• Thick lawns choke out weeds.lawn image by Allyson Ricketts from Fotolia.com
  
  Too much water, too many mowings and too much fertilizer only create too much work, and may actually harm your lawn. The right lawn care routine is fairly simple. Fortunately, there are things the homeowner can do to strengthen the lawn and cut down on maintenance. Encourage a thick, green lawn without large bags of fertilizer, constant watering and weekend weeding.
  
  

Mowing

• Cutting a lawn too short encourages weed seeds to germinate.lawnmower image by sumos from Fotolia.com
  
  Home lawns are not golf courses, and should not be clipped short like a putting green. Cutting lawns shorter than three inches increases the stress on the lawn, and pushing lawn growth with fertilizers only to clip off the excess growth is a vicious cycle. Instead, set the lawnmower to three inches high. The longer the grass blades, the deeper the roots and the healthier the lawn. Longer blades shade the ground, repress weed seeds and conserve moisture. They also withstand backyard play and foot traffic better than short lawns. Shorter lawns require more upkeep, more water and more work. Don't go overboard and allow a lawn to become too long; cutting more than a third of the blade per mowing is equally as harmful to the grass.
  
  

Irrigation

• Water deeply and less often.Park Sprinkler image by Gary Ng from Fotolia.com
  
  Many homeowners make the mistake of watering a lawn frequently, for short amounts of time. The result of this routine is shallow watering that discourages deep rooting. Instead, water a lawn deeply and less often. A healthy lawn needs one inch of water per week in average temperatures, according to the Cornell Cooperative Extension. Set a wide-mouthed container under the sprinkler and measure the water, turning the sprinklers off when the water is one inch deep. Deep watering does not mean allowing runoff, however, and many gardeners make the opposite mistake of too much water. If the soil is slow-draining clay, water for a short period, allow the water to seep into the ground, and water again. Time your watering schedule in the cooler part of the day; watering in the heat of the afternoon wastes water through evaporation and may burn the grass; individual beads of water act like magnifying lenses. Remember to reschedule automatic sprinkler systems after rain.
  
  

Fertilizing

• Thin lawns in poor soils benefit from organic supplements.Lawn Clippings image by Towards Ithaca from Fotolia.com
  
  Fertilizer companies suggest applying their products up to four times a year, starting in early spring. According to the University of Wisconsin Extension, early fertilizing is more harmful than not fertilizing at all; pushing a lawn to grow before the roots have fully come out of winter dormancy stresses the grass. Instead, fertilize in late October and do not fertilize during hot summer months. Test your soil; fertile soils do not need supplementation. For poorer soils or heavily used lawns, fertilize in early June in addition to the fall fertilization. To improve the soil and avoid inorganic fertilizers, spread an organic fertilizer such as well-aged compost over the lawn in late May or late August, according to the manufacturer's directions. Improving the soil improves the lawn, bypassing the inorganic fertilizers entirely.
  
  

Seasonal Care

• Mulched leaves make an excellent organic fertilizer.Frosty lawn image by BerylM from Fotolia.com
  
  If your lawn is susceptible to fungal infestations, cut the lawn to 2 inches in spring and fall. In spring, this also allows sunlight to warm the soil, speeding growth. If you have a mulching mower, mulch autumn leaves and spread them as you mow; the nutrients give the grass an extra boost in spring. In hot summer areas, leave grass clippings on the lawn. The clippings not only decompose and add nutrients to the soil, but help retain soil moisture. Contrary to popular belief, clippings do not cause thatch build-up. Thatch consists of dead grass rhizomes and stems. When thatch becomes thicker than a half-inch, dethatch the actively growing lawn in May or September.