This time of the year, the phrase “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” seems to be on my mind, especially as I look out onto my front lawn. Even though I have been gardening for years, and know all the steps to follow to achieve an emerald lawn, it never seems to happen. However, this year I have high hopes.
The three crucial areas are watering, fertilizing, and mowing. If these three matters are addressed, it is possible to have an enviable lawn, even in Colorado.
Watering correctly seems to be a difficult task in such a dry climate.
Many people think that since our air is constantly parched, more water must be better. The good news is that watering less is not only economical but also healthier for our lawns. If grass is watered less often, with deeper soaking, roots push down into the ground and become more drought-tolerant. This results in a greener lawn.
To get the water deeper into the ground, the trick is to run your sprinkler system in two cycles, one right after the first. This allows the water to soak in rather than run off, especially on slopes.
There is a very easy, low-tech way to tell if your lawn needs watering: Walk across it. If the blades bounce up behind you, then no watering is needed. If the blades stay tamped down, then it is time to run the sprinkler. This timing technique is much more efficient than regular intervals and results in a healthier lawn.
Fertilizing is also an area where saving money will help save your lawn. The essential time to fertilize a lawn is in the fall, right after aeration. This way, the fertilizer gets into the holes and penetrates deeper into the soil.
A spring dose of fertilizer, also after aeration, is helpful if your grass is not in perfect condition. But beware, fertilizing throughout the summer, especially with high nitrogen, is just going to encourage the grass to grow at full force when naturally it may want to slow down during the hotter months.
The final essential area for a healthy lawn is mowing. This is all good news for your wallet and your body.
First, stop bagging the grass clippings. Mulching the clippings and leaving them on the yard adds natural nitrogen that is usually a sufficient amount to last through the summer. Also, clippings do not contribute to thatch. Second, if you want to mow less often, cut at a higher setting. This slows the growth of the grass. It also has the added benefit of choking out some of the weeds, because the taller blades shade them.
Those are the big three “secrets” to a healthy, green lawn that neighbors will envy. I have faith that by this summer it will be my neighbors musing how, “the grass is greener on the other side of the fence”, only now, that “side” will be my yard.
Sharon Tanaka is a CSU Extension master gardener in Douglas County.
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