Tips to save on costly lawn care

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Getting your lawn ready for the heat of the summer doesn't have to cost a fortune.

Between watering, fertilization, and maintenance, a recent report says Americans spend an estimated $40 billion caring for their lawns every year. For many consumers, hiring lawn care companies are just too expensive.

"They over sell everything and there are too many applications," homeowner Jason Smith said.

But you don't have to pay a lawn service to keep your yard looking green. You need just a couple of materials to get your grass healthy and ready for a potentially dry summer. We turned to the pros at Southwest Fertilizer in Houston to get their expert advice on doing it ourselves.

The first step is to feed your yard now with a slow release fertilizer. Southwest sells their Premium Gold Fertilizer for $21.99, which will cover 5,000 square feet.

"It helps maintain the grass throughout the summer and helps maintain strong roots," Southwest Fertilizer manager Aaron Moore said.

It's always a good idea to check the forecast for rain before you spread. If it doesn't rain, be sure to water after you spread your fertilizer.

A couple of other things to keep in mind, follow the instructions on the bag on which setting you need on your spreader or you could risk burning your grass with too much fertilizer. You could also have the opposite problem where there won't be enough food for your lawn.

If your grass needs more help going into the summer months, you can add a top dressing to your lawn. Southwest Fertilizer sells a Premium Compost for $5.99 for a 40 lb. bag.

"This helps get down to the soil, it helps feeds the microbes, improve organic material of the soil and helps it deal with any kind drought conditions over the summer," Moore said.

If you really want to be proactive should we have a dry summer, there are products out there that promise to help keep your grass wetter. A product called Revive costs $18.99 and will work for up to six weeks. You can use it now or as needed through the hot summer months.

"You can spray on or put down as a granule and that will break the surface tension and bring the water deeper into the soil," Moore said.

As we start to see the bugs come out, you should have a pesticide handy. Moore suggests applying a product like Bug Blaster Two as soon as you see a pest problem. It's important not to wait too long if you see cinch bugs because they can quickly ruin a lawn.

"Vigilance is the best way to help prevent big damage from cinch bugs," Moore said.

If you're dealing with weeds, you can use an herbicide as needed to kill them.