Lawn maintenance should be a top priority for any homeowner. After all, it’s one of the first things that people notice when they visit your home. However, if you’ve never had to mow a lawn before, you might be a little confused about where to begin. Here are a few steps to ensure that you keep your lawn in tip-top shape.

Wear the Right Clothing

Protecting yourself while mowing should be your biggest concern. Not only is it a messy job, but sharp mower blades are dangerous, as are any items that may be inadvertently thrown by your mower during the course of your work. Be sure to wear long pants to protect your legs and ankles, and make sure they aren’t too baggy. The last thing you want is to get a loose piece of clothing caught in your mower! Also, proper footwear is extremely important. Save the sandals or flip flops for another time and wear heavy shoes that will help protect your feet.

Mow at the Right Time

One important rule of thumb is that you should never mow your lawn when it’s wet. Even morning dew can make your grass clump together as you move across your yard, causing it to clog around the blades. If it has recently rained in your area, you might have to wait a day or two to let your grass fully dry during cooler weather. During the warmer months, be sure to mow either in the morning before it gets too hot outside or in the evening before the sun sets. This will help your lawn retain the moisture and nutrients it needs to thrive.

Mow the Right Way

Before mowing, be sure to walk around your yard and pick up any sticks or debris that might be hiding in the grass. Running over these items can create costly damage to your mower and endanger you as well. Keep your lawn blades nice and sharp to ensure that your grass doesn’t become ragged when you cut it. Also, make sure that you mow it to the right length. Short grass can get scorched when it’s too hot outside, but letting your grass get too long during the summer is a recipe for disaster as well. Aim to remove no more than one-third of the grass height when you mow. Leaving your grass clippings on your lawn will help naturally fertilize it, plus it’s much easier than bagging it up as you go along.

You don’t have to be a lawn care expert in order to take care of your yard, but it is important that you follow these steps for your own safety and the health of your grass. Keep these rules in mind the next time you pull out your mower, and your lawn will look great all summer.

You’ve enjoyed your lawn for several weeks, but now you are seeing some signs of problems. Beyond the expected weeds and pests, you now have to address a lawn disease. The good news is that you can take some steps to save your lawn and eliminate the disease.

What Are the Most Common Lawn Diseases?

Many lawn diseases are misinterpreted as simply being an issue of poor fertilization or watering. Before you assume that maintenance is the problem, check for signs of common lawn diseases that affect warm-season grasses.

• Snow mold has irregular circular patterns in your lawn that are light gray or white
• Brown patch typically happens in the warmest temperatures of summer and quickly causes areas of brown, dying grass
• Pythium blight develops in humid and moist conditions causing grass to develop areas that look oily or a darker green
• Summer patch causes your grass to thin out, wilt, and grow slower in areas

1. Snow Mold

As the name implies, snow mold is caused by a heavy amount of snow falling when the ground is not frozen, such as a late snow in the spring. The mold itself will have a white or pinkish color, and your grass will develop irregular circle patterns that are dead and crusted. Snow mold kills the entire grass plant, from the crown to the roots. The best way to treat snow mold is to keep it from happening with a pre-treatment product. If you already have snow mold, you’ll want to use a rake to gently remove the damaged grass and mold. This should prevent it from affecting the surrounding grass. If the surrounding grass doesn’t fill in the area, you can reseed it once the mold is under control.

2. Brown Patch

Brown patch is one of the most destructive lawn diseases. It is caused by a fungus that thrives in warmer temperatures and high humidity. You will first see circular patches of dead grass. As the fungus spreads, these areas expand thanks to the extra moisture of morning dew. Fertilizer can contribute to the development of brown patch, so only use a slow-release nitrogen product. When the weather forecast is for high humidity, cut your grass less often, as the cuts give the fungus a great place to infect the plants. If you have signs of brown patch, the best remedy is to increase the amount of sunlight and air flow by trimming trees and shrubs. You might also try to aerate the lawn.

3. Pythium Blight

Pythium blight is another lawn disease that loves warm temperatures and higher humidity levels. You will first notice that your grass is wilted, and then it slowly dries and dies. You may also find small growths of a cottony, web-like substance on the grass. Certain fungicides are effective for treating Pythium blight. You can treat the entire lawn or only the areas with signs of the disease.

4. Summer Patch

Summer patch has a distinctive color change that helps with identification. Brown, wilted patches of grass gradually change to a yellowish or bronze color. The areas can be as small as six inches in diameter or up to three feet in diameter. Summer patch tends towards areas of a lawn with poor drainage when the humidity and daytime temperatures are higher. You can prevent summer patches by keeping your lawn slightly longer during these weather patterns. Fungicides can be used to control summer patches.