Grow Your Best Lawn Yet

April is National Lawn Care Month and it is, indeed, a great time to take a step back, evaluate your lawn and start building a firm foundation for a spectacular lawn that will be the envy of the neighborhood!

In fact, National Lawn Care Association research shows that over 80% of folks maintain their lawn themselves, but 69% admit their lawn needs improvement. Fortunately, Nickell Rental has you covered with expert tips that you can put into action this weekend.

 The Skinny on the South’s Favorite Grass

The workhorse of the southern lawn is Bermuda grass – and for good reason! Not all grasses are created equal when it comes to the heat, humidity and extreme conditions often found in the Southeastern United States. Bermuda grass grew into prominence (pun intended) beginning in the 1900s, so it is a tried and true option.

 A Bermuda grass lawn is characterized by its:

·         Tolerance for the Southeastern weather
·         Great green color
·         Ability to withstand stress, including drought, fire, pets, kids and even vehicle traffic
·         Low profile and close to the ground growth
·         Deep root system
·         Ability to self-propagate
·         Inability to tolerate shade

Tips for Growing and Maintaining a Lush Bermuda Lawn in Georgia

Bermuda grass might sound like a carefree option, and it is definitely a hardy grass, but there are still steps you need to take to ensure its health and lushness over the growing season.

Give it air

Aeration has less to do with the Bermuda grass than with Georgia’s compact clay soil. Georgia soil should be aerated once a year, usually in April. Aeration improves grass rooting, improves fertilizer use, reduces soil compaction and improves your lawn’s drought tolerance.

Using an aerator is a convenient way to make quick work and create the perfect environment for your Bermuda lawn to thrive. 

Feed it

After aeration, give your Bermuda lawn what it needs by applying a top dressing. The best top dressings include sand, lime supplements and soil. The benefits of a top dressing are many, and include softening the clay, balancing PH levels and repairing winter damage.

Applying the top dressing is easy, too, with a spreader that creates an even top dressing and maximizes coverage.

Water it correctly

Remember the National Lawn Care Association research? A third of respondents fully admitted they didn’t know how often a lawn should be watered. Fortunately, Bermuda grass, when it is mature and healthy, has deep growing roots, providing exceptional drought tolerance. However, during times of extreme drought, as we witnessed in 2016, you’ll have to step it up.

Georgia’s favorite gardener, Walter Reeves, notes that lawns should receive an inch of water one or two times a week. If Mother Nature is not up to the job, then you’ll have to set out the sprinkler. Additionally, Reeves notes, Bermuda lawns can go up to eight weeks unwatered without sustaining substantial harm.

Do no harm with the mower

Poor Bermuda grass often gets the short end of the mower. The mower set at the wrong height will, indeed, butcher your lawn and stress your grass. Lawncare.org points out that Bermuda grass should be reduced to a height of only one to one-and-a-half inches. Most homeowner lawnmowers just aren’t able to get the job done. The scalping that results is thanks to “a wheel in the lawn mower rotary dropping down into a small rut, which forces the blade to dip down, scalping the grass in the process.”

Uh oh. What to do? Ensure your lawn is healthy. Let it grow to a height where you will mow about a third of the blade and ensure you have the right mower for the job.

We Georgians are blessed with many months of gorgeous outdoor weather. Entertaining with family and friends in and around our yard is one of the many benefits of living where we do. Cultivating a happy, healthy, lush and beautiful Bermuda lawn definitely adds to the outdoor space. 

See you soon at your local Nickell Rental to pick up what you need to make the most of National Lawn Care Month!