Lawn Care PH

Just like anything else in life, you need a good foundation to build on. Lawn care is no different. You must have a good PH level to have a nice lawn.

Of course the ideal situation would be to work up your soil at a depth of about 12 - 18 inches and work in compost. This may not be an option for you. You could do a core aeration and then spread compost on the top and some would go into the holes. Not ideal, but it would help.

For proper lawn care your PH level should be around 6.5 - 7.0. If it is too high weeds will thrive. If it is correct, then the grass will thrive. Take a sample to your local extension office and have it checked. If you want to do it yourself, invest in a good PH meter. The cheaper ones may give you a false reading.

If your soil is too acidic, you may need to spread some lime. Sulfur can be added if it is not acidic enough. Again, I would do a core aeration before I applied the chemicals. You will get better results. And it will help if your soil is compacted.

The best core aeration is done with a plugger that pulls a plug of soil and throws it on top. If you have one that just has a spike it will make a hole, but compact the soil as well. I have one that I pull behind my mower. I use it twice a year, before putting down fertilizer. I really think that it helps a lot!

So before you do anything else, check and adjust your PH. This will make everything that follows more effective. You must start with a good foundation.