You should mow your grass whenever it is required. Mow the grass slightly shorter in early spring to encourage new growth. We recommend using a mulching or side discharge mower as opposed to bagging your clippings. Grass clippings contain nutrients that can be reabsorbed by your lawn. If you are producing too many clippings, raise your mower height. You should never cut off more than 1/3 of the grass height each time you mow. Optimal grass height in this area is anywhere from 2 to 2 1/2 inches. Be sure to sharpen your mower blades each year. Dull blades tear the grass instead of cutting it, leaving it more vulnerable to disease in the humid summer months.

Watering should be performed on an as-needed basis. Any type of sprinkler is recommended as long as it waters uniformly. We do not recommend watering your lawn by hand, as you would have to stand outside for several hours to do an adequate job. New sod should be watered daily for a period of two weeks, and then be cut back to every other day or every third day. Established turf should be watered deeply only every few days, in order to train the roots to grow down where water is more plentiful. Most sprinklers will do this in about 45 minutes for each area. This improves drought tolerance and overall plant health. Watering should always be done anywhere from early morning to mid-afternoon. Watering in the evening leaves the grass wet overnight, creating ideal conditions for fungus to grow.

Fertilization is essential to maintaining a healthy lawn. Without the proper nutrients, grass will become vulnerable to weeds and disease. All fertilizer (both synthetic and organic) is labeled with three numbers, such as 24-2-12. These numbers correspond to percentage Nitrogen-Phosphorous- Potash by weight. You are aiming for 1 lb. of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. In our example, you would need about 4 lbs. of 24-2-12 fertilizer for each 1,000 square feet in your yard. Spread fertilizer evenly by hand in very small yards, or with a spreader for larger yards. If you are unsure of which rate to set your spreader, it's ok to set the rate very slow and do several passes until you get accustomed to the spreader.

In dealing with weeds, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If your lawn is healthy and lush, weeds will have a hard time competing with the full carpet of grass. Still, weeds will appear from time to time, and it is prudent to remove them before they spread. If you spot only a few weeds in your lawn, there is no sense in spraying herbicide; simply pull them out by hand. If your weed problem is more widespread, you may need to use herbicide. Most weeds in this area can be killed with a broadleaf herbicide, available from hardware stores and garden centers. Be sure to follow the directions carefully, as over-application can harm your lawn.

Most lawns will require at least a small amount of overseeding each fall. Overseeding only needs to be done where there are bare spots, or where the grass appears to be thinning out. Small areas can be spread by hand, but you may want to use a spreader if you have a larger yard. Seed should be applied at 50 lbs/ acre or about 1 lb. per 1,000 square feet.