What color would you call the grass in your yard?  I would call mine ‘less-than-green.’  I’m slightly optimistic.

This year I’m determined to help our grass grow greener.  I really want our lawn to look more welcoming.

The question is, “How exactly does one obtain and maintain a healthy yard?”

After researching I have pulled together 3 easy ways to get the green yard we’re all longing for without having to pay the cost of professionals to do the work.

Fertilize and fertilize again.  Most people think fertilizing their yard once a year is good for their lawn.  Research shows that lawns that are fertilized 2-4 times a year show lush growth.  Save 8% on lawn fertilizers and fertilizer spreaders with discount Sears gift cards from Plastic Jungle.  You can also save 7% on lawn care needs with Plastic Jungle discount Lowe’s gift cards or Home Depot discount gift cards.

Cut grass to a healthy length.  The pros say that when you cut grass too low it makes it easier for weeds to grow.  So what exactly is a healthy grass height?  It is recommended that no more than 1/3 of a stalk of grass be cut off each time you mow.  This means that keeping a regular eye on grass growth is important as a few days of rain can increase how soon you might need to mow.  Discount Sears gift cards, discount Lowe’s gift cards, and discount Home Depot gift cards are great for saving on lawn mowers, riding mowers, and lawn tractors.  My dad loves his lawn tractor.  He says that the task feels more like an enjoyable ride.

Keep grass clippings for your yard.  Research from the University of Florida indicates that by dropping clipped grass into your own yard you are doing a lot of good for your lawn and for the environment.  Most of today’s mowers have a mulch feature that cuts grass blades multiple times so you don’t have to worry about picking anything up.  Putting cut grass back into the soil has three great benefits: (1) It puts nitrogen and other essential elements like phosphorus, potassium, manganese and iron back into the soil, (2) Cut grass actually helps decompose thatch (think leaves, dead stems, and roots), and (3) Keeping your clippings actually cuts down on the amount of waste in landfills.  It is estimated that cut grass accounts for 10% of landfill waste.