This blog focuses on lawn care in the northeastern United States, but that doesn't mean that many of the same principles won't also apply to your geographic region.
   
TIMING: The biggest key to doing "more with less" is good timing. For years the big push has been for early spring green-up. This usually comes from an early spring application of straight nitrogen. At the same time, university professors have been telling us not to fertilize our lawns until late May or early June. Less disease problems they say. Lawns come out of winter already charged-up from nitrogen in snow, and can suffer from the extra nitrogen push. The second (and final) application of fertilizer should go on in September.
  
PRODUCTS: There is no doubt that slow-release nitrogen provides a longer green-up period for your lawn, but one place to save money first is by purchasing fertilizer with quick-release nitrogen.
  
RATES: With a budget, it will be extra important to apply fertilizer and other lawn products at the correct rate. Be sure to calibrate your spreader so you know how many pounds of fertilizer you are applying per 1,000 square feet. Spreader calibration is done by applying a set amount of fertilizer to a known area, then determining the actual amount of fertilizer applied. Write down your findings so you can easily reference them next time. If there is a "range" of application rates, use the lower rate to save money.
  

Applying the wrong fertilizer rate wastes fertilizer and kills grass

CRABGRASS: Chances are that if your lawn has been free of crabgrass for the past few years, you can get by without blanket-applying crabgrass control in the spring. If need be, there are products that can be spot-applied to young crabgrass sprouts if they do emerge.
  
BROADLEAF WEEDS: If your broadleaf weeds are few and far between, spot treat your weeds with a liquid herbicide instead of blanket-applying a broadleaf weed killer. You'll save money and help the environment.
  
GOOD CHEMISTRY: Since everything starts with the soil, buy an economical soil test kit from your state land grant university or agricultural extension service. For around $10 to $12 you can buy a soil test kit, pull your own samples and mail them to the university soil lab for another $2 or $3, making your total outlay less than $15. In return, you will get professional lab results indicating whether you need to adjust any basic soil chemistry. Follow the recommendations.
  
LIME: Your soil test may call for an application of lime. Lime applications give you great "bang for your buck" so follow the test recommendations. Powdered agricultural lime products are usually the cheapest, even though they can be a challenge to apply. Pelletized lime is more expensive, but easier to apply.
  
GRUBS: Japanese beetle grubs aren't the only grubs out there, but do cause the majority of grub problems. You can "spend money to save money" by applying Milky Spore disease (powder) to your lawn. It takes a few years for it to spread throughout your lawn, and control isn't 100%, but it will eliminate your annual expense for grub control.
  

Japanese beetle grubs

INSECTS: Most other lawn insect problems can be spot-treated as needed, instead of blanket-applying an insecticide to your lawn. The keys are good observation and treating insect problems early, before they become widespread.
  
MOWING: Begin proper mowing practices, by keeping your blade sharp, mowing often enough, and cutting your lawn at taller heights. If you have gone to twice-a-year fertilization as recommended above, you won't be fighting as many surges of growth as you have in the past. Skip mowing your lawn some of the weeks it is under drought stress and doesn't really need to be cut.
  
TALL GRASS: Taller grass equals deeper roots, meaning better drought tolerance and less watering. Taller grass also chokes out weeds better. Mow your lawn as high as possible without the grass laying over.
     
SEEDING: Fall seeding (in September) will have a higher success rate than spring seeding, so adjust your lawn maintenance clock to fall.

ORGANICS: While most organic lawn products are more expensive than chemicals, many advocates will support the argument of their long term cost savings, since they help grow healthier grass that requires less remedial action.
  
COMPROMISES: As with any belt-tightening measure, cost-cutting on lawn care will bring about compromises. But they may not be as bad as you first imagine. You should automatically eliminate several lawn problems caused by too much care:
 * Lawn burnout from fertilizer being applied at the wrong time in summer
 * Disease problems caused by lush spring growth
 * Grass growing out of control and impossible to keep mowed
 * Lawn care bills appearing in your mailbox too often
  
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