This week I am talking to you guys about getting your lawn in shape in 2011. I really hope more and more of your will resolve to take your lawn care to the next level in the coming months and right now is the time to get started. When I say that, I mean getting your mind wrapped around some of the best ways to make your lawn beautiful starting as soon as possible. In the first article, I talked about proper lawn mowing in 20011, and now I want to talk about proper lawn fertilization.

Some of you will choose to fertilize naturally, and that is a good choice. Others still may go with a more synthetic option. Both will work if care is taken to get the most from the nutrients you are applying. Let’s talk about ways to ensure product is applied in the best possible manner.

Buy A Good Lawn Spreader

I recommend all homeowners invest in a good quality fertilizer spreader. The better the quality, the better, more accurate the nutrient or fertilizer application will be. When the bag of fertilizer reads, “three pounds product per one thousand square feet of lawn space,” that doesn’t mean you can just “spray and pray” and hope for the best. If you apply too much product you can and will harm the lawn. If you don’t apply enough, on the other hand, your yard is not getting the proper benefit and won’t respond properly.

A first rate spreader will cost you in the neighborhood of $80 and is well worth the investment. It should last you a good five or more years under normal homeowner-type wear and tear.

Aerate The Lawn First

The second and final part of the lawn fertilizing tip involves lawn aeration. I highly recommend you aerate your lawn in the spring and fall to help open up compacted soil and punch holes in the thatch layer. This will effectively give your fertilizer a “leg up” and get it directly into the root system of the yard where it can be utilized more effectively.

That’s really all there is to making sure you perform your fertilizer applications properly. You can pick up a good lawn spreader now and get it all ready for the first application in March!

At the end of every December, thousands upon thousands of resolutions are made for the new year. I often wonder how many of those have anything to do with having a nice lawn? I guess if I had my way, all of you guys would resolve to do better. So let’s pretend you are planning on having a better, healthier lawn in 2011 and look at some of the best ways to “hedge your bets”–succeed at lawn care and yard care this season.

In part 1 of this short series, let’s talk about cutting the lawn the right way, consistently, all season.

Lawn Care Basics for 2011: Mowing

One of the most important parts of your yard care in the new year will be proper mowing. If you can get this part of the equation correct, you will be golden. So many of you start out good in the early part of the spring, only to lose steam and make mistakes or cut corners in the later summer and fall. Don’t do that this year.

Mow tall all year long. I always recommend three inches or more no matter what the season or weather conditions. This ensures good turf leaf surface and proper soil shading and moisture retention.

Next, make sure you keep your lawn mower blade sharp. Depending how large your lawn is, you may get away with just one sharpening per season. When in doubt, however, go ahead and get your blade sharpened up in August. It usually costs less than $15 at the local small engine shop.

Finally, mow weekly–consistently. I know it gets tiring and boring, but you cannot let the lawn grow out of control and then chop it low after several weeks. This completely stresses the turf root structure causing thinning.

This is just the first part of the lawn care prescription for 2011. Getting ready now will save you plenty of headaches when the snow melts and spring finally arrives.