How to Prevent Stress and Disease in Your Lawn

Treat Your Lawn to an Earth Day Celebration

Spending time enjoying the outdoors is even easier with a healthy, lush lawn. Here are some ways you can show your yard a little more love and appreciation this year. Mark the occasion with some of these Earth Day lawn disease prevention tips.

Lawn Disease Prevention Tips

Preventing lawn disease this time of year requires a combination of paying attention and proper lawn care practices. Here are some ways you can maintain the overall health of your lawn.

• Minimize stress. Yes, your lawn can get stressed. While you may not be able to control extreme weather or fluctuating temperatures, you can try to avoid heavy foot traffic, excessive thatch buildup, and over or underwatering.
• Disease-resistant grass. When establishing a new lawn or overseeding bare spots, consider using varieties of grass seed that are resistant to common lawn diseases.
• Stay alert. While you’re walking around admiring your yard, look for signs of disease, pests, or other issues. This could be discolored grass, bare spots, or weeds. Address any problems promptly to prevent them from spreading.

If you’ve followed these preventative measures and still see signs of trouble, it’s time to adjust your regular lawn care practices.

Proper Lawn Care Tips

There are several reasons why lawns become susceptible to disease and pests. Follow these tips to make sure that doesn’t happen in your yard.

• Mow your lawn to the recommended grass height for its type. Taller grass shades the soil, promotes deeper root growth, and helps prevent disease.
• Water your lawn deeply and less frequently to encourage deep root growth and reduce surface moisture that can promote disease. Water in the early morning to allow the grass to dry before evening.
• If you see water pooling in certain areas, work on improving drainage by aerating compacted soil.
• Go easy on the fertilizer. While nitrogen is essential for healthy grass growth, too much can promote disease.
• Bare patches in your lawn are more susceptible to weeds and disease. Overseed these areas in the spring or fall to promote healthy grass growth.
• Dethatch your lawn as needed to help improve air circulation.

By following these tips and staying attentive to your lawn’s health, you can help prevent lawn disease and celebrate your yard’s lush, healthy life this Earth Day and for many more to come.