10 Summer lawn care tips from the extreme lawn care guru
I’ve blogged before about the importance of curb appeal but extreme lawn care is new to me. Would you pick blades of grass by hand or vacuum your lawn? Some homeowners across the country do. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, extreme lawn care is more than a trend, it’s a labor of love that’s tremendously competitive.
Imagine your front lawn a deep emerald green, weeded, perfectly squared and striped like a baseball field. For most homeowners, taking care of their lawn is nothing more than a chore. Most of us prefer to pay someone else to take care of our lawn. But for some people across the country, having a perfect lawn is something to be proud of.
Those who feel having an extreme lawn is worth sweating over are the disciples of the self-proclaimed Lawn Care Nut and YouTube guru Allyn Hane. Check out his popular video “How to Dominate Your Neighbor’s Lawn,” that’s received more than two million views to date. In the video, he encourages lawn lovers to “mow taller” than their neighbors for “…the same reason why tall people stand out in a crowd.”
Here’s a list of summer lawn care tips you’ll want to follow – or make sure your lawn professionals follows — that will give you an extreme lawn:
1) Rake your yard
Get rid of sticks, leaves and other debris in your yard that can kill sprouting grass.
2) Add topsoil
By using topsoil to fill in low spots, you’ll be properly prepped for new seeding.
3) Summer Weed Control
In the hot months, use a spot or zone spray method to weed. Mix your own concentrates in water in a pump sprayer. Spray in the evening when the temperature is not as severe. Give your lawn at least a 30-day window before you reseed.
4) Irrigation
Irrigate your lawn deeply at least two times per week even if it rains. This will thicken your turf. (Not recommended in a California drought!)
5) Mowing
The extreme lawn guru suggests you mow your lawn twice a week, no matter what type of grass. When you do mow, remove more than 33% of the leaf blade each time.
6) Reseeding
Wait until late August or early September to reseed. Heat and water are the main elements to a healthy, green lawn, just not too much heat. If you reseed too early, your grass will suffer.
7) Spread fertilizer
Use a natural or slow-release fertilizer to help your new seeds grow.
8) Sprinkle topsoil, again
Spread topsoil over your seeded area to hold your seeds in place and protect seedlings from birds.
9) Water regularly
Your new grass needs daily watering for 10-14 days.
10) Have the Best Lawn in the Neighborhood
Go ahead and gloat, you’ve worked for it!
Don’t have a gardener or landscape person? Then check with the experts at HomeAdvisor. All you have to do is put in your zip code to get a list of the best garden and landscape professionals in your area.
Extreme lawn care comes naturally in Santa Barbara because we have the perfect, year-round Mediterranean weather for a beautiful, healthy lawn.
If you want to show off your front lawn in a new home in Montecito, Hope Ranch or any of Santa Barbara’s upscale communities, give me a call at 805.886.9378 or email me at Cristal@montecito-estate.com. I’ll find you the perfect home with a great lawn, like this Picacho Lane Mediterranean, located on one of Montecito’s most prestigious streets. You’ll be the proud owner of the house with the envy-worthy extreme lawn!