Want to make the grass greener on your side of the fence? Growing and maintaining a lush yard does take a bit of elbow grease, but these four easy tips will help your yard look better than ever.

Protect Your Lawn Care Products

Open bags of lawn care products laying around the garage are at risk of damage. Grass seed, fertilizers, and weed killers can all deteriorate in quality when exposed to water, moisture, pests, and more. Then when you use them on your lawn, the decreased potency means you won’t get the same great results as you did when the bag was new. Store all of your lawn products in large, resealable plastic bags or bins. This protect them against the elements so they are ready to go the next time you need them.

Cut Your Grass to the Right Length

One of the most common mistakes that people make that prevents them from having a full, lush yard is cutting their grass too short. Some people believe that this will help get rid of weeds. Others may just be trying to extend how long they can go between cutting the grass. However, grass is incredibly weak when it is short. When grass is longer, it can grow fuller and thicker. This, in turn, will allow the grass to crowd out any weeds. While the perfect length will vary depending on what type of grass you have, generally it should be cut to about 2 to 2.5 inches tall.

Check Your Soil’s pH Levels

Another mistake people make is assuming that if their soil looks rich and black, that it is in good shape. However, grass prefers to grow in soils with pHs between 6.0 and 7.2.  If your soil falls outside of this range, it very well could be what is holding you back from having a full, lush yard. Take samples around the yard and use an at home soil pH test kit to determine the pH of your soil. If you need to raise the pH, you can add lime to your yard. To lower it, you should add iron.

Treat Your Yard in Sections

Most people treat their yard as a whole. However, you have probably noticed that some areas of your yard receive a lot more sun light than other areas. Grass in the shade grows slower, so it needs less water and fertilizer than areas out in direct sunlight. If you are treating your yard as a whole, you are likely over watering and fertilizing these shady areas, which is counterproductive to your efforts of growing a lush bed of grass. Instead, treat your yard in sections, depending on the light it receives.

If you want to make sure you home stays in great shape – inside and out, we encourage you to download our Home Maintenance Checklist. These great tips compiled by First Quality Roofing & Insulation will tell you everything you need to do to prevent and repair damage in your home.