Lawn Care Tips for Beginners

A quality lawn is first is acheived by learning about your lawn. To obtain that lush, green lawn follow these lawn care basics

• Understand Your Soil
  • Get a Soil Test! Elk Mound Seed sells a Lawn & Garden soil test for $19.95 - well worth the investment to establishing a breathtaking lawn. Without a soil test, you will be guessing on nutrient and lime needs for your soil.
• Correct Problems/Issues
  • With the results of your soil test, you can properly address any issues such as low pH or lack of nutrients. Grasses are typically Nitrogen hogs but don't forget the other two - Phosphorus and Potassium (A.K.A. Potash)
    NOTE: Phosphorus restricted on established lawns and can only be used for new seedings.
• Best Grass Mix for Your Area
  • Depending on your soil type and the amount of sunlight your lawn receives, selecting the corrrect grass mix is the next step. If you have a full sun area with black dirt our Sunny Mix ($16.95 / 5# | $61.95 / 25#) fits. The large percentage of Kentucky Bluegrass performs well with full sun! If you have sandy soil or an area that is shady, our  Shade-Sun Mix ($13.95 / 5# | $54.95 / 25#) should be planted. For quick establishment with no importance on longevity our   Rapid Grow ($13.95 / 5# | $54.95 / 25#) should be used. 
• Understand Importance of  First Establishment
  • This is the basis of your lawn. With proper planning, seeding and avoiding common mistakes, you can obtain great results. Seeding early in the spring or fall provides best results. Cool season, Northern grasses will perform better when temperatures are cooler. Planting in mid-summer can cause issues due to extreme temperatures or lack of moisture. 
• Feed Your Grasses
  • Grasses love Nitrogen! Your soil test will recommend the amount of Nitrogen needed for your lawn. Be careful though, over-applying Nitrogen can burn your lawn and leave bare spots.
    NOTE: If you have a difficult time reading your soil test results call us at 800-401-7333 or stop in our store and one of our professionals can assist.
• Maintain Weed Control
  • No matter where, weeds will always pop up in lawns. Proper identification and early control can help avoid on-going, out of control weed problems. Understanding broadleaf versus grass weeds is important as these are controlled by different chemicals and weed-killer fertilizers. 
• Proper Mowing Height 
  • DO NOT mow low (below 2 inches) as this can injur the grass and set back your lawn. Proper mowing height can also help with weed control as you knock down the weeds and give the grass to "out compete" weeds.                      
• Manage Watering
  • Cool season, northern grasses will lose water more than warm season, southern grasses. For example, Kentucky Bluegrass can use 50% more water per day than Bermudagrass. A good guideline for most lawns is 1 inch of water per week. However, sandier soils may require more since water isn't retained as well in this soil type. To help monitor, use a rain gauge.