The ultimate lawn goal? Barefoot approval.
There’s no better feeling than kicking off a pair of rubber flip-flops and planting your feet in some soft, luscious, green grass.
Even better, going barefoot has some great health benefits including:
- Increased relaxation
- Strengthening and stretching of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your feet, ankles, and calves
- Less stress on joints
- Improved balance
- Restored natural gait
- A greater connection with the Earth
Bare feet seek grass that will provide comfort. A lawn that feels prickly, dry, and crunchy is not “comfort". Here are some lawn care steps you can take to ensure your lawn is healthy and the bare feet that come in contact with it this summer are happy!
Just Like Those Feet, Let Your Lawn Breathe:
Here are a few simple things you can do to help air circulate through your grass and ultimately stimulate healthy growth.
- Regularly pick up any debris including: piles of leaves, sticks, branches, rocks, pet “do”, etc. These things will only suffocate your lawn and let’s face it– are all things no bare feet want to step on unexpectedly.
- Lightly rake up patches of grass that were covered for an extended period of time and as a result, were flattened by heavy snow (called “snow mold”) or layers of leaves. This will let air in and help those areas of your yard recover.
- Consider aerating. Aerating is the process of plucking or poking small holes in the soil to allow air, water, and nutrients to reach the roots. Aerating will loosen compact soil and create a healthy growing environment for your grass. Find more reasons to aerate your yard.
Feed Your Lawn A Nutritious Diet:
And by “nutritious diet”, what we really mean is fertilizer. Fertilizer gives grass life! It can help keep weeds down, give the grass a silky soft texture, and allow for maximum fullness.
Some factors to consider when fertilizing your yard include:
- What type of grass you have. Different types of grasses have different nutritional needs.
- What time of year your grass type needs to be fertilized. Cool season grasses generally get “fed” at the beginning of their growing season – early spring. Warm season grasses can eat at anytime throughout their growing season – the summer months.
- How to prepare your yard for its meal. One word– aerate.
- How to care for your lawn after fertilizing. With a lot of love and attention, but also water.
Before you get started, here are some fertilizing do’s and dont's to familiarize yourself with.
You might also want to think about adding nitrogen to your lawn for that desired green grass color that attracts bare feet.
Become A Lawn Mowing Master (shoes are required):
One of the keys to growing a healthy, “barefoot-worthy” lawn is mastering the art of mowing.
When mowing consider:
- The season. During periods of growth you will likely have to cut your lawn more frequently to keep up with it.
- The length. Sometimes the longer the better. Length will reduce weed growth, protect the roots from direct sun, and allow for more “food” to be produced. Keep in mind “the blade” is where photosynthesis occurs. Bottom line, the ideal height depends on the type of grass.
- The weather. If possible, cut your grass while it’s dry. Moisture will weigh down your lawn and can even be a cause for disease.
Just as important, is regularly sharpening your mower blades to ensure a clean, fresh cut. Dull blades can cause nutrient deficiencies and slow the growth of your lawn.
Bare Feet Like A Hydrated Lawn:
Keeping your lawn properly irrigated during its growth months is crucial.
While watering remember:
- Different grass types require different amounts of water. Over-watering can cause just as much damage as under-watering!
- Watering in the morning is highly recommended because afternoon watering results in wasted water, and night watering leaves the yard wet longer... and susceptible to disease.
- If you have an irrigation system, keep an eye on it. Reset the system’s time depending on the season, and make sure it’s able to detect changes in weather – like rain!
As always, we’re here for all of your lawn care needs. We have been fighting common lawn issues like weeds, disease, and water levels for years. Schedule a service with us when you are ready to get your lawn “barefoot ready” …. we’ll be able to take it from there.
