Simple Steps to Get Your Lawn Looking Great

Having a great lawn that you can be proud doesn't have to cost five hundred dollars a month or your entire weekend. Take a look at your lawn right now, does it need a little tender loving care? Well I'm going to tell you how you what you need to do to get your lawn looking great for summer with a minimum amount of effort. Here is a list of some important points to follow to have a great looking lawn.

Mower
One of the keys to a great lawn is having a sharp blade on your mower. Blades can get quite dull and worn down. Take the old blade off and replace it with a new sharp blade. If you go to cut your grass and your blade is not sharp, the mower will not cut the grass but pull the grass up. The changing of the mower blade is quick, easy and well worth the time in terms of lawn quality.

Cutting Direction
We all have a special way that we cut out lawn. Some people like to start out by the street while other like to start by the neighbors yard. They key point here is to always vary you cut direction. One week cut top to bottom, then the next week cut left to right. This will prevent the grass from growing in one direction and will give you lawn a fuller look.

Fertilizer
Another key to have a great lawn is that you have to feed the lawn. Fertilizer is the key to doing this. A lawn that is feed can take the beatings from the heat, cold, drought and foot traffic. You really should fertilize your lawn four times a year. The best lawn feeding times are early spring, late spring, mid summer, and fall.

Aeration
Keeping you lawn aerated will allow your lawn to have proper airflow and proper water absorption. You don't have to buy some fancy aeration machine for your local hardware store. You can do a great job with just your basic pitchfork. The point is to get the holes deep so that water and nutrients can reach the roots.

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Lawn Mower Maintenance Checklist for Spring

It's been a long winter for most of us. But warm weather is quickly approaching. And with warmer temperatures and longer days, comes the inevitable duty of mowing the lawn. Chances are your lawn mower has been sitting in one place for several months, but that doesn't necessary mean that it's ready to roll out and use. Before cranking up your push or riding lawn mower, take a moment to inspect it with our lawn mower maintenance checklist.

Can you remember the specifics of what happened the last time you used your lawn mower? Being that it was several months ago, chances are you can't. That's one reason why it's important to inspect a lawn mower before using it. There may be something lodged inside that will come loose as you mow. Moreover, there's no telling what may have found its way beneath, or inside of, the mower while it sat idle.

With that in mind, follow this simple lawn mower maintenance checklist to prevent any dangers or malfunctions.

Inspect for critters - An unused lawn mower can make a warm home for a small animal or rodent. Before using, inspect beneath the mower and in the air filter compartment for signs of nesting. Even if an animal has left the lawn mower unoccupied, it's important to discard their nesting materials to prevent fire.

Clear any debris - If the lawn mower was put away for the winter without being cleaned, now is the time to clean it. All leaves, pine needles, dry grass, and other debris needs to be cleared away completely before use. When the bottom of the mower is left clogged, it decreases air circulation and can pose a fire hazard.

Inspect the blade - A damaged lawn mower blade can lead to a dangerous situation. Check the blade for any cracks, bends, or breaks. A cracked blade is especially dangerous as it can break off and cause injury when the lawn mower is in use. If you see any sign of damage, replace the blade for safety sake. A dull blade should be sharpened to ensure a clean cut.

Change the oil - Part of regular lawn mower maintenance is to change the oil once a season. Before initial use is the perfect time to do so. An annual oil change will help keep the motor healthy and running its best. Be sure to discard of the old oil in a responsible manner.

Clean or replace the air filter - There are two types of air filters for lawn mowers, foam and paper. Foam filters should be cleaned thoroughly, while paper filters can be replaced. Cleaning or replacing the air filter is a simple way to get the lawn mower ready for spring, and keep it running great all year long.

Check the oil - This is a lawn mower maintenance task that should be done before every use, not just in the spring. If you're low on oil, or out altogether, do not use the mower! A quick trip to the store for more oil will save a lot of money down the road.

If there will be someone new using the lawn mower this year, such as an older child, be sure they understand the basic operating instructions to your particular mower. It's a good idea for them to read the manual and be supervised during their first use to prevent injury. More about lawn care? Chek out the next article A Lawn is Your Welcome Mat: Tips for Improving the Lawn and Reducing Maintenance

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3 Things to Watch for when You’re Putting in a Lawn

Keeping an eye on your contractor when you're having a lawn put in on your new home (or being re-done on your old home) is essential. Carelessness, incompetence, and corporate greed can result in a variety of problems for your yard and home, including (but not limited to) flooding your crawlspace, costing you lots of money on your water bill, or causing chronic fungus or draught issues that will kill (or cripple) your grass. Repairing these things after the fact can cost a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the problem.

Watch the Grading
This is the single most important thing to watch for when someone is working in your yard. The dirt absolutely needs to slope away from your house (the longer that slope is the better), so that irrigation, rainfall, and flood waters drain away from your home. If an irrigation line breaks, the mess in your yard will be enough work without also having to bail out your crawl-space (and possibly spend years battling mold, which can make your home un-livable). If you think that your lawn is graded toward the house, insist that your contractor add more soil until the problem is fixed.

Take a Core Sample
In my area, and in much of the US, it's common practice for developers to buy large plots of land, scrape the fertile topsoil off, and then build houses on the rocky dirt or clay that remains. To get grass to take hold they'll buy some of that topsoil back and spread it thinly over where the sod will be placed or grass will be seeded. Unfortunately the result is that the roots of this new grass sometimes can't penetrate past this thin layer into that rocky, hard-packed dirt, which makes your grass unnaturally vulnerable to draught, and prevents it from getting properly established. If you can catch it before the grass is planted, check how deep your topsoil layer is. If it's 4 or 5 inches deep you should be ok, your grass will be able to establish itself well enough that the roots will break into the harder layer below with time.

If you take a core sample of an existing lawn and see that the roots aren't penetrating more than an inch or three then your topsoil is too thin and the ground isn't absorbing water well. It'll probably require more frequent watering than a normal lawn, and that means that if you want to keep your lawn really green you'll attract fungus. To address this you can let the grass grow longer (3-5 inches) for a season to give the grass a little more power with which to sink its roots. If that doesn't work, you might be forced to lay dirt on top and possibly re-seed in order to get the necessary topsoil depth.

Get the Right Kind of Grass
One of the biggest drains to our water resources in the western US is the persistent and ridiculous use of Kentucky blue grass in our lawns. It naturally survives in much wetter climates and naturally isn't as hardy as most local species. Depending on your local climate you can get native or hybrid species that will naturally grow deeper roots in poorer soil while requiring less water. Next article about lawn care!

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How to Have a Low-Maintenance Yard

You don't have to dedicate all of your Saturday mornings during the summer to your lawn and garden. There is a better and easier way to have both a beautiful yard and free Saturdays, and that's by having a low-maintenance yard. These four easy steps will get you on the path towards developing a low-maintenance yard so you can reclaim your weekends.

Low-Maintenance Plants

Start by planting low-maintenance plants that are suited to your particular landscape and growing zone. Select plants that require minimal pruning, dead-heading, separating and clean-up. For example, a slow-growing conifer will require less of your time and energy than an oak tree, and perennials require less planting effort than annuals. Opt for the easiest to maintain trees, flowers and shrubs to meet the landscape needs you have.

Right Plants

Every landscape has its own variety of micro-climates. One section of your yard may stay damp all the time while the another section may be in full sun and remain dry all the time. Select plants that do their best in each micro-climate for easy-care. Plant drought tolerant plants in the sunny, dry soil and marshland plants in the damp areas and the plants will be right at home with little effort on your part.

Always select plants that do well in your particular growing zone for easy-care. A tropical plant, like a bird-of-paradise, will require much less hands-on care in Florida than it in will New York. Plants that are native to your growing zone will require the least of all maintenance.

Rethink the Lawn

How much green grass do you really need? Less grass means less mowing, but that's not to say let the weeds take over. Consider low-growing ground covers that require little to no maintenance but are still foot-traffic friendly. Another option to a wide open expanse of grass that needs mowing is to implement some xeriscaping into your landscape. Xeriscaping is done with pebbles, boulders, succulents, yard art or other items that require nothing other than what mother nature provides for them.

Hardscaping

Walkways, patios, decks and lawn edging are called 'hardscapes'. Lawn surface made from hard material and requires little to no maintenance. Consider adding hard pathways around your flower garden, stepping stones to your garden or a new patio to help cut down on Saturday morning yard work chores.

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Preparing a Lawn for a Drought Summer

Managing a Lawn During a Drought Year

Last summer was the first time ever that the well on our property actually ran dry. What this means for the upcoming summer is that our family will have to make choices about what we keep green and what has to go. My fruit trees and shrubs I want to keep alive along with a vegetable garden and half a dozen pine trees. As far as the lawn, we'll let it go dormant until the fall rains bring it back to life.

Most lawns can tolerate a bit of drought providing that they've been properly prepared ahead of time. Here are a few tips that I've used during hot dry summers in the past to maintain my lawns during a low water year.

Thatch and aerate

Lawns with a heavy thatch buildup will suffer earlier from drought conditions much earlier than a lush, thick lawn. Early spring is when I rake out the thatch in my lawn with a standard leaf rake, though you can also rent a power rake to do the job for you. After the thatching, it's also a good idea to aerate the lawn if it hasn't been done in a while. Aerating will break up compacted soil so that water can drain to the roots.

Apply a top dressing

This natural way of improving the soil may be time consuming, but it pays off big when it comes to improving soil texture. Top dressing is a light (1/4-1/2-inch) scattering of a soil amenity such as compost, peat moss or composted manure. After thatching and aerating, I will apply a top dressing of compost and chicken manure with a shovel, lightly rake it out to the proper depth, and let the rain work it into the soil.

Cut higher

Because we live in a high mountain desert, we've always cut our lawn with the mower set to a 6" height as a way to reduce watering needs. Taller grass encourages deeper roots and will shade the soil which reduces water evaporation. We mow the law every 5 days so that only an inch or two of the grass is cut at a time. Once the lawn goes dormant, we stop mowing altogether.

Water

A lawn needs a little bit of water so that the crown and roots don't completely dry out. Last year, I scaled back the watering of the lawn to 1/4 inch of water once every two weeks (which I gauged with an empty tuna can). While the lawn did look patchy during the hottest part of the summer, everything came back once the temps cooled and we saw a bit of rain.

No summer fertilizing or weed treatment

For gardeners who use chemical products to fertilize and treat their yards for weeds, the last application should be mid May. During a drought summer, do not encourage new growth on a lawn that should be going dormant instead.

Avoid walking on the lawn

The lawn damages easily during dormancy which is why once the water is cut back for the summer, we avoid walking on the lawn as much as possible. Foot traffic on dormant lawns will crush the crown and compact the soil which means having to reseed damaged areas in the fall.

Drought conditions mean that many of us will have to forgo watering the lawn to keep our trees and garden beds alive. These easy steps will keep your lawn dormant until you can resume watering again in the fall.

 

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5 Steps to Cultivating Green Lawns After Dethatching

Are you looking at some common lawn problems? How did the thatch get in your grassy area to begin with? After all, when you rolled out the sod, you had the best of intentions, watered it three times a day and forbade little feet from even touching the blades. The University of Rhode Island defines thatch as a "tightly intermingled layer of living and dead stems, leaves and roots." Contributing to this mess are improper mowing habits - too often, not often enough - and faulty equipment.

Lawn Maintenance Errors

When was the last time you had your mower blade sharpened? If you cannot answer this question, the odds are good that your mower is an active participant in thatching. Striving for an ueber-green lawn is another problem that leads to thatch buildup. The overuse of fertilizer results in disrupted grass growth cycles. Renewal is greater than breakdown. The result is the tangled mess of living stems and dead bits and pieces all matted together. Combine an overage of nitrogen in the soil with frequent watering sessions that fail to fully penetrate to the root level, and you now also note why shallow roots - some actually only reaching into the thatch - are becoming the norm.

After dethatching: How to care for the Lawn

1. Add a quarter inch of top soil to the lawn. Take a soil sample first and do not mix and match pH levels. The top soil evens out any holes in the grass surface and gives shallow roots a new habitat. 
2. Change lawn mowing habits and equipment. Sharpen the mower blade or replace it. Set it to a height of 2.5 inches. Do not go shorter than this height, unless the cultivar of grass you have specifically requires it. If you are using a mowing service, discuss these changes with the professionals. 
3. Fertilize with grass clippings only. Throw out the bags of the nitrogen-rich lawn fertilizer your neighbors swear by. They are a waste of money and did not result in green lawns for you. Instead, use the mulching attachment for your mower - it does have one, right? - and leave the grass clippings behind after a cut. The clippings contain a lot of nitrogen and break down quickly. Best of all, they are free. It is a common fear that grass clippings create -- or contribute to -- thatch; this is an old wives' tale. I have been leaving the mulched clippings on my grass for years - in lieu of artificial nitrogen - and have never had another problem with thatch.
4. Water deeply. You might run the sprinklers morning, noon and night, yet still fail to reach the roots. Go for depth rather than frequency. Water once, but make sure the water penetrates the soil all the way to the deepest roots.
5. Cultivate earthworms. The slimy critters are your friends. They voraciously dine on building thatch and invite their friends to join them. Unfortunately, scalping the lawn, failing to water it down to the root level, and applying pesticides to the area send them slithering away to greener pastures. So water deeply, mow as needed, and spot-treat - rather than blanket -- with pesticides only if absolutely necessary.

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Pricing Sod Tips

There's nothing better than a beautiful green freshly cut lawn for gaining curb appeal. Installing sod is the perfect way to get instant grass in your yard that's lush and beautiful, lasting for years to come with the proper care and maintenance. Your region, your climate and your weather all decide the price and availability of specific sod varieties. Use this guide to sod to determine which variety is the best for your new lawn.

Kentucky Bluegrass
A cold loving sod that's perfect for all northern climates. Kentucky bluegrass is probably one of the most commonly blended species of northern acclimatized grasses. Fescue, Bermuda and even Zoysia has been blended with Kentucky bluegrass. This lush and cold tolerant species has a thicker leaf stalk and needs plenty of water to maintain maximum growth. There are many blends and varieties of Kentucky bluegrass that thrive in both shade and sun, so choosing an affordable blend that's perfect for your area and climate should be easy to find. A quick search through the many online home improvement blogs can help you to find the best deal in your area.

Fescue
Often blended with Kentucky bluegrass, fescue grows well in a wide variety of soil conditions. It has a vibrant green color and a slightly thinner stalk than bluegrass. Fescue grows well in most northern areas and can be bought in seed and sod form readily. Fescue prices are typically lower than most northern sod species.
Bermuda
This gorgeous grass is probably the best looking grass money can buy, and it can be expensive. Bermuda sod is tolerant to heat, has a lush green dense mat and can be high maintenance. It is commonly sold in southern states, but blended versions of this sod can be found in moderate and even cold climates. Used in playing fields and golf courses, it not only looks good, but is very durable. Probably the highest priced sod species available.

Centipede
A low maintenance weed tolerant sod, centipede is a very common sod that is used primarily in warmer climates. Its root structure resembles a centipede as it spreads and grows. It quickly runs over any weeds and other grasses and fills the entire yard with a lush green grass. Centipede is an affordable sun loving thin leafed sod that grows best in hot and dry climates.

Zoysia
Zoysia is most commonly used in the south but there are moderate climate species that do well. This low maintenance sod needs little watering and grows very well in sandy soils, making it a diverse and hardy species. Zoysia sod needs little watering and can grow well in the most shade filled and sunny areas of your lawn. Prices can be high in some areas and low in others, as this sod is regionally grown is a few locations around the southern United States.

St. Augustine
St. Augustine sod only grows around the Gulf of Mexico region of the United States so therefore it doesn't do well in cold conditions. This thick green carpet of grass thrives in southern areas like Florida and Texas and is used in many yards, golf courses and commercial properties. It needs little watering and grows best in sunny locations. Prices remain consistent throughout the gulf region, but it rises significantly the further north you go.

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Organic Lawn Care - Reasons to Go Green

Switching to organic lawn care and gardening products and practices begins with an understanding of the dangers of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides to the environment, wildlife, and human health.

There is no safe chemical fertilizer, weed killer, or pesticide. Chemical fertilizers poison the environment with their salt base that causes imbalance in the pH of the soil. They cause a toxic buildup of nitrates, contaminating drinking water, rivers, streams, and lakes. They also destroy the good microorganisms in the soil. Synthetic pesticides also poison the environment, some more than others. Some release compounds that become increasingly toxic as they break down in the environment. Some have an accumulative effect and are harmful far beyond the area they were originally applied. Some are longer lasting than others, and some don't break down for a long time, remaining in the soil or water indefinitely.

Of the millions of insect species in the world, less than 5 percent are harmful. When chemical pesticides are used, they do more collateral harm than the pests they kill. Getting rid of aphids and tent caterpillars is desirable, but the use of chemicals will also kill the beneficial ground beetles, ladybugs, fireflies, green lacewings, praying mantis, spiders, bees, and wasps that are useful in pollination and in keeping harmful insects at bay.

When chemicals are applied, there is no way to prevent migration from the application site, whether that be down stream, down wind, or leeching into ground water. The harmful impact to birds, wildlife, and aquatic life is becoming more apparent each year with each new study that's published.

Several studies have also been done that show an increased risk of non-Hodgkinson's Lymphoma in professional lawn care workers and those who work in pesticide manufacturing plants. In addition, inhaling airborne particles and drinking contaminated water can have nothing but harmful affects on homeowners, as well as their neighbors, who use chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.

Farmers are becoming increasingly aware of the negative affects of chemical use, and agricultural leaders are actively pursuing alternative methods and products. Yet, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, "Homeowners use up to 10 times more chemical pesticides per acre on their lawns than farmers use on their crops."

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it's estimated that American homeowners buy 102 million pounds of lawn and garden chemical pesticide products annually, at a cost of more than $2 billion. Additionally, $5 billion is spent each year on fossil-fuel-derived fertilizers. All told, Americans spend over $40 billion on poisonous lawn care products each year.

The National Wildlife Federation and the National Audubon Society are the current leaders in the campaign to educate American farmers, homeowners, and gardeners about the dangers of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and the long-term benefits of organic methods. Even Scotts, a well-known manufacturer of chemical lawn care products, is developing a line of organic products to meet the increasing demand.

Organic lawn and garden care is safe, effective, and a responsible alternative to the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, all of which are poisonous and threatening to the health and well-being of everything they contaminate. With a little research and investment of time, all homeowners and gardeners can take steps and make changes to improve their lawn care and gardening practices, to the benefit of everyone.

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Organic Gardening: Natural Lawn Care

Grow a Beautiful Lawn Without Using Toxic Herbicides

You can have a lush green lawn without toxic herbicides that endanger the environment, your family and pets. Chemicals on the lawn are picked up by feet and brought into the house. Children and pets playing on the lawn can absorb the chemicals through their skin or get in on their hands and paws which often go into their mouths. Organic lawn care methods can produce a safe, attractive, dense turf naturally.

The most important element in a healthy lawn is building a topsoil full of nutrients and organic matter that will support the growth of lawn turf. Dead plants, in various stages of decomposition, will help sandy soil hold onto water and nutrients and keep soil that is heavy with clay from compacting. Compacted soil keeps water from draining into it and oxygen won't be able to reach grass roots. Organic matter adds vital nutrients to the soil and feeds the earthworms and other beneficial microorganisms that help keep soil rich, uncompacted, pest-free and disease-resistant.

Mow grass high leaving it three to four inches tall. Tall grass has more surface area to expose to the sunlight which will maximize photosynthesis for greater root growth. Good root mass crowds out weeds and allows the grass to recover more quickly from a dormant state. Tall blades also shade the soil, conserve water, and keep sunlight from reaching low-growing weeds. Cutting grass high leaves smaller clippings which will decompose rapidly. Mow over leaves that fall in your lawn instead of raking them. Chopping the leaves into small pieces will add nutrients and they will decompose and disappear quickly into the lawn.

Contrary to common belief leaving grass clippings on the lawn does not produce thatch. Thatch is a mat of stems, roots, rhizomes, and other plant parts in various stages of decay between the green vegetation and the surface of the soil. Common causes of thatch are overfertilization with chemicals that encourage rapid root growth, or watering too shallow and often which causes turf root rhizomes to mat on the surface of the soil. Compost will add bacteria and mold to the soil which breaks down thatch. Clumping grass is only a concern when you don't mow often enough or when you mow too short.

Keep your mower blades sharpened. Dull blades will tear the grass blades instead of cutting them and leave jagged edges that are more susceptible to insects and disease.

Water your lawn deeply and infrequently. Frequent watering encourages the turf roots to remain near the surface where they are more quickly affected by dry conditions. Deep watering encourages grass roots to grow more deeply into the soil and your lawn will survive with less water. Wait until your lawn begins to show signs of drought stress (blades will start to curl before they turn brown) and then give it at least 1" of water. Put a cup on the lawn where you water so you can measure the amount.

Lower your standards a bit and allow some dandelions and white or pink clover to grow in your yard. Dandelions have deep roots which bring nutrients up to the surface. They attract birds which are natural grub control. Keeping your grass tall will discourage the dandelions from taking over. White or pink clover adds nitrogen to the soil and doesn't compete too strongly with healthy turf grass.

Organic lawn care is much safer and less expensive than resorting to chemical fertilizers. Grass is going to be mowed and leaves are going to fall anyway, so why not use Mother Nature's fertilizers to have the most beautiful lawn on the block!

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A Lawn is Your Welcome Mat: Tips for Improving the Lawn and Reducing Maintenance

Keeping the lawn attractive while cutting down on its overall maintenance is important to most homeowners. A lawn is your welcome mat. It is one of the first things that people notice as they drive up to or past your home. With a few simple tips, it is possible to not only have the lawn of your dreams but one that will require less work in keeping it healthy.

Choosing the right grass for your yard can make the difference between having a low-maintenance lawn and one that requires a lot of upkeep. Grass seed that grows slowly, thickens easily, and discourages weeds or other pests is important for a healthy lawn. Grasses vary in color, appearance, and growth habits. Determine how much time or money you are willing to spend on your lawn. Higher-maintenance grasses mean higher cost and more work for you. The type of grass seed you choose is dependent on and determined by the growing conditions of your particular area. For instance, how much sun and shade does the site receive? What is the soil like? Choosing the right grass for your lawn includes determining how it will be used as well. Will the lawn be used simply for appearance or other purposes such as entertaining, playing, gardening, etc? Consider your lawn requirements and compare brands carefully. The extra expense for higher-quality grass seed is usually worth it. Since most lawns have a variety of growing conditions, choosing those which are blended or mixed, such as with cool-season grasses, may be helpful. Different grasses have their own strengths and weaknesses, growing wherever they are better suited within the lawn. For instance, with a mixture containing bluegrass and fine fescue, the bluegrass will grow happily in sunny locations, while the fescue will thrive in shady areas. The lawn will also be more resistant to disease and pests when using a mixed blend. Warm-season grasses are usually planted as a single seed, not a mixture. Depending on your needs, these can be as good a choice as any other. The vigorous growth patterns of warm-season grasses make it difficult for other types of grasses, or weeds, to compete. Some grasses, such as tall fescues and native grasses, also look better when planted alone. If all else fails, you can always check with your local Cooperative Extension for recommendations in your area.

A good lawn is an easy-care lawn. Mowing and other lawn-maintenance chores should not be complicated or time consuming. Minimize these tasks by implementing edging around beds, walkways, foundations, steps, etc. to allow for easier mowing. An attractive edging can be constructed with paving stones or brick and laid flush with the lawn. This kind of edging will also reduce the need for hand trimming. Steel, aluminum, and plastic edgings are attractive and readily available alternatives as well. Grass is great, but less lawn means less lawn maintenance. Consider using easy-care groundcovers that don't require any mowing or trimming. Groundcovers like liriope (lilyturf) or English ivy do not require mowing and can make good landscaping fillers, especially in hard-to-mow areas. Edging can also save on lawn maintenance by keeping mulch in and grass out. A good-looking lawn requires mowing no more than every two weeks. Rather than giving the lawn a close trim each week, let it grow a little. This will actually help the lawn by allowing it to shade out weeds and develop stronger root systems. Removing no more than 1/3 of its overall length at a time may be helpful as well. Also, mow only when the grass is dry and use a sharp mower blade to make cleaner cuts. Mowing wet grass can spread fungus or insects; it can also dull the mower blades.

A well-prepared lawn doesn't contain bare spots or patchy areas where grass will not grow. If a bare area should develop, don't leave it open to weed invasion; reseed the area as soon as possible or turn it into a flower bed instead. If your lawn has significant shady areas that make growing grass difficult, consider using shade-loving grasses instead or incorporate a shade garden within these areas. You could also try to reduce the amount of shade by removing the lower branches of trees that might be causing this shade.

Weeds and wild grasses should not be present within the well-manicured lawn. A tell-tale sign that this is occurring would be easily recognizable dandelions throughout the lawn or grass that grows out ahead of the rest of the lawn grass. Even if you are committed to having a low-maintenance lawn, you will need to fertilize it with nitrogen to sustain a thick, vigorous lawn. In addition to needing nitrogen, your lawn may need phosphorus and potassium. Depending on where you live, however, your soil may naturally contain sufficient levels of these elements. When choosing fertilizer, look for the slow-release forms. Using slow-release fertilizers will allow you to reduce the amount of time you spend feeding the lawn. These don't have to be applied as frequently, lasting longer and saving you both time and money. Leaving clippings where they fall not only saves on maintenance, but it also reduces the need to fertilize. Grass clippings naturally add nitrogen to the soil as they decompose and also help conserve soil moisture. This is also a great alternative to using chemical fertilizers. A healthy, well-fed lawn will resist the attacks of pests and diseases as well as crowd out weeds and other undesirable grasses.

One of the best lawn-maintenance savers is less frequent but deeper watering. How much water your lawn needs depends on the grass, the soil, and the amount of rainfall your lawn gets. Generally, watering an inch once or twice a week should be sufficient. Give your lawn the water it needs but no more. If it rains during the week, decrease your watering. If it is extremely hot or windy, you may need to increase the watering. There are, however, ways to minimize the need for watering. Keeping the grass taller by mowing less frequently will help shade the soil, reducing moisture evaporation. Choosing native grasses or those adapted to your area generally require less watering. Improving the lawn's soil quality, without chemicals, can also reduce watering needs, and organic lawns require less watering than chemically-treated lawns.

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Summer Lawn Maintenance: Watering Tips

Creative Ways to Save Money and Water While Keeping a Lush, Green Lawn

As the weather heats up and grass turns green, many homeowners add regular watering to their lawn maintenance routines to keep each blade lush and healthy. At the same time, however, many communities impose water restrictions in an effort to conserve resources, and utility companies may increase rates once consumers pass a certain level of usage. Through creative conservation, homeowners can maintain a beautiful lawn without wasting water or drowning in utility bills.

Basic Lawn Maintenance Watering Tips

The two biggest mistakes homeowners make when watering their lawn are using too much water and watering at inappropriate times. Lawns need far less water than most homeowners assume: an inch or two each week is more than sufficient for the most luxurious lawn. A rain gauge can be a useful tool to measure how much water the lawn has received, or a simple tuna can or container of similar depth can substitute. If the lawn receives regular rain, additional watering is usually unnecessary, and excess moisture may even damage the lawn. Yellow or pale grass is a sign of overwatering.

To make the most of lawn maintenance and watering, it is vital to water at appropriate times. Watering the lawn in morning or midday can be a waste: much of the water will evaporate before it can be absorbed and sunlight may refract through water droplets to scorch the lawn. The best time to water is in the late evening, after the sun has set, or during the early morning when the air is coolest. Furthermore, the lawn can drink best if the water is added all at once. Watering for just a few minutes every day only provides enough moisture to reach the upper roots, while the lower root system continues to dry out. This may damage the lawn by making it more susceptible to surface damage. Watering for a longer length of time on fewer days allows the deeper roots a sufficient drink and will easily sustain a healthy lawn.

Other basic lawn maintenance watering tips include:

- Position sprinklers to avoid wasting water on house walls, driveways, and other non-lawn areas.

- Move sprinklers and hoses periodically to avoid damaging the grass they rest on.

- Let grass grow slightly longer during summer months to take advantage of moisture in the air.

Summer Recreation: Watering the Lawn Can Be Fun

During the summer, it is easy to combine lawn maintenance with outdoor fun. Children adore playing in sprinklers, and moving the sprinkler to different parts of the lawn while they frolic insures that every blade of grass has a drink. Similarly, letting children control the hose under parental supervision not only gives them a fun way to cool off, but also introduces them to household chores and responsible lawn maintenance. If a kiddie pool is a common plaything, empty it over different parts of the lawn to recycle those gallons of water. Inviting children over for sprinkler parties and water fights are other ways to bring lawn maintenance together with outdoor summer fun.

Finding Extra Water: Drip By Drip Savings

Homeowners have more gallons of water at their disposal than those that come from sprinklers, hoses, and watering cans. A little creativity can help conserve water and lower summer utility bills while caring for a gorgeous lawn. Need to wash a car? Drive it onto the lawn and take advantage of every runoff drip as extra lawn care. The same technique can be used for washing pets or rinsing off outdoor furniture and toys.

Can laundry water a lawn? Absolutely, with greater savings than most homeowners imagine. Skip the spin cycle to cut electric bills and string the dripping garments over a clothesline to let them give the lawn a drink. If swimwear and beach towels need to dry, wringing them out and hanging them over different patches of grass can help nourish the lawn as well.

Even summer treats can augment lawn maintenance. Snow cones, juice pops, and frozen treats inevitably melt - encouraging children to eat these icy snacks on the lawn guarantees that every drop can benefit the grass. Watermelon is a traditional summer treat, and each sticky drip can add a sweet drink to the lawn's consumption. After a picnic, empty coolers over the lawn to reuse the now melted ice to refresh the grass.

Where else can you find a few extra drops to recycle on lawn maintenance?

- When cleaning a fish tank, pour the used water onto the lawn instead of down the sink.

- Collect rainwater from household gutters to use for watering plants and flowerbeds.

- Toss used ice from cool drinks onto the lawn instead of down the drain.

Going Dry: Landscaping to Lessen Lawn Maintenance

If water bills are too big a drip in the budget and the homeowner is drowning in lawn care, low-water landscaping (called xeriscaping) can solve both issues. When replanting flowerbeds or shrubbery, choose drought-resistant plants. The best flora are those native to the region, since they are naturally accustomed to the level of precipitation and will require less additional water. Not only will they help reduce water bills, but their natural beauty will enhance the home's value.

If installing new plants is too much trouble or expense, simply removing plants reduces water consumption. Many landscapers offer decorative river rock and bark in a range of colors and styles, and a rock bed accented with a statue, gazing globe, or birdbath can be a unique and attractive alternative to thirsty flowerbeds. Consider adding a stone path or wider landscaping curbs to further decrease the overall lawn area.

From summer fun to creative recycling, homeowners have many options to water their lawns without opening the flood gates on high lawn maintenance bills. Each step may only be a small drip in the bucket, but they can add up to saving plenty of water and money while managing a healthy lawn that families will enjoy all season.

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How to Plant Grass Seed: A Step-by-Step Guide to Planting Grass Seed

Oh no! It will soon be time for summer fun in the yard. Excited to begin but your lawn isn't? Whether you have missing patches of grass to fill or need to seed an entire lawn, this easy step-by-step guide will help you learn how to plant grass seed.

Before planting grass seed, keep in mind the best temperatures and seasons for planting. A temperature of above 70F is optimal. Anything below, especially freezing temperatures will create a longer wait time for the seedlings to start sprouting. Late spring and early summer are the best planting seasons for starting new grass seed.

How to Plant Grass Seed: Loosen Soil

The first step in planting grass seed is to loosen the soil. For smaller areas, a regular garden hoe will do the trick. For larger areas, you may want to use a till. Your goal is to bring up the second layer of soil to the surface.

How to Plant Grass Seed: Prepare Soil

Prepping the soil comes in a few steps. First rake the soil to clear it of any leaves or other unwanted items. Next, mix some top soil in with the original soil from the ground. Spread that mixed soil over the area where the grass seed will be planted.

How to Plant Grass Seed: Fertilize Soil

The next step is to fertilize the soil. This can be done with the use of a handheld spreader for small areas. For larger areas, use a traditional spreader. Spreaders can be purchased at a fairly decent price at home improvement stores and warehouses, such as Home Depot.

How to Plant Grass Seed: Spread Seeds

Now that the soil is ready, it is time to spread the seeds throughout the planting area. For smaller areas, this can be done by hand. Just as with the fertilizer, a spreader can be used if necessary.

How to Plant Grass Seed: Water Seeds

Now that the seeds have been spread, it is time to water them. Be sure that the seeds get plenty of water. Soil should be moist and the water should run deep into the soil. Watering daily will help the seeds germinate properly. It may take up to three weeks for the planted seeds grow into grass. Once it has grown to almost 3 inches, it is safe to mow, but never mow off more than 1/3 of the original height.

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The Right Temperatures and Conditions for Planting Grass

You've just returned from the garden center burdened with several bags of grass seed that you are excited to sow into your yard. Images of lushly verdant grass- evenly cut, and glinting in the colorful sunset- flash through your mind. You step out of your car and head to the trunk just as a snowflake hits your nose. Brrr. So is this the right time to plant your grass? Probably not. What is the best time to plant this new grass seed? What temperatures and conditions will best encourage the seeds to take root and flourish? We will explore these questions in three brief sections.

Time of the Year

Obviously planting grass in the dead of winter in New England is a silly time to plant your grass seed. But maybe the dead of winter in New Mexico is the perfect time to plant your grass. How do you decide? Know your climate and local seasons. If your spring is rainy and warm, that is the right time to get your grass seeds out. If your spring is dry and burning hot, consider getting your seed out in late winter when there is more potential moisture and the temperatures are more reasonable. So again, know your climate and local seasons.

Temperature

What is the right temperature for planting grass sees so that they will grow? Are we talking air temperature or ground temperature? Just kidding. But not really. You don't need to go out with a thermometer, but there are some things to keep in mind. If the ground is still frozen on the surface, bide your time. The ground is right when you can dig about four or five inches down. By the time your seeds sprout roots that long the ground will be long thawed. As for air temperature, you usually want to wait until the sun is out a lot and temperature is above 50 degrees or so every day. Warmer is even better. Basically, if you can wear a light jacket outside and be totally comfortable, your grass seed will be comfortable in your dirt as well. The point is that you don't want the seed to freeze and you don't want the sun to bake it and evaporate water too fast.

Conditions

It is best to plant grass seed in the early spring, for most people. This is because you want some natural moisture coming down to keep that seed wet. If there is not a lot of water coming from the sky, it needs to come from your hose. And the conditions of the soil? First you want to loosen it up with a metal-tine rake, then wet it down some so the seeds stick. Then you need nice, moist conditions to promote that growth. So keep an eye on the patch you seeded. Keep it wet as much as possible. Before you know it, little pale-green shoots will be appearing.

Now go find the right seed for your area and get your grass growing!

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How to Sow Grass Seed for a Lush, Green Lawn

Having a beautiful, lush, green lawn is relatively easy to accomplish and inexpensive. It will require quality grass seed, a little elbow grease and patience.

Purchase quality grass seed that is zoned hardy for your area. Determine if your lawn will be mostly shady or in full sun and buy grass seed suited for your lawn. This information will be on the grass seed bags, a qualified salesperson in the lawn and garden department at Lowe's or Wal Mart should be able to give you helpful information as well. The best time to sow grass seed is in the spring or fall.

The first thing you must do before you sow grass seed is prepare the soil. The soil will need to be raked and slightly broken up. This is true if you are sowing grass seeds where there is no grass at all or if you are over seeding a sparse lawn or filling in bare spots in an established lawn. The easiest way to break up the soil is to wear golf shoes while you are raking. There are special aerator shoes that can be purchased at most home and garden supply stores if you don't have golf shoes. If you are dealing with a huge lawn, there are lawn mower attachments that will de-thatch ( removal of dead grass clipping build up) and aerate the soil. What you rake up from your lawn, the leaves, grass clippings, etc. throw onto the compost pile for later use.

If you live in an area where the soil is very compact or rocky, adding a shallow layer of topsoil or potting soil after you have prepared the existing soil will help the grass seed sprout and take root. This step is usually only feasible for small lawns.

Fertilize the area with any dry fertilizer that is high in nitrogen, add 3 pounds of Epsom Salts to each 50 pounds of dry lawn fertilizer that you use, the Epsom Salts stimulates root growth. Apply the dry fertilizer/Epsom Salts mixture according to the manufacturer's directions with a broadcast spreader to your prepared soil and water in with the garden hose, or do this step when rain is predicted for the day.

After the fertilizer/Epsom Salts mixture has soaked into the ground for 24 hours, sow your grass seed, again using a broadcast spreader. Water well, cover with light covering of straw or potting soil to hold in the moisture. Water daily, in the early morning to prevent evaporation.

Now it is time for patience In a few weeks, the straw will decompose and you will see the beginnings of a lush green lawn. It will take more than one growing season to have an established lawn from grass seeds, but by following these steps, you will be well on your way.

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