Not every house is sold on the strength of its curb appeal. In fact, many are sold despite it. In these cases, you may see the yard as a fixer-upper.

The previous owners may not have cared about their lawn, leaving you with any one of several common lawn problems. You may find yourself staring at a bare or spotty backyard and wondering how you’re going to turn this mess into a stunning before-and-after story.

This is what we do best! So, here are a few simple lawn care tips to get you started.

Summary: Our Pro Playbook of Lawn Care Tips For New Homeowners

You’re about to embark on one of the most gratifying journeys a homeowner can go on. Trust us when we say there are few things more satisfying than a yard transformation. You get to sit back and say, “I did that.” But right now you’re standing there saying, “How am I going to do this?”

You need a plan. And your plan will include the following steps:

1. Diagnose your specific lawn problems. Don’t guess!
2. Check the soil levels
3. Aerate the lawn to loosen the soil
4. Consider overseeding for bare patches
5. Fertilize the lawn the right way
6. Build good watering and mowing habits

Your exact plan of attack will depend on what you’re working with/against. So let’s take a deeper dive into each step.

Step 1: Diagnose Your Specific Lawn Problems. Don’t Guess!

Before you start pulling a single weed or buying anything at the hardware store, you need to know exactly what you’re looking at and why it's there.

Several lawn conditions are easily mistaken for others, which makes proper identification crucial.

For example:

• You may have dandelions, but they can be caused by any one of several conditions

• Chinch bug damage can look a lot like pet damage or drought damage

• Grub damage is often mistaken for mole damage

• Crabgrass can look a lot like tall fescue or quackgrass

Don’t start your DIY lawn care mission off on the wrong foot by misidentifying a condition and then mistreating it. You also shouldn’t do it by yourself. Save yourself a lot of trial and error by trusting the pros to correctly identify your lawn problems and show you how to fix them.

You can start right now by getting a free lawn care estimate today!

Step 2: Check the Soil Levels

It’s very possible that the previous owners struggled to grow a great lawn because their soil was too acidic or too alkaline. They just decided they had what they had, never looked into it, and settled for a spotty lawn.

But if you want a brag-worthy lawn makeover, you should consider testing your soil to see what you’re dealing with, which can help you avoid needlessly struggling later.

Your soil’s pH is a measurement of these ions:

• A pH of 7 is considered neutral and is the ideal measurement

• Any measurement below 7 is acidic

• Any measurement above 7 is alkaline

Once again, this is best left to the pros (like us), who can run a professional soil test and advise you on the logical next steps.

Step 3: Aerate Your Lawn To Loosen Your Soil

If your lawn is in rough shape, there’s no telling the last time it had an aeration, or if it’s ever had one.

If your soil is compacted, it’s going to struggle to absorb the water, sunlight, and nutrients you need for a thick and healthy lawn. And that’s where aeration can really be a game-changer.

How does aeration work?

Basically, it pulls out small plugs of soil, opening channels that allow air, water, and nutrients to reach your grass roots.

Then, those plugs (or “cores”) are left on the surface of the lawn until they break down naturally.

This will:

• Loosen up compacted soil

• Break up any thick layers of thatch that may be hurting your lawn

• Improve the movement of nutrients, water, and air throughout the lawn

• Enhance stress tolerance

And if you really want to take things to the next level…

Step 4: Consider Overseeding for Bare Patches

Now that your soil is set up to succeed, let’s start to build your lawn's thickness.

At Weed Man, we frequently see amazing results when we overseed in combination with aeration. The aerated holes allow seeds to fall deeper into the soil and germinate with greater seed-to-soil contact, resulting in a thicker, healthier lawn.

With proper watering and care, you’ll typically notice germination within 1-2 weeks. Full results can be seen in 4-8 weeks, depending on grass type and weather conditions.

You may not have to do this every year, but it’s a great place to start any lawn rehabilitation.

Step 5: Fertilize the Lawn the Right Way

Now it’s time to feed your lawn what it needs to grow thick and strong. Proper lawn care and fertilization go hand in hand.

What is the best fertilizer to help a damaged or neglected yard? It may surprise you to learn that the answer can’t be found in any hardware store or bought online.

We know we may seem biased, but your best bet is to use a slow-release granular fertilizer that feeds your lawn slowly without burning it – like the proprietary fertilizer only offered to Weed Man customers. That’s our way of making sure that the best lawns on the block are Weed Man lawns.

Our custom fertilizer blend combines essential nutrients, including:

• Nitrogen

• Potassium

• Macronutrients, like sulphur and magnesium

It feeds your lawn gradually for long-lasting growth, without the surge-and-crash of off-the-shelf fertilizers.

Once again, our fertilizer is our secret weapon. It’s not available in stores or online.

Step 6: Build Good Watering and Mowing Habits

The previous owners' bad lawn care practices put the lawn in the state it’s in today. But your good habits are what’s going to have it looking amazing for years to come.

How to Start a Lawn Care Routine

Make sure your lawn is getting enough water. Keep an eye on rainfall in your region, and remember that your lawn needs about an inch to an inch and a half of water to stay in peak health.

Proper lawn upkeep starts with watering at the right frequency and giving it the right amount. Depending on your recent rainfall, it typically means watering each area of your lawn for 30-45 minutes, twice per week, in the early morning so the turf is dry by nightfall.

You also want to mow to the right height, without cutting too much or leaving too much. First of all, always make sure you have a sharp mower blade, because a dull blade will rip the grass instead of cutting it. Also, know that new mowers don’t come with a factory-sharp blade. They often come with a dull one, so you should always sharpen the blade on a new mower.

Next, use this as a guide on how much to cut.

Warm-Season Grasses - Found in the Southern United States:

• Common Bermudagrass: 3⁄4 to 1 1⁄4 inches (2 to 3 cm)

• Hybrid Bermudagrass: 1⁄2 to 1 1⁄2 inches (1.5 to 4 cm)

• Centipedegrass: 1 to 2 inches (2 to 5 cm)

• Zoysiagrass: 1 to 2 1⁄2 inches (2.5 to 6.5 cm)

• St. Augustine: 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm)

• Fescue: 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm)

Cool-Season Grasses - Found in Canada and the Northern United States

• Mow to 2 1⁄2 to 3 1⁄2 inches (6.5 to 7.5 cm) most of the time

• But mow to 3 1⁄2 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) in peak summer heat

Remember, you’re very much in the driver’s seat when it comes to how quickly your lawn will recover. The level of lawn upkeep you can bring to this will have a direct impact on your success.

We Specialize in Lawn Transformations

You don’t have to do this alone! Backyard DIY lawn care transformations don’t have to be completely by yourself. Let us help you get off to the right start.

“Lawn was in pretty rough shape when we moved into the home about four years ago. The WM service has definitely helped the overall lawn health, to the point that even our neighbours ask what we're doing for our lawn.” - 5-Star Google review.

You can start right now by getting a free lawn estimate in a few quick clicks.