East Tennessee’s hot, humid summers and clay-heavy soils make proper lawn care a job that demands attention to detail all year long. As the top lawn care company in Knoxville, The Yard Force shares the following essential practices to keep your lawn healthy and beautiful in every season.
Tip #1: Water Consistently and Evenly
Most lawns need around 1 to 1.5 inches of water every week during growing season, and rainfall is often insufficient. Adequate watering keeps your grass hydrated and also promotes strong root growth that supports your turf during harsh weather.
- Timing matters. Water early in the morning — between daybreak and around 10 a.m. — to reduce evaporation and lower the risk of fungal growth.
- Even distribution. Use an oscillating sprinkler or a professionally installed irrigation system to cover your lawn evenly. Uneven watering leads to dry patches and overwatered areas that impair overall lawn health.
Professional lawn care service providers can help set up and maintain an efficient irrigation system designed to correctly match your yard’s needs.
Tip #2: Aerate Your Lawn Regularly
Over time, our clay-heavy soil can become compacted, preventing nutrients, air, and water from penetrating your turf’s roots. Aeration creates small holes in the soil surface. This loosens compaction and encourages robust growth.
- When to aerate. For cool-season grasses, aerate in early spring or fall. For warm-season grasses, late spring is preferable.
- How to aerate. Use a core aerator to remove small plugs of soil evenly across your lawn. This work requires expertise to properly reduce compaction and prepare the ground for overseeding or fertilization.
Aerating your lawn is a labor-intensive task. Professionals can handle it efficiently and often combine the work with other services like seeding to fill in bare spots to fill in a more weed-resistant lawn.
Tip #3: Fertilize for Stronger Grass
Using the right lawn fertilizer replenishes essential soil nutrients for healthier grass. However, improper fertilization can damage your lawn or encourage growth of invasive weeds.
- Test the soil. Conduct a soil test to understand your lawn’s nutrient needs and select a fertilizer with the proper nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium balance.
- Timing and application. Fertilize cool-season grasses in early spring and late fall. For warm-season grasses, late spring and summer are better times.
Lawn care professionals regularly perform soil testing in order to recommend the right fertilizer. Experts can ensure it’s applied evenly to prevent over-fertilization to avoid nutrient burn or runoff pollution.
Tip #4: Control Weeds Effectively
Weeds compete with grass for sunlight, water, and nutrients. They leave many Knoxville lawns looking patchy and unhealthy. Effective weed control combines prevention, removal, and proper lawn management.
- Preventive measures. Pre-emergent herbicides applied in early spring help prevent difficult weeds like crabgrass.
- Dense grass. A healthy, dense lawn naturally suppresses weeds by crowding them out.
- Spot treatments. Use post-emergent treatments for weeds already growing in your lawn.
Professional lawn care providers identify specific weed species in your yard and use targeted treatments to eliminate them while preserving your grass.
Tip #5: Mow Your Grass the Right Way
Grass mowing may seem like a straightforward job, but doing it incorrectly can stress your lawn and leave it exposed to disease and weeds.
- Height matters. Keep your grass between 2.5 and 4 inches, depending on the type of grass in your yard. Cutting it too short can weaken the roots and invite weeds while letting it grow too long can lead to thatch buildup.
- Follow the one-third rule. Remove no more than one-third of the grass height during any single mowing session.
- Sharp blades. Use sharp mower blades to avoid tearing the grass, which can cause brown tips and expose grass to disease.
For busy homeowners, hiring a professional to handle regular mowing ensures your lawn is always at its best.
The Professional Advantage: How The Yard Force Can Help
Each of the tips we’ve covered requires time, effort, and expertise. That’s where professional lawn care services from The Yard Force come in to help. We provide:
- Custom solutions. Our local experts understand East Tennessee’s unique climate and soil conditions, and we’ll design a customized lawn care plan that addresses your specific needs.
- Expertise and equipment. We maintain industry-grade tools and products and our lawn care specialists handle tasks like aeration, fertilization, and sod installation more effectively than DIY efforts.
- Time-saving benefits. Maintaining a lawn takes time, so let our experts handle it while you focus on enjoying your outdoor space.
- Long-term results. Professional care ensures your lawn remains healthy and beautiful to maximize your property value and curb appeal year-round.
The Yard Force brings years of experience and a passion for superior landscaping to every project in Knoxville and the surrounding areas. Call us at (865) 290-8815 or visit our website today to schedule a consultation.
