We know that as you take care of your lawn, you want it to look good. You give it attention and curb appeal. You treat it well to ensure it looks its best.
And along the way, you start asking yourself some questions about your grass – from wondering if it’s getting the nutrients it needs to soil health to weed removal and all the things in between.
But another thing you might wonder is how you can reduce your lawn care costs and still get an amazing-looking, healthy expanse of green grass.
Let’s talk about how to save money on lawn care so you can get some ideas to trim some costs when you need to.
5 Easy Ways to Reduce Lawn Care Costs in Maryland
First, it’s important to note that an amazing lawn in Maryland will never just appear all by itself. It takes some care to ensure healthy, vibrant grass.
Taking a few simple steps each year can create this lawn that is the envy of the block, and by keeping your lawn in good health, you get the bonus of reducing dollars spent on problems you avoid.
Following these tips for best lawn care in Maryland can save you problems, time, and money.
1. Get a Soil Test
Having a soil test done on your property or doing one yourself and sending it into an extension service can help give you insight into what your lawn is lacking and then guide the direction on treatments it needs.
A soil test shows you your lawn’s pH, which is essential when it comes to a lawn being able to absorb nutrients properly. If your soil pH is too low, your fertilizer applications may not reach your lawn’s roots, so it could go wasted.
Lime applications help raise your soil pH to the correct levels, giving your lawn that ability to absorb nutrients again.
By conducting a soil test, you can keep lawn care costs down because you don’t give your lawn any unnecessary treatments or nutrients it doesn’t need.
2. Water Properly
The optimum watering frequency for your lawn is a couple of times each week for approximately one hour in each grass zone. This amount of watering ensures moisture gets down to your lawn’s roots, encouraging stronger growth.
Including rainfall, your lawn only needs about 1.5 inches of water each week. This is a simple way to reduce lawn care costs because you’re saving money on water bills and not causing unnecessary turf disease or issues that can come about with overwatering.
3. Mow Correctly
For cool-season grass like the type we have growing in Maryland, remember to always mow to a height of 3 to 4 inches, particularly during the summer.
You should never remove more than one-third of the grass blade at any one time, which means you’ll be mowing weekly during that peak growing season.
Lawn care in Maryland relies on proper mowing because that can ensure your grass stays thicker, fuller, and more weed- and disease-resistant.
4. Aerate and Overseed Your Lawn Annually
Annual fall aeration, which is the removal of small soil plugs from your lawn, can reduce and prevent soil compaction and give your lawn the boost it needs to continue thriving and growing properly.
Follow that up with annual overseeding, and you fill in any thin or bare areas to help keep your grass strong and able to resist weeds and other issues.
When people ask us how to save money on lawn care, this is a great solution that naturally helps strengthen your lawn and improve its appearance for a minor cost.
5. Hire a Lawn Care Professional
When you look at the options of DIY lawn care versus professional lawn care, you might think the DIY option saves you on lawn care costs.
But if you walk through a home improvement store, you’ll see that you have to buy the right lawn care products, store them properly, and then buy the right granular spreader and liquid sprayer to apply them. On top of that, you have to learn how to calibrate your equipment before each use as directed by the labels on the products you’re using. You also have to stay updated on lawn care application basics to understand how to properly time and apply your treatments.
While learning a new skill is always fun, DIY lawn care usually doesn’t save you money once you add everything together, especially when it comes to your treasured time.
When you hire a pro, you don’t need to buy expensive products or equipment or spend time learning about lawn care. You can just hire a business you trust to take care of your lawn for you so you can spend your quality time out there enjoying it.
Get a Great Lawn and Save Money with Natural Green in Central and Southern Maryland
You want a lawn that looks good and boosts your curb appeal in Central and Southern Maryland. We completely understand.
We hope these tips for saving lawn care costs help you get that lawn you want for a bit less.
As you’re exploring your options, feel free to give Natural Green a call. We can help you do the math and show you how a proper lawn care program can save you time and money.
Looking to improve the look of your lawn in Central or Southern Maryland and save some money in the process? We’d love to help. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we’ll prepare a customized plan so you can have the kind of lawn you love.
Image Source: lawn mower, sprinkler head
