14 Lawn Care Mistakes To Avoid If You Want Healthier Grass
© Getty Images nullWho doesn't strive for perfection when it comes to caring for their grass? We like to think we all know the basics, but it turns out there are common lawn care mistakes we're probably all making that could be jeopardizing our efforts.
More than a mere patch of grass, the lawn is the heart of any garden and therefore needs to look its best to enhance the surrounding best plants and landscaping.
But whoever said lawn care was easy? From mowing to sowing, scarifying to aerating lawns are high maintenance and require a lot of TLC throughout the seasons. Not to mention that there are easy lawn care mistakes to be made during every step of the process, which can compromise the appearance of the grass.
Luckily we've spoken to horticultural experts who reveal the most common lawn care mistakes, from misjudging how often you mow your lawn to planting grass seed under the wrong conditions.
Our team of gardening experts explains how to rectify or avoid the most common lawn care mistakes altogether.
1. Tending to core lawn care in the wrong conditionsWith all lawn care being about timing this one can be the biggest mistake to make. Take for instance when to first cut grass after winter it's easy to assume that the first sign of sunshine in spring welcomes the perfect opportunity to mow the grass that has laid dormant during the winter months but it's not that simple. Same as with when to aerate or fertilize a lawn, the climate is more important than the date.
"Getting the timing right is the key to keeping your lawn healthy and making sure that you are doing no unnecessary harm to it," says Chris McIlroy, a gardening expert at The Grass People. "As a rule of thumb, we recommend waiting until temperatures are consistently above 8 degrees before you think about mowing your lawn. When temperatures are below 8 degrees, your grass is typically in a state of dormancy, where it grows a very small amount, so slowly, it's almost unnoticeable."
The same goes for fertilizer, as Teri points out: "Fertilizer is best applied to a well-hydrated, actively growing lawn in the early morning or evening. Active growth depends on grass type. Cool-season lawns (like fescues, bluegrass, and ryegrass) begin actively growing when temps start hitting above 40-49 degrees F. Warm-season lawns begin growing when temps hold consistently above 60-69 degrees F."
2. Mowing too uniformlyNo matter how often you mow your lawn it can actually be more about how you mow that can damage the blades of the grass. While most gardeners strive for a beautifully striped lawn it turns out the act of only moving in precise straight lines could be detrimental to the growth of healthy grass.
"Varying your mowing pattern is good for your lawn over time as it means you're not repeatedly forcing the grass to bend in one particular direction," explains Carlos Real, a lawn care expert, and managing director at TotalLawn.
"Instead, one week start at the top of your garden and finish at the bottom and alternate it the next time you mow. This will make the stripes look slightly different, and result in stronger and more resilient grass over time."
3. Cutting grass too shortAs well as the direction of your mowing another mistake can be the height at which you cut. "When cutting your lawn, the most common mistake many people make is cutting the grass too short," says Gemma Vincent, product manager at lawn mower specialists Hayter. "We advise not to cut more than one 3rd off at a time as a good rule of thumb."
Explaining why this mistake proves so costly, Gemma explains: "Cutting your grass any shorter than this, and you'll be damaging it, leaving your lawn susceptible to pests, heat stress, and disease."
"Mowing too short ends up scalping the lawn and doing more harm than good," adds Peter Chaloner, an expert at lawnmower manufacturer Cobra. "Most lawnmowers have an adjustable height level that raises the blades from the grass to prevent scalping, which can stress the grass."
Cutting the grass too short can strip the lawn of essential moisture and cause it to dry out: "whereas a higher cut will help stimulate grass growth and encourage the blades to thicken over time," explains Peter.
4. Treating a stressed lawnWhen grass is visibly 'stressed' it's best to avoid carrying out any form of gardening chore. It's best all around to give the grass time to recover, otherwise, you risk causing further trauma.
For example, don't try to feed or mow a scorched lawn. "Don't apply fertilizer to drought or heat-stressed lawns," says Teri Valenzuela, natural science manager at lawn care specialists Sunday.
"If your lawn is experiencing heat or drought stress, lightly water the crown (the part just above the soil) to keep it alive, but don't fertilize, stop mowing, and stay off of it until it starts greening up again."
5. Watering at incorrect times of the dayA common mistake we probably all make is watering the lawn at the wrong or least ideal time of the day. There's the temptation to water the grass during intense sunshine to relieve the lawn of the heat or at the end of the day after the sun has set, but both are actually detrimental to growing healthy grass.
"The best time to water the lawn is in the early morning as this allows the grass to absorb the water throughout the day," explains Jay Betts, a grass expert at lawn care specialist LawnStarter.
"When watering in the middle of a hot day, a good portion of the water will evaporate before reaching the roots not giving the grass the necessary water it needs to grow. And while watering in the evening might seem like a sound idea, it's actually not advisable either as not having enough sunlight will allow the water to sit on the grass for too long which can lead to lawn diseases and fungus."
6. Over wateringIn addition to knowing when to water it's important to know how much to water, because overwatering is another common lawn care mistake.
"With watering the lawn at the right time of the day also comes watering the grass just enough which leads to one of the other most common mistakes, overwatering the lawn," says Jay. "Grass only needs about an inch of water per week."
"The easiest way to know how much water your lawn is getting is by installing a small rain gauge however if you don't want to do that, it's recommended you have one to two days of watering the lawn per week and again you want to do this in the morning."
7. Neglecting to fertilize when most neededFeeding lawns can often be overlooked, with the assumption that water and sunlight are all a lawn needs – which can be true to a certain extent, but fertilizer delivers the extra nutrients your lawn needs for healthier grass.
"In most lawns, soil can provide all, if not most of the nutrients (like nitrogen) that your grass needs to grow," says Teri. "While ideally, your lawn has healthy soil and receives enough nutrients from the soil - that's not always the case. In these instances, or when you'd like to ensure sustained growth, fertilizing your lawn is a great supplemental addition to your lawn routine."
So how often should you fertilize your lawn? "It depends, but generally speaking 2-3 times per year depending on fertilizer preference and goals for your lawn," explains Teri. "If you use granular fertilizer, you may be limited to two applications per season. Whereas liquid fertilizer can be applied more frequently as it applies lower, targeted amounts of nutrients per application."
8. Applying fertilizer unevenlyIt may sound obvious, but it's also far too easy to do and can result in patchy, unpleasing results. "Apply fertilizer uniformly across your lawn to ensure even distribution of nutrients and even growth," says Teri.
"Missing a few spots here or there likely won't be noticeable, but you'll be able to recognize over time the areas that you might be missing completely."
9. Using weed killerWhile a lawn full of weeds is not a welcome sight, nor too is a patchy lawn with dead patches caused by the application of weed killer.
"Avoid any fertilizer products that contain herbicide or 'weed killer'," says Teri. "These are traditionally called 'weed and feeds' and contain pesticides. Not only do these products require the user to spread pesticides across their lawn, they also can harm growing grass seed and beneficial insects, like pollinators."
Always check the product label to determine if you're applying a fertilizer with herbicide properties.
10. Scarifying wet grassExperts are all in agreement on whether you can scarify a wet lawn, and the answer is a resounding no. While it's possible to do the job on wet grass the experts would never recommend it because you run a greater risk of pulling up the roots due to softer soil conditions.
"It's best to dethatch (Scarify) the grass when the soil is moist – not wet and not dry,' says Barry Galvin, an expert at lawn care service provider Lawn Starter. "We recommend watering your lawn thoroughly 2 days before dethatching."
11. Aerating too frequentlyWhile aerating a lawn is a good practice it is only necessary at very specific times and actually how often you should aerate a lawn is far less than people think.
"Whilst it may seem like a good idea to aerate as often as possible, it can do more harm than good to you and your lawn," explains Chris. "Generally, aeration is a good practice to carry out every once in a while to improve drainage and alleviate compaction, but it shouldn't become a regular practice in any garden."
"Try to confine spiking to compacted areas, and don't do this too often. When using a garden fork, only do this once a year," suggests Chris. "If using a hollow-tine aerator, cut this down further to once every three years."
Experts recommend aerating your lawn only once a year, typically in the fall or spring when the grass is actively growing.
Gently pricking the surface to aid with watering and fertilizing can be done a little more regularly but remember this method won't solve deep compaction issues.
12. Failing to rake away debris frequently enoughLeaving freshly cut grass remnants on top of the lawn straight after you mow is a good practice, according to experts, to reap the rewards of any lost nutrients that are still present in the discarded blades. However, what is not recommended by experts is to allow the dead matter to reside on the lawn for any length of time.
"Letting rotting leaves (and the like) build up on your lawn can actually damage the grass underneath," says Martin Seddon, development manager for Wilkinson Sword. "Keep your lawn free of debris by using a Lawn Rake."
"Also break up any thatch which may have accumulated on your lawn, by lightly raking across it. Concentrate on dead spots as your lawn starts to turn green again so that you can target areas that have been impacted by the cold of winter. In summer, don't make the mistake of heavily raking as you can damage the delicate roots."
13. Using lawns too soon after treatingWhether you're watering or feeding the grass there needs to be a rest period before you start using your lawn again – a big consideration if you're throwing a garden party or hosting a BBQ.
Allowing time for water or fertilizer to settle in ensures the nutrients are fully absorbed, rather than disturbed at the surface level by walking across the grass.
"Avoid activity on your lawn until the fertilizer has dried or has been properly watered in to ensure the grass absorbs the fertilizer properly and fertilizer is uniformly distributed," says Teri.
14. Conforming to traditional expectationsAnd finally, one of the biggest mistakes we can all make in this day and age is to conform to the expectations. Who says the perfect lawn has to be a green, neat patch of grass, in fact, this year one of the biggest garden trends for 2023 is the idea of encouraging low-maintenance lawns.
"This year we're encouraging people to 're-wild' their gardens and use any patch of ground that they can to increase biodiversity, including lawns," explains Dr. Ana Attlee from Seedball. "Grow a mixture of wildflowers by scattering a lawn mix and cut out little patches of grass for the balls to grow, making sure to water them well."
Scattering seeds at random welcomes a wild meadow feel for lawns, in place of neatly cut traditional grass. The mixture of buttercups, dandelions, White Clover, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Red Clover, and Common Knapweed introduces color and life to modern lawns.
The Best Lawn Care Services Of 2023
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A lush green lawn is a thing of beauty, but the reality is all that beauty takes work. Mowing, fertilizing, aerating, and irrigating (not to mention regular treatment for weeds and pests) can be time-consuming. For some, caring for a lawn can be a labor of love, but for many, hiring a lawn care company will save time and money and provide peace of mind.
Whether it's weekly lawn maintenance or a seasonal cleanup, a lawn care company can keep a lawn healthy, weed-free, and full of curb appeal. For those considering hiring a professional and searching for "landscape maintenance near me," this guide will help determine the best lawn care service for their needs.
Before hiring any lawn care services, there are several factors to consider. These include aspects of the customer experience, like scheduling and pricing, as well as the lawn's needs. For homeowners searching for "yard care near me," they'll want to evaluate these aspects of lawn care services.
Service AreaWhen considering hiring a lawn care company, a customer will first want to determine if the company services their area. There's no benefit for customers to look into a company if it's not available to perform work in their area.
SchedulingAll companies require booking services in advance. Homeowners can call or email some companies to make an appointment. Other companies allow customers to manage an account, including scheduling, online. Before hiring a company for any recurring service, customers will want to find out how that company handles booking.
In addition, the time of year will factor into scheduling. Spring and fall typically require seasonal work, such as leaf cleanup and fertilizing. A lawn may grow faster in the late spring and summer and require more mowing. Ultimately, the frequency of lawn care services will be determined by the lawn's needs and the homeowner's budget.
It is also important to find out if a company makes one-time visits or only offers recurring services. Because many customers opt for recurring appointments, it can be difficult for lawn care services to schedule one-time appointments.
Services OfferedMost lawn care services offer mowing, feeding, aerating, reseeding, and basic pest control. Some companies offer additional services like tree and shrub care, landscaping, or snow removal. These additional services can be a bonus for a customer who prefers to bundle their yard maintenance into one visit or stick with one company for various seasonal outdoor maintenance work.
Quotes and PricingAs a customer, knowing what the costs are up front can be a deciding factor in whether or not to hire a service. Many lawn care professionals offer up-front pricing and free estimates or quotes. These quotes can be delivered instantly online or via phone or email.
In addition, companies that offer services outside of lawn maintenance may have different pricing tiers for a customer who bundles services or customers who have recurring services.
GuaranteesCustomers want to know that a company stands by its work, so guarantees are important. Each lawn care service will have different criteria for its guarantee. For example, a company may stipulate that any complaint from the customer be filed within a 24-hour window after service, while another company may give the customer up to 2 weeks. In general, a satisfaction guarantee means that the service or professional will return to rectify whatever the issue is at no cost to the customer or offer a complete refund. Customers will want to remember that any satisfaction guarantee is given at the lawn care company's discretion.
Our Top PicksWhen evaluating the best lawn care services, we looked for parameters such as the number of locations or availability, range of services offered, ease of booking and scheduling, and what type of guarantees the company offered. For homeowners searching for "lawn maintenance near me," here are some of the best options.
Photo: trugreen.Com
Why It Made the Cut: TruGreen has nationwide availability, a range of service plans, and an easy-to-use scheduling and billing system to make the company a must-consider for lawn care services.
TruGreen is a lawn care company located in 48 states and Washington, D.C. It offers an array of lawn care services, including lawn aeration, overseeding, pest control, and soil amendment, although lawn mowing is not offered. Additional services beyond maintenance include mosquito control and prevention as well as tree and shrub care, fertilization, disease treatment, and insect control. TruGreen offers customers a wide range of service plans, from the basic TruHealth package to the all-inclusive TruSignature option. This wide range of services means that customers can use TruGreen to tackle multiple outdoor needs.
While the company offers a satisfaction guarantee, the website is unclear about which services the guarantee applies to. The TruGreen website is user-friendly, and customers can manage their appointments and payments online. TruGreen also offers an intuitive mobile app where users can schedule appointments. A robust library of lawn care information and resources helps customers feel more knowledgeable and confident. The scheduling process offers a brief question-and-answer section for customers about their lawn care needs to help them find a tailored maintenance schedule, and all payment happens online. Services can also be booked over the phone.
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Photo: lawnlove.Com
Why It Made the Cut: Lawn Love offers a transparent pricing guide and guarantees its lawn care professionals are bonded and insured so customers can feel secure in who they're hiring.
Lawn Love is a site that will source vetted, local lawn care services. These professionals are certified to be bonded and insured so customers can have extra peace of mind. Lawn Love offers mowing, fertilization, aeration, weed control, yard cleanup, and tree and shrub care. Customers can also book gardening services through the website as well as additional seasonal services such as gutter cleaning and leaf cleanup. Lawn Love offers up to a 30 percent discount for customers who bundle services.
Lawn Love's booking process takes place online and delivers an instant quote. Lawn Love also has a transparent pricing guide, so customers know that pricing is consistent and can accurately budget for services. Customers can easily pay for and manage their services online. Lawn Love offers a satisfaction guarantee for customers that file any complaints within 24 hours of the service.
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Photo: getsunday.Com
Why It Made the Cut: Sunday Lawn Care offers a subscription service that empowers a homeowner to DIY their lawn care with conveniently delivered products tailored to that lawn's specific needs.
Available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., Sunday lawn care uses the results of a diagnostic test combined with location data to deliver tailored lawn care products on a seasonal subscription basis, which makes it relatively affordable. Customers with lawns smaller than 13,500 square feet most clearly benefit from Sunday's offerings, and those who sign up for a year receive the products they need only when it's time to apply it in four installments. The easy-to-navigate online account helps guide those newer to lawn care through the process. It also has more thorough usage instructions than what's included in each package.
Sunday aims to boost customers' lawn health with affordable, convenient products made from eco-conscious, sustainable ingredients. Sunday has other products and an array of live plants and trees it sells, which are suggested to a customer based on climate and other factors.
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Photo: groundsguys.Com
Why It Made the Cut: The Grounds Guys is a full-service landscaping company that offers a wide range of lawn and landscaping services so homeowners can hire one business to take care of all of their yards' needs.
The Grounds Guys have a full range of services, including lawn mowing, fertilization, sod installation, and reseeding. The company also offers irrigation, gutter cleaning, tree and shrub care, hardscaping, and landscaping. Snow and ice management are available in the winter, and they'll even install holiday lights. All of these services mean that customers can conveniently bundle almost all of their outdoor needs through one company.
The Grounds Guys have locations in 42 states, and customers can schedule services via email or over the phone. The company does not currently offer online account management. In addition to offering a 2-week satisfaction guarantee, the company provides yard status and quality reports after each visit so a customer can feel knowledgeable and empowered about the state of their yard.
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Photo: lawndoctor.Com
Why It Made the Cut: Lawn Doctor offers a full range of lawn care services, including conventional and organic lawn care treatment plans so homeowners can make more sustainable choices regarding yard maintenance.
Lawn Doctor has a presence in 40 states. Its lawn maintenance services include mowing, fertilization, seeding, and aeration. The company also offers pest control, including mosquito and tick treatments, along with general tree and shrub care. Lawn Doctor has options for organic lawn treatments, which many customers with pets and children may prefer as they can carry less risk than conventional treatments.
While the company offers online account management, customers can only schedule appointments over the phone. Lawn Doctor's satisfaction guarantee comes with no specific time frame, so customers don't have to rush to make any complaints following a service.
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Photo: lawnstarter.Com
Why It Made the Cut: LawnStarter offers customers comprehensive lawn care maintenance through a convenient app to make scheduling lawn care a no-brainer.
LawnStarter is an aggregator that sources local certified, insured lawn care professionals with an average of 12 years' experience, according to the site. LawnStarter lawn care service offers a convenient way to maintain and schedule services via its easy-to-use mobile app and online—the site claims that the process takes less than 5 minutes to get started. The company offers instant online quotes and has a satisfaction guarantee with no specified time frame.
LawnStarter offers mowing, aeration, sodding, and fertilization of the lawn, as well as yard cleanup, pressure washing, and other general landscaping services. Customers can view the full-service lawn care list once they are in the process of booking. LawnStarter claims that there are no service contracts; however, it also states that customers cannot book one-time lawn mowing appointments. Customers can enter their address online to determine if LawnStarter is available in their area. For customers looking to make lawn care as automatic and hands-off as possible, LawnStarter is a great option.
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Because of its availability in nearly every state and its comprehensive range of services, TruGreen is the top pick for the best lawn care services overall. Lawn Love is the runner-up for its transparent pricing and discounts for bundling services.
How We Chose the Best Lawn Care ServicesWe researched dozens of lawn service companies across the U.S. And focused on companies with a multi-state presence. The final list was selected after evaluating relevant factors for each lawn care service company, including the range of lawn care services, additional services, pricing, scheduling, account management, and satisfaction guarantees. Companies were given awards based on their strengths, and companies that didn't meet our criteria were not included.
Before You Hire One of the Best Lawn Care ServicesBefore searching for "best lawn care service near me" or "lawn mowing near me," it's important for customers to know what to expect when hiring. These companies offer a specialized service with a focus on lawn care. A homeowner may be looking for landscaping, which involves more planting and construction. In that case, they will want to verify that a lawn care service offers landscaping, or they will need to hire a separate company. Homeowners with extensive gardens may want to speak with a lawn care company before hiring their services to ensure their plants are safe.
Cost of Hiring One of the Best Lawn Care ServicesLawn care costs can vary depending on several factors, including the health of the existing lawn, the type of treatments needed, the lawn's size, and any additional services beyond routine mowing and fertilizing. In addition, geographic location can affect the overall price due to variations in the cost of living and minimum wage.
Homeowners can expect to pay around $130 for lawn maintenance, with a range from $50 to $210. This is typically the cost per visit, and the majority of services during the growing season (spring and summer) are at least biweekly. While some lawn care professionals charge a flat service rate for regular service, others charge by the hour. Per lawn care pro, the rate per hour ranges from $25 to $60. Lawn aeration costs and lawn mowing costs are roughly $130 each. Customers looking to install a yard full of new sod can anticipate paying between $400 and $4,500 for new lawn costs.
The Advantages of Using One of the Best Lawn Care ServicesProfessional lawn care services ensure a lawn is kept on a schedule that maintains its appearance and health. From routine mowing and feeding to aeration and irrigation, a lawn care service provides the specialized care that grass requires. Lawn care services can also help tackle problems like a heat-stressed lawn or patches in the grass.
If a homeowner prefers to do some lawn care, such as mowing, but they aren't sure how and when to fertilize, they can work with a lawn care service for a plan that suits their specific needs. Many homeowners may like to hire a lawn care service seasonally as well.
Some other benefits of using a lawn care service include:
Every lawn has different needs. But there are some common questions that many customers searching for "yard maintenance near me" or "lawn care near me" have before hiring a new lawn care service.
Q. When should I use a lawn care service?One of the best landscaping companies or best lawn care services can be used for routine maintenance, such as fertilizing, weed control, and mowing, with the option of weekly, biweekly, or monthly visits. You may want to hire a lawn care company for seasonal cleanup in the fall or spring. You may also need to hire a lawn care specialist to restore diseased or unhealthy grass.
Q. How much does a lawn care service cost on average?The average national cost for lawn care services is around $130 per visit.
Q. Does a lawn care service come with its own tools?Yes. A lawn care service will provide everything needed to do the job.
Q. Do I need to book a lawn care service in advance?Yes. Customers will need to book services in advance.
Q. Can I pay in advance for a lawn care service?It depends; every service has a different policy. Some will request a deposit, others bill after service is complete, and some might have a flat rate per month.
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