Old Lawn Advice You Shouldn't Follow Anymore

hand holding spray hose pointed at lawn

Staying up to date on the most current lawn care advice is a sure way to ensure that your yard looks its best and is healthy for years to come. Over time, however, ideas change. That includes ideas about how to best care for your lawn. Here are some lawn care myths and old advice that you just shouldn't follow anymore.

Water Every Day

Watering your yard every day is actually bad for your yard. Significant overwatering can cause major moisture issues and damage plants and drown grass.

Frequent overwatering can cause your roots to grow shallow which can dry out your yard. And if you frequently water and then miss a few days, your yard can have a hard time adjusting.

It's better to water thoroughly but less frequently.

Water Any Time

The time of day you water your yard does actually matter. Recently, experts have begun to suggest watering your yard between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. This allows the water to sink into your yard before the hottest hours of the day.

Cut Grass Super Short

lawn mower cutting grass short

That old myth that you should cut the grass short so you won't have to mow as often and still have a healthy yard is just that, a myth. Mowing grass super short will weaken the grass and can create a variety of issues.

Plants rely on leaves to make food. If you cut the grass short, you are limiting their ability to make food and grow. Short grass is, therefore, also at higher risk for weeds.

Instead of cutting your grass super short, cut only a bit at a time. Sure this may mean cutting it more frequently, but it's worth it if you want a healthy yard.

Any Type of Grass is Fine

Unbeknownst to novice gardeners, there are actually many types of grass and not all are created equal. To ensure your yard is in good shape, you need to plant the right type of grass.

Different grasses handle different climates better, so make sure to consult with a local gardening store or online experts to understand what type of grass is best where you live. If you live somewhere prone to droughts, you may want to consider different types of turf altogether.

Clear Grass Clippings

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to remove grass clippings from your yard immediately after mowing it. Grass clippings can actually improve your yard's health when left behind.

Rake All Leaves

rake gathering leaves on a lawn

For years homeowners have been told to clear all leaves to ensure the safety of their yard. While a thick layer of leaves can indeed be bad for your yard, a small amount has a number of benefits. As leaves decompose, they spread nutrients that help your soil.

Lawn Fertilizer is Bad for the Environment

While some fertilizers can contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment, other fertilizers do not contain harmful chemicals. You can even make your own fertilizer with green ingredients in it.

Furthermore, fertilizer encourages plant growth which is good for the environment.

If you live near a water source, though, you absolutely need to be careful that chemicals found in fertilizer are not running into the waterway.

Mow in the Same Direction

At some point, you've probably had someone tell you to mow your yard in the same direction every time. While this may give your yard the same crisp mow lines every time, it is actually bad for your yard in the long run. Instead, mow it in a variety of directions to prevent damage

Wear Spiked Shoes

colorful boots with aeration spikes on lawn

For many years homeowners were told that wearing spiked shoes would help repair compact soil. Spiked shoes, however, have not been proven to aerate yards. To the contrary, spiked shoes can actually make the soil even more compact.

Instead, use different methods of aeration, specifically, try using an aerator. This should be done twice a year and can make a huge difference in improving the health of your lawn.

Compost Isn't Necessary

Compost can have huge benefits to your yard and is actually a very green way to improve your yard's health. Compost can improve the health of damaged soil and improve root systems.

Wait for Lots of Weeds

No one likes pulling weeds, which is why some people wait until there are a lot of weeds in the garden before they begin pulling them. If you pull weeds immediately, even if it's just one weed you are seeing, you decrease the chance of the weeds spreading.