Growing Greener Grass

Despite what many people may think, growing greener grass doesn't require some magical secret. Rather, what it requires is dedication, and following some simple guidelines. While I may not be able to provide the dedication, I can certainly provide the guidelines. Keep in mind that none of these guidelines will provide a "quick fix." Rather, they are things that you will need to do slowly over time to get the best possible results.

• Choose the right seed. One of the biggest keys to successfully growing greener grass is to actually choose the right seed. The reason for this is that different grasses, like any other plant, will thrive better in certain areas over others. One example of this is that if you live in Utah, you will want to use grass seed like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescues, tall fescues (turf type), Buffalo grass, and Bermudagrass. Remember, choosing the right grass for your area will go a long way to making sure that you have a greener lawn.
• Tilling. When laying new grass seed down, or even repairing large sections of your lawn, you should always till the ground. Tilling will help loosen up the soil, while also allow you to mix the nutrients into your soil properly which will lead to a better lawn. On the average, you should set your tiller to a depth of between four and six inches, and till the ground until it is nice and loose. This will allow the seeds to "slip" into the nooks and crannies and take root.
• Fertilize. Before you actually lay any seed, make sure that you use a little bit of fertilizer. Ideally, you will mix some slow acting fertilizer in with the soil. However, you can also use some starter fertilizer instead. If you use a starter fertilizer, make sure that you do not over feed the lawn, and wait a few weeks before adding any more fertilizer.
• Be generous with the seeds. If you want to begin growing green grass, then you will need to use a lot of grass seed. In fact, do not be stingy in the amount of seed that you use. Rather, when you are planting the seeds, lay down enough so that you actually have a hard time seeing the dirt. This is called overseeding. While this may seem like a waste, it is the best way to guarantee a nice thick lawn.
• Water carefully. Watering is very important to being able to grow a beautiful green lawn. However, you want to be careful when you do this. First, make sure that you are watering early in the day, since watering later on can actually damage the grass by magnifying the sun's light and burning the grass. Water no more than once a day, but be sure that you do not water to the point of saturation. Also, be aware of the chlorine content of your water. Many areas, such as the state of Arizona, have a high amount of chlorine in their water. If at all possible, use a water filter to help protect your lawn from chemical damage.