The 30-Minute Lawn Reset Gardeners Swear by in May: For Faster, Healthier Growth Almost Immediately
These time-savvy lawn care tricks really work
Many of us long for a perfect, lush lawn only to sigh and acknowledge that this is nigh on impossible without a serious investment of time, energy, and in-depth know-how. Well, although there’s a degree of truth here, there are some game-changing tasks that can make a huge difference in relatively little time.
Good lawn care is often seen as an exacting science, intimidating to those with little first-hand knowledge and gardening experience, but lawn care experts are keen to dismiss the myth. Numerous simple and speedy jobs will improve both the health and appearance of your grass, and in turn, boost the look and feel of your yard.
1. Carry Out A Speedy Spot Weed
Plants such as daisies, marestail, and dandelions, amongst an otherwise grass-based lawn, instantly grab our attention and, to many, shout about a ‘less than perfect’ yard.
Removing them takes just a few minutes but makes a big impact as a landscape contractor for Yardzen, Coleman Cosby, explains: ‘Removing aggressive weeds and highly visible broadleaf weeds, such as dandelions, helps reinforce a more maintained look.’
While a long-handled pull weeder – try the Fiskars 3 Claw design at Walmart – makes light work of pulling out dandelions and other deep-rooted weeds, chemical solutions can also prove effective.
‘Focus on targeted removal rather than blanket treatments. Hand-pulling or spot-treating broadleaf weeds now prevents them from spreading and competing during peak growth,’ says lawn expert Jason Keeley.
‘I really like the AccuShot applicator from Spectracide weed killer for spot treatments.’
You can get the Spectracide weed killer at Amazon.
Coleman Cosby is a Bay Area native and licensed landscape contractor with over 25 years of experience and a lifelong passion for building and gardening. As Yardzen’s In-House Construction Manager, he helps homeowners turn their outdoor designs into reality with practical, buildable solutions and a clear path from concept to installation.
2. Mow Correctly And Consistently
For some, it's therapeutic, but for others, mowing the lawn is a time-consuming chore.
Whichever you feel, there’s no doubt that regular and careful mowing does reap rewards and is a factor behind how to make a lawn green and thick. While engaging the services of a lawn contractor may be possible for many, there are some simple tricks you can do to make the job easier to manage yourself.
Lawn expert Valerie Smith advises good preparation: ‘Sharpen your mower blade if you haven't already. Dull blades will tear grass, making it more vulnerable to disease, while sharpened blades neatly slice the grass.’
A pocket sharpener, like this from Amazon, will get blades sharp. This will make mowing the lawn quicker, easier, and provide better results.
Valerie also says: ‘Get familiar with your grass type's ideal mowing height. Every grass type is different. Zoysia and Bermuda grass, which are warm-season grasses, should be "scalped" for the first mow of spring by dropping the mower down a notch lower than usual.’
Jason Keeley is a seasoned lawn care professional and robotic mower expert with a passion for innovation in outdoor maintenance. He launched Mowing Magic in 2019 to help homeowners and businesses to achieve perfectly manicured lawns with less effort.
3. Aerate The Lawn
May is the growing season for warm-season grasses, such as Zoysia, Bahiagrass, St Augustine, and Bermuda grasses, and the perfect time to aerate these lawns.
A relatively quick job, aerating the soil is an effective DIY lawn drainage solution, transforming waterlogged and heavily compacted lawns, plus those with thin or patchy growth.
Simply grab a garden fork and use it to spike the grass at regular intervals. This will allow water, air, and nutrients to travel directly down to the roots, strengthening root growth and breaking through any thatch. You can work systematically across the whole lawn, or for speed, concentrate on key problem areas.
Tennessee-based lawn expert Bryan Clayton says: 'I recommend renting a core plug aerator.’
He adds: 'This machine plugs a hole down into the soil and it causes the roots to break up and when they heal up, they multiply and grow back stronger.’
Find a good-sized manual lawn aerator with 16 spikes and 8 core plugs at Amazon, or try an 18-inch wide rolling aerator from Lowe's.
Cool-season grasses, including Kentucky bluegrass, fescues, and perennial ryegrass, are best aerated in early fall or early spring.
4. Rake Out Any Thatch
This month is the perfect time to dethatch warm-season grasses. With the right tools, it doesn't have to be a laborious process.
A long-handled metal tine rake makes quick work of this job. It enables you to get down to the soil surface and remove any dead blades or other debris without damaging the grass crowns. Try this Fiskars lightweight rake from Walmart.
If you have a limited amount of time, choose whether to work methodically across the lawn in stages, over a period of weeks, or whether to prioritise key areas - such as those seen from the driveway or inside the house.
5. Review Your Watering Regime
Knowing when to start watering a lawn in spring to get healthy grass means that your lawn irrigation system, sprinkler, and hose need to be ready to spring into action.
A quick but often overlooked lawn care task is to review any presets on your timer to ensure it delivers the right amount of water at the best time.
Early morning is widely considered the best time for watering as the warmer daytime temperatures encourage moisture to seep down to the roots, rather than lingering on the surface and encouraging disease.
'Most grass types need one inch of water per week, including rainfall, so set a time on your calendar each week to review the weather and adjust any automatic irrigation systems,' says Valerie.
'Deeper, less frequent watering is typically better, leading to stronger roots and less nutrient runoff.'
Valerie is a content strategist at Sod Solutions, where she develops and oversees website content for homeowners. She manages Sod University, a blog, newsletter, and YouTube channel focused on turfgrass education. Valerie holds a master’s degree in professional communication and a bachelor’s degree in English publication studies from Clemson University. In addition to her work at Sod Solutions, she serves as Vice President of GardenComm and co-chairs its Membership Committee.
Once you've revitalized your lawn, it's worth reading a guide to summer lawn care for great grass all season long and showcasing your efforts by learning how to create a maximalist border that's bursting with floral color and interest.
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