Homeownership comes with a whole slate of new challenges, from assuming household maintenance responsibilities to mortgage payments and more. Fortunately for new homeowners who like to show off their handiwork, lawn care represents an opportunity to share your green thumb with the neighborhood.
If you're looking for advice about lawn care basics as a new homeowner, look no further. We've got you covered.
Step 1: Get set up with the right equipment
Even basic lawn care requires some specific equipment that first-time homeowners are unlikely to have on hand. So, before your first outing to the mow the lawn, it's time to take a trip to the hardware store.
Here's what you'll likely need to pick up for even the most basic lawn care regimen:
- A quality lawn mower: There's no shortage of options here. From gas-powered riding mowers to electric push models, there's something for everybody available on the marketplace today. Collect recommendations from your friends and family, and invest carefully.
- A reliable edger: Small lawns with limited edges can be effectively managed using manual edgers. More expensive gas or electric models can be very convenient for larger lawns that come into contact with long driveways, planter borders or stretches of sidewalk.
- A suitable weed trimmer: If you have irregular areas in your lawn, hard-to-mow expanses around tree roots or other obstacles, this is an essential purchase. You'll use it for so much more than chopping down stray weeds. You may also be able to use this for edging.
If you have a lot of tree cover as well, prepare for fall by picking up a trusty rake or a time-saving leaf blower.
As with all your home appliances, make sure to properly maintain this equipment between uses.
Step 2: Get to work
Many experts recommend that you don't mow your lawn too short. HGTV quoted "Gardening by the Yard" host Paul James' view that you should set your lawn mower to the longest setting in order to:
- Promote root development.
- Create shade that prevents the soil from drying out quickly.
- Block sunlight and limit weed growth.
You don't want to let your lawn get overgrown, of course. Use your mower to get an even cut across as much of your lawn as possible.
Once you've exhausted what you can handle with the mower, bring out the edger and work neatly around well-defined borders. If you're using a powered edger with rotating blades, be careful where you drop it. Damaging those blades can be costly.
Lastly, take your string trimmer to uneven patches of weeds or deviations in the lawn to get a consistent grass length everywhere you look.
Step 3: Prepare for the future
Looking for more you can do to keep your lawn tidy?
Patching, watering and properly fertilizing the grass can help it stay green and lush throughout the year. If you have pets, make sure whatever fertilizer you use is safe for them.
If that's not enough, there are many ways you turn to natural landscaping or restore your lawn with native plants. Take a look at some of these suggestions from Popular Mechanics, for instance.
Before you start making your lawn as healthy as it can be, if you need assistance moving into your new home, get in touch with your local Atlas Agent today.