An essential aspect to having a beautiful lawn is testing your soil's pH and making sure its balanced correctly. Soil that is considered to acidic or alkaline can restrict access to much needed nutrients and do serious damage to your yard.
The appropriate pH level for your soil should generally be between 6.0-6.5-7.0 - dependent on your type of turf. If the number is lower than 6 it would be too acidic and higher than 7 is too alkaline.
If your lawn measured above a level seven you can lower the alkaline levels with sulfur. On the other hand if it is too acidic lime can be used to increase the pH levels. These two materials can prevent thatch buildup and help improve fertilizer effectiveness.
If you want a picture perfect yard come spring and summer time, you need to be checking the pH levels of your soil regularly.