Once winter has subsided and Colorado moves into the warmer months of the year, many property owners turn their attention to their lawns. Maintaining a green, healthy lawn can be the cherry-on-top of an already beautiful property. On the other hand, neglecting your grass can really put a dent in your curb appeal, regardless of how beautiful the rest of your property looks.
This is why staying on top of your lawn care is so important. Properly planning out all of your lawn care activities will keep lawn care maintenance as simple and stress-free as possible, but there’s still a lot of work that goes into a great looking lawn.
We’ve put together a lawn maintenance checklist that you can use to make sure that you’re doing everything you need to, so that your lawn will thrive year-round.
A Complete Lawn Care Checklist for Commercial Properties
Mowing
Sticking to a regular schedule for mowing is one of the best ways to maximize your lawn’s appearance. Determining the best schedule for your lawn mowing depends on a couple factors:
- What Type of Grass Your Property Has – cool-season and warm-season grasses have different windows of the year for growth
- The Amount of Watering/Rain It Receives – more frequent watering or rainfall generally means more mowing
- The Optimal Height for Your Grass Type – cutting grass too low can starve it of nutrients, creating weak roots and dead patches
- The 1/3rd Rule – the general rule for mowing your lawn is that you should never cut more than 1/3 of its overall length (i.e. if your grass is 3″ tall, you should only cut 1″ at most)
Cleaning Grass Clippings, Leaves, & Other Debris
A clean, well-kept lawn shows that you’re putting the time and effort into your property. Loose grass clippings all over walkways, flowerbeds full of fallen leaves, and other plant debris on the property can all have a negative impact on your property’s appearance. Grass clippings, leaves, and other plant debris can be removed from the property – or recycled to make a simple and effective fertilizer that will return moisture and nutrients to your lawn.
Edging
Clean, crisp edges around your lawn gives your property a neatly-trimmed appearance. Walkways should be neatly edged and all grass clippings should be removed. Flowerbeds should be clearly separated from grass by mulch, gravel, etc. and should be cleanly edged as well. Curbs also should be edged – all the little details go a long way to creating a sharp appearance for your property.
Weed Control
Weed control is vital to keeping your lawn, trees, and other plants healthy. Weeds don’t just compete for water, nutrients, and sunlight – they can also transmit diseases and pests. Pulling weeds, weed whacking, adding new mulch, and regular mowing can all be effective methods of controlling weeds. Applying herbicides may be a good solution if weeds have gotten out of control – however, special care must be taken not to harm any surrounding plants or grass.
Fertilizing & Overseeding
Fertilizing and overseeding both make a huge impact on your lawn’s appearance. Fertilizing throughout the year helps your lawn grow strong and keeps it nourished no matter what time of year:
- Early spring fertilizing helps bring your lawn back to life after they wake up from winter
- Late spring fertilizing keep your lawn well-nourished as it continues to grow and used stored-up energy
- Summer fertilizing helps grass healthy and protects it from heat and drought
- Fall fertilizing helps your lawn replenish nutrients lost during the summer and help it prepare for winter
Overseeding fills in any dead patches of grass and ensures that your lawn will grow thick and healthy. It’s best to overseed right before applying fertilizer, since fertilizer supplies all the essential nutrients that seeds need to germinate, establish, and grow.
Aerating & Dethatching
While these are usually done just once or twice a year, aerating and dethatching are still essential for healthy lawns. Aerating in the spring and fall helps your lawn breathe and allows water and nutrients to penetrate deep into the soil. Dethatching your lawn removes the layer of dead grass that sits on top of the soil, which can starve your lawn of nutrients while also promoting pests and disease.
Sprinkler Maintenance
In Colorado’s dry climate – especially during the hotter months of the year – sprinkler systems are essential to keep the grass green. Making sure that your sprinkler system is running perfectly will ensure that your lawn gets all the water it needs. Regular inspections for leaks, clogs, or damaged components make sure everything is running smoothly. Meanwhile, proper controller settings and timers help maximize efficiency and water conservation.
Need Year-Round Lawn Maintenance for Your Denver Commercial Property?
The lawn care experts at GroundMasters Landscape Services know exactly what your lawn needs to thrive all year. In addition to our lawn care & sprinkler system services, we also offer tree & shrub care, storm cleanup, landscape enhancements, and even snow & ice removal so that we can provide year-round grounds management. To see what GroundMasters can do for your commercial property, give us a call today at (303) 750-8867 or get in touch with us online today to get started.