As grass starts greening, we have a chance to prep the lawn for a healthy season.
Why it matters: Doing the right things now will help you have a beautiful lawn all summer long.
🔬 Zoom in: 4 keys to a healthy start (focusing on St. Augustine, our most common grass in DFW):
👉 De-thatch — Using a thatch rake or steel tine rake, rake the yard thoroughly. This loosens thatch (layer of dead grass and roots) that keeps water and air from reaching your grass.
👉 Sharpen your mower blade — A sharp blade will make a clean cut instead of tearing the grass blades.
👉 Don’t cut too short — Never cut more than 1/3 of the height of the grass at a time. St. Augustine is healthiest when kept at 2.5 – 4 inches.
👉 Bag the first mow or two — After removing thatch, you’ll want to bag the first couple of times you mow — which can be great “brown” material for your compost pile.
✅ For your Smart Homeowner list
- If you’re a DIY lawn care person, take your equipment to a great shop like Richardson Saw & Lawn Mower to get a good tune up for the season.
- If you have a lawn service, don’t be afraid to have “the talk.” I’m continually surprised by how short lawn services will cut the grass. Grass cut too short burns easier and encourages weeds to grow. 😱
Best,
Travis