Keeping a healthy lawn can be a surprisingly difficult job. From weeds, crabgrass, and other invasive plant growth, to issues sustaining grass growth, to irritants like dog urine creating a yellow and patchy yard, there are a number of reasons why it can be tough to keep your lawn attractive and vibrant. Fortunately, not all yard work is a struggle. Here are five hacks that can turn yard-work from an uphill battle into a breeze:

1. Water in the morning

Many people only water their yard when the grass starts to look brown, brittle, and parched. If you’ve reached that point, however, your lawn is already in trouble; watering an already-damaged lawn is only going to do so much. If you know you live in a climate where rainfall isn’t going to be enough to keep your lawn going throughout the summer, make sure to establish a regular watering pattern early in the day and stick with it.

2. Aerate your lawn

It might not be immediately obvious what aerating even does; those little plugs of dirt you see on lawns may not serve any obvious purpose. But there are numerous benefits to aerating a lawn. From reducing puddling and standing water, to allowing a better airflow to the soil, to strengthening the root systems of your grass, to cutting down on soil compaction, aerating your lawn can be the difference between success and failure for your lawn.

3. Consider hiring professional lawn care services

It can be worth asking the question of whether lawn care is actually worth your time. For many, the answer will be that it’s easier and more effective to hire a lawn care service. In fact, the prices for such services are often lower than you might expect. A professional lawn care service will take care of every aspect of lawn and exterior home maintenance, even going beyond the lawn itself to installing gutter guards, maintaining trees and bushes, or tending flowers. If you have a little bit of disposable income and want a beautiful lawn without having to spend your precious time and effort, a professional lawn service may be the ultimate lawn hack for you.

4. Set mower to high

Mowing on a regular basis is important in making sure that your lawn doesn’t get taken over by competing grasses and other plants. But many people go too far when mowing—setting the mower blade too low can be even more damaging to your grass than not mowing frequently enough. If you cut your grass too low, you leave it without enough leaf structure to sustain itself. This is especially a problem in extremely hot or arid climates. One of the biggest double-troubles for lawn care is mowing too low and then not sufficiently watering your grass. This quickly leads to a dead lawn.

5. Fertilize and mulch frequently

Grass, like any plant, needs more than just sunlight and water to survive. Grass needs certain nutrients, like nitrogen, to grow, and the soil in your lawn may not have enough to promote healthy grass growth. Whether you mulch or apply fertilizer, introducing some source of extra nutrients to the soil is a huge key to keeping your lawn healthy.