Great lawn care can be a tough job, but there are a few simple things you can do on a regular basis to avoid having to rescue a "lawn gone bad". By then the work you'll have to put in is on a far major scale...

For managing your lawn in the best possible way, these are the main things to consider. For example, it really helps to scarify for weed control. Not only that, scarifying stimulates and fortifies lawn growth, of course in combination with proper feeding. Worm control is very important, because nothing attracts weed seeds more than worm casts. Utilizing a good fertilizer acts directly against weed growth and really helps your grass to be much stronger and healthier.

I know of people that only feed their lawn once a year. I say only, because that is not enough for the great, healthy lawn you want. It's essential that your lawn receives it's spring feed. When buying your fertilizer for the spring feed, make sure it has nitrogen in it along with phosphates and potash. A summer feed, if you got a lawn that looks bit tired, should be performed by applying a proprietary lawn care tonic or a fertilizer that's rich in nitrogen. It's recommended that your fall lawn feed include most of all potash and phosphates.

Watering your lawn once a week should be enough, unless it's remarkably hot. You could rely on the weather (rain) to do the watering for you, but when spring ends and summertime kicks in, your lawn experiences dry periods. You can easily spot when that happens; the grass color changes from beautiful green to brown-ish. Almost everybody know this, but I will mention it just in case: Always water your lawn early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when it's cooler. If you have a rotary sprinkler, even better.

Finally, proper mowing of your lawn is really important, but you already knew that, right? Well, you would be amazed of how many people out there go about mowing their lawn all wrong. Your lawn should be mowed regularly, because that's what keeps a "field of grass" looking attractive. Make sure your blades are sharp, and not set to low. The following lengths are usually applied: For grass that's a little more coarse, a 1 inch length can be maintained. Finer grass can be mowed to a 15 mm to 20 mm length. Operate the mower in one constant direction and at a smooth pace, with not back and forth movement. It's also recommended that you mow your lawn when the grass is dry, that way you won't have to deal so much with the mower clogging.

Of course you need to select the best mower possible for your situation. A couple of factors to consider are:

The layout of your lawn. If your lawn is on uneven terrain, let's say a slope, you should choose a mower that can move easily on that kind of ground.

Grass clippings. In most cases the clippings that you have to deal with are deposited throughout your yard. Deciding how you are going to handle clippings can be very handy. Some mowers come with a bag to prevent grass clippings from landing back on the lawn. You can also think about mulching mowers that cuts the grass clippings into smaller pieces before dropping it on the lawn. This way the clippings don't interfere with aeration or stop essential nutrients to reach the soil.

Good lawn maintenance requires a lot more detail, but these are the basics you should know to get started.