Clover!

So your Lawn is full of the dreaded Clover. Well did you know that until fairly recently, clover was not considered as a weed at all and indeed was liked by gardeners because it gave their Lawn a deeper green look.

This happens because Clover removes Nitrogen from the air and transfers it to your Lawn. In fact, some garden suppliers include Clover in their proprietory lawn mixes even today! It helps the grass grow more pest resistant, reduces the amount of fertilizer required, (so is good for the environment) and leaves the Lawn much healthier.

As a kid you probably went clover searching - looking for that one magical four-leaf charm. Seeing clover's shamrocks and little white or pink flowers in your lawn nowadays probably doesn't make you feel lucky anymore. Like many a perennial weed, clover can be hard to evict from your lawn.

As a result, it's one of the most common weeds around. Even though it's green and its flowers are, admit it, sort of cute, it attracts bees, which can be an underfoot danger, and is also quite slippery when wet, another danger.

So your probably asking what's the best method of Killing Clover In The Lawn?

The most effective method of controlling clover is to maintain a dense and healthy turf area. Often weeds can be easily kept out if the Ph and nutrients levels are optimum. Then a cornmeal application can be use to control the weeds. Use 10 pounds per 1,000 sq ft every 120 days simply as a fertilizer as well.

Mowing height and the frequency of mowing also will deter these weeds.
Clover does especially well in moist conditions and in less than optimally fertile soil. The one nutrient it really goes for is phosphorous.

So if you cut back on the water and up the level of the nutrients, other than phosphorous, that your lawn needs to thrive, your lawn will do better and weeds like clover will do worse. The best defense against any weed, clover included, is a healthy lawn.

Pulling weeds by hand also works in small lawns. Clover has a taproot you can easily dig out by hand. For spot control a little spade action is hard to beat.

In the last resort, chemical action is sometimes necessary, especially when managing large areas. Always read and follow directions on the label and keep pets and children away! Post-emergent herbicides do a great job on clover. A weed-and-feed that lists clover as among its targets will help tackle any serious clover encroachments.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Lawn Mowers - The right way to mow your lawn!

lawn care

Lawn Mowers

The way you mow your lawn could mean the difference between a healthy lawn and a very healthy lawn. Most people are not thrilled when they have to mow the lawn or weed it. But these are important lawn maintenance tasks that have to be done.

The first step to mowing the lawn is to buy the right lawn mower. There are many different kinds of Lawn Mowers on the market today.

Push mower -These are probably the oldest lawn mowers in existence, but they are very effective for smaller lawns. You will get no special perks from this mower. With some updated mower, you may be able to change the blade height, but that’s about it.

All you have to do is manually push the mower over the lawn and it will cut the grass. It is important to make sure the grass is dry or it will get caught in the blade and you will have to remove it.

The clippings will fall on the lawn.

You can grab a bag and rake them up, or you can let them decompose and feed your lawn. It’s your choice.

Electric mower - An electric mower is a little easier to use because it is powers by electricity. This means that you will be able to cut your lawn faster than with a push mower. Older electric mowers have a power cord that you will have to plug in order to use. These mowers can be dangerous if you do not remember to look after the cord.

As with the push mower, you will have to clean up the clippings or leave them on your lawn.

Electric cordless mower - These mowers do not have cords which make them much easier to use and do not require you to find an outlet on both sides of the house. Electric cordless mowers also come with a bag that will store lawn clippings. When the bag is full, you will have to empty it. These mowers run on a battery that can be charged easily when not in use.

These mowers can also be used without the bag if you would rather let the lawn clippings fertilize your lawn.

Ride-on mower - For larger lawns, a ride-on mower will help you not run out of energy to complete other tasks around the yard once the mowing is complete.

These mowers have bags that will catch lawn clippings.

Mulching mower - If you want to use your lawn clippings, but do not like the site of them, you should look into investing in a mulching mower. These mowers will ground up lawn clippings so they are not as visible as regular clippings.

How to Mow

Regardless of which lawn mower you purchase, you should learn how to mow the lawn correctly so that you do not do unnecessary damage. You should consider following these tips:

You should mow your lawn when the grass is dry and is about three inches in length. If you mow any sooner, you may end up killing the grass. You will then have to reseed and start all over again. If you don’t want to walk outside each weekend and measure your lawn, you should mow about twice a month or every other weekend during the summertime.

Each time you mow your lawn, you should begin in a different direction. If you mow in the same direction each time, you will end up creating ruts in your lawn. These ruts could destroy your lawn and also make it look run down and unkempt.

Even if you do not want lawn clippings, and have not purchased a mulching mower, maybe you could compromise and only pick up lawn clippings once a month instead of twice. Full of nutrients, lawn clippings will make your lawn healthier.

Mowing the lawn is not difficult, but it should be done correctly so that you can get the most from your lawn during the spring and summer months. The nutrients you feed your lawn during this time will keep your lawn healthy for the entire year. While mowing too much can be a problem, so can not mowing enough. Long grass can cause shorter pieces to not get enough sunlight.

Mow your lawn consistently and you will enjoy a lush lawn all season long. Fertilize it with fertilizers, mulch, compost, and lawn clippings to keep that green alive all year long.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com. Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Blackburn

lawn care

Natural Garden Care

lawn, gardening, organic, care

Hi guys! As you are all aware, there is great interest in Organic (Natural) gardening these days. This usually means using natural fertilizing methods, but the Subject is wider than that. I spotted this Article by Francine Stephens at www.checnet.org which is thought provoking and full of basic commonsense. I recommend it to you!

Gardening with your children can be a wonderful way to share your experience of nature with them in an educational and fun setting. Children love to dig in the dirt, make mud pies, and search for bugs. Children also enjoy planting seeds, watching them grow and eating what they have grown. By cultivating their curiosity, you can help your children to develop a life-long love, and respect, for nature.

Healthy soil is the raw material from which a healthy garden can grow. If we allow the soil to retain its natural organic matter, minerals and microorganisms that make the soil a living substance, it will be able to ward off most weeds, insects and disease naturally.

Organic gardening is based on this principle. In an organic garden, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are not used, but natural fertilizers and pest controls that do not interfere with the health of the garden ecosystem are permitted.

The basic tenets of organic gardening include the following:

CompostingCompost is a rich organic material that results from decomposing organic matter. Mixing compost into garden soil replenishes it with nutrients and organic matter. Compost is easy to make. Simply collect organic material from your kitchen, such as vegetable and fruit waste and garden trimmings, such as fallen leaves and grass clippings, and pile it in a heap outdoors or in a compost bin. This organic matter decomposes with the help of bacteria and heat. What’s left after a few months is call "Black Gold" by some gardeners.

While compost and other organic material release nutrients slowly, they are much safer for the environment and gardens than synthetic fertilizers. Synthetic fertilizers give plants a quick boost, but overuse can result in acidification of soil and does nothing to replace the organic matter which gives substance to soil and supports organisms necessary to soil building.
Aeration of the soilHealthy soil also needs air, which feeds the organisms and microorganisms that break down organic matter to release nutrients. By avoiding pesticides and keeping the soil full of organic material, your garden will be a rich habitat for earthworms. They’ll aerate your soil as well as break down organic matter. You can also use a broad fork to aerate once a year.
Plant diversity When you plant a variety of species in your garden, you encourage genetic diversity, which leads to more successful adaptation in the face of threats by insects and disease. Plant varieties can be more or less attractive to pests as well as garden helpers, such as butterflies and bees. By keeping the garden diverse, your garden ecosystem will be more balanced.
Crop rotation Rotating the location of various types of plants in your garden from year to year prevents the soil from being depleted of nutrients. Corn uses up lots of nitrogen, while legumes put nitrogen back into soil. Planting corn in the same location year after year is likely to result in poorer harvests as time goes due to insufficient nitrogen in the soil. Rotating the corn to another location in the garden prevents the soil from being exhausted of nitrogen. Rotation of plants also prevents soil diseases from taking hold.
Use of cover crops At the end of each season, plant cover crops like clover, rye or alfalfa. They protect soil, keep it from becoming compacted, and can be tilled under to add nutrients back into the soil.
"Companion planting" Planting your vegetables next to other plants that have different odors and root secretions, will help to divert pests away from your plants. Marigolds and tomatoes for example are a good combination. Garlic also helps drive away some insects.
Manual weeding Regular hoeing will control weeds and keep plants healthy and more resistant to insects. Other means of eliminating weeds naturally include pouring boiling water over weeds and using specialized tools, such as a dandelion digger–a long, sharp tool that penetrates as far as dandelion roots do. Using mulch around plants also keeps weeds from sprouting and competing with garden plants.
All gardens will have some pestsTolerating minor flaws and blemishes on fruit and vegetables does not diminish the nutritional value of the food. Garden pests should not be regarded as enemies, rather as indicators of plant stress, letting you know that something is not right. Sick plants attract predators, and an infestation should be signal that your garden ecosystem is out of balance. Adding beneficial insects, such as ladybugs or lacewings boost the predator populations and keep problem insects in check. Too much or too little water, fertilizer, sun, etc., may cause disease.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: www.checnet.org

lawn care, organic, gardening

5 steps to a lush, almost perfect lawn

lawn care, organic, gardening

Well guys, we certainly kicked Tony Blair in the goolies as I hoped we would. Good riddance to bad rubbish! Come on Blair - Do the decent thing and resign today. On more mundane matters, I found this Article at www.american-lawns.com and was attracted by its simplistic, yet effective recommendations. Do the simple things well and regularly and you can't go wrong.

"While there is no magic pill to achieving a better lawn there are some basic steps you can follow that will go a long way in giving you a lush, healthy lawn you'll be proud to walk over. Here then are the 5 basic steps to help anyone achieve a beautiful lawn.

Get the mowing height right for the right time of year.
There's more to mowing than just cutting the grass every saturday. One of the most fundamental steps to a perfect lawn is getting the mowing height right for your type of lawn and for the season.

Most grasses do best with a length of 2 - 3". This applies for spring and early fall. In the summer, if possible, set it even higher. Never go below the minimum recommended height except for the last mowing of the season which should be around 1.5" for most turf grasses.

Mowing height is important because the grass uses the extra length to absorb the sunshine it needs to grow and develop into a healthy plant.

Never remove more than 1/3 at any one mowing. This may mean you'll have to mow more often during prime growing times (usually spring and early fall).

Leave the clippings on the lawn after you mow. This not only save time and energy, but the clippings decompose and add vital nutrients back into the soil. Grass cycling recycles plant nutrients back into the soil. Clippings contain the same beneficial nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium nutrients as that expensive bag of fertilizer. In fact, clippings can provide up to one-third of the annual feeding requirement for your lawn.

Use a sharp blade.
The type of mower doesn't matter, but the blade's condition does. A dull blade tears at the grass. Take a close look at a grass blade a few days after mowing. If the blade is dull you'll notice a jagged brown line across the tip of the cut grass. This is a good indication that your blade needs sharpening. Professional mowers sharpen their blades about every 8 hours of use. For most homeowners, twice a year is recommended.

The jagged edges caused by a dull mower blade make it more difficult for the grass to fight off pests and disease.

Regulate the water intake
Over watering your lawn causes more damage than a lack of water. That's because most turf grasses can handle dry spells, but not flooding. Most grasses require 1 - 1.5" of water per week. This is enough water to moisten the soil to 4 - 6" below the surface for clay soils and 8 - 10" for sandy soils.
Don't guess at how much water your lawn is getting. For measuring Mother Nature's contribution, invest in a rain gauge. If at the end of the week she's contributed enough, hold off adding more. If she comes up short, you'll want to add some supplemental watering. Again, measure how much water your sprinkler is putting down.

You'll have to follow local regulations when there are watering bans, but just remember that less water is acceptable and grass is a very resilient plant. When the rains do return your lawn will come back with a little encouragement on your part.

Give your lawn a regular balanced diet-- but don't over-feed it!
Don't over-feed your lawn with too much of a good thing. 4 balanced fertilizer applications a year is plenty: spring, summer, early fall and after the first frost. If you're in drought conditions, skip the summer feeding. Never skip the fall feeding however. It’s important to use lawn products by following label instructions. Get the best results by following the directions. Overapplication will not improve performance.

Prevention is the best medicine for a healthy lawn
Preventing problems is better than having to correct them. Consistent maintenance is the key. Repair bare spots as needed. Spot treat for weeds with the right herbicide following label directions. Use pre-emergent herbicides for most grassy-type weeds like crabgrass.

Soils can become compacted in high-traffic areas or in areas that have mostly clay soils. Have your lawn aerated once a year, preferably in the fall when soil temperature is around 60 degrees.

That's it. Pretty simple actually and easy to follow."

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: www.american-lawns.comcom

lawn care, organic, gardening

Feeding and Weeding Your Lawn With Chemicals

Lawn care, chemicals, organic, gardening,

Hi Guys, here in the UK we are having Local Government Elections today. Last chance to kick Mr Blair in the goolies before he retires to the multi-million dollar lecture circuit. Or possibly he will con some poor bastard into funding his Messianic programme to save the World. Last chance guys. Get out there and vote!

On to nicer subjects, I came across this Article on Chemical feeding and weeding, which I will recommend to you. The Article comes from www.gardenaction.co.uk and is worth a read. Pity we couldn't have used the process to weed out the so-called (allegedly) Government graft.

"There are three readily available lawn feed compounds, each designed for a specific purpose. These are:

1. Spring and summer feed compound. This is rich in nitrogen with a small amount of phosphates. This should be applied in spring when the grass begins to put on some growth.
2. Autumn / fall feed compound. This is rich in phosphates with little nitrogen. This should be applied in autumn when the grass starts to grow more slowly.
3. Lawn sand. This is a mixture of ammonium sulphate, iron sulphate and fine sand. it is used to kill a wide variety of weeds and is especially good at preventing and killing moss in lawns. Additionally it provides a long term tonic for your lawn and has a definite 'greening' effect. It is normally applied in late spring but where moss is a problem it can also be applied in summer.

Study the instructions carefully before applying any of the above treatments because over-application will result in damage to your lawn. If the lawn suffers from over-application, water it very well for a day and in all likelihood it will recover.

Apply the treatments when the weather is dry but there is the prospect of rain in a day or so. If rain does not appear, water well for a day. Do NOT apply any of the above to a new lawn - wait 12 months for a seed sown lawn and 6 months for a turf / sod laid lawn.

When choosing any of the above, go for a well-known name and you will be OK. In general, all the brands are the same, they merely vary the balance of the chemicals slightly. One exception however is that some brands have slow release formulas which release the chemicals into the lawn over a longer time than standard varieties. It is well worth paying the extra money for these brands.

How To Apply Fertiliser

Whichever method you choose, it is essential that the treatment is applied evenly to avoid scorching the lawn in places.

APPLICATION BY HAND
First rule is use gloves and wash your hands afterward - remember, you are using dangerous chemicals. The best method is to use half going up and down the lawn then use the other half going crossways across the lawn.

LIQUID APPLICATION
Normally this means adding the treatment to a specific amount of water in a watering can. Sometimes, there are attachments for hoses. This method is quick acting and less likely to cause scorching.

MECHANICAL APPLICATION
The treatment is added to a container in a wheeled trolley which dispenses the chemicals evenly as the trolley is moved along. If the instructions are followed, this method ensures even distribution."

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: www.gardenaction.co.uk.com

lawn care, chemicals, organic, gardening

Gardening Calendar - Mid Spring!

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Here in U.K. the weather continues cold and blustery. Some bright days, but the wind is cutting on the North East Coast! We are nearing the beginning of May, when hopefully things will warm up - for us as well as our plants. Here is a Calendar of things to do in the garden in mid Spring from our friends at www.greenzonelife.com

Mid Spring

In mid spring the gardens are full of life, we are now truly into the spring season, the moment of fresh growth and the most exciting season of all seasons in the garden. Everything begin to look green and full of life and the warmer days take us out for longer moments. Is the moment of true joy in every gardener heart and one of the busiest season in the garden.

The warmer days provide ideal conditions for all plants and everything will come to life to transform the garden in a place full of colors and flagrances. The small creatures that have overwintered in our gardens also come back to life from their winter hibernation.

The small seedlings that appear in the trays are the result of the weather conditions that give them the light and warmth and help them to become stronger. Some hardy annuals can now be sown directly outside in the place you want them to grow for the summer display. Be careful to keep a straight row when you sow so you can be able to distinguish the flowers from the weeds that are also starting their growth period.

You can plant gladioli corms, dahlias tubers and chrysanthemums outside, in groups of one variety for a better display. You can start dividing large and congested clumps of decorative grasses or spreading perennials and you can remove the winter protection from the containers.

You can start the clippings on the new growth of the decorative hedges, doing this for maintenance or to give them a new look by creating topiary. Also remember to prune back the flowering shoots of forsythia as soon as its flowers have faded.

Now is a perfect time for a general fertilization and weed-killing using general fertilizer and mulch of bark or compost. For having good crops this year, give some extra attention to your fruiting trees by helping them with a good fertilizer and spreading mulch of compost around them to conserve soil moisture and keep the weeds down. Plant disease-resistant varieties and protect the rest of the others by spraying them with a systemic fungicide.

Mid spring is the time to start the sowing in the vegetable garden too, sow or plant directly outside: herbs, lettuce, broad beans, onion, peas, salads, potatoes or carrots under cloches.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: www.greenzonelife.com

lawn care, gardening

10 Tips for Cutting and Displaying Roses

lawn care, gardening, roses

There is no flower more suitable for cutting than the rose. Strong, sturdy stems, buds that open slowly and elegantly and the bonus of fragrance make roses a favorite in a cutting garden.

Hybrid teas especially lend themselves to cutting. Hybrid tea roses generally produce one perfect blossom at the end of the each stem. Virtually all hybrid tea roses are repeat bloomers throughout the growing season and each blossom may have over 60 petals and be as large as 5 inches across.

Whatever your rose preference, enjoy your blooms even longer with these tips for 4. cutting roses from Marie Iannotti at http://gardening.about.com/od/rose1/a/RoseCutting.htm

10 Tips for Cutting and Displaying Roses

1. Cut roses in after 3 in the afternoon, when they are highest in food reserves.

2. Chooses rose buds that have already begun to open, but that are no more than 1/3 to ½ fully open.

3. Always use clean, sharp pruners to prevent damaging the rose canes and spreading disease.

4. Leave at least 3 leaves on the stem, to feed the plant.

5. Remove all leaves that would be below the water line.

6. Get your roses into water as soon as possible. Bring a bucket of water with you when you cut. If you cut the roses outside without water, re-cut the stems indoors either underwater or immediately plunge them into water.

7. Use either a floral preservative or add a splash of a lemon/lime soda or even a squeeze of lemon and a tablespoon of sugar to the water in the vase.

8 Change the water whenever it starts to get dirty.

9. Let your cut roses have a few hours in a cool spot out of direct sunshine before you display them. This conditioning extends their vase life.

10. If your roses seem to be wilting, water is not able to flow through the stem. Re-cut the stem bottoms and submerge them in very warm, (not so hot you can’t touch it) water and let them sit for about an hour before replacing them in the vase.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.Article Source:
http://gardening.about.com/od/rose1/a/RoseCutting.htm

lawn care, gardening

Lawn Care - So you want a Terrific Lawn?

lawn care, gardening

The thing about gardening, as about life, is to do the simple things regularly and well. The result far outweighing the sum of the individual parts. As an example of this I recommend the following Article from our friends at www.yardcare.com

If you want to have a terrific lawn:

1. Fix the soil and maintain it every year without fail
To grow great grass you need good dirt – healthy humus rich soil filled with earthworms and beneficial microbes. To create good soil, I recommend an annual application of organic material such as autumn leaves or Canadian sphagnum peat moss to your lawn. Use your mulching mower to mulch an inch or so of finely chopped leaves into the grass each fall or spread a 1/8th inch of Canadian sphagnum peat moss on the lawn in the spring and/or the fall. You get a 1/8th inch layer by spreading the peat moss with a grass rake and raking it in so thoroughly it’s no longer visible among the blades of grass.

2. Overseed the lawn every 3 to 4-years even if it looks great
A lawn that is as dense as brand new sod, year after year, will have few weeds. To get the lawn thick, overseed the lawn in the fall or spring once or twice the first year. Once the second year, and then make it a routine to reseed every 3 or 4 years even if the lawn is looking really good.

3. Use a mulching lawnmower
A good mulching lawn mower chops up the grass so fine there are never any clumps left on top of the turf. Recycling clippings back into the lawn for an entire season provides the grass plants as much nitrogen as there is in a application of fertilizer. However, the most important reason, by far for using a mulching mower is to be able to chop leaves finely enough in the fall to leave an inch of chopped leaves on the lawn over the winter to feed those earthworms and beneficial soil microbes that reduce compaction, provide nutrients, and improve drainage.

4. Mow the lawn properly
For the best appearance and good health of lawn grass, mow high using a sharp blade. A dull blade will tear rather than cut the lawn leaving a ragged end on the grass blades that cast a dull haze over the lawn. That ragged edge also leaves the grass more vulnerable to disease. Depending on the size of the lawn, a mower blade becomes dull after one or two seasons and should be sharpened or replaced every year or two. Grass that is dense and cut over 2-inches tall has few weeds and serves as habitat for ants, spiders, and ground beetles which keep the pest insects of a lawn in check. Tall grass shades the soil reducing evaporation of moisture and will not burn out in the heat of summer. Set the mower for 2 to 2-1/2 inches in the spring and fall and raise it to 3 inches in summer.

5. Use only slow release granular fertilizer
Quick release nitrogen fertilizers need to be applied three or four times a year in order to be effective. High in salts, the increased salinity burns turf roots and repels the valuable earthworms and kill many of the beneficial soil microbes. Slow release nitrogen fertilizer needs to be applied only once or twice a year and will not hurt the soil critters. Use slow release nitrogen fertilizer in the spring and again in the fall for a few years, but if you are taking care of your soil, you can drop back to a single application in the fall, or split the application putting down half the recommended amount in spring and half in fall.

6. Avoid watering too much or too little
The key questions in watering the lawn are: “When does the grass need to be watered?” and “How much do I need to water?”. When you walk over a lawn that is mowed tall, you will leave temporary footprints. If the footprints disappear with the grass popping back upright within a minute or two the grass has enough water. If the foot prints last more than 3 or 4 minutes, the lawn needs to be watered. In spring and fall between your hose and Mother Nature, give the lawn an inch of water each week. Lawns need two inches a week in the heat of the summer. An empty tuna fish can is one inch deep so put a few empty tuna cans out in the pattern of your sprinkler and track the time to see how long it takes to fill the cans and you can quickly figure how to deliver an accurate amount of water to the lawn. A rain gauge will help you keep track of Mother Nature’s contribution.

7. Avoid using any broad spectrum insecticides
A lawn that is dense and mowed tall is likely to be inhabited by a healthy population of beneficial insects, including ants, spiders, and ground beetles, seldom has any problems from fleas, grubs, sod webworms, chinch bugs or any other lawn grass insect pest. If you routinely use a broad spectrum insecticide each year, you will kill all the good guys along with the bad guys. If the grass is mowed tall and kept dense from overseeding, those beneficial insects will eliminate the need for the annual use of the insecticide.

8. Spread lime only if needed in late fall, not in the spring
Use lime on the lawn only if you are sure that your soil is acidic enough to justify it. A soil test is the only accurate way to tell. Contact your County Extension Service to get a soil test kit and related information. If you do apply lime, use a granular lime product in October or even in November. It takes six months for granular lime to break down sufficiently to be helpful to the grass plants.

9. Buy only the highest quality grass seed
Only the top quality grass seed includes varieties that have been bred with good disease resistance, look good, and are drought resistant. When you buy the high-end brands, you can trust the grass seed companies to give you the right mixture for the northeast. Buy full sun mix if your lawn gets over 6 hours of sun a day. Use a shade mixture if your lawn gets 3 to 6 hours of sun a day. Any lawn getting less than 3 hours of sun a day must be overseeded every spring to look even average for the season.

10. Get rid of grubs and moles by growing good soil
Grubs and moles are only a problem in lawns that are compacted and have turf with roots only two inches deep. If you add organic matter to the soil under your turf on a yearly basis, the earthworms and soil microbes lower the level of compaction over time, so after 3 to 5 years, the grubs and moles are working down at the 4 to 6 inch depth and are not evident in your lawn.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: http://www.yardcare.com

lawn care, gardening

Gardening - How Not to Dig a Garden Pond!

lawn care, gardening, pond

After my rants of the last 2 days, I thought it was time to lighten up! I was thinking of putting in a small pond in my garden so that I could attract birds, bees, wildlife and so on, when I came across this Article by Michael Hillman at www.emmitsburg.net

Michael owns a Farm called Windy Meadow Farm just south east of Emmitsburg in the U.S.A. and I do like his humour and general approach to life, so I make no apologies for publishing this humourous Article and wish I could have the same life style as Michael.

"The arrival of the first robin, by tradition, is recognized by most as the first sign of spring. Around our farm however, it's the congregating of neighbors around the strawberry patch, daiquiri glasses in hand, that signals the formal arrival of spring. Although the strawberry patch has become the focal point of June-long Bacchus celebrations of friends near and far, it is only the most recent addition to a long line of gardening wonders that Audrey has created since we moved here.

While researching the history of the farm, I was struck by the ebb and flow of the many gardens that have graced this farm over the past one hundred years. Longtime residents talked in reverent tones about the vast and lush gardens of Anna Schealy, who owned the farm from 1918 to 1940. Unfortunately, following the Anna's death, the gardens fell into disrepair. Following the sale of the farm, the house's status changed from one of a primary residence to that of a tenant house. By the time the Sixes took up residence in the 50's, proof of Anna Schealy's gardening wonders had all but evaporated.

In 1950, the Sixes family began their long residence in the house. In spite of the fact that Mrs. Sixes suffered from cancer during most of her tenure on the farm, she turned what energy she did have to cultivating numerous flower gardens. In the many pictures provided by her daughter, Betty Glass, tulips - Mrs. Sixes favorite flower - are prominent. This spring, as the tulips once again provided the first burst of color in the gardens, one couldn't help but smile at the thought of Mrs. Sixes nodding from above in approval of Audrey's efforts.

By the time Audrey put her gardening tools to work around the farm, all evidence of previous gardens had once again disappeared. Audrey spent most of the first winter on the farm designing a vast array of gardens. At first I paid little attention to Audrey's gardening plans, and with good reason, for up until this time, all I had seen of her gardening skill was enclosed within a 6-by-6 foot garden at the veterinary hospital she managed. But, like a little kid with a box of crayons facing a newly painted white wall, Audrey drew garden designs that impressed even our mothers, gardeners extraordinaire in their own right.

Of English lineage, Audrey took to gardening as a fish takes to water. By the end of our first spring, the house once again sported gardens around its entire circumference. Unfortunately, a lot of her initial plantings failed to survive. Quickly recognizing that gardening in clayey soil, hot summers, and a windy environment would require expert advice, Audrey turned to Barb and Marlene at Alloway Gardens in Littlestown for help. Barb and Marlene had "been there" and "done that" and as a result had a solution for every situation Audrey faced. For quite some time, Audrey's Alloway allowance rivaled mine at the local hardware store.

During our second year on the farm, Audrey immersed herself in enlarging and upgrading the gardens around the house and the old barn, all the time, however eyeing our large backyard. Claiming frustration over the hours wasted every week in mowing this large plot of grass, Audrey decided it would make a perfect wildflower meadow and set about collecting wildflower seeds from every part of the country. The following spring, after diligently tilling the soil, she spread the seeds and sat back to wait for the rains to do their magic. Unfortunately, the rains never came that year and by midsummer the much anticipated wildflower garden had become a dust bowl.

The following spring, heavy rains brought abundant growth to the wildflower meadow, but not of the nature Audrey anticipated. Weeds of every shape and size quickly took over the meadow, choking out any wildflower that had managed to germinate. Frustrated but far from beaten, Audrey returned to her drawing board and countless gardening books. Slowly but surely, with help from Barb and Marlene, Audrey drew up the plans for her dream: a formal English garden.

Encompassing most of the backyard, the garden would consist of ten raised beds, varying in length from sixteen to sixty-five feet and in widths from four to sixteen feet. The garden also included a pond for goldfish and toads and was to be enclosed by a white picket fence. Having long since learned how to deal with my propensity to procrastinate, Audrey presented her plans to me shortly after agreeing to allow me to purchase a new horse. Needless to say, I was in no position to object or quibble about the garden's size or cost.

After transplanting a maple seedling - the only item worth saving from the "weed meadow" - to the front of the barn, construction began in earnest. The soil was roto-tilled until it was as fine as sand. Next, a dump truck load of quality top soil, procured from Emmitsburg's own McNair's stone and soil supply, and countless bags of lime, were roto-tilled in to improve the nutrient quality of the clay soil. With blueprints in hand, the location of each bed was laid out and marked by stakes and strings. The walkways between the beds were excavated eight inches below grade and the dirt mounded in the beds, thereby 'raising' the beds above grade.

Once the wood to support the beds was delivered, the actual construction went quickly. Being well ahead of schedule, I took a weekend off to show my new horse. While unloading him from the trailer, I startled him by smacking him on the butt to hurry up, he replied in kind by kicking me in the leg. Needless to say, the full leg cast I found myself in an hour later conveniently ending my participation in the garden project for the remainder of the year.

The following spring, before Audrey allowed me to resume riding, the construction left dormant all winter was completed. As a final touch, as if placing icing on a cake, Audrey found some beautiful multicolor stones, which were spread for the walkways between the many beds. With the beds now completed, Audrey set about planting countless varieties of plants, flowers, and herbs. In accordance with her master plan, each bed in the garden was planted to bloom at a different time.

This plan succeeded so now, from early spring to late fall, there is always one section of the garden in bloom to attract her beloved birds, butterflies and hummingbirds. As a result of her meticulous designs, guests are always treated to brilliant colors, fragrant aromas, and in the evening, countless hummingbirds and butterflies back-dropped by spectacular sunsets. The formal garden has become a favorite gathering place for our friends. Which, in a roundabout way, gets me back to the strawberry patch.

In addition to plants bearing Latin names that I can neither spell nor pronounce, Audrey planted carrots for the horse, catnip for our five cats, potatoes for me (I was bad that year), and strawberries for herself. The first strawberry crop was small, and she harbored her daily harvest with greed. Every morning while she dined on strawberries and cream, I was expected to choke down lukewarm Pop-Tarts.

Unwilling to undergo another season of listening to my whining, that fall, Audrey agreed to triple the size of the strawberry patch. The favorable rains the following spring brought about what can only be called a bumper crop, and for several weeks we ate strawberries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While it was fun at first, with no end to the harvest in sight, we both agreed an alternative way of disposing of strawberries had to be found. Audrey suggested giving them away to friends and neighbors. I on the other hand, suggested using them in strawberry daiquiris.

My completely logical argument that making and sharing daiquiris would fulfill the spirit of Audrey's suggestion - only with the strawberries in a different form - fell on deaf ears, and she proceeded to waste them by giving them away unaltered. As fate would have it however, everyone else was having bumper crops of strawberries. So I got the go ahead to execute Plan B: the creation of the perfect strawberry Daiquiri.

It just so happens that the quest began on what would turn out to be the hottest days of that summer. It also happened to coincide with my plans to dig the goldfish pond in the garden. Knowing it was going to be hot that day, I began digging around seven in the morning. By 10:30, with the temperature pushing 90 degrees, I had dug out less then a quarter of what was planned. With motivation waning, I decided to begin my daiquiri experiments.

As near as I can remember, the first few pitchers didn't really make the grade, but they did make the digging go easier. By the time I finished the third pitcher, I found myself filling the hole back in. Half way through the fifth pitcher, when I found myself digging in the front yard instead of the garden, I knew I had the perfect recipe. Unfortunately, I was in no condition to write, which was immaterial, since by that time I couldn't remember what I was putting into them anyway.

The following morning, Audrey woke me just before sunrise from a rather sound sleep and insisted that I fill in the holes in the front yard, pointedly reminding me that the pond was supposed to be behind the house, not in front of it. Progress went quickly, in spite of the pounding in my head and by early afternoon the excavation of the pond was completed. The shovel had no sooner been put away then friends began to gather and inquire about the nature of the holes in the front yard and on the state of my sanity for digging on such a hot day. Audrey, unable to resist, told the story of my secret daiquiri experiments, and I was immediately swamped with offers to serve as guinea pigs for future taste testing.

With pleas to resume the experiments growing louder by the minute, I finally ignored the throbbing in my head and set about making more daiquiris. Unlike the day before, however, the formula for each new pitcher was duly noted and recorded. Like the day before, by the time we got around to the fifth pitcher, no one really cared anymore. After solving most of the worlds problems, including the national debt, global warming, time travel, and peeling fence paint, the exact contents of our glasses didn't seem to matter much.

Fortunately, I did somehow manage to record the formula for the seventh pitcher, during which we collectively put to rest the question of the nature of extraterrestrial life and its impact on next year’s TV show line up. Since after this pitcher no one present remembers anything else, it, by default, was the winning recipe:

8 ounces of dark rum (Myer's or better)
1 ½ quarts fresh strawberries
6 ounces of Lime juice
2 to 3 more ounces of rum
3 to 5 cups of crushed ice4 heaping tablespoons of sugar
2 to 3 more Ounces of rum,
Add rum to taste

The rum is placed in the blender first, followed by the strawberries, which should be halved. Blend together for one minute. Next, add the sugar and lime juice and blend together for another minute. The contents should be sampled at this time, and any additional rum or sugar added to suit one's taste. One should always remember however, to always error on the side of extra rum. Once satisfied, add the crushed ice, another shot of rum, another tablespoon of sugar, and another handful of strawberries. Blend to a smooth texture.

With Daiquiri in hand, sit back and have a long, good conversation with a friend.

Enjoy!"

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: www.emmitsburg.net



roses,lawn care, gardening

Rose Growing The Easy Way - Part 2!

Roses, gardening, lawn care

Following on from yesterday's Article by Brad Jalbert at www.rosemagazine.com, we conclude with the second and last part today. In this troubled World, I often think we have lost touch with Nature and that the Consumer Society has insulated us from Reality. It's a fact that most people wouldn't know how to grow food to keep their families alive in an emergency. Most people today are reliant on Supermarkets to provide their food, pre-wrapped and packaged, ready to go in the oven, or already cooked. Little do they realise that Supermarkets, by their very nature, carry only sufficient stocks to keep the shelves stacked, so as to enhance cash flow. The result is that we are all within 1 month of starving to death in the event of a Catastrophe.
How many people actually have reserves of food stocked up in their Larders? How many people could even light and heat their homes without electricity and gas supplies? How many people even know how to grow things other than weeds in their garden?
It's a sad indictment of modern day Society that all the hard won survival experience of our forefathers has, in the main, been lost.
God help us in the event of a real emergency. We are so cocooned from reality, from the World as it really is, that I fear for us all!
Enough already! Rant over for the day. Getting back to roses, here is the second part of the Article!

Step By Step Planting

1. Dig an appropriate sized hole for the root ball, loosening surrounding soil. Usually a 2ft by 2ft hole for large roses and a 1 foot hole for minis.

2. Add some compost or well rotted manure to the hole plus a handful of bone meal. Mix gently and taste ( just kidding). Spread the roots over this mixture positioning the crown at the soil level or slightly below, and refill around the roots with more of your good mixture. Firm the plant and water well. Water is really the secret in helping a rose or any plant get off to a good start in life. Remember to water a new plant often, especially if the weather turns hot.

Fertilizing

This is the really easy part of rose growing. The first and most important type of rose food is plain old water. A rose that is well watered throughout the summer will grow far better than one that's treated to loads of chemical rose foods but little water. I use organic fertilizer outside with great success. Seakelp is excellent as are fish fertilizers and Canola meal. Many people like the all purpose rose foods available in most garden centres. Try not to get to hung up on stuffing your rose plant full of rose foods, and apply only a small handful about every six weeks if you remember. Fertilizer should not be applied after July 15 , as the plants need to use up what's in the soil and 'harden up' for winter. If all of this sounds too confusing, just throw a handful down before and after the first bloom, and your sure to get pretty roses.

Pests & Diseases

The old saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" certainly holds true here. Planting a rose in good soil with plenty of sunshine and air circulation is your first and most important defense against insect and disease problems. Mildew and Blackspot are the two most troublesome problems but with a little effort can be easily controlled. If you don't want to spray fungicides at all, then be sure to plant disease- free roses like the Rugosas or one of the healthiest of the others. Strip off all the leaves before your rose begins to regrow in the spring and watch for any sign of trouble.

Most home gardeners can grow great roses without the use of insecticides. Aphids are easily washed off a plant or are soon eaten up by beneficial insects in a healthy garden. Other insects can be picked off or given the hose treatment. Spider mites are a real problem for people who spray often, but seldom bother the organic garden. When it comes to insects and disease, roses are truly highly over- rated, as many other types of plants from tomatoes to carrots have their troubles but we seem to demand perfection from our roses. Try not to be to concerned about the odd spoiled leaf but take reasonable precautions against bad outbreaks.

I have often wondered why people make such a fuss over growing roses and worry about the insects and diseases that could strike, and miss all the fun. I guess roses are just one of those plants that exude such majestic beauty, that we assume they must be difficult to cultivate. In my few short years of growing roses I have learned two things: some people just love complaining about roses, while others just love roses."

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: www.rosemagazine.com


roses,lawn care, gardening

Rose Growing the Easy Way - Part 1!

gardening, lawn care, roses

Lawns by themselves are beautiful things. On their own, they enhance any garden. However, to really set off your Lawn, there can be no finer sight then a border edging of beautiful roses. Our Article today comes from Brad Jalbert at www.rosemagazine.com and gives sound advice on how to grow Roses without headaches. Following the tragic circumstances in America during the last few days, I thought that dwelling on these beautiful flowers might act as a soothing balm and a loving tribute to all those poor Students who died so tragically on their Campus. God keep them!

"Roses are probably the most misunderstood and undervalued plants in the modern landscape. Most people seem to believe that all garden roses are troublesome, frail plants that need to be pampered and fussed over with weekly sprays and frequent fertilizing. While this can be true for the devoted, exhibitor, it simply does not have to be the case for the average gardener like myself who likes to look at pretty flowers. I grow over 400 roses of all types in my garden with an absolute minimum of fuss. Most of the time is actually spent cutting roses for friends, family and people just walking through the garden.

If you are new to roses, it would be a good idea to become vaguely familiar with the many different types:

Hybrid Teas: This is the flower that everyone pictures when we think about what a rose should look like. The classic spiral centre and individual long stem make this the most popular of the rose classes. The modern hybrid tea can be an excellent garden plant, as breeders are concentrating on improving disease resistance and overall garden performance. Many people believe that fragrance has been bred out of the modern rose, but there are many excellent tea roses with strong perfumes and more being introduced each year. Rose breeders realize that people still want fragrance in their gardens. Hybrid Teas are great for the formal garden, but should not be limited to this use. If you don't want be bothered with fussing about roses, be sure to seek the advice of an experienced rose grower who can advise you on the healthy and hardy varieties for your climate.

Climbing Roses: The modern climber is usually a repeat bloomer and grows around 10 to 12 feet tall or wide. There are so many different types available that it's hard to describe them in one paragraph. Let me just say that they are the anchor plants of my garden and definitley the favorite plants of visitors.

Floribundas: Commonly called cluster flowered roses. These come in many shapes and colours. Like the Hybrid Teas, many varieties have excellent perfume, combined with unmatched flower power. Bloom shape can be ruffled and informal or high centred like the HTs. Floribundas are generally considered to be excellent landscape plants, providing bloom from June to Hard Frost. Most varieties grow from 2 to 4 feet tall, but there are a few large ones in this class, ( the Americans call the big ones Grandifloras). Several modern varieties are capable of having over 50 blooms at the same time, with only a short rest in between the repeat cycle. If you're looking for roses that are well mannered and provide armloads of cut flowers, try planting a few floribundas.

Old Garden and Shrub roses: These two classes are roses are separate from one another but have similar growth habits. The shrub rose are without question the most underrated plant in the landscape. It's a shame that more people haven't taken the time to familiarize themselves with this group of plants. Shrub roses are a huge part of the rose family with growth habits varying from low ground cover types to large impenetrable hedge types. I have seen a few cities and parks make use of the mediland shrub roses, but with so many types available for the home gardener it's a wonder that more are not sold in nurseries. The shrub type roses are usually very winter hardy and healthy, with the Rugosa's being completely disease free. Some of the shrubs have an added bonus of colourful fall hip displays . If you're the type of gardener who wants a lot of bang for you buck, then this is the type of rose for you.

Mini roses: A really fascinating group of roses with all the characteristics of large rose reduced to mini proportions. You can even find miniature climbing roses with smaller flowers and leaves growing to about 7 feet tall. Most types grow about 14 inches high, are everblooming and come in every colour except true blue or black. These plants are not house plants, but will flourish in any home garden with minimal care.

Now that you're familiar with the various types of roses, lets get on with the best kept secret on the web, "How to grow Roses the Easy Way".

As with many types of plants, variety is extremely important if you want to be a successful rose gardener. There are many hundreds of red roses on the market at any given time but only a few that are best suited for our climate and soil types. Try to find out what the best ones are for your area and then buy a #1 plant from a reputable nursery. Two for one roses rarely amount to much, especially when planted late in the season.

Roses are best planted in the fall or early Spring. Dormant plants are preferred over fully leafed out plants except for container grown and mini roses. Mini roses are usually purchased fully leafed out and best planted when the weather begins to warm in April or May. If you are transplanting an established rose bush, wait until fall or early spring when the plant is dormant, and remember to give it a judicious pruning.

Site and exposure requirements depend on the type of rose. Usually 5 to 6 hours of sun is preferred for most roses but there are a few shrubs, climbers and Rugosa types that will grow in more shaded situations. If you must choose between morning or afternoon sunshine, take the earlier option. Early morning sun will dry off the leaves, helping to prevent mildew and blackspot. Roses will tolerate a windy exposed site provided that hardy varieties are chosen or a winter mulch is applied to protect from harsh winter conditions."

We will continue this Article tomorrow, when we can go into planting techniques.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: www.rosemagazine.com


roses,lawn care, gardening

Gardening - Beware of Toxic Mulch!

lawn care, gardening, toxic, mulch

When I was putting together yesterday's Article on growing your own tomatoes, I came across this Article by our old friend Michael J McGroarty at http://gardening-articles.com
It deals with the subject of Mulch, and refers mainly to the USA, but I think there is value in the Article for all gardeners!

Mulching beds has become extremely popular these days, and mulch can be really beneficial to your plants and the soil in your planting beds, but there are things you need to watch for.

Here in Ohio the most popular type of mulch that people use is shredded hardwood bark mulch, which is a by product of the timber industry. When they haul the logs into the sawmill the first thing they do is debark them. Years ago the bark was a huge problem for the mills because there didn't seem to be a useful purpose for it, until people realized the hidden benefits that it held. Still to this day, the bark is a headache for the saw mills, and they don't always understand how to properly handle it.

They like to pile it as high as they can so it takes up less space in their yard. The mulch really tends to back up during the winter months because there is little demand for it. In order for the mills to pile the mulch high, they literally have have to drive the large front end loaders up onto the pile. Of course the weight of these large machines compacts the mulch in the pile, and this can become a huge problem for you or I if we happen to get some mulch that has been stacked too high, and compacted too tightly.

When the trees are first debarked the mulch is fairly fresh, and needs to decompose before we dare use it around our plants. The decomposition process requires oxygen and air flow into the pile. When the mulch is compacted too tight, this air flow can not take place, and as the mulch continues to decompose it becomes extremely hot as the organic matter ferments. Sometimes the extreme heat combined with the inability to release the heat can cause the pile to burst into flame through spontaneous combustion.

In other cases the mulch heats up, can not release the gas, and the mulch actually becomes toxic. When this occurs the mulch develops an overbearing odor that will take your breath away as you dig into the pile. When you spread this toxic mulch around your plants the gas it contains is released, and this gas can and will burn your plants.

It has happened to me twice. Once at my own house, and once on a job I was doing for a customer. This toxic mulch is very potent. We spilled a little mulch in the foliage of a Dwarf Alberta Spruce that we were mulching around, and just a few minutes later brushed the mulch out of the plant. The next day my customer noticed that one side of the plant was all brown. The mulch had only been there for a matter of minutes.

Not only did I have to replace the Dwarf Alberta Spruce, but the mulch also damaged at least 10 other plants that I had to replace. I once saw where somebody ordered a truckload of mulch, had it dumped in their driveway, and as the toxic mulch slid out of the dump truck onto the asphalt the toxic gas that was released settled on the lawn next to the driveway.

The gas, not the mulch, turned the grass brown next to the mulch pile.

This same person spread several yards of the mulch around their house before they realized the problem, and it ruined many of their plants.

Now here's the hard part. Trying to explain to you how to identify toxic mulch. It has a very strong odor that will take your breath away. But then again almost all mulch has a powerful odor. This is very different than your typical mulch smell, but I can't explain it any better than that.

The mulch looks perfectly normal, maybe a little darker in color than usual. If you suspect a problem with the mulch you have, take a couple of shovels full, and place it around an inexpensive plant. Maybe just a couple of flowers. When doing this test use mulch from inside the mulch pile and not from the edges. The mulch on the edge of the pile has more than likely released most of the toxic gas that it may have held.

If after 24 hours the test plants are okay, the mulch should be fine. The
purpose of this article is not to induce panic at the mulch yard, but toxic mulch can do serious damage. At my house it burned the leaves right off some of the plants in my landscape, and burned the grass next to the bed all the way around the house. It looked like somebody had taken a torch and burned the grass back about 2” all the way around the bed. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't have believed it.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: http://www.http://gardening-articles/.com

lawn care, gardening, toxic, mulch

Gardening - Planting Tomatoes in your Garden!

lawn care, gardening

For a change I thought I would leave the subject of Lawns alone for a while. I was having Lunch yesterday and noticed that the tomatoes I was eating actually came from the Canary Islands. Can you imagine that? The UK is importing tomatoes. Unbelievable. I bet the all powerful Supermarkets will have something to do with this decision. Something about cheap labour springs to mind. Buy low and sell high is their maxim. Anyway, before I go off on a rant, let me recommend the following article to you by Kathy Anderson on the question of growing your own tomatoes in your own garden. The Empire Strikes Back!!!

"Tomatoes are without a doubt one of the most popular vegetables in
the home garden, and for good reason. Homegrown tomatoes are
very nutritious and much more flavorful than those bought from a
store. Tomato plants will produce an abundance of fruit for the home
gardener if they are properly planted and cared for.

Tomatoes require a fairly long growing season, and for this reason the
seeds are typically planted indoors about six to eight weeks before they can be planted in the garden. The seeds can be sown 1/4" deep in small pots or flats in a soil less potting mix or sterilized potting soil. It takes 7-14 days at a temperature of 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit for the seeds to germinate. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Placing plastic wrap loosely over the pots or flats will help maintain the humidity necessary for germination, but the plastic wrap must be removed once the seedlings sprout.

Bottom heat helps to speed the germination process. Garden centers and catalogs sell heating cables made just for this purpose, but you may also set the pots or flats on top of your water heater to take advantage of its warmth for germination.

As soon as the seedlings emerge, they should be moved to an area with full light, such as a sunny window or under grow lights. They should have light on them for about 12 hours a day and should be kept at a temperature of 70-80 degrees. Fertilize the seedlings with a water-soluble fertilizer when they're about 3-4 weeks old, but dilute the fertilizer to about half the strength recommended on the label.

The little tomato plants will be accustomed to fairly steady and warm temperatures indoors, and planting them directly outside could come as quite a shock to them, especially when nighttime temperatures are still cool. About a week before it's time to plant them in the garden, begin to gradually introduce them to outdoor conditions. This is called hardening off, and it simply involves moving the plants gradually to conditions more like what they'll experience in the garden.

Start hardening them off by moving the plants to an enclosed porch for a day or two, then to a sunny spot outdoors that is protected from the wind. If the temperature threatens to take a drastic downward dip, bring the plants back indoors until it warms up outside again.

Tomatoes were originally found only in very warm climates. They don't like to be cold and should not be planted outside until the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up. That's typically late May or even early June here in northern Ohio.

The sooner tomatoes are planted outside, the sooner they will begin to produce ripe fruit, and there are a few tricks that make it possible to plant tomatoes in the garden a bit earlier.

The garden soil may be warmed up by covering it with clear or white plastic for a few days. The little tomato plants will be much happier with their roots in warm soil. Once the plants are in the garden, the foliage can be protected from a light frost by covering the plants with plastic gallon jugs that have their bottoms removed, or with plastic or
fabric sheets placed over the plants. Suspend this over the plants using wire hoops so the plastic or fabric doesn't touch the foliage.

When you are ready to transplant your tomato seedlings into the garden, be sure to choose a spot for them that gets full sun for at least 8 hours a day. Dig a hole for each plant that is large enough to easily accommodate all of the roots. Before transplanting, water the plants
while they are still in the pot. This not only helps prevent transplant shock, but it also makes it easier to slip the plant from the pot.

Tomato plants will grow roots from any part of the stem that is buried beneath the soil, so the plants will benefit from being planted deeply, up to the first set of leaves. If the plants have spent too much time in pots and have become leggy, they may be planted in furrows with their too-long stems laid in the furrow and gently buried with soil. This will
help the plants develop a strong root system while preventing the long stem from breaking.

Fill in the planting hole with soil, pressing the soil in firmly to eliminate air pockets. Then give the plants a good drink of water, thoroughly soaking the soil around them.

If you plan on staking or trellising your tomato plants, they can be planted about 2-3 feet apart. Plants that will be allowed to sprawl on the ground will need more room and should be planted 4-6 feet apart.

If the soil is still a bit cool, your white or clear plastic may be placed on the ground beneath the plants to warm the soil. Once warmer temperatures have settled in, this plastic should be removed to avoid burning the foliage with reflective heat.

It is important to keep tomato leaves up off the soil to help prevent soil-borne diseases from attacking the plants. This can easily be done by applying straw mulch around the plants. But straw mulch should only be applied once the soil has warmed up above 70 degrees. If the mulch is laid down while the soil is still cool, it will keep the soil from
warming up as it should, your tomato plants will suffer from cold feet and won't produce as well as they could.

Planting your tomatoes properly is an important step toward a bountiful harvest of sweet, juicy fruit. In another article we'll discuss how to trellis and prune tomato plants to increase your harvest."

Kathy Anderson has been an avid gardener for many years and has grown tomatoes by the acre, along with many other vegetables, flowers and landscape plants. Kathy recommends http://www.freeplants.com as a great place to learn more about gardening. Article provided by http://gardening-articles.com.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: http://www.http://gardening-articles/.com


lawn care, gardening

Lawn Care

lawn care. gardening

Hi again Folks - Back from my holidays, refreshed and raring to go! As a matter of interest I visited Fort William and the Isle of Skye in Scotland while I was away. What wonderful scenery, and the weather was great. God must have been having a good day when he made Scotland. And then he went and spoiled it by inhabiting it with the most moaning, whingeing, chip on shoulder men in dresses it has ever been my misfortune to meet. The only thing those anti-social Neanderthals can do well is moan and drink. I am sad to say that the only good thing that came out of Scotland was the road south to England!

On to happier things - I came across this Article on Lawn Care by Michael J McGroarty (God I hope he's not Scottish!) at http://gardening-articles.com. which I recommend to you all.


Lawn Care Tips

by Michael J. McGroarty


A beautiful lawn does not come without some effort. Depending upon what type of soil you have, the amount of effort will vary. For instance when raising trees and shrubs, sandy or a gravel base soil is great. Landscape plants like well drained soiled. A lawn on the other hand is different. Lawn grasses grow constantly throughout the growing season, and need an ample supply of both nutrients and water.

The most basic of lawn care tips includes regular watering and fertilization is required to keep a lawn beautiful. If you’re lucky enough to have a lawn that was originally planted in good rich topsoil, you won’t have to work near as hard as somebody like me, who has a lawn that is planted in sandy gravel. The soil at our house has little nutritional value, nor does it have the ability to retain any amount of moisture. By mid May my lawn starts drying out. It is very difficult for us to keep our lawn looking nice.

Lawns are one area where a little clay in the soil is a good thing. Of course standing water is not good, but having soil that has the ability to retain some moisture is helpful. If you happen to be installing a new lawn, here's a news flash from my lawn care tips that will make all the difference in the world: Add lots of organic matter before you install your new lawn if you have sand or gravel type soil. The easiest way to do this is to find some good rich topsoil and spread that over your existing soil.

Because most lawn grasses grow so vigorously, they need additional amounts of nutrients added in order to stay looking nice. Just use one of the four step programs offered by the fertilizer companies. Most of these programs also include weed control along with the fertilizer. Here in the north we basically have two concerns with weeds in our lawns.

Crabgrass can be a problem, and I do consider it a weed. In order to control crabgrass you must use a pre-emergent herbicide that will prevent the crabgrass seeds from germinating. In order for this herbicide to be effective you must apply it early in the spring while the soil temperature is still below 45° F.

Broadleaf weeds such as Dandelions are another problem, although fairly easy to control with a broadleaf weed control. Most broadleaf herbicides are mixed in with the fertilizers, and must be applied when the grass and weeds are damp. The wet foliage will cause the herbicide to stick to the weed, giving the herbicide time to be absorbed by the weed. Once absorbed the herbicide translocates through the weed plant and kills it completely.

These types of herbicides are considered “selective” since they seem to know the difference between a grass plant and a weed. That’s why they only kill the broadleaf weeds and not the grass itself. However, many people have different kinds of thick bladed grass in their lawn such as quack grass. Quack grass is on the ugly side, and can really detract from a lawn. The problem is, it is still in the grass family, and “selective” herbicides leave it alone because it is a card carry member of the grass family.

So what’s a person to do?

In order to get rid of these thick bladed grasses you must use a “non-selective” herbicide, and “non-selective” herbicides don’t care who they kill. Well, at least that’s true in the plant kingdom. When you use a “non-selective” herbicide you must understand that everything that you spray is going to die, but it really is the only effective way to rid your lawn of undesirable thick bladed grasses. This type of treatment is effective if you have isolated areas that contain wide bladed grasses. You’ll have to spray all the grass in the area, then reseed with good quality grass seed.

My herbicide of choice for this type of spraying is RoundUp®. It is believed that RoundUp® does not have any residual effect, which means that it does not linger in the soil. That means that the new grass seed or the young grass plants will not be affected by the herbicide. Being a non-selective herbicide you must be careful when spraying, making sure that the spray does not drift onto other plants or lawn areas that you do not want to kill.

To keep the spray from drifting adjust the nozzle so that the spray pattern is narrow with larger spray droplets. You do not want a fine atomized spray if there is danger of spray drift. It also helps to keep the pressure in the sprayer as low as possible. Pump the sprayer a minimum number of times, to keep the pressure low. You just want enough pressure to deliver the spray, but not atomize it to the point that it can be easily carried by the wind.

Buy a sprayer just for herbicides and mark it as such. You never want to spray plants with a sprayer that has been used for herbicides.

Once you have sprayed the area you want to kill, wait three days before doing anything else. After a period of three days the grasses that you sprayed may not look any different, but if they have been properly sprayed, they will die. It takes three days for the herbicide to translocate throughout the entire plant, then the plants will die. So even though the weeds and grass plants look fine, you can start digging and chopping and not worry about them growing back. If you start digging and chopping before the three day period you will interrupt the herbicide, and the weeds and grass you were trying to kill may come back.

If you happen to be installing a new lawn, make sure you spray all the weeds and thick bladed grasses before you start. Once you have the lawn installed, you sure don’t want to go through all the trouble of killing areas of your lawn and reseeding. If you make sure that all of these undesirables have been killed before you start, you’ll be way ahead of the game.

When selecting grass seed, you should always use a blend that is recommend for your area. Here in the north a popular blend contains fine bladed perennial rye grass, fescue, and blue grass. Keep in mind that it takes blue grass seeds 28 days to germinate, while most perennial rye grasses germinate in 5 or 6 days, so you never want to plant a lawn that is 100% Kentucky blue grass. Before the blue grass seeds have a chance to germinate, every kind of weed imaginable will already be actively growing in your lawn.

With a blend, the faster germinating grasses come up quick, and act as a nurse crop for the slower germinating seeds. Having a blend also gives you some protection in case some new pest comes along that attacks certain types of grasses.

People often ask if they have to have their lawn hydro-seeded in order for it to be nice. The answer is no. Hydro-seed is not some kind of magic formula. It is nothing more than a fancy way to apply grass seed. A hyrdo-seeder is just a machine that mixes water, grass seed, fertilizer and mulch into a slurry that is sprayed onto your lawn. The ingredients are exactly the same that you would use if you seed by hand, with the exception of the mulch.

And contrary to popular belief, hydro mulch is no better than good old fashioned straw. In my opinion straw is a much, much better mulch. The primary advantage to hydro-seed is that the grass seed is thoroughly soaked before it is applied, which assures germination. That’s a huge advantage if your seeding along a freeway where it is not practical to wet the seed after it has been applied. At your house, it really doesn’t mean much. Hand seeding works just fine.

With either method, you still have to water just as much once the seeding is done. Many people are lead to believe that hydro-seed doesn’t have to be watered as much as hand seed. This is a huge misconception. If you fail to water hydro-seed once it is applied, it will still germinate and little tiny grass plants will appear. But just a few hours without water on a hot day, and those little tiny grass plants will wither and die. This is a big problem because once the seed has germinated, it is spent. All the water in the world will not make that spent seed produce another grass plant.

Hydro seed has its benefits, but for the residential lawn it’s not all that important. Why do I claim that straw is a better mulch than hydro-mulch? Think about how the hydro-mulch is applied. It is mixed with the seed, fertilizer and water as a slurry, and sprayed on the lawn. The mulch has not been applied over top of the seed which is how mulch is supposed to be applied, it is all mixed together. Some of the seeds are under the mulch, and some of the seeds are on top of the mulch. Mulch can’t do much good when the seeds are resting up on top of it. They might as well be sun bathing!

Now think about the process of hand seeding. The seed is spread on the soil, then you should take a push broom and drag it backwards over top of the seeded area. This applies a very thin layer of soil over most of the seeds. Then you spread the straw over top of the soil. The pieces of straw are scattered in all directions, with many of them crisscrossing each other.

Remember the movie, “Honey I shrunk the Kids”? The part where they are walking through the lawn and the blades of grass are huge compared to them? This is what it’s like to be a grass seed under a mulch of straw. Those little tiny grass seeds are lost under the straw, and that's exactly what you want to protect them from the intense rays of the sun.

As the sun works its way across the sky the grass seeds actually receive filtered sunlight. Enough sun to warm the seeds so they grow, but also enough shade to protect the tender young grass plants. As the grass plants grow, they also raise the mulch with them to a degree, providing additional shade for the seeds that haven’t germinated yet. The shade that straw mulch provides also helps to retain the moisture around the seeds. Grass seeds will never get this kind of protection from hydro mulch.

Another trait of hydro-seed is that as the slurry dries, it becomes a blanket over the lawn. In the event of a heavy rainfall, running water tends to get under this blanket and carry it away, leaving big areas with no seed at all. They make a glue that you can actually add to the hydro seed mix, but my experience has shown that the glue will hold the hydro seed in place a little longer, but when it does wash out much larger areas wash because they are glued together.

With hand seeding, each seed is independent, and they fall between the nicks and crannies of the soil. In the event of heavy rain, the running water must be severe enough to wash the soil away before the seeds can be moved. I’ve installed hundreds of lawns using both techniques, for the difference in cost I’ll take the hand seeded lawn any day.

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter. Article provided by, http://gardening-articles.com.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: http://www.http://gardening-articles/.com


lawn care, gardening

Happy Holidays!!!

lawn care, gardening

Hi everyone. I'm going on holiday for 2 weeks. Back on 15th April. Wish me joy!!!

terry

lawn care, gardening

Lawn Care - 8 Steps to Lawn Restoration - Step 8!

lawn care, gardening

Here is the final Lesson in the 8 Lesson Lawn Restoration Series at www.yardcare.com terry

Care for Young Plants

Your work to this point will have been in vain if you don't care for the young grass plants as the seeds germinate and begin to grow. The most critical need is to apply water at least twice a day, assuming no rain. If the soil is allowed to dry out, the seedlings won't germinate or will soon wither and die. To maximize the germination rate, soak your lawn on the same day you sow the seeds. On the next day, assuming no rain, lightly sprinkle or mist the lawn for about 5 minutes morning and afternoon. Be sure you have moistened the soil to a depth of one inch. Keep the overseeded lawn moist until the young grass plants are 2 inches tall by repeating a light watering every day after periods without rain. This will take 4 to 6 weeks. When the grass is 2 inches tall, resume normal watering patterns. For tips on setting up a convenient, low-cost watering system, see "Starting a Lawn from Scratch."

If the weather is dry or warm, spread a layer of hay mulch to protect the seed from the drying effects of the sun and wind. Use clean mulching straw that's free of seed. Evenly spread about 100 pounds per 1000 square feet. Avoid putting down a heavy layer that would inhibit grass growth.

Begin mowing once the new grass reaches 2 inches. Use a sharp blade; a dull one may tear up young grass plants. Otherwise, stay off the seeded areas except to fertilize once more. If needed, apply the rest of the fertilizer as recommended by your soil test, or apply a second dose of 1/2 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet six weeks after germination.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: http://www.http://yardcare.com/.com


lawn care, gardening

Lawn Care - 8 Steps to Lawn Restoration - Step 7!

lawn care, gardening

Here is Lesson 7 in the 8 Lesson Lawn Restoration Series at www.yardcare.com terry

Prepare the Surface and Overseed It

In the North, the best time to overseed is in late summer and the early fall, although you may also try this technique in early spring. Starting then gives the young grass plants a better chance to germinate, establish strong roots, and store food needed for a head-start in the spring. In the South, the recommended time to overseed is spring or early summer.

Before you begin, choose the seed that's best for you based on the information in the section, "Choosing the right Grass." Be sure to select one of the new varieties bred to withstand the stresses your lawn faces. Then use the table "How Much Seed to Use When Overseeding" to help you estimate how much seed to buy.

You have several tool options for spreading seed evenly and at the recommended rates. They include your own hands, handheld and walk-behind spreaders, and slit-seeders, which are power machines that cut shallow slits in the soil and sow seed at the same time. Available at many rental stores, slit-seeders are the preferred tool, especially if you were not able to remove all thatch prior to overseeding. (See Appendix I for more details on these tools.)

If you will be spreading seed by hand or with a spreader, first use a thatching rake to roughen the exposed soil to a depth of 1/2 inch. Set the spreader to deliver the seed that's recommended by the seed producer for seeding a new lawn. If you were not able to remove all thatch, sow a little extra seed. Similarly, the higher the percentage of weeds in your lawn, the more seed you should sow. For sowing grass seed, the recommended approach is to apply seed to the edges of the area you are sowing first. Then divide your seed and apply half while walking in one direction, the other half while walking in a perpendicular direction. Spread extra seed on bare areas, lightly cover the seed with a mixture of compost and topsoil; then spread more seed on top.

Finally, follow up by rolling all seeded areas with a water-weighted roller that is one-third full to press the seed into the soil. These steps will help prevent the seed from drying out rapidly and consequently improve germination rates.

If you have a lawn with grass that spreads by stolons (aboveground runners), such as Bermudagrass, St. Augustine, zoysia or buffalograss, you may introduce new grass plants by inserting plugs rather than seed.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: http://www.http://yardcare.com/.com


lawn care, gardening

Lawn Care - 8 Steps to Lawn Restoration - Steps 4 & 5!

lawn care, gardening

Here are Lessons 4 & 5 in the 8 Lesson Lawn Restoration Series at www.yardcare.com terry

Add Nutrients

When restoring a lawn, apply the fertilizer recommended by the results of your soil. Use a slow-release fertilizer, and avoid putting down more fertilizer than you need. Adding too much nitrogen can cause rapid growth and a thinning of plant cell walls, which makes grass more susceptible to disease. The excess fertilizer may also leach and eventually find its way into waterways, polluting them.If you did not test your soil, apply a slow-release fertilizer with an Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium ratio of 3-1-2. Apply about 1/2 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. (See "Turf Fertilization" for more on fertilizer types.)

Build Organic Matter and Microbe Numbers

The right dose of fertilizer won't help much if your soil does not contain an adequate population of microbes, you need billions of these microscopic organisms per handful. Microbes not only digest grass clippings, dead grass roots, and stems, but they also make their nutrients available to living grass plants.

To have a thriving microbe population, your soil must contain 2 to 5 percent organic material. A topdressing of compost mixed with topsoil followed by aeration will eventually incorporate some organic matter into the soil without disrupting the lawn. When top dressing your lawn, apply about one cubic yard, which is 100 pounds of a 40-60 mix of topsoil and compost, per 1000 square feet. Topsoil is available from most nurseries and landscape centers. Be sure it has a dark, rich brown color and feel and that it has not been diluted with lighter-colored subsoils. Compost can be obtained from several sources. Many towns make compost available to residents at little or no cost. They make compost from the leaves, grass, and brush that residents haul to the dump. The compost should be screened to 1/4- or 3/8-inch particles, and it should be free of in organic materials, such as shreds of plastic leaf bags. Its moisture content should be 30 and 50 percent. Any drier, and the compost releases a lot of dust as it's being worked; any wetter, and the material tends to clump and not mix well with soil. Compost is also available from nurseries and landscape centers. Better yet, make your own.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: http://www.http://yardcare.com/.com


lawn care, gardening

Lawn Care - 8 Steps to Lawn Restoration - Step 3!

lawn care, gardening

Here is Lesson 3 in the 8 Lesson Lawn Restoration Series at www.yardcare.com terry

Adjust Your Soil's pH
Before applying anything, it is best to test your own soil or obtain test results from a professional testing service. If your soil test shows that the soil pH is low, add lime according to the test recommendations. If you did your own pH test and thus have no recommendations to go by, use the accompanying charts to determine how much lime to apply. If you're unsure of your test results, be conservative. Too much of an amendment can be as detrimental to your lawn as none at all.

Lime amendments come in various forms, from ground oyster shells to liquids. Agricultural ground limestone is the preferred type because it is readily available and can be safely, easily, and accurately applied with a drop or rotary spreader. There are two types of agricultural ground limestone: dolomitic and calcitic. Both contain calcium carbonate, a grass nutrient, and a neutralizer for acidic soil. Dolomitic limestone contains magnesium, another important nutrient, as well as calcium carbonate. Use dolomitic limestone if your soil is deficient in magnesium. Calcitic limestone does not contain magnesium, making it more appropriate if your soil is already high in magnesium. However, adding dolomitic limestone to soil already high in magnesium has not been shown to cause lawn problems.

For faster results, choose a finely ground limestone. Fine grinds begin to correct the soil pH faster than coarse grinds. Coarsely ground limestone acts slowly and is better suited for use once you have raised your pH to a desirable range. You can tell fine lime from coarse if you understand the information on the package. The higher the percentage of ground lime that passes through the finer sieves, the finer the grind. Sieves are graded by number; the higher the number the smaller the sieve holes. Look for a product stating that 50 percent or more of the ground limestone will pass through a number 100 sieve. Caution: Fine grinds can burn grass. Check instructions on the packaging.

One more thing to keep in mind when buying lime is its relative purity. Liming materials are rated according to their Calcium Carbonate Equivalent (CCE). A CCE rating of 100 is equal to pure calcium carbonate; less than 100 indicates less neutralizing ability than calcium carbonate. Account for the CCE when figuring how much lime to apply to your lawn. If the CCE of the product you purchase is 80 and your soil test recommendations assume a CCE of 100, you will need to increase the recommended application rate by 20 percent.

As you can see from the chart, the more clay and organic content in your soil, the more lime you will need to correct the pH. Sandy soils require less lime to raise pH. If you need to add more that 40 pounds of lime per 1000 square feet to correct your pH, do it in two or more applications. And don't apply lime with fertilizer mixed in the same spreader. The resulting chemical reaction will release the nitrogen you want for your grass into the air. After spreading lime, water the lawn to wash the particles off the grass leaves and into the soil.

To lower the pH, add sulfur according to you soil test recommendations. Sulfur amendments are also available in the form of compounds, such as ammonium sulfate. These compounds can be used in place of elemental sulfur, but they can burn turf if used in excess. See amendment packaging for details on amounts that can be safely applied to turfgrass.

If you are relying on your own test kit and not a professional test, follow the recommendations in the chart. Sulfur acts within one month to lower soil pH. To avoid applying too much, don't try to make your correction in one application. To meet recommended amounts, make several surface applications a few weeks apart and water the grass after each application.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Article Source: http://www.http://yardcare.com/.com


lawn care, gardening