My average North Idaho lawn summary going into season 3.

Going into my third year as a home owner and I’m pretty happy with how the lawn has progressed. I figured I’d share what I’m doing in hopes that people who are starting out don’t get discouraged.

Equipment

Here’s what I’m using. The mower is a Ryobi 20 inch brushless electric push mower. I change the blade once per season. I might swap to a double blade as I hear they are compatible. I have a gas Toro mower as well but for my quarter acre, I honestly prefer the electric. It cuts fine, isn’t noisy, and is light which is better for folks who prefer pushing. I mow at 3.5 inches and mulch the entire season (only bagging for the first cut when the season starts). I also use a Ryobi string trimmer for edging etc. and a Ryobi blower. The trimmer is the smaller one and gets the job done but opt for the longer model if you are in that echo system.

Accessory equipment includes a Grandpa’s Weeder, Grounds Keeper 2.0, Fiskars set of gardening tools, and a Fiskars pop up bag for collecting weeds.

I have an Echo Spreader (with a 3D printed agitator) and a Ryobi backpack sprayer.

Mowing

I mow TWICE a week (Monday and Thursday after 4pm). I put twice in all caps because honestly this has been the highest yield in terms of how much improvement I’ve gotten from my lawn. Mowing twice a week keeps it looking nice and tidy and promotes growth of the lawn deck.

Irrigation

My irrigation system has three zones. MP sprinklers (will probably be replaced in the near future based on my irrigation guy’s advice). I water early in the morning and used rain meter cups to figure out my timings. In short, every lawn is going to require some troubleshooting and it’s worth spending the time to dial in what you need. My front and back gets 45 min of watering in 15 min soaks over 3 hours every other day. I have clay soil and found that the burst watering prevents pooling. To each their own if you prefer all at once. Watering starts at 4am.

Fertilizer

I used Scotts 4 Step my first two seasons but this season I switched to Andersons and I like it better. We have a supply store here that has Lesco products and I might mess with it next season. I drop pre emergent after my first mow and once the soil temps are up in the 55 range I drop Step 1. Steps 2-3-4 usually coincide with the major holidays (Memorial, Fourth of July, Labor Day) but also when I have time off from work.

Herbicides

Most of my weed management is hand pulling. I like doing it and it keeps me engaged with my lawn on a weekly basis beyond mowing. I did spray Speedzone broadly this Spring and it appears to be pretty effective. My neighborhood also has gravel around the sidewalks and most of us have side trailer space for campers and such so I will spray Ortho Ground Clear at the beginning of the season and early Fall to minimize all the weird stuff that manages to grow through the rock.

Extras

I have RGS, Hydretain, and surfactants and blue dye tracer for spot areas but to be honest; I have no idea if this stuff is even necessary for the average home owner.

My Two Cents

I have yet to dethatch, core aerate, overseed, soil amend, or lawn level. As a new guy, I wanted to get basic stuff down first but will certainly consider doing this for my front lawn in the next few seasons. I would consider these things intermediate to advanced lawn care practices and it can be pretty overwhelming when theres a kabillion YouTubers, guides, penny brigades, etc telling you what to do. To be honest, dialing in your watering and just mowing more often WILL get your lawn looking better. The folks who post some amazing lawns here are all doing the work to get them looking that nice. Certainly something to look up to but comparison is the theft of joy. You can get a pretty decent looking lawn with solid fundamentals. Also, don’t super stress about areas that are troublesome because of your kids or dogs. I lost my pup this Spring and would trade every blade of grass if I could have him back. RIP Freud. If you really want to avoid leopard spots from dog pee, walk your dog more.