Home Repair & Improvement Blog

Having a beautiful lawn doesn’t have to be a lot of work, provided you are willing to get ready for it ahead of time. A lot of people don’t even give their lawn a second thought until they’re well into the spring season, by which point it’s already growing and they have to struggle to keep up with it.

There are a number of things that you can do before spring begins in order to get your lawn ready for warmer weather, ensuring that you’ll have a great lawn without nearly as much work as it would take to achieve later.

One of the first things that you can do is to take advantage of retailers who put out their lawn care supplies early. Shop around for a good grass seed and lawn fertilizer, choosing a fertilizer that has slightly less nitrogen because you’re going to want to be encouraging root growth instead of top growth at first. High nitrogen content will encourage your grass to grow tall quickly, but it will be at the expense of a solid root system which can lead to problems with durability and your grass being able to get the water and nutrients that it needs as spring turns to summer.

A time-release fertilizer can work well in the spring, since it will make sure that your grass gets needed nutrients each time that it rains. Choose a grass seed that has qualities and color that you want, and if possible pick one that is resilient against crabgrass and other weeds so that it won’t be choked out if they start to grow. Some grass seeds even come with a coating on the seeds themselves which helps to kill off unwanted plants while not harming the grass itself.

Next, take the time to get out early and start cleaning up your lawn. Remove any dead limbs that might be lying around since a winter snowstorm and get rid of any other debris that you might have let stay too long. Clean up any leftover leaf piles or anything else that might impede the growth of your grass in certain places. If you’re planning on gardening or maintaining flower beds you should use this opportunity to clean them up as well so that you don’t have to do your entire cleanup when you get ready to start gardening or planting flowers.

It’s also important that you spend a little bit of time doing needed maintenance to your lawn care equipment in advance of when you’re actually going to need it. Change the oil and sharpen the blades of your lawnmower, running it through a thorough maintenance check to ensure that everything is going to work like it should.

Clean up and check any weed trimmers or other equipment that you might have as well, making sure that they’re in top working condition and that any vital fluids are full. Most people wait until they’re about to start cutting their grass to check out their equipment, but waiting can mean that you won’t be as thorough with your checks and you can end up with uneven cuts or unnecessary wear and tear on your lawnmower and other equipment.

If you have a late snow, make sure that there aren’t any patches of your yard which remain under a drift of snow after everything else has melted. Not only can it stunt growing grass or cause yellowed patches in your yard but the extra moisture could set you up for mold or other problems as your lawn tries to get started growing. Try to break up any larger mounds of snow as they melt to keep this from happening.

Once you’ve got all of your equipment ready and you have the seed and fertilizer that you need to reseed your lawn, make sure that you choose the right time to plant your grass seed. While some people claim that the fall is the best time to reseed your lawn, you can have wonderful results from grass seed that’s planted in the early spring. Make sure that you scatter your seed evenly, doing so after the risk of snowfall or extreme low temperatures have passed.

Late March to mid-April can be an ideal time to seed your lawn in the spring if you live in the northern hemisphere, being late enough in the year to avoid most freezing dangers yet still giving ample time for the grass to begin growing before the summer. Try not to over-water your lawn early on, as letting the soil dry out between rain and watering can result in deeper roots and a healthier lawn.

Source: Landscaping @ ArticleCube.com

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Do you strive for the perfect lawn? Do you want your lawn to rival even the best kept baseball diamond outfield, soccer field and golf green (before a game, of course)? Have you gotten down to measure individual blades of grass to make sure they are the same height? OK, maybe that’s going a bit far, but you know what I mean. Some of us take extreme pride in the condition of our lawn and the way it looks. We want folks to drive by and ‘ooh’ and ‘aahh’ at the shape and symmetry of a perfectly manicured yard. There are several things you can do that will help your yard look healthy and ready for the most highly paid sports star.

Lawn Memory

When you brush or comb your hair in the same way, over and over again, it gains a memory and begins to fall in the same way. Lawns are the same when they are mowed in the same direction and pattern over and over again. Not only will the grass lay in the same direction but small ruts can start to appear in the soil from the wheels of your mower. The tires and the weight of your mower push down and compact the soil into ruts that follow your typical mowing pattern. This can be especially true of you mow when the grass and ground are wet.

Alternate Directions

Most of us follow a pattern when we mow that is the easiest and quickest way to complete the job. We fall into a routine and think nothing else about it. It’s important to remember, though, that blades of grass are like leaves on a tree. They take in the sun and, through the process of photosynthesis, nourish the plant. When grass is forced to lay in only one direction, it loses some of its ability to gain the sun because only one side of the blade is being used. Simply changing the direction that you mow can help the grass lay in a different way or even stand up straighter. Not only will this help the grass remain healthy, it will make your yard look fuller.

Alternate Patterns

The pattern that you mow your yard in should be varied every week. Actually, the best thing to do is to develop four or five patterns and use them consistently through the summer in rotation. That is, if your yard is large enough. Some side yards and small sections of yard can make it tough to use different patterns. In these cases, make sure to at least go in different directions, as mentioned above. For the larger sections of yard, try to make sure that the patterns you use are at least at ninety degree angles to each other. 45 degree angles are best. Not only will this help the individual blades of grass stand up straighter, it will allow you to make sure that the blades of grass are cut evenly.

It’s easy to find instructions for various patterns on the internet that can make your yard look great. Alternating straight lines or creating a checker board pattern can really help your yard stand out from the neighbors’. Professional grounds keepers use rollers on the back of their mowers to help the grass lay in different directions so shades of light and dark make your straight lines or curves really stand out.

A Few Other Suggestions

Make sure that the blades on the mower are sharp. This will insure that the grass is cut cleanly and not ripped at the top. Find the best height for the particular kind of grass you have in your yard. Different species of grass will look better or worse at different lengths. Do your best not to cut off more than the top one-third of your grass and, if the clippings are small enough, it is best to leave them on your lawn as opposed to raking them up or bagging them. The clippings will decompose, returning nutrients and further nourishing your yard. Raise the height of your mower deck when the weather is hotter. If you cut your yard too short in hot weather, it may burn and die.

Source: Landscaping @ ArticleCube.com

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Grubs are, basically, baby beetles, mostly Japanese Beetles and Masked Chafer Beetles although there are many varieties. In July, adults look for a good place to lay the eggs for the next generation of beetles, and, all too often, it ends up being your lawn. At the end of July or beginning of August, the eggs hatch and the grubs begin to feed on the roots of the grass in your lawn. Then, they lay dormant through the winter, eat more roots in the spring and reach adulthood in late June or early July to start the cycle over again. Not only are grubs voracious eaters, they are also like an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord to many different animals. A heavy infestation can be detected either by irregularly shaped brown and dead areas in your lawn, or the signs of excessive digging by smaller animals, such as skunks, raccoons and moles. Dogs have also been known to dig in the yard for a light grubby snack.

Why My Yard?

Don’t take it personally. Beetles are insects that travel, for the most part, where wind and whim carry them. However, there are certain characteristics that they look for when searching for a place to lay their eggs. Access to a food source is very important. Japanese Beetles, in particular, like to munch on ornamental plants. If you see a lot of adult beetles in your yard, dining on the landscape, most likely they are also laying their eggs in your yard. Another consideration is water. July can be a very dry month in many parts of the county and if you water your lawn to keep it green the ground will have a lot of moisture, which will attract the adults.

How Do I know if it’s Grubs Killing my Lawn?

There are many different things, both natural and artificial, that can kill the grass in your yard. There’s a way to find out if grubs are the culprit. In August select several different areas of your yard, especially on the outside edges of the areas that are brown and dieing. You can use a bulb planter, cup cutter or small shovel to investigate the area. A bulb planter or cup cutter is going to be about 1/10 of a square foot. When you pull up the soil, spread it out on a piece of cardboard and count the number of grubs in the sample. Multiply the number of grubs found by ten to find out how many there are in one square foot. If you are using a shovel, cut three sides of a square, each side measuring twelve inches, and pull back the layer of turf. Again, count the number of grubs, then replace the turf and water the area so it will grow back.

Some grubs are to be expected in almost any yard and are a part of the natural order of things. It’s the concentration of grubs you are trying to determine. If you find zero to five grubs, you’re okay and can rest assured that there’s something else affecting your lawn. If the count is six to nine, there’s a bit of overpopulation and may be the reason animals are digging up your yard to find food. If there are ten or more grubs per one square foot, then they are eating the roots of the grass down to nothing and killing the lawn.

OK, it’s Grubs, What Do I Do?

August is most likely the month that the grubs will be closest to the surface and most susceptible to attack. There are many natural and artificial products that you can use to cut down on the grub population. The most common natural substance is going to be something that contains nematodes. These nematodes are a parasite that live on grubs, but will do no damage to the yard, especially if you use them according to directions. They will infest and kill the population and save your yard. If, when you check for grubs as mentioned above, and you find many of them to be brown and/or dieing, you may just want to let nature take its course to bring your beetle problem under control.

There are also many products that you can buy in any lawn and garden center that will control grubs and many other insects that may infest your yard. Again, be sure to use them according to the instructions and warnings on the bottle as many of them are also hostile to humans and animals, too.

Source: Landscaping @ ArticleCube.com

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Crabgrass has been the bane of landscapers and lawn enthusiasts since the first yard appeared. The fancy, scientific name for the most common crabgrass found in North America is Digitaria sanguinalis. This weed is sometimes called finger-grass because the stems where the seeds develop shoot off from the main plant and look like, well, skinny fingers. So, the question becomes how to get rid of the weed before it can get a toe-hold, or, in this case finger-hold, in your yard.

A Bit More Science

Crabgrass grows best in direct sunlight in lawns that are watered very lightly. It also thrives in under fertilized, poorly drained lawns and areas where the grass is particularly thin. It’s an annual plant that develops from seeds distributed the year before. The scary thing is one plant can throw off over 150,000 seeds before fall frost kills it off. The main plant can grow up to twelve inches in diameter and, when it dies, can leave huge holes in your lawn that are perfect for the next generation of the weed to develop.

Generally, the crabgrass seeds are dropped in the fall and sit in your yard as a seed through the winter. In the late spring or early summer, the seeds begin to germinate and grow very quickly. They can outgrow most types of grass and vegetable and can take over a yard or garden by pushing out the more desirable plants. As the seeds begin to germinate, they produce an enzyme that is crucial to the plant’s development. The importance of this enzyme will become clear a little later.

What Can I Do?

A full, lush lawn is the best way to keep crabgrass out and good grass in. As time passes, the soil in your lawn gets packed down tighter and tighter. A light aerating in the spring can help open up the soil to allow water and nutrients to reach the roots of whatever grass you grow. If the soil is already really hard and compact, you may want to think about hiring a professional to come out with a piston driven aerator to really loosen up the soil. You don’t need to hire a professional every year, but it may not be a bad idea every five to seven years. Fertilizing your yard can also help provide the grass with much needed nutrients so it can grow and thrive. During particularly dry years, a good watering plan will help the grass stay healthy, too. Get some grass seed into areas that are really thin or bald, especially areas that see sun all day long.

Proper mowing also helps the lawn stay healthy. Most grasses grow best at about two and a half to three inches long. Not only does this let the blades of grass grab enough sunlight for photosynthesis to occur, it shades the soil underneath the grass. When crabgrass gets its start, it is low to the ground and, if the sun can’t reach it through the grass, it won’t be able to grow.

If you mow your grass before it gets too high, leaving the clippings in the yard is a good idea. As the clippings decompose, they return the nutrients back into the ground, where they do the grass the most good. Also, alternate your mowing patterns. If you can develop four or five regular patterns and alternate them throughout the spring, summer and fall, your grass will stand up straighter and you can avoid those unsightly ruts that happen when the tires of your mower pass over the same area again and again.

Herbicides

Every yard, no matter how well maintained, is still going to have areas where crabgrass can grow and thrive. Along sidewalks and in the cracks between the sections, next to landscaping features and near the foundations of the house are all places that crabgrass grows. It can also show up in the landscaping where whatever groundcover you use, pine needles, bark or stones, gets thin. In these areas the best way to combat crabgrass is a pre-emergence herbicide.

Do you remember the enzyme I mentioned above that is important to the seed’s germination process? Most of these herbicides block the production of the enzyme, stopping the growth process. Timing is critical, though, in the application of the herbicide. If you put it on too early, the herbicide will sink too far into the soil before the seeds start to sprout and miss out. If you put it on too late, the enzyme will already have been used and the herbicide will do no good. Different parts of the country, with different weather patterns, are going to vary in the best time to apply an herbicide. Make sure to check with your local lawn and garden center to find out how to tell what the best time is going to be in your area. Also, make certain to follow the directions on the container, as well as any warnings. It is possible that these herbicides can be bad for other plants, as well as for humans and animals.

Source: Landscaping @ ArticleCube.com

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There are many obstacles when you want to keep your yard in tip-top shape. The top five are listed below with common solutions.

Weeds

Every year a constant battle is waged between lawn caregivers and weeds. The top two problem plants are dandelions and crabgrass.

Crabgrass

Crabgrass grows quickly and is very adaptable. It thrives in lawns that are under fertilized and mowed too low. The worst thing about it is that it looks horrible, especially in an otherwise great lawn. These weeds are easy to control, but you’ve got to do it in the spring, before they get a good hold. Late spring and summer are too late to do anything. If you are going to apply an herbicide, early to mid-spring is the best time.

Dandelions

Dandelions grow well under the same conditions as crabgrass, under fertilized, thin and low mown lawns. This weed is a little harder to deal with than crabgrass, however. With dandelions, you need to pull out the entire root or it will spread and it is best to do this before the plant flowers and spreads its seeds. If you don’t feel like killing you back pulling out all the roots, you can use a broad-leaf herbicide, which is probably going to work best in the fall. Make sure to follow all of the directions on the container and pay particular attention to safety procedures.

Insects/Grubs

Insects are a normal part of every lawn and are often very good for your grass. However, too much of anything can be bad. Not only can they hurt your lawn, they can also become a nuisance in you home. There are many pesticides on the market that are very good at controlling the populations of many common insects. If you decide to use one, make sure, as above, that you follow the directions carefully. Many of these products are bad for humans and animals, as well as insects.

Grubs, in particular, are very bad for lawns in large numbers. If you have more than ten grubs per square foot in your lawn, and there are several ways to check that, they will start killing large sections of grass by munching on the roots. Pesticides will work on them, too, especially when used in late July or August. One natural way to get rid of them, or at least lower the population, is to introduce nematodes into your yard. These are natural parasites that feed on grubs. Check with your local lawn and garden center to find a product with nematodes that will work for you.

Animals

Animals can be hard a yard, too. Moles in particular can undermine the soil and leave trenches through your yard, especially in the spring when soil is softer. Most often, they dig through your yard to find grubs and earthworms to eat. Decreasing the grub population, and the populations of other insects, may make your yard less attractive to them. You can also try to barricade your yard by burying chicken wire about a foot down. This isn’t always effective as it is possible for them to dig deeper than that. Catching them in a trap or calling a professional exterminator are the surest ways to get rid of them.

Shade

Even species of grass that claim to be shade tolerant don’t like too much shade. Sunlight is crucial for the growth and development of grasses. Make sure to trim back your shade trees every three to five years. This will make sure that the grass under the tree will at least get some sun. You may also want to consider replacing grasses in these areas with some other sort of shade tolerant ground cover, which may hold up better, and then planting your shade tolerant grasses on the outer edges of the shaded area.

Heavily Compacted Soil

As your lawn sees more and more traffic, it gets packed down. One of the best things you can do is aerate your soil every year. You can generally rent light weight aerators at most lawn and garden centers and hook them to the back of your riding mower. This will help loosen up the soils and make it easier for water and nutrients to enter and get to the grass’ roots. If your soil has become too heavy, you may want to hire a professional to come out and aerate your yard using a piston driven aerator. This doesn’t have to be done every year, but can help when things become desperate.

Source: Landscaping @ ArticleCube.com

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If you have moved into a new house, or just need a new lawnmower, there are a lot of choices available. Now-a-days, you can purchase anything from a basic reel mower that just uses your body for power to riding mowers that can also be used to work in the garden and around the yard. There are even automatic lawnmowers that let you sit in the lawn chair and watch as the handy robot takes care of everything. So, deciding on what is best for you is going to depend on a large number of factors.

First of all, how big is the yard? If you have an acre of grass to mow, you are most likely not going to want a mower that has no external power supply. In small yards, these reel mowers can be fantastic and let you get in some exercise at the same time, but larger yards can take hours or even days to mow and leave you a quivering pile of jelly at the end. Second, how is your lawn shaped? Are there a number of sharp angles and curves?

Looking at the contours and obstacles you need to mow around will help determine what kind of maneuverability you will need in a mower. Third, take a look at the condition of the lawn. Are there spots that stay wet pretty consistently? Do you have tree and other kinds of roots sticking up from the grass?

Another set of factors that will be crucial in deciding on a new lawnmower is who is going to be doing most of the mowing. If you do not enjoy working outside in the yard, you are going to want something that will do the job that needs to be done and quickly. If you do enjoy spending time on your yard and take pride in how it looks, you may need to have several tools available to help make it look ‘just so’. Then, of course, you are going to want to have a basic idea of the functionality you want in a mower or lawn tractor. There are lawn tools, mowers and tractors that have accessories to do everything from aerating a yard to plowing the snow out of the driveway in the winter. Budget is going to be a primary consideration. You can buy a push mower for less than a $100 or a riding mower that runs into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Push Mowers

While reel mowers fall under this category, most often these kinds of mowers are gas or electric powered. These are the lightest and most maneuverable kinds of mowers. Powered push mowers can make quick and easy work of small yards. With medium-sized and larger yards, especially lawns that have a lot of objects to mow around, these can be, and are, used in conjunction with riding mowers.

Push mowers can get very close to objects and landscaping in the yard without causing damage to the mower or the landscaping. If you have a hilly yard you may want to get one that is self-propelled. These mowers use some of the power produced by the engine to turn the wheels, which makes going up hills, if you have any, or just getting it around the yard, a lot easier on you.

Riding Mowers

Sitting down while you mow, with a drink close at hand, is pretty appealing to most people. Riding mowers come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. A cheap, simple riding mower can shave hours off the time it takes you to get your lawn looking spectacular. Again, though, you need to consider exactly what you want from your mower. Do want the clippings from the yard to be small enough that you can allow them to lay and nourish the yard, or do need them bagged while you are mowing so you can throw them on a compost pile?

A zero-radius turn mower can give your lawn a professionally finished look, but will require more money out of your pocket. As mentioned above, bigger mowers and tractors may make other jobs around the yard easier, too. Some come with attachments that will allow you to easily turn the ground for your garden or landscaping, plow the driveway, aerate and fertilize your yard or haul materials and tools to job sites around the house. Keep in mind, though, that storage is going to become an issue as you get larger mowers and more attachments.

It all comes down to your needs, wants and limitations. There are hundreds of great lawnmowers on the market. The best way to determine what will be best for you is to look around. Make some basic decisions before you go shopping to help narrow down the choices, and then compare the mowers, available features and prices.

Source: Landscaping @ ArticleCube.com

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I know we are repeatedly told that pools will only add realty value in a climate that is reliably warm and so many of us skip past the pools section of a magazine. However, there are so many new ideas, that you simply must read this pools article! It is almost worth having a pool even if you don’t want to swim in it!

Did you know, for example, that you can now have a pool with an infinity edge for your toddlers? Or how about placing your lava rock bowl in a centrally placed rock formation in your pool and lighting it up different colors at night? Your back yard could look like the gardens of an exotic 5 star hotel!

While we have all been skipping the pool pages, it seems that swimming pools have been skipping into the 21st Century!

Apart from being a great place to cool off, or to get your daily exercise, swimming pools also serve as a gathering place. Often the home with the pool is the home with all the teenage friends hanging out - so at least you know where your kids are!

However, a pool may only increase the value of your home in warm climates, so before you take the plunge, you must thoroughly analyze whether or not you really want one - and want the cleaning of it.

Often new pool owners, who are unfamiliar with the procedure, hire a pool maintenance company to keep the Ph balance of their pool up to scratch. It is not a difficult job but it is a constant one. Pools nowadays come with filters that allow the odd leaf or insect to be whisked off the pool, so that cleaning maintenance is minimal.

There are several advantages to having your own pool. If you are a family member, then your children will inevitably learn to swim more quickly. It is also a great gathering place for social occasions and with ‘outdoor living’ becoming the trend, a pool has to be right up there with the outdoor living accessories.

Beach entries are also popular for family fun. The walk-in-shallow pool has gradual drops in depth utilizing steps that lower you into deeper water. Infinity edge pools are also suitable for a young family, and these look like radius shaped edges from which re circulated water keeps running off into a catch basin. You may wish to check out the new idea of a salt water pool, which has less maintenance and is still healthy to swim in.

Of course, if you do not have a family to think about, you can indulge in some of the latest trends in backyard pools. These trends include fire features, special effect fountains and in-pool rock centers.

The rock theme can be applied in smaller yards, and has been effectively used as a tall backdrop to a small pool that is at the bottom end of the yard. Larger pools are big enough to house clumps of man-made rock in the center of the pool.

The fire idea is caused by housing a lava rock fire bowl within these rock designs and then lighting the gas powered flame. Flame color can be changed and dramatic reflections can dance across the water in the pool.

Most fountains can also be dramatized by having a spotlight of a different color directed onto them after dark. The newest idea in fountains is to install a frothy, foaming one and have a mushroom effect head.

These additions of fountains, fire, rock and light can transform your modest pool into a secluded delight. But first you need the pool….!

Source: Landscaping @ ArticleCube.com

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An outdoor kitchen island might just be for you, particularly if you enjoy grilling and entertaining outside. More and more people are enjoying being outside and entertaining. In addition, an entire outdoor living room can be part of the design. Outdoor kitchen appliances, kitchen island types and styles, and surface materials all come into play in the decision making.

However, where to start can be confusing. The outdoor kitchen island can be made up of many different parts. The grill might be thought about first, but there are so many other considerations. Rotisseries, side-burners, refrigerators, sinks, smoke trays, trash bins and food warmers are just a few. Consider the amount of people you will be cooking for or entertaining and how elaborate you actually want the area to be. They can be designed from very simple to extremely complex.

Kitchen units can be purchased as a modular unit, where choices are made simple, or modular units are available options to completely customize. Islands can also be custom built with your choice of any materials that are suitable. Some materials to think about are stucco, stone, travertine tile and porcelain tile for the outside of the island. Counter tops can be made of granite slabs or various other types of stone. Tile is another material that can be used.

Perhaps you would like the entire area to be a cozy outdoor living room where you can also just relax? Fire its and fireplaces can add great ambiance. Both can be ordered as free-standing units or they can be custom built. There are those that use natural gas or propane, while others are strictly wood burning. You can also add sofas, comfortable chairs and rugs to the outdoor space. Just make sure the materials are somewhat weather resistant. A pergola can be part of the design, either over the cooking area or covering the entire outdoor living space. Once again, these can be custom built. However, with the popularity of outdoor spaces, there are various modular kitchen units that actually have pergolas as an add-on option.

And what about an outdoor television? Today they are made to withstand all kinds of temperatures, are glare-free, and can be satellite ready.

Wonderful outdoor kitchens can be had. You can keep it simple by starting with modular units if you like. If you find they are too limiting, consider some of the other options.

Source: Landscaping @ ArticleCube.com

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When and How to Water

You don’t necessarily need to start watering your lawn as soon as the first few warm summer days appear. You’ll actually achieve a healthier lawn, with a more extensive and deep root system, if you hold off watering until your lawn begins to enter a mild state of drought. When your lawn begins to enter this state, the grass will turn a darker shade of green, and footprints made when you walk across the lawn will remain imprinted, instead of the blades quickly bouncing back up.

If you’re able to, watering your lawn early in the day is best. Midday watering is inefficient and may be detrimental to your lawn, as moisture will evaporate quickly at this time. Watering in the evening can help cultivate lawn diseases, as the grass will remain damp for longer periods. However, if you live in a very hot climate, watering during the evening is preferable, as less moisture will be lost due to evaporation, and temperatures will not be cold enough to prevent grass blades drying completely overnight.

One of thee most important points in watering your lawn is ensuring that you maintain an even distribution of water over the entire lawn, and that no spot is either missed or flooded with excess water.

The best way to achieve this objective is with a sprinkler system, rather than with a hose. To ensure your system is providing even coverage over your lawn, place some empty cans or other straight-sided containers at various spots over the lawn, and then check how much water each contains after a watering session.

How Much Water?

Thorough, less frequent watering is much more efficient-and healthy for your lawn-than frequent, light watering. A good, heavy watering that penetrates deep into the soil helps to promote a healthy root system, and also discourages the growth of weeds.

In normal conditions, grasses need between three quarters of an inch and one full inch of water per week to maintain that rich green color, and to keep the lawn healthy and actively growing, as well as attractive. In very hot climates, more frequent watering may be needed. Check your lawn for blade ‘bounce’ to ensure your lawn receives enough water.

Remember that this requirement includes both precipitation (rain) and watering. If you receive an inch of rainfall in any given week, you can hold off watering until it’s needed. In addition, it’s important to realize that this one inch isn’t an absolute requirement-your lawn won’t sicken and die if it doesn’t get an inch every week, but too much water in a short time can be harmful. If, for example, you know rain is expected very soon, you can safely hold off watering until after the rain arrives.

How Long?

Each watering of your lawn should provide plenty of water for the active root zone of the grass. The length of time this takes depends on the type of watering system you use, and the type of soil you have. In general, most types of grass need to be soaked to a depth of eight to twelve inches. Some grasses, such as bluegrass, need to be soaked to a depth of six to eight inches.

To calculate how long you’ll need to run your sprinkler system to achieve the right depth, do the following:

1. Run your sprinkler system for fifteen minutes.

2. After 24 hours, drive a screwdriver or other implement into the earth to check how deep the water penetrated. You’ll be able to drive the implement easily through moist soil, but once you hit dry soil it will become difficult.

3. Divide 120 by the depth of moist soil you determined in step 2. If the water soaked in to a depth of three inches, for example, you’ll end up with a figure of 40 minutes. That means it will take two hours for the lawn to be soaked to a depth of nine inches, and two hours and forty minutes to get soaked to a depth of twelve inches.

Water Conservation Tips

• If you live in a climate that routinely achieves very high temperatures during the summer, consider letting your lawn go dormant as an alternative to watering.
• Purchase a rain gauge so that you can determine how much rain your lawn receives, and avoid over-watering.
• Aerate your lawn to allow the grass to use water more efficiently.

Source: Landscaping @ ArticleCube.com

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Keeping your lawn alive and as healthy as possible when the cold weather hits requires that you start thinking about lawn care long before winter actually arrives. If you neglect your lawn during the fall and winter, it will become obvious during the spring, when unsightly dry patches or brown spots can appear. Your lawn-and your entire garden-should be prepared for winter with some tender care and winter care strategies developed in early fall.

Fall Lawn Care Strategies

Changing some of your lawn care strategies in the fall will help your lawn survive the winter, and thrive in the spring. Many of these lawn care strategies are designed to help improve your lawn’s resistance to winter diseases.

Fall is a good time to start lowering the height you normally mow at. Keep your lawn short during late fall so that your lawn does not contain too much new, young growth that might help encourage the development of disease. However, it is important to lower the height at which you mow gradually, to prevent damage.

Delay the application of fertilizer until late fall-the best time for the final fertilizer application is just after Thanksgiving. Applying fertilizer in late fall rather than early in the season will encourage deep root growth to support the surge of growth that will occur in the spring. This also means that a spring feeding is not necessary, and may help to improve your lawn’s resistance to disease. Chose a sustained (slow-release) fertilizer to ensure there are plenty of nutrients to support new growth in the spring.

Late November is also a good time for dormant seeding, if you have any bare patches of lawn that need to be seeded. This method is best suited for small patches of bare ground, particularly if your winter climate is unpredictable. For larger patches of ground, wait until the spring to sow.

Once your lawn becomes dormant and stops growing altogether, give it one final mow to leave one to two inches of grass remaining. It’s fine to leave a little mulch over the lawn after the final mow-but only a little. A too-thick covering over your lawn may smother it over the winter. A little mulch will help return nitrogen to the soil, but make sure it’s only a very light sprinkling rather than a heavy layer.

Ensure your lawn is aerated before the first freeze arrives. Along with a good application of fertilizer after Thanksgiving, a well-aerated lawn will help ensure strong spring growth.

Your lawn-and your entire garden-should be cleared of debris before the first snow fall. Any items such as toys, logs or rocks, and garden equipment left lying around may smother your grass after a snow fall, leaving your lawn vulnerable to disease.

What can you do when Winter Arrives?

If you live in a very cold climate where snow and frost are common occurrences in the winter, there is unfortunately not much you can do to help your lawn once winter actually arrives. However, by choosing a hardy type of grass that is tolerant of cold climates, you’ll help ensure your lawn survives and thrives year after year.

When you live in such a climate, there is really only one you can do to help your lawn survive once the snow and frosts hit. This is to simply minimize traffic over the lawn. Walking over a snow or ice-laden lawn puts more pressure on the grass beneath, and continual pressure of this kind may eventually kill the lawn.

Remember to drain and close down your sprinkler system if you live in a climate where freezing is likely to occur, to prevent any breakage caused by water freezing in the pipes. If your lawn needs a light application of water during a dry winter, your hose will suffice for this.

If you live in a warmer climate where snow isn’t a common occurrence, you’ll have a few more options for taking care of your lawn during the winter. However, with one exception, all of your most important winter lawn care strategies should implemented the fall to get the most benefit. There are just two exceptions. First, in warm, dry climates, your lawn may need occasional watering over the winter. Second, even though your grass is dormant, weeds have a habit of appearing, even in the dead of winter, so be on the lookout, and apply a weed control product if necessary.

Source: Landscaping @ ArticleCube.com

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