
Spring is the time for renewal; think of it as similar to getting
your body ready for beach season. If you want washboard abs come
July, you better start working out a lot earlier than that. If you
want a lush, green lawn that''s the envy of the neighborhood,
you''ve got to be its personal trainer and break a little sweat on
these seven steps to a spectacular lawn this season.
1. Soil Testing Made Simple
Good lawn care starts with calling an agricultural extension agent
to perform a soil test, Bob Richardson, soil scientist says. "Most
people don''t know what their lawn needs as far as nutrients go," he
says. "The easiest thing people can do is take soil samples from two
to three different sections of their lawn and have their local
university analyze the results. They can tell you exactly what
nutrients your lawn needs and in what amounts."
2. Aerating-Gone-Easy
As lawns age or sustain heavy traffic, soil compaction can result.
Soil compaction is most severe in poorly drained or wet sites. Roots
require oxygen to grow and absorb nutrients and water. Compaction
reduces the amount of air within the soil. This results in poor top
growth and a deteriorating lawn.
Aeration benefits your lawn by increasing water, nutrient and oxygen
movement in the soil. It also helps improve rooting and prevents
run-off.
Until now, aeration was hard work, expensive, and time consuming.
This spring there''s a new liquid aeration product that you spray on
your lawn with a hose.
LazyMan Liquid Soil
Aerator covers 100 percent of your lawn, is chemical free and
actually adds nutrients, increases much needed airflow and boosts
the earthworm population (nature''s aerator) underground.
3. Mowing and Raking Regularly
How often you mow your lawn depends on the type of grass you have
and how quickly it grows. A good rule of thumb is the "1/3 Rule."
Never mow more than 1/3 of your leaf blade off at a time. Therefore,
if your lawn is 3 inches high, don''t cut off more than 1 inch.
The raking process removes dead leaves and debris and actually helps
control thatch. Leaves and dead grass will block air and sun and
ultimately damage the grass. For an easy spray-on dethatcher, use
LazyMan Liquid Lawn Dethatcher and it''s
100 percent organic!
4. Watering Weekly
Lawn experts say the type of grass you have will determine your
watering frequency. Most grasses require a 1-inch watering about
once per week along with one deep watering. For best germination,
newly seeded lawns should be watered every day.
5. Weed Whacking, Bug Busting, Disease Fighting Do''s!
For upkeep''s sake, be sure to watch for insects, weeds and any
colored patches in your grass that can impair the health of your
lawn. If you notice insect damage, spray with an all-purpose lawn
insecticide. All weeds should be pulled immediately to prevent them
from seeding and spreading.
6. Feed-N-Fertilize Frequently
Grass craves periodic feeding and it is best to fertilize with a
slow release fertilizer, which releases nutrients over time, rather
than all at once.
LazyMan Liquid Lawn
Fertilizer is used to enhance plant growth, root formation,
reduce water and heat stress.
7. Overseeding Solution
If your lawn is riddled with bare patches due to pet spots, heavy
traffic or neglect, you may need to apply grass seed to fill in
those bare patches. The solution is commonly known as "overseeding."
Overseeding is just what it sounds like -- you sow seeds right over
your existing grass in order to fill in the bare patches. For a wide
variety of seed for every region of the country as well as
customized blends to meet your exact specifications visit
www.outsidepride.com.
Great looking lawns don''t just happen, but if you follow these
training tips you can rest assured your lawn will be a pumped-up,
lean, mean, green machine this season!