With basic care, you can turn your lawn into something beautiful. Here are five easy ways to ensure your lawn will look its best throughout the year.

1. Only fertilize during the right time. This means only when the grass is actively growing, as in springtime. If you feed a resting lawn, you may also be feeding weeds. Hold out until the grass is ready for fertilization. When it’s hot and dry outside, grass slows down in the growth process; however, this doesn’t apply to weeds. They grow best when grass withers and turns yellow.
2. Keep track of the soil’s acidity. Test your soil’s pH level. Anything lower than 7.0 is acidic; higher is deemed as basic. Acidic soils will need the help of lime to raise their pH levels. When you raise the pH level, the grass absorbs more nutrients and decreases the risk of your lawn developing a disease. If your lawn’s pH level is too high or too low, weeds are more likely to grow.
3. Don’t mow too low. Scalping your lawn will increase your chances of developing weeds, as there will be plenty of space for them to grow. Mowing too low can also damage grassroots and encourage pests to invade.
4. Act fast once your grass starts to grow quickly. Depending on the type of grass, each variety has its own time when it grows in a lush, full manner. This is the best time to get rid of smaller weeds, apply extra fertilizer, and water on a regular basis. Acting while the time is right will ensure a tighter turf with deep roots.
5. Apply Epsom salt. This adds magnesium and iron to the soil; a deficiency in these two elements is easy to spot, as your lawn will turn yellow if it needs iron and red if it needs magnesium. Add two tablespoons of Epsom salt to one gallon of water; spray evenly onto your lawn. Water your lawn to help the mixture soak into the lawn.