(MONEY Magazine) – The average U.S. household spends untold hours and $710 a year in search of the suburbanite's Holy Grail: a lawn as green as the neighbors' envy. Problem is, much of that time and money is wasted, according to the half-dozen experts we consulted. What's worse, many well-intentioned lawn-care moves actually do more harm than good. Specifically:

--Chemical warfare can be deadly. Overusing or carelessly applying pesticides can harm your family and pets, causing nausea, allergic reactions and other health problems. So use chemicals only sparingly. Outfits like Chemlawn and Lawn Doctor, which charge hundreds of dollars a year to treat and fertilize the typical lawn, are not your only recourse: You can buy the identical pesticides they use at places like Home Depot for about $20 per application.

--Fertilizing doesn't have to be expensive. Apply a nitrogen-based fertilizer three to five times a year, depending on where you live and what kind of turf you have. If you buy the fertilizer at a local home center and apply it yourself, you'll spend about $170 a year for the average quarter-acre lawn, vs. around $230 for a pro. Leaving grass clippings on the lawn to decompose reduces the amount of fertilizer you need by about 25%.

--Longer is better. "The shorter your grass, the more you'll need to irrigate and fertilize and the more pests you'll attract," says Martin Petrovic, a Cornell University professor of turf grass science. For best results on most turf, mow only when the grass reaches three inches, then cut away an inch. This approach can reduce the number of annual mowings from about 45 (for those who strive for the putting-green look) to 36. If you pay $20 per mowing, that's a $180 savings.

--Jennifer Zajac