Lawn Maintenance

2006-06-09T21:14:00.000+02:00

I want to express my sincere thank you to everybody who visited Lawncareessentials.com, the response was HUGE!

Lawn Maintenance

IT'S HERE!

2006-05-24T16:46:00.000+02:00

It's Finally Ready!!

The lawncare site www.lawncareessentials.com is live!Please visit lawncareessentials.com and browse around for any lawn related tip, resource or product!!

Lawn Maintenance - New Site Coming Soon!

2006-05-21T19:05:00.000+02:00

Lawn Maintenance

In about a week or so, the website lawncareessentials.com (domain not active yet) wil go live!
Stay tuned, because the site is going to be full of high quality content related to every lawn care
topic possible!

Lawn Maintenance - Search for the perfect mower

2006-05-20T01:57:00.000+02:00

Lawn Maintenance -
The Perfect Mower

Having the right tools is half the job, right?
Search for your mower at :

Yardiac.com - Because You're Serious About Your Yard

Lawn Maintenance - Great Sites!

2006-05-09T22:10:00.000+02:00

Lawn Maintenance:
Spotlight on.....

These are two of the best sources out there for anything lawn/gardening-related.

Gardens Alive!

Gardens Alive!™ offers high quality lawn and garden products that work with nature. In using our products you may feel confident that you are doing your part in protecting the environment. At the same time, you will be maintaining a beautiful and healthy lawn or garden that will be the envy of your friends and neighbors.

Yardiac.com - The Ultimate Garden Center

"Back Yards" have become "outdoor living spaces". In fact, most people view the yard as an extension of their home. We supply the knowledge, products, and service to create the yard of your dreams. Yardiac.com has combined the peaceful and informative experience you obtain from a traditional garden center while providing savings and the product selections found in the large discount chains.

Please visit my Landscaping Ideas Blog also.

Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Maintenance - Make Your Lawn Greener Then Your Neighbor’s

2006-05-09T11:45:00.000+02:00

Lawn Maintenance -
Make Your Lawn Greener Then Your Neighbor’s

Everybody wants their lawn to be as green as possible, right? Especially when summertime gets closer, lawn care will be a high priority for lots of people. As you think about all that must be done, consider showing off a greener, healthier lawn than ever before. When you drive through your street and see how splendidly green some lawns are, you must know this: The amount of nutrients the grass receive makes a big difference. Caring for your lawn in the best way is actually essential for the “green” it produces. Proper mowing, aerating and watering your lawn will result in a much greener yard.

You might be wondering why your lawn is not as green as you would like. One of the most common reasons for this is traffic. The amount of traffic your lawn receives can be a factor in how it looks like. If there are people moving through certain areas of your lawn, the much needed aeration through the soil will be disturbed. When that happens, the grass will have a lack of oxygen, which is never good. This situation can be solved by aerating your lawn. You may notice some flat areas on your lawn, or places where the soil is compact. If you do, then you most definitely must aerate the lawn. To achieve the best results, be sure to aerate your lawn in springtime or maybe even fall. Whatever you do, DO NOT aerate your lawn during summer.

Another reason may be that it doesn’t receive enough sunlight. Lawns that are shaded, for example by trees, have difficulty producing nice, green grass, simply because it’s hard to receive the right amount of sunlight. If this is your case, what you have to do is trim the branches that stand in the way of the sunlight reaching the grass.

You can also help your lawn stay green by making sure the grass isn’t being invaded by thatch and debris. The lawn must be raked consistently and it’s important that you remove thatch that are over half-inch long. What this does, is it allows for better aeration through your grass, as well as
proper movement of the essential nutrients in the grass and soil.

Knowing when to mow your lawn is crucial in keeping it looking its greenest. You must find that balance, and always be aware of the mowing height and clippings you use. The following measurements are usually applied: For grass that's a little more coarse, a 1 inch length can be maintained. Finer grass can be mowed to a 15 mm to 20 mm length. Too short may stress out the grass; to long will prevent water and sunlight to move properly into the soil.

It can not be mentioned enough: Watering must be done right in order to maintain a great looking lawn! When and how to water your lawn is very important in making your grass greener. The best time to water your lawn is in the (early) morning. This way, the soil will absorb the water instead of it evaporating by the heat of the sun. You should also make sure you water the grass evenly instead of watering in sections. Of course, the easiest way to do this is using an irrigation system.

Last but certainly not least, your soil is a very important factor in helping your lawn to achieve it’s greenest color. The texture with the grains should be just right, as well as the right pH balance. If one of these is a problem, the soil can easily be balanced out by adding compost or fertilizer. This in turn will give the grass the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and green. When selecting fertilizer for your lawn, always consider a few of things: Your type of soil, the problems you see the grass is having, and the time of year you are thinking of fertilizing. It’s always a good idea to consult your local garden center.

So, if you want to have the greenest lawn in your street, remember this: The traffic and surroundings of your lawn, aeration, the right nutrients, mowing and watering your lawn the right way will contribute to a healthy, green lawn.

Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Maintenance

2006-04-21T01:22:00.000+02:00

Lawn Maintenance -
The Top 10 Tips For Getting Rid Of Weeds In Your Lawn - By Thad Pickering

Weeds are the enemy of a beautiful healthy lawn. They can quickly take over and turn a lush green carpet into an eyesore. But there are ways to deal successfully with a weed problem, and there are things you may not be aware of that promote the spread of weeds. So here are the top 10 tips for getting rid of weeds in your lawn.

1. Don't mow your grass too short. By mowing too low this can cause weeds to seed easier and spread much faster throughout your yard. And also avoid mowing right after applying a weed killer product to your lawn, as this can cause the product to be picked up out of the ground and blown around instead of moving into the weeds where it belongs.

2. Fertilize your yard. Without proper nutrients in the soil, your grass simply won't be able to grow like it should. That means that the nutrients that are available will most likely go to the deeply rooted weeds instead and help them take over the yard.

3. Don't fertilize at the wrong time of year. If you don't follow the instructions that come with most fertilizers carefully, and lay down your fertilizer at the wrong time, the weeds may be the only thing in the yard that gets the fertilization, leaving very little nutrients for the grass instead.

4. Avoid over watering your yard. If you're putting so much water on your yard that the soil simply can't soak it up in time, that leaves a perfect opportunity for the weeds to use that extra water for their own growth. So try to make sure that the water you put down is all going into the soil and being used for your grass.

5. Try to avoid having too much shade on your yard. Excessive shade can contribute toward the growth of many weeds. There are many different types of weeds who actually began in the shade first and then spread throughout other parts of the yard. So by cutting back some of your tree branches and bushes, you can often stop this process before it starts.

6. Avoid applying herbicides with low soil moisture. Herbicides can be effective in preventing some weeds, but applying them when the soil moisture is low will only do further damage to your grass, and may not even affect the weeds very much at all.

7. Avoid applying herbicides to new sod or newly seeded lawns. If you apply a herbicide or weed remover before grass has a chance to take root and really start to grow, it will often have the opposite effect of what you intended.

8. Make sure you use the right kind of weed killer. There are different kinds of weeds, and correspondingly different kinds of weed killers. So make sure that whatever product you are using to kill weeds, it is the right product for the weeds that are in your lawn. Otherwise, it may have no result at all, and may even damage your grass.

9. Only use weed killer in the right season. Follow the directions on the bottle and apply weed killer at the right time of year. Otherwise, it may be totally ineffective.

10. Some weedkillers will work not only on weeds but also on your lawn and kill it as well. So be sure that you know what weed killer product you are using before you apply it. Some products should only be applied on areas away from your lawn.

Hopefully these reminders will help you be able to better control the weeds in your lawn and help you have a beautiful yard that you can be proud of.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including home improvement. You can find lawn mower reviews and lawn tractor reviews by visiting our Home Improvement website.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thad_Pickering

Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Maintenance

2006-04-08T20:01:00.000+02:00

Lawn Maintenance -
Product Recommendation

Do you want these kinds of results?

Then you should take a look at Sunshine-4-U!

Don't forget to visit my Landscaping Ideas Blog.

Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Maintenance

2006-04-04T01:23:00.000+02:00

Lawn Maintenance -
Water Conservation (This has to do with your yard in general)

Often you don’t appreciate something until it’s gone! That can really be true with water. Taken for granted when it is plentiful, its importance is truly appreciated in the garden once it becomes scarce. If you find yourself in a drought, there are some things you can do to help conserve water and make the best use of what you have available.

If you have not already mulched your plants, do it! Mulch will help limit the amount of water that evaporates from the soil. While organic mulches such as grass clippings or wood chips are preferable since they add organic matter to the soil, plastic mulches are useful in limiting evaporation from the soil. They can be laid between rows in the vegetable garden and will help limit moisture loss; however, they also will limit infiltration.

Place your water where it will do the most good. Sprinklers are very inefficient for getting water to the roots of your plants. Much of the water lands on the leaves and evaporates before reaching the ground. A slow gentle watering at the base of the plants, allowing the water to soak into the soil, will be most efficient.

Water those plants needing it most. Newly planted trees, shrubs, and flowers with limited roots systems will most likely suffer first from drought conditions. Give these plants priority if water is scarce. Well-established plants, especially those native to the area, are likely to withstand drought conditions with limited damage.

Water in the early morning before the heat of the day. This limits evaporation and supplies plants with needed moisture to make it through the hot, sunny day.
Consider using drip or trickle irrigation systems. Many inexpensive, easy to install systems are available that provide small amounts of water to the base of individual plants. These systems place the water where it is needed most, rather than applying it across the whole garden. Check with your local garden center.

Collect water from downspouts when it rains. Roofs intercept significant amounts of rain. Collecting this runoff into a barrel can help limit the use of city or well water during dry spells.

Please visit my Landscaping Ideas Blog also.

Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Maintenance - The Natural Way to Lawn Improvement

2006-03-24T07:57:00.000+01:00

Lawn Maintenance -
The Natural Way to Lawn Improvement
by ian Williamson

Nothing says summer quite like walking barefoot through the cool, fresh grass. But many products that promise a greener lawn often recruit the use of thick, heavy pesticides that can be harmful to your skin and health. To help keep your grass thriving all summer long, follow these easy tips!

1. Remember, you want to help your lawn fend off pests and weeds naturally, so your first step is determining the pH level of your soil. Soil testing kits are relatively inexpensive and will give you a good idea of the acidity or alkalinity of the earth in your area. You may need to add lime or sulphur depending on the results, and these can be purchased at garden and home improvement stores for very little money.

2. Once you've got your soil test results, add organic fertilizer (the amount will be determined by the soil test) and cover with about an inch of organic compost. This supplies the necessary nutrients your lawn needs to thrive - and the more you can boost its natural immunity to invaders, the healthier and greener it will get. Once you've added the organic compost, rake the area over to allow the new soil to settle and the water to drain easily.

3. When choosing a lawn grass, get the most resilient kind you can for your particular area. Check with lawn and garden stores and nurseries about what grows well where you live. For best results, grow native grasses or choose natural groundcovers that tend to grow quickly and spread easily.

4. Be mindful of weeds and pests that try to invade your lawn. Ask a local landscape or garden center about insects or birds that eat these types of pests, and what you can do to encourage them to stay. Even so-called "organic" pesticides can contain harmful chemicals - so the more naturally resistant you can make your lawn - the greater it will look.

5. Water your new lawn every day when you first sow the seeds or plugs. Make sure that the ground is saturated, but not to the point that you get runoff or puddles. Watering in the early evening, especially in the summer, will help prevent your lawn from getting scorched by the sun and still allows the grass to dry by nightfall.

6. You can start mowing your fresh new lawn when the grass reaches about three inches tall. Adjust your lawnmower so that you cut off no more than the top third of the blades each time you mow. How often you'll need to mow depends on the type of grass you choose. Consult a landscaper or garden specialty store for more information.

7. Finally, be sure to add a new layer of organic compost to your lawn every spring. This will help replenish the natural nutrients it needs to ward off pests and look its best!

About the author:

For moreGardening Articles at http://www.real-articles.com/Category/Gardening/92

Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Maintenance: Things To Know When Building A Swimming Pool.

2006-03-16T00:00:00.000+01:00

Lawn Maintenance

When you decide to build a swimming pool, the work doesn’t finish with filling it with water. Aside from the pool itself, which will serve as recreation and fun for the warmest days of the summer, we also have to think about the surrounding area , for example a lawn, and choose the most suitable material to pave it. This decision is more important than you think, since security and hygiene are factors we must be able to count on in this zone. For one simple reason: we frequently resort to the lawn when using the pool because it’s natural, fresh, and offers a break from splashing in the pool to soak up the sun.

However, not all kinds of grass are suitable. You have to consider that around the swimming pool, the lawn must fight against excessive humidity, the corrosion caused by chlorine and continuous footsteps of the swimmers. In spite of the disadvantages, it’s a perfect option to rest and take in the sun, as well as the best, most natural, non-skid and hygienic material.

A swimming pool poses the dilemma of every gardener: either a resistant lawn to handle all the traffic and some of the “aggressive” ingredients that the water contains, or a "pretty" lawn; because when walking barefoot, the quality and smoothness of the leaves can really be appreciated. These are characteristics you normally don’t find with the most resistant varieties.

Recommended types:
The grass that you’re going to install must meet a series of requirements:

· Resistant to the sun
· Able to withstand footsteps (traffic)
· Resistant to salinity, chlorine and other chemicals
· Maximum ornamental quality (dense and fine)

Having said that, "the most recommended lawn" is the one that has mixture of the following seeds: poa pratensis, festuca red, English ryegrass and agrostis tenuis. Any balanced mixture of these species is adequate for these surroundings ". In addition, poa pratensis is perfect for avoiding excessive maintenance tasks.

However, there are solutions on the market for every taste. From brand names that offer pre-made mixtures of the most suitable varieties, to artificial grass “carpets” that can be a nice permanent solution.

Additional maintenance tips:

· Assist the drainage using a thorn to help filter the water better. This is specially important at the edge of the swimming pool, where there always is an excess of humidity. Don’t forget that between the lawn and the swimming pool there must be a meter and a half space that separates them, for cleanliness, aesthetics and safety. It’s essential to incorporate a path of some sort to and from the pool and a shower to wash between bath and bath, since the lawn and the dirt can soil and cloud the water easily.
· Scarifying consists of eliminating dead weeds and vegetal residues that remain on the lawn which can choke or prevent the passage of fertilizer. It’s recommended to spend some time with this activity once or twice a year.
· Finally, air the zone using a specific tool. Puncturing the surface will make the turf able to oxygenate. Once that is done, cover the holes with crowd, or a mixture with sand.

Lawn Maintenance

Be sure to also check out my Landscaping Ideas Blog.

Lawn Maintenance

2006-03-11T13:38:00.000+01:00

Lawn Maintenance -

Myths About Lawns
By Kenneth C. Hoffman

Here’s the situation: your lawn looks terrible, you can’t afford a professional lawn service and you’re thinking of getting a goat. In some places the weeds are taking over, the crab grass won’t go away and there are mysterious bare spots you think is due to a dog but you‘re not sure.

Fist let me dispel the myth that you can get rid of your weeds permanently with weed killer. The weed seeds in your lawn will keep coming up as long as there are seeds and dirt. What you have to do is kill the seeds before they come up. The way you do that is to put down seed killer after the last frost of the winter. You may need two applications for a serious problem. Most weeds are annuals therefore they die every year from the frost. So you get a fresh chance every year to start with a practically weed free lawn. Scotts makes a good seed killer product.

Bare spots not due to dog business can be raked sharply and seeded in the spring. Urine in the earth will not allow seeds to germinate and must be replaced with fresh dirt. Fresh seed of the root runner type is good for filling in bare spots. A garden center should have Windsor or other seed varieties that send out root runners. Another method is to dig up a plug of grass from a hidden area and fix the problem instantly. Try to use the same kind of grass so it doesn’t show different colors.

A dry spell in August generally browns off the lawn. By cutting the grass higher than usual, it will stay greener, longer. Fertilize twice a year, once in late spring and once at the beginning of Fall. The organic type fertilizer is best because it lasts much longer, doesn’t burn and requires fewer applications. Acid soils need an application of ground lime for good growth. Many evergreens and perennials need an acid soil, so don’t get any lime near these plants. Grass likes sun so feel free to cut down some overhanging branches or even whole trees if necessary. Water the lawn after dusk for less evaporation and water long enough for the roots to be penetrated. One heavy watering a week is worth three days of light watering. A drying out period is good for the grass since the roots will seek out the water at a lower depth.

A sharp blade gives a clean cut without the usual ragged tips that brown easily, making your lawn look less green. Clean the mower bag frequently with a power hose in order to keep a good volume of air going through the bag. During heavy growth times like May and September, it is best to collect all the clippings for the compost pile. Alternate the direction and mowing pattern for an even lawn without wheel ruts. Just as you can tell the character of a person by his shoes, a beautiful lawn sets the tone for your whole home.

Retired portrait photographer now writer.

Article Source: http://www.ezineArticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_C._Hoffman

Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Maintenance - Basic Lawn Care Knowledge

2006-03-07T19:37:00.000+01:00

Lawn Maintenance -
Things you must know to keep your lawn in the best shape

Great lawn maintenance can be a tough job, but there are a few simple things you can do on a regular basis to avoid having to rescue a "lawn gone bad". By then the work you'll have to put in is on a far major scale...

For managing your lawn in the best possible way, these are the main things to consider. For example, it really helps to scarify for weed control. Not only that, scarifying stimulates and fortifies lawn growth, of course in combination with proper feeding. Worm control is very important, because nothing attracts weed seeds more than worm casts. Utilizing a good fertilizer acts directly against weed growth and really helps your grass to be much stronger and healthier.

I know of people that only feed their lawn once a year. I say only, because that is not enough for the great lawn maintenance you want. It's essential that your lawn receives it's spring feed. When buying your fertilizer for the spring feed, make sure it has nitrogen in it along with phosphates and potash. A summer feed, if you got a lawn that looks bit tired, should be performed by applying a proprietary lawn care tonic or a fertilizer that's rich in nitrogen. It's recommended that your fall lawn feed include most of all potash and phosphates.

Watering your lawn once a week should be enough, unless it's remarkably hot. You could rely on the weather (rain) to do the watering for you, but when spring ends and summertime kicks in, your lawn experiences dry periods. You can easily spot when that happens; the grass color changes from beautiful green to brown-ish. Almost everybody know this, but I will mention it just in case: Always water your lawn early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when it's cooler. If you have a rotary sprinkler, even better.

Finally, proper mowing of your lawn is really important, but you already knew that, right?

Well, you would be amazed of how many people out there go about mowing their lawn all wrong. Your lawn should be mowed regularly, because that's what keeps a "field of grass" looking attractive. Make sure your blades are sharp, and not set to low. The following lengths are usually applied: For grass that's a little more coarse, a 1 inch length can be maintained.

Finer grass can be mowed to a 15 mm to 20 mm length. Operate the mower in one constant direction and at a smooth pace, with not back and forth movement. It's also recommended that you mow your lawn when the grass is dry, that way you won't have to deal so much with the mower clogging.

Good lawn maintenance requires a lot more detail, but these are the basics you should know to get started.

Check back soon for more tips about lawn maintenance.

You can also visit my Landscaping Ideas Blog.

Lawn Maintenance

2006-03-06T17:08:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone and welcome to my Lawn Maintenance blog!
All kinds of resources and other stuff regarding lawn maintance will be
posted on this blog.

So check back soon for great tips about lawn maintenance!