Whether you are a new gardening enthusiast or have been looking after your home lawn for decades, you will know that keeping it in great shape takes a lot of work. And this is the last thing you would want to ignore because an unkempt outdoor space can have a significant impact on your property’s curb appeal. While you need a lot of skills and knowledge along with frequent professional help for lawn care, there are certain misconceptions to steer clear of as well. Unfortunately, there are a lot of them circulating around, which means that you have good chances of handling things the wrong way just because you believe the wrong notions. Let us clear them up so that you skip the ineffective and harmful lawn care practices for good.
Myth #1: Beer works as an excellent fertilizer
Beer is good for bars, not lawns and if you think that feeding it a bottle or two will do wonders for the soil, you are absolutely mistaken! The idea behind this misconception is that beer has yeast, which can make the soil fertile. Despite the yeast content, beer also contains alcohol, sugars, and other ingredients that can do more harm than good. In fact, the yeast may encourage fungus growth in the soil. Lawns need to be treated with fertilizers that offer major nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus along with micronutrients such as sulfur, calcium, and magnesium. Beer has none of these, so you should rely on real fertilizers, organic, homemade or store-bought, to enhance the fertility of your soil.
Myth #2: Any time is a good time for watering
Another lawn care myth that needs to be debunked is that you may pick the hose or get the sprinkler running anytime. The truth is that early morning is ideal for watering your lawn because evaporation rates are low during the early hours. Moreover, the plants get enough time to dry during the day, which minimizes the risk of turf diseases. Watering during the afternoon heat is not a great idea because much of the water is likely to evaporate before it reaches the grassroots. The evening is even worse because the conditions can lead to the development of fungus. So stick to a morning routine, sometime between 6 and 9 a.m. Also, watering the lawn deeply and infrequently is recommended for minimizing browning in the summer and encouraging deeper root growth.
Myth #3: Cutting the grass short means you won’t have to mow often
Cutting the grass too short is not a great thing to do; in fact, it is outright harmful because it weakens your lawn. Short blades have a tough time producing the nutrients that the plants need to survive and thrive. When this happens, weeds may get free reign on your lawn. Moreover, short blades are unable to shade the soil properly, which results in increased evaporation. You may even see brown patches of dead grass eventually. As a rule of thumb, never mow more than one-third of the grass blade and try to stick to a three inches length throughout the growing season. You may have to mow more often but your lawn will be healthy and lush green.
Myth #4: Vinegar controls weed
Having weeds in your lawn is something common but letting them stay is the worst thing you can do. Picking them with your hand is a lot of hard work, but you’d better not rely on vinegar as your weed control system. Vinegar is acidic and it can burn the areas of application. Even when you apply it to weeds with good intentions, the grass around will be killed. Moreover, it does not get absorbed and translocated throughout the plant, which means that new growth will sprout over time. Experts at Tucson weed control recommend specialized products to do away with weeds for good. While you can rest assured about weeds not coming back, there are hardly any chances of damage to the grass and other plants in the lawn.
Myth #5: You will have weeds if your neighbor has them
Another weed-related myth that homeowners believe is that they will surely have weeds if the lawn next door has them. While unruly yards and lots do present challenges for the neighbors, they are a lot less serious than you may assume. Implementing proper measures to prevent and control weeds in your place can go a long way in protecting it from whatever happens next door. It is true that you may get weed seeds via wind, water, animal, and human traffic. But it is easy to avoid this type of weed infestation if you keep your lawn thick and healthy. A proper mowing, watering, and lawn care routine, coupled with periodic professional checks and treatment, can help a lot in this context. Remember that weeds are more likely to grow in lawns that are bare and thin.
Myth #6: Spring is the best time to seed your lawn
Contrary to the popular belief, seeding your lawn in the spring may not be the best thing to do. Rather, it does not give your plants enough to establish before the arrival of the scorching summer. The season is full of challenges for young plants, as they have to bear the brunt of heat, dryness, and disease. Most of them may not be able to survive in the absence of a mature root system. There is also a risk of the lawn being overtaken with weeds and crabgrass when you cannot apply pre- and post-emergent weed controls due to fresh seeding. Fall is an ideal time for seeding because the temperatures are cooler and the soil is better able to retain moisture. If you can check weather forecasts, it is a good idea to fertilize the lawn a day or two before it rains.
Now that all the major lawn care myths have been debunked, you will be able to ensure a healthy, lush outdoor space with less work. Also, investing in regular weed control makes sense to maintain its health over time.
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