My Lawn Care

By Peter Murlock

Check out these great lawn care tips to achieve a healthier lawn:

1. When mowing, the key to success is little and often - 'little' in this case meaning not too closely. Light cutting encourages the grass to produce extra shoots, and stunts weeds and coarse grasses. Most lawnmowers offer the facility of raising or lowering the height of cut. Mower blades need to be set at different levels according to the weather and amount of growth.

2. To produce the sought-after striped effect, you simply cut the grass in parallel lines, mowing alternate lines in opposite directions. Each time you mow, remember to work at right angles to the direction of the previous cut; north-south one week; east-west the next.

3. Before you start cutting, make sure that the grass is as dry as possible and free from surface litter. Lightly brush off dew or rain, wormcasts and dead leaves. When cutting the grass, you should always push the mower forwards steadily. Do not pull the machine to and fro and try not to lean heavily on the handle.

4. Clippings are best collected and removed - unless you mow very frequently. Allowing them to lie on the surface of the grass encourages worms and diseases and you'll probably find clippings all over your carpets too.

5. As a general rule, in Summer you should cut the grass at least once a week, preferably twice if you can manage it. Do not mow too closely or the colour and texture of the grass will deteriorate.
During droughts and in the Spring and Autumn months, mowing once a week is sufficient.

6. Apart from mowing, your lawn will require feeding, weeding and occasionally watering to maintain healthy growth. To produce a flourishing lawn you need soil which has the right balance of plant foods like nitrogen, potash, phosphorous and lime. Buy an inexpensive soil testing kit if you want to know the exact composition of the soil and which nutrients (if any) are lacking.

7. The average lawn will benefit from an annual Spring application of fully balanced fertiliser. Fertilisers not only encourage the grass to grow faster but also more densely. As a result, weeds and moss are crowded out and the lawn retains its good, even green colour. Apply fertiliser when the grass leaves are dry and the soil is moist for the best results. Water the lawn if no rain falls within 48 hours.

8. For small lawns, weeding by hand is the most effective means of tackling the special rosette or matt kind of lawn weeds, or you can 'spot' treat individual weeds with a recommended weed killer. For a larger lawn, use a 'broad spectrum' type of weed killer which will destroy a wide range of weeds. You could also use a combined weedkiller/fertiliser mixture.

9. We usually receive sufficient rainfall in this country to maintain a green healthy lawn. If the weather is particularly dry and the grass begins to lose its bright green appearance, occasional watering is beneficial. A good soaking once a week is what you should aim for. Dampening the surface causes more harm than good - the earth should be soaked to a depth of at least 4 inches. A revolving sprinkler gives the best coverage.

Classic Lawns are a respected garden machinery retailer, specialising in lawn mowers, teak garden furniture and metal garden furniture.

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By Jon Bassfarm

One of the best parts of being a homeowner is actually "owning" a piece of land. No matter how big or how small, this piece of land is yours to do with what you please. The Native American ideal of land stewardship is a fantastic one, the idea that none truly own the land, but should feel encouraged to diligently keep the land as merely stewards of it. If you think of yourself as a steward of the land you inhabit, you will accept and take on willingly, the responsibility of maintaining it, protecting it, and keeping it looking its best. Is this a too high-falooting ideal when discussing your lawn, your very own patch of green? Perhaps so, but if thought of in this manner, maybe you'd be more inclined to treating it better and looking out for its best interest.

In the Middle Ages, no one groomed or mowed their lawns, obviously. Lawns were kept as special green spaces for enjoyment, yet were not bridled, restrained, and hacked, to look like the British Open's long greens. Lawns were mostly kept under control by use; by being trampled by horses, sporting activities, and the like, allowing them to grow a little longer, a little healthier, and greener, without the introduction of chemicals or fertilizer. Could perhaps a secret to a greener lawn be letting it grow longer between cuttings? Yes, it very well could. I'm not suggesting you let your lawn look like "Little House on the Prairie", mind you. Letting it grow a little longer between cuttings and setting your lawn mower to its highest setting can make a world of difference in keeping a healthier lawn. The longer blades of grass can help you be certain that the root systems of your lawn are flourishing below the soil with the roots being themselves longer and better established as well. Longer blades mean more surface area for photosynthesis to take place, allowing more light to be collected, to promote a healthier, more lush look in appearance as well as promoting the ability to stave off pesky weeds. Instead of watering your grass daily, extend your sprinkler or hose nozzle from your hose reel for longer, deeper watering sessions. Apply around one inch of water to your lawn once every mowing cycle to ensure proper immersion and absorption. When mowing, you should really only ever take a third of your grass' height off, in order to ensure healthy growth. Mowing once every ten days will save you quite a few mowings over the year, allowing you to spend more time with your family, and less money on gas (or electricity) to mow your lawn.

Let's all let our lawns grow in healthier ways by simply letting our lawns grow more!

About the author: Jon Bassfarm is an Internet content writer who enjoys researching and writing about many subjects including hose reel, landscaping, and much more.

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By Wendy Pan

There are a number of the different ways a person can find landscaping ideas at little to no cost. The most obvious is the internet. There are thousands of the sites that people can find landscaping ideas and gardening ideas. For getting landscaping ideas people can also take a look at landscaping forums and blogs where they can find new ideas that have been added by the author.

The person can also search for the landscaping ideas from books which you may have at home or you could borrow books from family members or friends. You can also find landscaping ideas in magazines. There are many newspapers that include a section on landscaping and can be helpful for you as well. You can also explore your local neighborhood or town for landscaping ideas.

The landscaping ideas come from the basis for landscape architecture. The designers of the landscape are provided with the commission by the customers who have land and also have the budget for the experiment. The ideas of the landscaping are the fundamental ideas that the designer keeps in the mind while making the plans of landscape.

Plants are used broadly for providing the natural feel to the landscape. Always be very careful before selecting the plants. The plants should be appropriate according to the climate and area. The rocks are also significant in any of the landscape. The rocks provide distinct beauty and functional characteristics.

It is also recommended to use big trees for making the landscape environment friendly. Landscaping is work that requires patience and effort. If this work is done properly than it can became a masterpiece. Landscaping ideas changes with the geography of the land. In China the ideas for landscaping originated with Feng Shui which means the wind and the water. In Europe the ideas of the landscaping can be traced with the work of the Vitruvius.

The ideas of the landscaping are not set. The finest idea comes with a flowing imagination from both the home owners and the designers. The landscape planners are very much concerned with health along with landscape beauty.

Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about landscaping ideas, please visit Desert Landscaping Projects for current articles and discussions.

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By Fran Phalan

As we near the end of summer and thoughts of getting our children back to school and making those last minute end of season trips abound, we also need to spend time on our lawns and making sure that it is prepped for the coming fall. Homeowners in today's green-conscious world have quickly turned more and more to the most efficient lawn care methods that will translate into savings for our wallets. Beyond saving money is water conservation, which affects both us and the environment we live in.

In this article, we will focus on irrigation and mulch, two areas of lawn care that should be considered for all homeowners with the desire to conserve and decrease water consumption and a cost-efficient way to cultivate the lawn and landscape.

Irrigation

Lawn sprinklers and irrigation systems are known to be quite wasteful, consuming two or three times more water than the water used indoors. Experts report that much of the water applied to a lawn is lost due to poor application practices, high evaporation, uneven distribution, and excessive runoff. To combat these lawn ails, an efficient irrigation (or sprinkler) system and watering schedule is necessary.

Irrigation Techniques

To make the best use of irrigation, divide your plants up into groups or zones with the same watering needs. Lawns, plants in containers, vegetable beds and fruit orchards may need more water than other plants such as trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs. Your irrigation system should reflect your different plants' watering requirements and only fulfill what is absolutely necessary to maintain your greenery. Be sure to understand your watering zones and check that these systems are not giving too much or too little water to the plants or lawn area.

An efficient watering system such as drip or soaker hoses can be used to minimize water loss through evaporation or runoff. Lawn experts further recommend that, for reducing evaporation, operate your irrigation system during the cooler hours of the early morning rather than during the heat of the day or in windy weather.

Turf would be best irrigated with sprinklers, since infrequent, but deep watering can encourage deeper root growth and greater tolerance of soil moisture fluctuations. Keep in mind that about 1.5 inches of water are needed per week for the summer. If you are not sure how much water your system is delivering to your plants, simply place a bowl or a cup in the area before the sprinkler system comes on then remove it when the system cuts off. Then all you have to do is measure the collected water. If this amount is more or less than the recommended amount, adjust your system accordingly.

Maintain Your System

It is important to not only make sure sure your irrigation is working efficiently to get your plants and lawn the water they need, but also crucial to check up on your irrigation system to be certain that it's functioning correctly. This includes checking the system for leaks, broken heads, faulty valves, and other malfunctions. You may also want to check that water isn't being misdirected onto sidewalks, driveways, or streets.

Mulch

Mulch can act as both a protection for your plants from the heat as well as an agent to trap and retain moisture. With water conservation a big issue for homeowners, mulch is more important than ever as a way to efficiently keep your plants healthy and protect from harsh conditions. Mulching helps to maintain a more consistent soil temperature and can also control weeds that may otherwise consume water meant for garden plants.

While you may not be able to control your water consumption all the time, you can definitely make an impact on both your water bill and your local community by following lawn care methods that are focused around water conservation and efficient cultivation methods.

Fran Phalin is a freelance writer and editor specializing in home improvement topics. She is based in Austin, TX.

For water conservation friendly lawn care assistance, please visit ABC Lawn Services at http://www.abcpest.com.

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By Rebecca Jane

One of the best parts of having a garden is that you can build up a wonderful array of foliage and flowers to brighten it up all the year round. From a lush green lawn, to wonderful vibrant flowerbeds and planters, there is a lot you can do to transform an otherwise lifeless garden into a stunning swathe of scenery to look at and enjoy all year round.

If you have an outdoor pergola or other structure that you want to liven up a bit, you might think that you are restricted to having a variety of pots scattered here and there, but don't forget the power of hanging plants to soften up the whole thing as well.

Hanging baskets make a great addition to any home, and you can use them in a number of ways to create different effects. The types of plants you use make a lot of difference to the final result, so choose carefully and plan the contents of each one before you begin.

Lobelia is a good choice since it comes in several different colours and trails profusely out of anything you put it in. The small bright flowers are quite stunning and if you put more than one colour in a single basket you hardly need anything else in with it to complete the look.

You may not think that geraniums are a good choice for a hanging basket but if you plant them in the centre of the arrangement they grow upwards and provide size and form as well as gorgeous colour. Vireya rhododendrons are another fine choice if you can keep them well watered, as they are a tropical plant.

If you want to bulk out the basket with some greenery hanging down for good effect, then don't dismiss the staple varieties of ivy that are available. These make a wonderful choice if you want to have that long trailing effect that looks so good in any kind or size of basket.

As a general rule pick plants that will either remain fairly small in size, or are known for their ability to grow over the sides of their containers. The secret to keeping them looking good at all times is to water them well. During hot weather you should water your baskets in the morning, before the sun has a chance to get really hot, and also in the evening once the baskets are out of direct sunlight. If you miss even a day doing this you will notice the difference.

It is also important to select plants that are native to and lovers of the particular climate in your local area. What may flourish in one garden could wilt and die in another, so make your choices carefully and ask for advice at your local garden center if you can.

With practice you will soon be designing stunning hanging baskets for your veranda that everyone will stop to admire. And you'll get months of enjoyment out of them too.

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