Just like the best way to reduce your gasoline consumption is to drive less, the best way to reduce your lawn maintenance chores is to modify your ideas about what makes a good lawn. If you’re absolutely set on a plush, thick green carpet that’s completely free of weeds, insects, and disease, that wasn’t what you wanted to read and trust me, to have a lawn like that, there aren’t many cheap shortcuts. But if you don’t mind living with the occasional dandelion, an occasional bare spot, or Japanese beetle, you can get by on a slimmer lawn care workload. You may just find that you can spend more time enjoying your lawn rather than maintaining it.

^[2] 10 ways to make lawn care easier on you

Sometimes letting go can free you up!

1. Put your yard on acid

Test your soil and adjust the pH so that it’s slightly acidic (a pH of 6.0 to 7.0). You can get soil test kits at many home improvement centers or by contacting your county’s cooperative or extension agent, or even a local university.

2. Poke holes in your yard

Aerate the soil every two years with a power aerator. Don’t buy one, rent one.