Did you know that the secret to a healthy and thriving lawn is in the soil? Most people don’t realize that the health of their soil is going to directly impact the health of their grass. It’s easy to overlook what’s happening beneath the surface but the truth is, fixing bad lawn soil is important if you’re going to have the best lawn on the block.
That’s why we’re digging into what can be done to make beneficial changes to your soil and see significant improvements as a result.
Some of our clients want a soil test so that they can know exactly what’s going on with their soil health. With a soil test, samples are sent to a laboratory and analyzed. We can then see the exact deficiencies in the soil and what will be needed to correct them.
While soil testing isn’t always necessary, some clients like the specifics that it offers for a relatively small investment. You can typically expect to pay between $25 and $50 for a soil test. It’s good to know that it’s an option available to you if you’re someone who is looking for more information.
When it comes to how to fix bad lawn soil, fertilization is one of the most important things that we do. Lawns naturally fall short of all of the nutrients that they need to perform their best.
Fertilization restores these nutrients to the soil. We’ve talked previously about the importance of choosing a high-quality lawn fertilization program.
Although it might seem like all lawn fertilization companies are doing the same thing, in reality, everything from the products to the methods they’re using can be different—and can impact your results.
Applying a low-quality fertilizer product or applying it improperly (such as at the wrong rate of application or at the wrong time of year) can have a detrimental impact on the health of your soil, and therefore the performance of your lawn.
Lawn aeration is another really important service when it comes to fixing bad lawn soil in Texas. That’s because the clay-like soil here in Northern Texas can make lawns incredibly compacted. When soil is compacted and you try to apply fertilizer to it, it’s just going to sit there, not doing anything.
But lawn aeration will help break up that compaction. The loosened soil means your fertilization applications will be more effective. It also means that more water and oxygen can penetrate to the root zone where they’re needed for your lawn to perform its best.
At Grassperson, we now have 2 options for aeration.
The first, is our traditional core aeration which you’re probably more familiar with. This is where a lawn aerator machine is used to make holes throughout your lawn by pulling small soil plugs called cores.
But we are now also introducing liquid aeration as an option. This process uses a liquid product that loosens the soil and reduces compaction without the need for any mechanical equipment.
It’s a matter of products working on a chemical level to break up bonds between the molecules that are causing soil compaction in the first place.
Both methods are effective. Liquid aeration is still pretty new and there are some unknowns but the feedback we’ve gotten so far has been positive. It’s also less costly than core aeration. In the end, it will come down to whether you want tried-and-true at a little more of an investment or if you want to try something new and innovative that seems to be working quite well.
Topdressing is another really important service that can help with fixing bad lawn soil in Texas but is often overlooked. When lawn is topdressed with compost, it can mix into the clay soil and play a role in breaking up that top layer by improving soil structure and microbial life.
Microbial life is the key to healthy soil but isn’t always given much thought. Naturally healthy soil is full of beneficial microorganisms like fungi and bacteria which help your lawn digest nutrients and use them to the fullest. These microorganisms also help strengthen your lawn against disease and pests.
Healthy soil should have a diverse array of this microscopic life.
Water is also essential to the health of your soil and we’re now going to be launching the use of an innovative, moisture manager product that is helping soil to retain that much-needed hydration which is often lost to wind and sun through evaporation.
Watering your lawn properly, and ensuring that water makes it down to the root level, is so important. Of course, we understand that the drought-like conditions here in North Texas can make those efforts challenging. With this new hydration management product we'll have better water retention and ultimately better results.
While soil problems are a common culprit of a struggling lawn, they aren’t the only issue. There are other non-soil-related problems like diseases, pests, and environmental stress that can also cause lawn problems.
For this reason, it’s important to have a lawn care professional on your property diagnosing exactly what’s going on.
The good news is that most lawn problems can be fixed without a total overhaul. Even if it is a soil health problem and you think your lawn is in really bad shape, there are likely some effective steps that we can take to restore good health.
At Grassperson, we have worked on plenty of lawns where the homeowners thought it was unfixable. But by getting to the root of the problem, we were able to get solutions in place and help them achieve the best-looking lawn on the block.
Ready to get the results that you desire for your lawn in the Flower Mound, Highland Village, or Lewisville, TX area? Get a free quote and then enjoy the best lawn with no worries!
