Lawn Myths When it comes to lawns, falling for one of the many myths can hurt you, and your lawn. It is important to learn as much as possible about how to care for and enjoy your lawn the right way, and to be able to recognize a lawn myth when you see one.

One of the most persistent myths about lawns involves getting rid of weeds. Many homeowners think that using weed killer will permanently eliminate weeds, but the fact is that there will always be weed seeds in the lawn, even after weed killer has been applied. As long as these weed seeds remain, the weeds will continue to show up. In order to permanently get rid of weeds it is important to kill their seeds, not only the weeds themselves. The best way to accomplish that goal is to apply seed killer after the last frost in the winter. For a serious weed problem two applications of seed killer may be needed.

For those with bare spots due to dog waste, those bare spots should be raked and carefully seeded in the spring of the year. If the dirt contains urine the seeds will not germinate, and it may be necessary to replace the ground with fresh earth.

The dry month of August often brings problems for lawns, but setting the blades of the mower higher than usual will help to keep the lawn green. When it comes to watering the lawn, it is better to water deeply and less frequently, rather than frequently but shallowly. One common myth is that the lawn should not be allowed to dry out, but this drying out period can actually be beneficial, since dry periods will encourage the roots to grow longer and stronger.

Finally, when mowing the lawn it is important to keep the mower blades as sharp as possible. Sharp blades on the lawn mower will provide for a clean cut, while dull blades could cause ragged tips to develop. These ragged tips will brown easily, and they can easily cause the entire lawn to take on a brown and unhealthy appearance. It is a good idea to clean the mower blades and the mower bag frequently using a high powered water hose. Keeping the mower bag clean will help to keep more air moving through the bag, resulting in a healthier and greener lawn.

In order to avoid wheel ruts and other unsightly problems, it is a good idea to alternate the direction of mowing each time the lawn is mowed. When the lawn is growing rapidly it is best to gather those heavy clippings and use them for compost, rather than placing them back into the lawn. A large volume of clippings left on the lawn could interfere with the all important airflow and cause dead spots to develop.