10 DIY Tips for Affordable Lawn Care
Achieving a healthy, lush lawn doesn’t have to break the bank. With a little planning and effort, you can maintain your lawn on a budget while still achieving results you’ll be proud of. From finding the best inexpensive lawn fertilizers to mowing efficiently and aerating without costly tools, this guide provides simple and practical DIY lawn care tips to keep your yard thriving.
Whether you’re a new homeowner or a seasoned DIYer, these affordable lawn care tips will help you save money while creating a green, vibrant lawn.
1. Create a Lawn Care Schedule
One of the keys to affordable lawn care is consistency. By sticking to a schedule, you can avoid costly mistakes like overwatering, overfertilizing, or skipping important tasks.
Here’s a simple DIY lawn care schedule to follow:
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Spring: Aerate, fertilize, overseed, and mow regularly.
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Summer: Mow low if using a reel mower, water deeply but infrequently, and spot-treat weeds.
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Fall: Aerate, fertilize with a slow-release product, and overseed bare patches.
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Winter: Keep the lawn debris-free and avoid compacting the soil with heavy foot traffic.
For a much more thorough plan, check out our Yearly Lawn Care Schedule.
A planned routine saves you time, reduces unnecessary expenses, and keeps your lawn in excellent condition year-round.
Print out our yearly lawn care schedule and stick it up in your shed or home to remind you when to do lawn maintenance. These cool and warm-season schedules show the best times to do specific tasks.
2. Mow Smarter, Not Harder
The cheapest way to mow your lawn is to make the most of the equipment you already have. Follow these simple tips for budget-friendly lawn mowing:
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Sharpen your mower blades: Dull mower blades tear grass instead of cutting it cleanly, which can stress your lawn and lead to diseases. Sharpen your blades at least once per season for healthier grass and better fuel efficiency.
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Adjust mowing height: Taller grass shades the soil, retains moisture, and prevents weeds from sprouting. Set your mower height to 2.5–3 inches for cool-season grasses and 1.5–2 inches for warm-season grasses. (You can go as low as 0.75 inches with a gas-powered reel mower.)
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Mow when the grass is dry: Wet grass clumps together, leading to an uneven cut and added stress on your mower.
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Add cuttings to your compost bin: Instead of getting rid of your grass cuttings, add them to your compost. This free "mulch" returns valuable nutrients to the soil, reducing the need for additional fertilizer.*
*If you have weeds in your yard that you have mown up with your grass do not add them to your compost or as mulch on your lawn as they might germinate and cause more problems down the line.
By caring for your lawn mower and mowing strategically, you’ll save on maintenance costs while promoting a healthier lawn.
3. Find the Best Inexpensive Lawn Fertilizer
Fertilizing doesn’t have to cost a fortune. The key is choosing a high-quality, affordable fertilizer that feeds your lawn effectively.
Complete 14-7-14 - Lebanon Country Club Fertilizer is excellent value for money. This balanced fertilizer combines 14% nitrogen, 7% phosphorus, and 14% potassium, ensuring your lawn gets the essential nutrients it needs for vibrant growth, deep root development, and improved stress resistance.
Its SGN 80 particle size ensures even distribution and superior coverage, delivering nutrients efficiently for a consistent, green, and healthy lawn. The high-quality formulation reduces waste and maximizes absorption, meaning you get long-lasting results with less product used per application. A 40 lb bag covers up to 10,000 square feet, making it a cost-effective choice for homeowners seeking professional results.
For DIY lawn care on a budget, consider these tips when fertilizing:
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Apply fertilizer strategically: Fertilize in early spring and fall when your grass is actively growing. Avoid overfertilizing, which wastes money and can harm your lawn.
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Use a broadcast spreader: A spreader ensures even coverage, reducing waste and maximizing results.
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Supplement with organic options: Materials like compost, coffee grounds, or grass clippings can add nutrients to your lawn without additional cost.
A little fertilizer goes a long way, especially when you choose cost-effective, high-quality products.
4. How to Aerate Your Lawn Cheaply
Lawn aeration improves root growth, reduces compaction, and allows water and nutrients to penetrate the soil more effectively. Fortunately, you don’t need to rent an expensive machine to aerate your lawn cheaply.
DIY aeration methods:
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Manual aerator tools: Manual aerators with spikes or tines are affordable and easy to use on small lawns. These tools can be found at most home improvement stores.
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Use a garden fork: For very small areas, a garden fork can be a simple and effective way to aerate. Push the fork into the soil every 6–8 inches to create small holes.
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Spiked lawn shoes: Spiked aeration shoes attach to your feet, allowing you to aerate as you walk. While not as thorough as plug aerators, they provide a budget-friendly option for light compaction.
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Timing is key: Aerate during the growing season (spring or fall for cool-season grasses and late spring for warm-season grasses) for the best results.
If your lawn suffers from heavy compaction, consider topdressing with CarbonizPN-G™ Granular Compost and Biochar. This product improves soil structure, enhances aeration, and supports healthy root growth — all at a reasonable cost.
5. Water Wisely to Save Money
Overwatering is not only wasteful but also harmful to your lawn. A budget lawn care strategy includes using water efficiently to save on your water bill.
Affordable lawn watering tips:
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Water deeply and infrequently: Watering deeply encourages grass roots to grow deeper into the soil, improving drought resistance. Aim for about 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall.
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Water early in the morning: Watering before sunrise reduces evaporation and prevents fungal growth.
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Collect rainwater: Use a rain barrel to collect water for irrigation. This eco-friendly method cuts down on water costs.
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Install a sprinkler timer: Timers help regulate watering times and prevent overwatering.
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Use a soil moisture manager: Hydretain Granular Moisture Manager is a smart investment that can significantly save you money on lawn care by reducing water usage. This innovative product helps your lawn retain moisture for longer periods by drawing water vapor in the soil back to the root zone, minimizing the need for frequent watering.
With a 15 lb bag covering up to 5,000 square feet, it offers excellent value and efficiency. By cutting irrigation needs by up to 50%, you’ll see substantial savings on your water bill while maintaining a lush, green lawn.
Hydretain is ideal for homeowners looking to reduce water costs, especially during hot or dry periods, while promoting healthier, more drought-resistant grass. Its long-lasting performance makes it a cost-effective solution for both water conservation and achieving a beautiful lawn without overspending.
By following these tips, you’ll keep your lawn hydrated without breaking the bank.
6. Control Weeds on a Budget
Weeds can quickly take over your lawn if left unchecked, but expensive herbicides aren’t always necessary. Here are budget-friendly weed control solutions:
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Hand-pull weeds: For small lawns or isolated weeds, hand-pulling is an effective and free solution. Pull weeds after rain when the soil is soft.
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Use a DIY vinegar spray: A mix of household vinegar and a drop of dish soap can kill broadleaf weeds naturally. Be cautious, as vinegar can harm grass if overapplied.
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Maintain thick, healthy grass: A dense lawn naturally crowds out weeds. Regular overseeding and fertilizing will improve your lawn’s thickness over time.
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Use a pre-emergent herbicide: The best way to save money and time on getting rid of weeds is to prevent them in the first place. Using a pre-emergent weed killer in the spring, or a combined fertilizer and weed killer combo such as Dimension .15% Pre-Emergent Herbicide or Prodiamine .38% Pre-Emergent Herbicide will cut costs considerably.
Related: When Should You Apply Weed and Feed?
7. DIY Lawn Maintenance with Affordable Tools
Having the right tools is essential for DIY lawn maintenance. Instead of buying expensive equipment, opt for affordable alternatives or consider these strategies:
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Borrow or rent tools: Check with neighbors, friends, or local tool libraries to borrow equipment like aerators, dethatchers, or spreaders.
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Maintain existing tools: Keep your mower, trimmer, and other tools in good condition with regular cleaning and sharpening.
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Shop secondhand: Look for quality used tools at garage sales, online marketplaces, or thrift stores.
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Invest in multipurpose tools: Tools that serve multiple purposes, like a garden rake or manual spreader, save money and storage space.
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Stick to one type of application: If you use granular fertilizer, choose granular fungicides, herbicides, and biostimulants too, which can all be applied using a broadcast spreader. Likewise, if you are using liquid fertilizers, buy a backpack sprayer suitable for other liquid treatments. That way, you only have to buy one piece of equipment.
8. Overseed Bare Patches for a Lush Lawn
Bare patches can make even the healthiest lawn look neglected. Overseeding is an inexpensive way to restore those areas and improve your lawn’s overall density.
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Choose affordable grass seed: Look for grass seed blends suited to your region and lawn type. Buying in bulk often reduces costs.
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Prepare the soil: Loosen the soil and remove debris before spreading the seed.
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Water lightly: Keep the soil consistently moist until the new grass is established.
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Combine overseeding with aeration: Aerating before overseeding improves seed-to-soil contact, leading to better germination.
Related: Aerating and Overseeding: Why These Two Practices Go Hand-in-Hand for Optimal Lawn Health
9. Buy Lawncare Kits
Lawn care kits offer a cost-effective solution for achieving a healthy, weed-free, and thriving lawn while saving you money in the long run. Instead of purchasing individual products piecemeal, these all-in-one kits provide everything you need to address specific lawn care needs, eliminating guesswork and reducing overall costs.
For example, the Golf Course Lawn Carbon Kit combines essential soil-boosting products to improve soil health, nutrient retention, and lawn performance. By enhancing soil structure and promoting better nutrient absorption, you reduce the need for excess fertilizers, saving money over time.
The Celsius and Certainty Herbicide Kit and the Tenacity and Sedgehammer Herbicide Kit offer comprehensive solutions for tackling stubborn weeds. These kits include herbicides, surfactants, and dye markers, ensuring maximum efficiency and minimal waste. Instead of overspending on multiple herbicide products or hiring professionals, you can treat large areas effectively yourself while saving money on labor costs.
By investing in these thoughtfully curated lawn care kits, you get professional-grade results at a fraction of the cost. Each kit provides the tools and products needed for DIY success, helping you achieve a lush, weed-free lawn without breaking the bank.
10. Create Your Own Compost
Creating your own compost is an easy and cost-effective way to enhance your lawn and garden's health while reducing waste. Composting transforms organic waste like kitchen scraps, yard clippingscuttings, and leaves into nutrient-rich soil amendments that can significantly improve soil structure, retain moisture, and boost microbial activity.
To start, designate a compost area in a bin or pile and layer “greens” (nitrogen-rich materials like fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and grass cuttings) with “browns” (carbon-rich materials like dry leaves, shredded newspaper, and small twigs). Maintain a balance of approximately 2-3 parts browns to 1 part greens to keep the composting process efficient and odor-free.
Regularly turning the pile and keeping it slightly moist but not soggy will speed up decomposition, resulting in dark, crumbly compost in just a few months. By using compost, you save money on store-bought fertilizers and soil conditioners while promoting healthier, more resilient plants.
Not only is composting an environmentally friendly choice, but it also ensures you’re recycling waste into a valuable resource for your lawn and garden—making it a win-win for your wallet and the planet.
A Beautiful Lawn Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank
Creating and maintaining a healthy, lush lawn can be done on a budget with these simple and effective DIY tips. By using affordable tools, maximizing the value of high-quality products, and adopting smart practices like composting, mowing strategically, and aerating efficiently, you can achieve a lawn that looks like it was cared for by a professional — without spending a fortune.
The key to success lies in consistency, creativity, and taking advantage of cost-effective solutions like lawn care kits, homemade compost, and water-saving technologies. With a little effort and planning, you can save money while keeping your yard vibrant, green, and weed-free all year long.
Ready to take your lawn to the next level? Explore our curated selection of professional-grade, budget-friendly products at Golf Course Lawn Store and start saving on lawn care today. Your dream lawn is just a few steps away — shop now and grow better!