1) Buy a Crabgrass Preventer: One frequent destroyer of lawns is crabgrass. In short, crabgrass is a plant characterized by relatively wide blades that grow close to the ground, spreading outwards in several directions. It is this growing pattern that causes this weed to resemble a crab, hence the name “crabgrass.” To nip crabgrass in the bud, apply a crabgrass preventer once your lawn’s soil temperature reaches 55°F. You can measure your soil’s temperature using a soil thermometer.

2) Keep Your Lawn Fed: One reason why weeds are so successful is that lawn grasses often lack the nutrients to grow at a robust clip. Avoid this issue by applying a lawn fertilizer to your yard every six to eight weeks.

3) Aim High: As with all other plants, weeds can’t grow without regular access to sunlight. A good way to make things tough for weeds is to adjust your lawnmower settings, so that it cuts grass and other plants at a slightly higher distance from the ground. By doing this, the blades of your lawn’s grass will grow a bit taller and thicker than normal, thereby casting shade over would-be weeds in the soil.

4) Wetter is Better: Watering your lawn less frequently but for longer periods of time allows the water to seep deeper into the lawn’s soil, enabling grasses to establish more secure roots.