How Do I Know If My Lawn Is Healthy?
Every lawn needs a little care to keep it healthy. But it doesn't have to be a lot of work.
If you're wondering if your lawn is healthy, look for these telltale signs. They'll help you spot problems early and make the necessary changes to your lawn care routine.
Visual Cues
Whether your lawn is healthy or not is easy to determine by taking a close look at it. Dark green grass typically means that the lawn is getting all of the water and nutrients it needs to thrive and keep growing. It also means that beneficial cultural practices like mowing, aerating and fertilizing are working.
Thin or bare spots are signs that the lawn is struggling. They may be caused by a variety of issues including compacted soil, a lack of sunlight or even disease problems. If the bare spots are being filled in by pesky weeds, you may have a grub problem. Grubs are insect larvae that dine on the roots of turf grass, causing it to wilt and die. You can check for grubs by digging up a small section of grass in the suspect area. If the soil is crumbly and has a greyish color, you likely have grubs. Spreading nematodes or milky spore, two proven grub control methods, should help get rid of them.
Another way to tell if your lawn is healthy is by the texture of the grass. Healthy grass feels soft and flexible when rubbed against, while brittle or dead grass is stiff and rigid. A healthy lawn should also retain its shape when stepped on. A lawn with a spongy feel is indicative of good soil. This type of soil is called loam and has a balanced mix of sand, silt and clay.
Healthy drainage is also a sign that your lawn is healthy. A good drainage system by Lawn Care Utah County will allow the lawn to absorb water without leaving large puddles or water sitting on the ground. This is critical for proper root growth and preventing fungus development.
A weed-free lawn is another sure sign that your lawn is healthy. Weeds compete with grass for water, nutrients and sunlight. They can grow quickly and become a major issue for your lawn. Keeping up with a weed-control program that includes pre-emergent treatments to battle weeds before they sprout, broadleaf applications to take out pesky dandelions and clover and spot treatments for those tricky weeds is the best way to keep them under control.
Soil Cues
While beautiful green grass is an obvious sign of a healthy lawn, other factors need to be taken into consideration. The soil of your yard is important and will affect the health of your lawn. It needs to be well-draining, with a balance of sand, silt and clay for good soil health. If you notice your lawn isn’t as vibrant as it used to be, this could be a sign that the soil is unhealthy and may need some extra attention.
If your soil has a high amount of acidity, this can inhibit plant growth and lead to other issues such as nutrient deficiencies. It can also make it harder for the roots of your lawn to absorb nutrients, which can cause thinning and brown spots in your grass. A balanced soil with a pH between 6 and 7 is ideal for lawns.
Another sign of unhealthy soil is if there are puddles or water sitting on the ground for long periods of time. This can lead to root rot, nutrient deficiencies and fungal infections in your lawn. If your lawn experiences these issues, a fungicide application may be needed to restore your yard.
When it comes to insect pests, some are beneficial and can actually help with lawn health. However, other insects such as white grubs, army worms and sod web worms can damage your lawn. If you see brown patches or areas of your lawn that are shorter than others, this is a sign that these insects are starting to invade.
All lawns are susceptible to diseases, even if they are maintained properly. This is because fungal spores are already present in the soil of your lawn and can become more prevalent under certain conditions. When the weather is warm and damp, these spores can begin to overtake your lawn. Some common diseases include brown patch and dollar spot, which both show up as small, yellowish to brown discolorations about the size of a silver dollar. If you suspect your lawn has a disease, it is important to have it diagnosed by a professional right away.
Weed Cues
If weeds are starting to take over your lawn it can be a sign that your soil health is lacking. Grass needs healthy soil to grow well. This is achieved through regular aeration and detachment, proper watering and fertilization, and good mowing practices.
While some weeds like clover and dandelions are beneficial to the environment, these types of weeds tend to thrive in bare areas. Weeds also compete with grass for resources such as nutrients and water, leading to weaker turf and a lawn that is more vulnerable to disease and insects.
Oftentimes, when the grass becomes too thin and brown, it is a clear sign that the lawn is not in a healthy condition. This can be due to a number of reasons such as compaction of the soil, insufficient watering, disease problems or even mowing too low (scalping).
A good way to check your lawn’s health is by pushing a screwdriver into the ground. If the screwdriver goes in easily, it means the soil is loose and not compacted. If it is hard to push in, this means the soil is dense and not allowing for good root growth.
If the grass is more yellow than green this is an indication that it is not getting enough nutrients. Grass gets its color from the chlorophyll that it uses to convert sunlight into energy for growth and development.
In a healthy lawn, the soil is considered to be loam. This type of soil is ideal for a lawn because it contains a balance of sand, silt and clay that allows for good water retention while also draining well. Soil that is too sandy or clay will not be able to support a healthy lawn.
Even the best maintained lawns can get a disease or insect problem from time to time. If your lawn starts to show any of the above warning signs, it’s important to call a lawn care company or professional. A professional will help identify the issue and recommend a treatment plan to bring your lawn back to a healthy state.
Insect Cues
Some insects are beneficial to your lawn, like ground beetles and ladybugs. They help keep harmful pests like army worms, chinch bugs and beetle grubs at bay by feeding on these insects in their larval stage. But, if you notice large patches of dead grass in your yard with open holes in the soil, it could be a sign that you have a grub problem. Grubs are insects in their larval stage that dine on the roots of turf grass and kill it, leading to bare spots in your lawn.
The color of your lawn can also be a good indicator as to its health. Dark green is ideal, but a lawn that is a pale yellow or even brown may be suffering from nutrient deficiencies or disease. If your lawn is a purple color, it is usually due to heat stress and needs to be watered more frequently.
A healthy, thick lawn will feel supple to the touch. A dull, brittle feeling is a sign that the lawn is unhealthy and in need of more care. A good test is to walk across your lawn and see how easily you can leave footprints. If the footprints stay intact, the soil is dry and compacted and will not allow for adequate hydration of the grass. To get the dirt to soften, try aerating the soil.
Another important sign of a healthy lawn is how easily the soil can be tilled. This means that the soil can be loosened and absorbed into the roots of the grass, without creating big puddles of water or allowing it to stand still on the surface for too long. The best way to improve your lawn's drainage is to aerate the soil and spread some organic material. This helps break up compaction and nutrient depletion and helps with water absorption.
Every lawn needs a little care to keep it healthy. But it doesn't have to be a lot of work. If you're wondering if your lawn is healthy, look for these telltale signs. They'll help you spot problems early and make the necessary changes to your lawn care routine. Visual Cues Whether your lawn is…