You guys have to realize that all these lawn care tips I give you here are leading to one thing: getting your lawn thicker. The thing is guys, a thicker lawn will resist all other problems better than any amount of “stuff” you can throw on it. Yep, go ahead and spread whatever you want on the lawn to kill weeds, insects and lawn disease, but if you are not working to get your turf thicker in the process, you are fighting a battle that will be hard to win.
Why A Thick Lawn?
The thicker your lawn, the more it is able to resist (or at least not show the signs of) damage caused by outside stresses. This includes heat and drought stress, insect damage and disease and fungus invasion. The more turf blades there are, the more photosynthesis can occur to help the lawn recover quickly from these attacks.
How To Get A Thick Lawn
First off, you need to do some of the basics that I preach and harp about all the time. These basics are super important and you have to do them consistently ALL THE TIME!
1) Mow Tall All Year – yep, you are tired of hearing it, but I am gonna keep saying it… you HAVE to mow tall. (3.5 inches recommended) When you mow tall, you are keeping more leaf blade surface available to take in sunlite and send energy down to the root system of your lawn. The more energy created through photosynthesis, the more the grass can continue to grow and thicken up.
2) Water Consistent – Water Deep – you have to keep your lawn irrigated during the summer if you want it to thicken up. Don’t get me wrong, it is ok to let it go dormant in the summer as this is a built in safety mechanism, but when it is dormant, the lawn is not growing and not getting any thicker. If you keep it watered 2-3 times per week you will let it grow. I want you to water deeply, however. When you throw out the sprinkler, put it out there and let it sit for at least an hour – this will get water into the soil instead of leaving it laying on top.
3) Aerate Spring And Fall – lawn aeration is a process whereby cores of soil are removed from the lawn. This relieves compaction and allows grass roots to spread, making the lawn thicker. You can also overseed right after you aerate.
4) Fertilize Right – you should get a hold of my lawn care fertilizing book and follow it to the letter. Fertilization is important, but you have to use the right balance or you could be doing more harm than good.
That is really it guys. You can have a thicker lawn if you follow these simple steps. Of course, you need some patience too… a beautiful lawn doesn’t happen overnight.
