Inadequate preparation of soil. Soil preparation is very crucial. Before planting, you need to be sure that your soil is ready. There are times that lawn owners just simply plant turf, shrubs, or flowers without first preparing the soil, and this is wrong. You need to first prepare the soil by getting rid of debris such as dead leaves, branches, and rocks. The next step would be to till the soil. Tilling is done to break up any large solid chunks of dirt and soil, and make it better for planting. Lastly, you need to rake the soil. Raking flattens the soil which helps you plant easily and more efficiently.

Using too much fertilizer. Fertilizers help lawns to become healthier and green. But as the saying goes, “too much of a good thing is bad”; using too much fertilizer can ruin your soil. Fertilizers contain essential vitamins and minerals for plants, but using too much of it can increase the PH level of the soil and makes it unhealthy to plant in.

Overwatering. Just like using too much fertilizer, overwatering can ruin your lawn and the soil. Watering helps in refreshing the soil and also helps the lawn to grow, but overwatering can drown your lawn and make it die. Too much water can wash away the soil’s minerals and vitamins that it needs to grow properly. Another down side of having too much water on your lawn is attracting mosquitoes and other unwanted pests on your lawn.

If you are unsure of the state of your lawn’s soil, you should contact a Woodbridge VA Lawn Care provider to test your soil. They can make educated recommendations on how to proceed with treating your soil to get the healthiest and happiest lawn possible.