Saturday, February 25, 2012

Lawn Care Tips

Where do you start with getting your lawn in great shape?

Every solid project requires a good foundation. The foundation for a good lawn is the soil in which it grows. If you have soil issues, you will have lawn issues, simple as that! test your lawn soil. This will give you valuable information on what your soil has and what you will need to add to it.

What type of seed is best?

The type of grass you have in your yard depends on where you live. For people living in the hot areas of Florida and other subtropical zones, St. Augustine grass is likely the local favorite. In other areas of the country, there are additional options. Fescue or Bermuda are both popular choices in many other states.

How Do You Get Grass to Grow in Shady Areas of your lawn?

Most grasses require at least four hours of sunlight every day. If you have an area that doesn’t receive that much sun, you still likely have a couple of options to get the lawn you desire.
Find a seed mix that works well in the shade. Many fescue blends, for example, will work well for you in the shade.

How do you plant new grass?

Planting new grass is actually a simple procedure for most homeowners.
  1. Loosen-up the soil. At the very least, start by raking it vigorously with a dirt rake.
  2. Spread the grass seed evenly over the tilled area. You can do it by hand or use a seed spreader for larger areas.
  3. Cover the seed with a light layer of good soil. There are treated soils available that provide balanced nutrients that encourage new growth.
  4. Water appropriately. Keep the soil around the seed moist until the new grass grows as tall as the grass around it. If you overwater the grass, the seed will drown. If you don’t water it enough, the new grass will dry up and die.

Should you fertilize your lawn?

Fertilizing provides your lawn with the nutrients and ingredients it needs to grow lush and green. In order to fertilize a sizable lawn you will need a decent spreader. Spreaders come in two varieties: drop and broadcast.
Drop spreaders drop the fertilizer directly below the spreader, while broadcast spreaders drop fertilizer in a pattern out and away from the spreader. Drop spreaders are more accurate while broadcast spreaders cover larger areas in a shorter amount of time and are more suitable for bigger acreage.

When should you start to fertilize and seed your yard?

You should fertilize and seed during the cooler parts of the spring and fall. In southern states, you should do it in the Spring between February and April. in the Fall, you should be doing it between October and November.