It seems as though we have seen the last of the harsh winter chill and warmer weather is truly settling in. Now it’s time to get those yellowing lawns back to the verdant green of the seasons past. Nothing looks quite as appealing to a buyer than a home with a beautifully manicured lawn. Sodding an entire lot is not necessarily in the budget for everyone in order to get that look but, with a little work, you will have your grass looking golf course ready in no time!
Get Out Your Trusty Rake
You want to remove any dead or dying grass from your lawn. This debris is called thatch and can suffocate the new growth. Be careful not to go too deep with your strokes and disturb the existing grass sprouts. A light touch with your standard yard rack will serve you well.
Test Your Soil
You can pick a tester up for around $10 home retailers. To ensure the health of your grass, the pH of your soil should be around five to seven. Too high and can add some sulfate to balance it out. Too low and you can add some some lime. Take care not to over or under treat with the additives. Once you have a good rain or have watered your lawn thoroughly, test your pH again in a month.
Aerate
There are a couple of options when it comes to aeration; you can buy those handy aeration shoes, use a rolling aerator, or rent a gas-powered aeration tool for much bigger spaces. Late spring is the perfect time to get that soil loosened up so it can better absorb the water and nutrients.
Spot Treat
This applies to both weed spots and bare spots. Often you will start to see weeds pot up and it is tempting to use a combination of weed treatment and lawn feed. But these can be overwhelming to your lawn. It’s safer to spot treat the weeds as you see them to preserve the rest of the good areas. For the bare spots, follow the three S’s; Sand, Soil, and Seed. When you see dips or bare spots, flush with water and rake and loose debris out, then fill with sand, level with soil, and seed over top.
Seed and Water Your Lawn
For Georgia climates, you will find that Bermuda, Centipede, St. Augustine, Tall Fescue, and Zoysia are very adaptable varieties of grass to the Atlanta area. But you might find that your specific lawn has light or shade requirements that mean you need to find a variety outside the norm. Do your research, read the instructions, and seed accordingly. A basic sprinkler can be with a timer can be purchased for less than $30 so make sure to give your lawn plenty of hydration once the seed is down.
Cut Long and Multi-Directional
It will mean more frequent passes with the mower, but you shouldn’t be cutting more than the top third of the blades. Any more than that can cause browning. And you should change your mowing direction each time you mow. If you go perpendicular to you house this time, try parallel on the next go. It will keep your growth patterns upright and the chance of getting low spots in the soil. Great news – You can leave your clippings from now on! They will feed your lawn so just make sure to cut while it’s dry and evenly space them out.
Follow these easy tips and you will be well on your way to having gorgeous green grass within a few weeks. Make sure to check out more topics about selling your home here. If you are ready to list your property, contact one of our agents at BHGRE Metro Brokers so we can help get you top dollar for your home. Call today at 404.843.2500.
Footer Social Links