Level Up Your Lawn With ‘The Lawn Tools’

Creating and maintaining a beautiful lawn is both a science and an art. The skill needed increases exponentially when you have an acreage — just ask the viral social media duo “The Lawn Tools.” Online content creators Jordan Netzel and his brother, Aaron, got their start by transforming their shared yard using only a manual reel mower.

Their passion for lawn care has turned into a full-on side hustle. As the business has grown, so have their lawns.

Jordan now lives on 18 acres and the duo has transformed it into a functioning golf course.

They’ve made some serious equipment upgrades, too, assembling a fleet of Toro zero-turns and greens mowers. Now with more than three million followers, the Lawn Tools are a go-to source for those looking to level up their own lawns.

Jordan and his friends at Toro share some of their tips for leveling up your lawn in 2024.

#1 Create a Weed Barrier

Netzel insists that if there’s one tip you can start implementing into your yard care this year, it’s this: Prevent weeds from growing in the first place by applying a pre-emergent.

A pre-emergent herbicide creates an invisible chemical barrier below the soil surface to block new weed seeds from sprouting. While this doesn’t provide an immediate result and can be pricey, Netzel says investing in keeping the weeds from growing will save you money in the long run.

“You won’t need to spend money on weed killer later in the season. Any existing weeds won’t be able to reproduce, leaving you with fewer to no weeds the next season,” explains Netzel.

TIP: For best results, make sure you apply the pre-emergent before weeds pop up. The ideal time to apply is in early spring before soil temperatures hit 55 degrees F.

#2 Mow More Often

For an easier and less-costly option to level up your lawn, try mowing twice a week or more. Mowing more often and at a consistent height keeps your grass healthy and looking its best. The Lawn Tools take this advice to the extreme, cutting their grass every day like a golf course would.

“If you don’t mow it for two weeks, then go out and hack it down to half the height, you are adding unnecessary stress on the grass,” says Netzel. “Infrequent mowing forces the lawn to focus on regrowing instead of thriving.”

For best results, Netzel suggests mowing your acreage from three to four inches, depending on your grass type. From there, avoid cutting off more than one-third of the grass blade each mow.

TIP: Keeping your grass at the top of its recommended height range has many benefits. Tall grass shades the soil, helping it retain moisture better. It also grows slower—helping you eliminate up to 20% of the mowing you do each year.

“Less extreme cutting will lead to a more consistent green color in your lawn, and the grass should be more dense,” explains Netzel.

#3 Customize Careful Weed Control

While you’re waiting for your weed barrier to do its job, there may still be weeds growing. That’s where a post-emergent herbicide comes in. Netzel warns that this shouldn’t be a quick process.

“You’ll want to do some extensive research before you begin,” says Netzel. “There are so many different types of weed killer. Make sure you pick one that kills the weeds growing, but is safe for your grass type.”

Once you’ve found the right one, Netzel urges homeowners to diligently apply it. Whether using an all-over or spot treatment method, sloppy application could lead to large dead patches in your lawn.

TIP: Post-emergent herbicides are most effective when used on weeds that are still growing. Make sure you avoid mowing three days before and after applying the weed killer. This gives the chemicals plenty of time to absorb into the weeds.

#4 Plan Precise Watering

Healthy grass needs the right amount of water. For many, that watering is left in Mother Nature’s hands. Netzel acknowledges that his acreage is an exception since he has irrigation set up on parts of the homemade golf course and encourages those who are serious about leveling up their lawn game to invest in an irrigation system.

“My strategy is to water deeply and less frequently,” says Netzel. “This encourages your grass to build a deeper root system, which has loads of benefits, such as increased aeration, drought tolerance and erosion prevention.”

The ideal schedule, according to Netzel, is to irrigate your lawn with one inch of water early in the morning once or twice a week.

TORO TIP: Mowing height can play a big role in helping your grass develop deep roots. Make sure you’re following the one-third rule discussed earlier to keep your grass growing as healthy as possible.

#5 Pump up the Iron

Last but not least, we’re looking at fertilizer. Netzel acknowledges that most grasses can survive with the nutrients they get from the soil alone, but adding the extra minerals can take your lawn up a notch.

Most fertilizer mixes focus on three elements: nitrogen, to stimulate growth; phosphorus, to promote healthy root and stem systems; and potassium, to help the grass withstand outside pressures such as drought or insects. Netzel likes to make sure iron is included in whichever fertilizer he chooses to spread.

“I love the way my grass looks after it’s pumped some iron,” jokes Netzel. “The iron really deepens the grass to a gorgeous dark green color.”

TIP: Timed fertilizer applications in spring and fall can help fuel grass plants to fill in bare spots, grow denser vegetation and recover quicker when issues arise.

Netzel’s parting wisdom is to remember that crafting the perfect lawn takes time.

“None of these five tips are overnight solutions,” says Netzel. “But with persistence and passion, you too can create the show-stopping landscape of your dreams.”

Learn More

Meet the Lawn Tools guys: youtube.com/@TheLawnTools/videos

Toro offers its own tips, too: yardcare.com/