Fix Your Lawn
Simple steps to a better looking lawn
Your lawn can look better - here are the steps you need
Ok let’s keep this super simple. Because that’s why I’ve avoided taking care of my lawn for so long. I tend to just delay and avoid things that I don’t understand. How about you?
Let's jump right in...
4 basics steps to get your lawn looking better
Space these steps about a month apart starting in May, depending on your weather – whenever things start to get green.
1) Weed and feed (This is what we used)
- Kill the dandelions and weeds
2) Fertilize/Overseed (Our grass seed options and fertilizer)
- Feed the good stuff that’s left and seed good grass where the weeds died
3) Ironite (Buy it here)
- Keeps it looking green when it gets really hot
4) Fall Fertilizer/Weed and feed (Here’s what we used)
- Start next season off right
If that’s all you need to know, there. You’ve got it. Get to work. If you want more details and tips, keep reading.
2 important notes before you start:
1 > Pre-step 1 – If you mulch when you mow or have really thick grass, you may want to de-thatch with a power rake. It costs about $100/day when we rented it. You could probably get it done in an hour or two if you hustle. If you have thin gras and/or bag when you mow, you can skip this.
2 > Pace yourself – this is NOT a one-year/one-season process. If you’re just starting, you’re probably looking at some maintenance like this for about 3 years before you’ve got it looking stellar. That’s ok! No one’s judging you and if they are, well, forget them. Good things take time.
Mowing
2 thoughts on mowing:
Length – you mainly want to keep the grass around 3 inches tall. So… do this one time – get the tape out and measure your mower deck height and factor in for the blade height above the deck and now you never have to do it again. Mark your height notches on your mower. In the fall for your last cut, knock it down a notch to 2 inches
You want a sharp blade. This is The Fix… so don’t go taking your blade somewhere to get sharpened. This is easy to do yourself. Flip the mower over, find the right socket size, hold the blade still with something (like your boot), and take that thing off. Put it in a vise and get out your angle grinder with a flap wheel and sharpen the blade up, following the angle that’s already there. Usually, you’re just sharpening the last 4-5 inches of the blade, not the whole length of it. Don't forget to wear safety glasses and if you don’t have an angle grinder or a vise or a flap disk, here’s your excuse to get them. These are inexpensive and versatile tools that every shop or garage will use a lot.
The Nuclear option
We talk about this in the video, but if your entire lawn is really, really bad, or maybe you’re trying to create a lawn where there wasn’t one, there is another option. Kill it and start fresh. Wipre it out completely and start over. Spray that whole thing with weed killer, like Round Up, till it up, spray it again (the weeds aren't dead yet - kill them all), make it look flat and pretty, and plant a fresh mix of grass seed. Bam. Fresh start. For me… I have a lot of lawn and I live on a corner lot and I spend a lot of time in my yard with my family. No matter how bad it was… I wasn’t going here. I’m taking the long route.
That’s it. No excuses now. Pretty simple. You are equipped to get your lawn looking better.
More Resources
If you have more questions, here is the contact info for the Master gardening extension in your area - Master Gardener Extensions by state
If you want to nerd-out a bit, here's a printable planting guide to pick the right seed -
