A lush lawn can help improve a home’s aesthetics. But it’s not always easy to do, says William Moss, a horticultural educator known nationally as the “garden boss." Moss says he sees several common mistakes that homeowners are making with their lawns, including:
Watering Errors
Many homeowners water too frequently for short periods, such as daily for 15 minutes or so. Instead, Moss says it’s better to water for a longer period of time every two to three days. On average, he says, lawns typically need an hour-long watering session.
“Giving them that long drink every two to three days, when you really soak and let it get down deep in that six-inch layer, will have the roots grow down there, and the whole turf will be much more drought-tolerant,” Moss told USA Today.
Mowing too low
“The thicker your grass up top, the thicker the roots down below,” he told USA Today. “In the summertime—in particular when you need that drought tolerance and you need things to shade out the weeds so you don’t get too many of them in the turf—you want to be sure to raise the mower to three inches.” In the fall, he suggests lowering it back to 2 to 2.5 inches. Taller turf in the summer, he says, has the benefit of shading out any weeds as well.
Source: “Here’s How to Grow a Great Lawn With Beautiful, Green Grass,” USA Today (Aug. 15, 2019)
