Summer is coming, so now is the perfect time to get out and work on your yard. Gardening, mulching, and sweeping out your pathways help to make it presentable, but a major factor of yard work is keeping your lawn fresh, bright, and green. Here are a few tips to make your lawn the brightest and freshest on the block.

1.) Keep your soil full of nutrients

If you are new to the area or have just never looked into what your soil is made up of, it’s a good idea to get a professional to check it out. Cooperative extension services only cost about $20 and they conduct a variety of measurements for pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients. They will likely recommend a type of fertilizer to add to your lawn to make up for any nutrients it is lacking.

 
2.) Don’t let your lawn dry out

In order to keep your lawn bright and green over the summer, it is recommended that you water your lawn every day that it doesn’t rain. An easy way to do this is with a sprinkler system. Be sure that the system covers the correct area, as water on pavement or asphalt is wasteful. Your lawn gaining a slight blue tint, the grass blades curling, or foot imprints being left after someone crosses it are all signs of dehydration. Watering your lawn in the morning maximizes the amount of water absorbed by your grass, and also helps prevent burning.

 
3.) Watch for pets and pests

If you notice that your lawn is patchy, there are several common pests that may be at work. For instance, if you find small volcano shaped holes, it is likely that moles are the culprit. Voles also like to burrow in yards, and can be identified by the long pathways that they dig out in the late winter or early spring. Either of these pests can be taken care of by treating affected areas with castor oil. If you see an excessive number of beetles in the area, it is likely that you are dealing with lawn grubs. In this case, you can treat your yard with Milky Spore lawn spread or granular pest control products.
Another cause of lawn damage is pet urine. If you own a pet, it is likely that this cannot be avoided, but there are a couple of things that you can do to help. First, be sure to walk your pet in different areas so that one particular part of your yard is not over-used. It also helps to encourage your pet to drink more water, which can dilute urine. Most importantly, you should water down the affected area within eight hours.