so you can get your lawns levels correct. However, just like with all things, too much of a good thing is bad. Feed too much or too often and you’ll be back to square one, so set up a schedule and make sure you know what you’re doing before doing it.

Protecting is the scariest sounding of all the four, but it boils down to checking your yard for abnormalities like dead spots and unusual growths. Being vigilant is harder than you think when things move as slow as grass growing, and it’s easy to miss the signs until it’s too late some times. You want to be on the constant look out for unwelcome insects and plants, and do everything you can to prevent and remove them. Prevention is your best tool, so research local vermin and weeds to expect and invest in products that ward them off.

In the event that you find yourself with sudden unwelcome guests, it’s best to remove them as quickly and thoroughly as possible. When it comes to weeds, pulling them up is often enough but sometimes chemical answers are the way to go. As for insects and parasites, it’s almost always going to come down to some manner of pesticide. Potentially dangerous in the hands of someone unfamiliar with the application, pesticide is a poison that could cause harm to your lawn, plants, home, pets, and possibly even you. It’s possibly best to leave it to a professional at this point.

Enjoy

If you made it this far and are scratching your head at the amount of time, effort, and science that goes into managing a lawn, I’ll remind you I tried to tell you to get a professional. Managing a lawn, especially for a first time home owner with a yard, is a lot harder than you’d think. It’s why you’ll quickly discover that landscapers and lawn-services flourish in areas, and you’ll likely see trucks full of men and lawn care equipment on your block every day of the week.

But if you have the drive and desire to learn and do it yourself, then you could save yourself hundreds every year by managing and taking care of your grass. It takes time, effort, and energy, but at the end of the day you’ll have a lush green patch to call all your own. And who knows, you might just find a new hobby in gardening if it all goes well.