I honestly used to be astounded by people with immaculate lawns—the neighbor whose yard is always mowed to perfection, the friend's lawn that never seems to accumulate desert-colored patches even during the heat of summer, you get the picture.
As someone who used to live in a home with a huge, high-maintenance yard, the thought of having a well-maintained lawn seemed unachievable. But I’ve since learned that regardless of the size, there's one thing that matters the most when it comes to achieving the well-kept lawn of your dreams: using the right lawn care products.
To help you gather together the top tier lawn care supplies you need to grow gorgeous grass, I consulted experts who have worked in yard care and know exactly what a lawn likes. These are the products they can’t live without after professional firsthand experience using them on lawns. Adding these to your lawn care routine will make all the difference to the look of your grass, as well as its overall health. And soon you'll have a lawn that astounds all your friends and neighbors.
1. A Well-Kept Lawn Mower
A well-kept lawn mower came in as one of the most essential products or tools experts recommended to keep your lawn in the best shape. But it isn’t just important to mow your lawn when the grass needs cutting. You need to mow it more often than you think using a lawn mower that isn’t clogged up with grass.
Hillary Thompson, a horticulturalist at Super Sod, has used a Ryobi push mower, like this one that's available on Amazon, for many years with great success. “The best tool for lawn care is already in everyone's shed or garage...the underrated lawn mower,” says Hillary.
She also shared why mowing lawns more often is important, as well as the essential maintenance you need to perform on your lawn mower to keep it running smoothly. “Instead of mowing every other week, which is a standard frequency for lawn care companies, start mowing every week and you will see the difference in a greener, more verdant lawn.
“When folks start mowing their lawns once a week, they reduce scalping so that there are less brown spots and stress, and their lawn grows denser thereby feeling more satisfying to walk on, plus the thickness crowds out weeds.
“If you take good care of your mower by protecting them from the elements and do a yearly tune up such as replace air filters, change/top off oil, and spark plugs, sharpen or replace blades, and drain the gas for winter it’ll last longer and perform better when you’re cutting the grass.”
Using a scraping device like this mower deck scraper from Amazon can be incredibly useful too when it comes to removing excess grass from inside of your mower’s blades.
2. Rotary Scissors
Rotary scissors are somewhat akin to trimmers, but Skye Durrant, founder of LawnGuru, insists they are far superior and something he can’t live without when it comes to his lawn care routine.
“I mow my own lawn daily to keep it looking like a golf course, and hands down my favorite lawn tool to hit the scene in recent years is the Stens power rotary scissors from Amazon.”
Skye believes there are several reasons why opting to use rotary scissors instead of a traditional trimmer is better for lawn care. They can increase cut quality and are easier to use.
“Rotary scissors don’t fling rocks or debris at your shins firstly, thanks to their low-velocity cutting action,” says Skye. “This also makes their cut more precise, as the rotary scissors work using a scissor-like motion to cleanly slice through blades which are gentler on your lawn.
“Traditional trimmers can often struggle in thick or wet grass too, leading to uneven cuts and wasted time. But rotary scissors can easily power through dense patches without slowing down, which makes them perfect for overgrown areas or detailed trimming.”
Be sure to check the brand of your existing trimmer, as many rotary scissors can attach onto trimmers directly, if they’re the right size.
3. A Standing Weeder
Before talking to Angelika Zaber, a lawn care specialist and gardening expert at Online Turf, I hadn’t heard of a standing weeder. But after she explained to me what one was and why they’re among her essential lawn care products I became tempted to buy one for myself.
“While a lot of people swear that hand pulling is the best method to get rid of weeds, it is easy to accidentally ‘snap’ the weed, resulting in the root staying in the soil,” Angelika explains. If the root stays in the soil, your weeds will just grow right back and need addressing again in the future.
“On top of that, hand pulling your weeds can be very time consuming, so it is easy to get bored of it. This is why I absolutely love using a standing weeder to combat any weeds that are in my lawn.”
Angelika specifically recommended the Walensee weed puller, which is available on Amazon. It's ideal for removing weeds both in flowerbeds as well as around your lawn. It’s compact, easy to use, and simple to wipe clean.
4. An Adjustable Rake
If you’ve ever had to rake a large yard filled with leaves, you can probably recall the ache creeping into your arms, neck, or back. Angelika swears by using an adjustable lawn rake for this reason. She also loves how, when the extension collapses, it takes up no extra room to store than a regular rake would.
“One of my all-time favorite products for lawn care is this adjustable garden rake for leaves from Amazon,” says Angelika. “This rake is very durable, making it a perfect choice for this task. And it has an adjustable handle, making it a perfect choice for anyone, no matter their height.
“I use it for raking the leaves off my lawn during fall to improve air circulation and prevent mold as leftover leaves can suffocate your grass.
“In the spring, it can also be used for scarifying. Scarifying refers to the process of removing an excess layer of thatch (dead grass and other organic matter that forms on your lawn over time). This allows air, water, and nutrients to reach the soil, resulting in a healthy, beautiful lawn.”
If you purchase Angelika’s pick, the rake also includes a 32-gallon leaf bag.
5. Ryegrass Seed
There are many different kinds of grass seed out there that most of us non-lawn pros would never think of. But Ryan Walts at Lawn Squad swears by a particular kind he’d pick time and time again for touching up his lawn: ryegrass seed.
He believes it’s the best choice because it grows faster than other varieties and contains a blend of different kinds of grass to produce a gorgeous varied texture.
“Lesco Double Eagle ryegrass seed is one of the best options for quickly establishing a thick, healthy lawn in sunny to mostly sunny areas,” says Ryan. “I love how this blend contains three varieties of perennial ryegrass, each selected for its fine leaf texture, deep green color, and quick germination so you get a lovely replenishing lawn in great time.”
If you’re unable to get hold of the Lesco brand, the Scotts Turf Builder perennial ryegrass seed mix on Amazon is a great alternative. It also contains fertilizer to further encourage rapid growth.
