Having a thick green lawn can really help to make your home look great. It may also help your home sell faster. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and look through their eye’s. As they drive up to the home and see a thick green lawn free of weeds they know they can move in and enjoy the home. The outside appearance of the home may also an indication of how the home was cared for on the inside as well.

When I look at a home I make a mental list of what I need to do. If the list gets too long or involved I may start to lose interest. Excitement is replaced by disappointment. Instead of seeing a new home that I can enjoy I see more tasks and time away from family and friends.

Your home is in competition with other homes and you want to make your best first impression. This is the first in a series on lawn care. I will also be adding tips and techniques for having the best looking lawn in Raleigh.

Having a great lawn is not hard to do but it will require some time and effort. I think that the time and effort are worth it when you can see the results. To have a lush green lawn you need to feed your lawn, water your lawn, mow it at the proper height and aerate the lawn annually.

When I moved to Raleigh North Carolina from New Your more than 15 years ago I had no idea how to manage and take care of a Tall Fescue lawn. Back home I was had an established lawn of Kentucky Blue Grass.

Proper Mowing of Tall Fescue

The first thing that I need to learn was the proper mowing height for Tall Fescue. I have read much on the mowing height of Tall Fescue with mowing heights ranging from 2 to 3 inches and 3.5 inches if it is in a partially shady area. My experience in Raleigh North Carolina has been to mow the lawn at 3.5 inches. I have found that this has helped my lawn tolerate the heat and drought conditions in Raleigh and the surrounding RTP area. If you live in the Triangle area of Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill I think that a mowing height of 3.5 inches would be a good idea. Leaving the grass blades a little taller I feel also helps to shade the roots and keep them cooler requiring less water. If you were to mow the Tall Fescue too short it starts to thin out and look clumpy. The lawn may also become stressed and allow for the growth of weeds.

It is also a good idea to keep the mower blade sharpened. If you have not sharpened the mower blade perhaps it is a good time to have it serviced.

Next we will talk about the importance of nutrients and your lawn.

Hopefully you have been enjoying this blog and the information provide here. We welcome your comments. If you are looking to buy or sell a home www.HPW.com is the place to search all of the mls listings. We have all of the homes for sale in Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill and the Triangle all in one place. We are the home for Raleigh Real Estate!