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Lawn Care Contractor

admin — Sat, 07 May 2011 01:05:51 +0000

Prepare for a Lawn Winter Ahead - Fall Yard Care Projects

The summer holidays are behind us, and the days are getting cooler - now is the perfect time to "think spring" when it comes to caring for your yard. The few extra hours you invest in your yard over the next month or two will pay off next spring and summer in the form of less work and a faster, better-looking lawn.

Here are some yard care projects you can tackle now

What to do with all the leaves you've raked

Small piles of leaves can be ground up and run over them with a lawn mower. These small pieces of leaves can provide excellent nutrients to your lawn! Do this several times to create a fine mulch for your lawn. Large amounts of leaves will smother your lawn and hinder healthy growth. Remember to either brown bag them, or recycle them in your own compost pile!

It's the very best time to seed your lawn

If you are establishing a new lawn or just filling in bare patches, fall is the best time to take on this task to ensure success with your cool season grass. The warm soil combined with cool nights is perfect for grass seed germination. Start with high quality seed that matches what is already growing in your lawn – the local garden center will have mixes appropriate for the colder climate. Disperse the seed with a hand-held seeder or, for larger areas, with your spreader. Be sure you have good soil-to-seed contact by tamping, rolling or lightly pressing the seeds down with the back of a rake. Add a light layer of paper mulch or straw (not hay – it will contain weed seeds!) on top of the area to help conserve moisture. Sprinkle with water immediately and don't let the soil dry out until the young grass has sprouted. For a complete "how to" on seeding or laying sod, visit our tutorials.

Get rid of those weeds once and for all

If you finally want to get rid of those yellow flowers that pop up every spring, fall is the best time to do it. Dandelions are "broadleaf" weeds that germinate in the fall and drive you crazy in spring. The ideal time to control this type of broadleaf weed ranges from early October in the northern U.S. to late October in the South. You want to apply a broadleaf herbicide as the weeds germinate. A liquid herbicide that you spray on will help ensure contact with the new, small weeds as they germinate. Dandelions are a main target, but this will also control all winter annual weeds that flower in the spring.

Feed your lawn

If you live in the northern half of the United States, you have what is classified as "cool season" grass, and now is the best time to fertilize. In fact, if you were to only fertilize once a year, this is would be the time to do it. The warm soil temperature combined with cooler days, longer nights and rainfall make this the perfect time for lawn growth and recovery. In fall, your lawn spreads horizontally, filling in those thin spots, rather than just growing tall. Feed your lawn with a good nitrogen and potassium combination fertilizer. Watch the video tutorial on how to fertilize at by clicking here.

Draw up your plan for spring

You've enjoyed your yard all summer and you know what you like the best and the least. Why not plan your changes now and even start implementing them? Maybe it is time to finally create a stone or wood chip pathway to the kids' play area where foot traffic has worn out the lawn. Do you need to separate those overgrown perennials? This is the time to remove and replant bulbs and divide clumps of plants and share them with your neighbors. Also, mark your flower beds using permanent marker on paint stir sticks or draw up a "map" of your flowerbeds so you will know what you have next spring and more easily be able to separate the good plants from the weeds. Fall is also a good time to add new trees to your landscape.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/prepare-for-a-lawn-winter-ahead-fall-yard-care-projects-558661.html

About the Author

Handy Manson is a Licensed Contractor turned 'self professed' internet geek, creating his local internet directory KW Contractor for the Kitchener Waterloo Area. As a fully licesensed contractor, Handy has over 20 years experience in several trades.

Lawn Care Contractor is a post from: Popular Garden and Landscape

Lawn Care Fertilizer

admin — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 07:01:57 +0000

How To Avoid Lawn Care Fertilizer Burn

Author: Mr.Andrew Caxton

Fertilizer burn is a common problem for those who fertilize their lawns too frequently. However there are some steps which you can take to reduce the problem.

One of the most common mistakes that happen during lawn care, especially when the weather is hot, is fertilizer burn. If you are planting new grass, something you should be aware of is the fact that it needs some time to adjust before you add any fertilizer to it; otherwise it can cause fertilizer burn to occur.

Something that may be a safer option would be to use a liquid fertilizer, but even with this one you will still need to exercise extreme caution in order to prevent any burning from occurring.

Taking Care of Your Lawn to Prevent Fertilizer Burn

There are certain times of the day where the temperatures may be at their hottest. So during these times you should not apply any fertilizer at all.

Many people like to create their own natural fertilizer. However this is not recommended unless you have the right expertise to do so. Even a natural fertilizer can be harmful if you do not create it properly, so it is better to stick to a natural liquid fertilizer that is already prepared.

One of the main reasons why fertilizer burn occurs is because people either use too much fertilizer or they do it too frequently. If you are using a fertilizer that has chemicals in it, then you need to ensure that you water the lawn after you have used them. This is because the chemicals can be really harsh on the ground. You will not have the same problem if you use a natural product.

When it comes to the time of year that you should use your fertilizer, generally it should be done in either fall or spring. That way the grass will have been given a chance to grow and strengthen and it will be less likely to fall victim to fertilizer burn. No matter what time of year you use the fertilizer, if there is not enough rainfall then you will need to water the lawn yourself after applying the fertilizer - even if you are using a natural product. Also a good tip is that it is better if you do not spread the fertilizer by hand as it is likely that you will not give the grass an even amount of the fertilizer and you could be left with patches of burnt grass.

Overall it is definitely worthwhile learning more about fertilizer burn and how to prevent it. That way you will have a healthy, fresh looking lawn all year round.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/how-to-avoid-lawn-care-fertilizer-burn-218583.html

About the Author
Andrew Caxton is a syndicated writer of http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com . You can find more information and resources on how to plant new grass at his website.

Lawn Care Fertilizer is a post from: Popular Garden and Landscape

Replenishing Your Lawn With A Little Known Super Food

admin — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:44:11 +0000

Over time, the ground beneath grass tends to get compacted. This happens primarily because of foot or equipment traffic, such as lawn mowers, periodically putting pressure on it throughout the year. It may also be compacted if it has a heavy composition of clay which is a very dense material.

Generally, plants and grass do not do well in compacted soil. The roots of plants require oxygen to help them grow, but compacted soil is so dense that it has much of the air squeezed out of it. Added to that, many beneficial insects find compacted soil so dense, inhospitable, and difficult to bore through that, in frustration, they look for a friendlier environment, possibly in the yard of your neighbor. Over the years as the grass roots get less and less oxygen and nutrients delivered to them because of the impacted soil, your grass slowly begins to suffocate and starve.

But how do you know if your dirt is too compacted? One very easy method it to take your screwdriver and try pushing it into the dirt. The best time to do this is when the ground is dry. If the soil is hard to push through, then it is probably a sign be a sign that your soil is too densely packed. If the dirt gives way without too much effort, then it's probably fine.

One of the main factors contributing to dense soil is not enough of humus in the soil. Humus is the material that is left behind after microbes have finished digesting organic matter such as lawn clippings, decaying plants, food garbage, and so on. When the microbes have completed their work, what is left is a dark moist substance that is incredibly rich in nutrients and trace minerals called humus.

Instead of Scott's lawn care and grass seeds products, you might try this ancient super food. Periodically, placing this plant super food on the surface of or mixing it with your lawn's top soil can invigorate your entire lawn. It restores lost nutrients to the soil and helps to make it healthy. Humus is a very spongy material and, particularly if your soil has a high percentage of clay, it will make your soil less dense. And unlike many chemical fertilizers, humus will not burn your lawn or other garden plants and it's very difficult to give your lawn too much of it.

You can make your own humus if you have the space. It does take time, but with the right tools, it's not difficult. Otherwise, there are many organic garden centers where you can find organic, fully decomposed humus

In addition, soil rich in humus has another great benefit. It helps to keep your grass roots moist by preventing water evaporating from the lawn. This not only means that you need to water less, but also your lawn will be less susceptible to periods of rain draught. This is especially true if you have a sandy type of soil which tends to have difficulty retaining water.

Many gardeners believe that the high concentration of nutrients in humus that it passes onto the grass, helps the grass to fight off disease and bacteria.

Just like the human body, the health of your lawn is very much dependent on what you feed it. If you feed it junk food, which is what many chemicals are, your grass will grown but it will not be strong. If you feed it humus which is the equivalent of giving it vitamins, minerals and proteins - your lawn will grow to be strong and healthy.

Replenishing Your Lawn With A Little Known Super Food is a post from: Popular Garden and Landscape