Think those brown patches in your lawn are going to recover on their own? Think again.
Most traditional yard advice in Idaho Falls is flat-out wrong. In our high-desert climate, following the wrong rules doesn't just waste your Saturday - it actually stresses your turf and invites weeds.
If your lawn looks like a mess despite your hard work, you’re probably falling for a typical lawn care myth. From mowing short to watering daily, most DIY habits in Eastern Idaho do more harm than good.
Let’s set the record straight. Here are 6 lawn care myths you need to stop believing right now if you want a healthy, green yard in Idaho Falls.
1. Mowing Short is a Great Idea
It seems like it, right? Mow short, and not only does your lawn look super tidy, but you don’t have to mow as often.
Nope.
A surprising number of homeowners mow their grass too short, hoping to stretch out the time between mowings.
But cutting your grass too short stresses the grass, and makes it more susceptible to damage from insects and disease. Never cut off more than a third of the grass blade at any one time.
That way, the grass will develop a deeper root system to support the longer blades and need less water. That leads to a fuller, greener lawn.
2. One Weed Killer Zaps All Your Weeds
A common lawn care myth is that you only need one weed control application. That would be great, wouldn’t it?
Sadly, weeds aren’t that easy. It takes a few lawn care tips to get weeds under control.
For one thing, you need both pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control.
Pre-emergent weed control targets weed seeds before they sprout. What a great invention, right?
Post-emergent weed killers zap weeds once they already exist.
It’s important to know the difference, and to follow the product instructions when it comes to timing and application. You don’t want to waste your time and money using products that don’t work.
Crabgrass is a great example of the importance of pre-emergent weed killer.
It’s important to apply crabgrass pre-emergent in early spring to target those weed seeds as they germinate and take root in the soil — so they don’t become more seed-producing plants.
Beyond that, weeds are incredibly sneaky and tough.
Weeds can be either grassy or broadleaf, with each kind requiring a specific treatment plan.
Some weeds take multiple applications of weed killer and a couple of months to go away.
Weed control isn’t a one-time thing. It’s a pretty complicated process.
3. Your Grass Needs Water Every Day
It absolutely doesn’t.
This is one of the best lawn care tips you can follow: water less often, but deeply.
If you water too often, it encourages shallow, needy roots.
Water less often but deeply, and roots will grow deeper and healthier — and your grass will be greener.
4. Once Summer is Over, No More Fertilizing
Another lawn care myth is that you don't need to fertilize after summer. Yikes, no.
Maybe it looks like your grass is done growing for the season, but the final fertilizer treatment in fall is critical.
It includes slow-release granular fertilizer that feeds your hungry lawn for the winter and helps it pop back up, ready to impress, in the spring.
5. Lots of Fertilizer is Good
Step away from the fertilizer bag, please. Nice and easy.
Many homeowners either apply too much fertilizer or apply it at the wrong time of the year.
Overfertilizing, especially with high levels of nitrogen, will cause lots of pretty green blades of grass, but not enough root growth. Too much fertilizer will actually burn the lawn.
Applying too much fertilizer isn’t just bad for your lawn and wasteful — it can harm the environment by running off and entering groundwater.
6. I Can Do My Own Lawn Care, No Problem
Actually, it can be a problem. Or at least a pain.
Do you really want all those bulky bags of fertilizer piled in your garage? Do you want to spend most of your Saturday in the weed killer aisle trying to figure out what products will work?
Don’t you have better things to do?
Is Your Idaho Lawn Ready for a New Best Friend?
Stop believing these lawn care myths and trust in proven lawn care tips to keep your lawn healthy, green, and thriving.
Better yet, trust your lawn care in Idaho Falls, ID to us. We promise to make it easy.
If you want simple, hassle-free lawn care that offers quality core lawn care services for a healthy green lawn, it doesn’t get easier than Lawn Buddies.
No stressing about which complicated combination of lawn care services will get your lawn back to its beautiful green again.
You don’t have time to fuss with all that. Give yourself a break.
Welcome to one premium, six-visit lawn care program that includes everything your lawn needs to grow healthy and green.
Fertilizer, weed treatments, and grub control, all wrapped up in six visits, each perfectly timed throughout the season, so your grass is green and strong and resists weeds.
Choose a professional lawn care service in the Idaho Falls, ID area that bundles your yard’s most-needed treatments into one convenient, no-fuss plan that tells you the cost up front.
Got a few minutes? That’s all you need to get started. Just fill out the form on this page, call us at (208) 656-9131 or read more about our services. Then you can kick back and relax in your healthy, thriving yard.
