It seems as if everyone is looking for landscaping tips this time of year. Who wouldn’t want to learn the inside tricks on how to create a beautiful grass lawn? The truth is, tips for growing grass in Massachusetts are different from tips that you will find for growing grass in the mid-west or up in the mountains, so it is important to find landscaping tips that are geared toward Brockton homeowners, or at least people in your general area.
Rather than tell you what you should do, this article will focus on the things that homeowners in Southeastern Massachusetts should NOT do in order to have a nicer looking lawn this spring and summer season. Try not to do these things and you should have a beautiful-looking lawn in no time!
#1 – Don’t Cut Your Lawn Too Short
You will sometimes see in landscaping tips that it is suggested for homeowners to “scalp” or cut their lawn down really short. Unfortunately, this activity will severely damage the root system of the grass and prevent your lawn from ever growing in really thick and lush. Lawn care experts say that you should never cut more than the top third of the grass blade. Taller grass will reduce weed growth and retain moisture longer.
#2 – Don’t Mow a Wet Lawn
So your neighbor’s sprinklers just went on and you were all ready to cut the grass. What should you do? You should wait it out. Make sure that the grass is completely dry before you mow it to prevent clippings from clumping and for safety reasons so you won’t slip on the lawn. Another really important reason not to cut wet grass is that a wet, freshly cut grass blade is more likely to be infected by disease-carrying organisms than dry grass.
#3 – Don’t Mow Mid-Day
Resist the urge to mow your lawn at the hottest point of the day, especially in the summer months. Your lawn will be greener if you wait until late afternoon to early evening. Don’t mow in the morning because of the early morning dew, but mowing at noon is even worse because it can stress out your lawn. For that matter, don’t water your lawn mid-day either. You will waste water as most of it will just evaporate away into thin air.
#4 – Don’t Toss Those Grass Clippings
If your lawnmower has a grass-catcher on it – remove it promptly right now. Mulching your clippings can help to provide your lawn with the nutrients that it needs to help you grow grass in Massachusetts that is green and lush. Use clippings to cover bare spots when you re-seed to provide protection from washing away or from birds eating it when you aren’t looking. The extra nutrients will help it to germinate and grow faster too!
#5 – Don’t Over-Fertilize
You’ve gotta be careful with the fertilizer if you ever want to learn how to create a beautiful grass lawn in New England. Too much fertilizer can ruin a beautiful lawn and, believe it or not, there are landscaping rules about when you should fertilize – and when you shouldn’t. Too much nitrogen can burn out your lawn, but not enough can cause clover to grow like mad. Take time to do some research and find out what type is best for you.
#6 – Don’t Water Every Day
Seriously – even in the summer months it can be bad to water your lawn, even if just for a few minutes each day. Frequent watering will result in a shallow root system, causing grass plants to demand water every day in order to remain healthy. For best results, water your lawn deeply – for about an hour – once a week. This will allow the water to get deep down into the soil, helping the roots to reach down further for a drink. This method will help Brockton homeowners to cut down on weed growth as well.
#7 – Don’t Use Poisons
A lot of people think that the best way to treat a lawn for insects and other pests is to use pesticides. Those same people also think that the best way to treat a lawn for weeds is to use herbicides. Both of these chemicals are poison. Why would you poison your lawn? While they do kill pests, they also kill off helpful insects, such as honey bees, earthworms and beneficial microorganisms. Some plants that many consider to be weeds actually help the lawn to stay healthy, so killing them off could kill your lawn too.
Where to Get Supplies for Growing Grass in Massachusetts
The best place to go to purchase grass seed, fertilizer, mulch and other landscaping supplies for Brockton homeowners and residential or commercial property owners throughout the South Coast region is J&J Materials. With two convenient locations – one in Bourne and the other in Rehoboth – J&J Materials has a wide variety of landscaping, masonry and hardscaping materials and products that can be used to help you learn how to create a beautiful grass lawn or expand your outdoor living area to a nice patio, natural stone pathway or outdoor kitchen. Give us a call or stop by one of our locations to see all of the high quality materials available for homeowners and feel free to pick the brains of our sales staff for helpful local landscaping tips that will help you have the beautiful property you’ve always dreamed of owning.
