Tips for a Perfect Lawn and Yard
Written by admin on June 10, 2009 – 3:48 pm -A lush lawn doesn't just make your home look great. Along with trees and shrubs, healthy turf prevents soil erosion and lowers heat and noise levels. Best of all, you don't have to pump your yard full of expensive chemicals, water plants twice daily, or mow like a maniac to keep your landscape in top shape. The following lawn care tips from our lawn experts, including program leader Peter Sawchuk, shown here at our Fort Myers, Fla., testing facility, as well as turf and garden gurus nationwide, will lay out the steps to take and those to avoid to get the greenest landscape ever.
Test the soil
EXAMINE THE SOIL Test your soil at least once every three years to determine whether it’s acidic or alkaline.
Soil tests are essential to healthy lawns. Do one at least every three years to see whether your soil has gone "sweet" or "sour," pro talk for acidic or alkaline, the two pH imbalances that rob soil of nutrients. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with lower numbers being more acidic and higher numbers indicating alkalinity. A pH between 6.5 and 7.0 is best for most turf grasses.
For these lawn care tips, we evaluated six soil-test kits that measure a lawn's pH levels. They ranged from the $4 Rapitest 1612, a plastic capsule into which soil is added for one-time testing, to the $68 Kelway pHD 82353, which has a probe you insert into soil for repeated readings. In our tests, none were consistently accurate enough to rely on for pH readings.
Private labs and local cooperative extensions are often a better choice; the latter charge as little as $15. Both services will measure pH levels, as well as the presence of nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium. They'll also provide specific instructions for treatment.
But first, you'll need to collect a pint or so of soil following sample-collection instructions. Take samples from various parts of the yard, and avoid pet waste, fireplace ash, or other substances that might skew the results. Check www.extension.org for your local cooperative.
Fix the problems
FEED YOUR LAWN Add only the nutrients your yard needs. Our experts recommend you use slow-release fertilizers.
Your soil-test results will tell you precisely how much lime to put down if your soil pH is acidic, a common condition throughout the Northeast and Midwest. "Look for lime in pelletized form," says Martin Petrovic, professor of turf-grass science at Cornell University. "It's easier to spread than powder, which blows around in the wind," he says. If your soil is alkaline, as in many parts west of the Mississippi and in Florida, the test results will tell you how much sulfur to put down for the best lawn.
Soil-test results also indicate the mix of fertilizer you'll need to boost the soil's nutrients. Fertilizer bags list three numbers indicating nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, in that order. Nitrogen promotes growth and color, phosphorous is for root development, and potassium enhances general plant vigor. Our experts suggest slow-release fertilizer over fast-release products.
Timing is critical to fertilizer effectiveness. For northern lawns, fertilize once in the late spring and once or twice more from late summer into the fall. For the best lawn, make the last application before your final mow of the year. Fertilize southern lawns in the spring after they turn green, then again in July or August.
Early spring is the time to prevent crabgrass and other weeds. Corn-gluten meal is a common organic alternative to chemical herbicides but isn't quite as effective. "A thick, healthy lawn that crowds out weeds is still the best defense," says Keith Karnok, professor of turf-grass management at the University of Georgia.
Build up turf
Start a new lawn if less than half of your lawn is covered with good grass. When laying down a new lawn, sod is better than seed at reducing soil erosion and needs less watering. If your lawn is thin only in spots, seeding can help make it thicker and more weed- and pest-resistant. For a top lawn, spring is the time to seed or start a new lawn of warm-season grass. In northern states, late summer to early fall is best. Choose seed and sod suited for your site conditions, climate, and lifestyle or your grass might be doomed to failure. Your cooperative extension can suggest the best grasses.
High-traffic lawns benefit from core aeration before seeding. Try the screwdriver test: If you can plunge the tip into the soil a few inches with little pressure, there's no need to aerate. If not, you can rent a core aerator for the task, although pros with their heavy-duty equipment might get better results.
Mow methodically
MOW CORRECTLY Your lawn will thrive. If you mow it the right way. Don’t, for example, cut more than a third of the blades’ total height at a time.
It's tempting to cut grass short to prolong the time between mowings. But removing more than one third of the blade's total height shortens its root system and weakens it.
Mowing heights vary, from 2½ to 3½ inches, by grass type. But mower settings aren't always precise. So place the mower on a level surface, such as the garage floor. Measure from the floor to the cutting edge of the blade, and adjust the height of the mowing deck.
Maintenance is the second important step to smart mowing. Make it easier to cut grass and save fuel by keeping your gas mower or tractor tuned and its blades sharp. Dull blades butcher grass, turning its tips rough and brown and making the grass more susceptible to heat and disease.
Mulch regularly
Save time and effort by using your mower's mulch setting. As mulch clippings decompose, their soil-enriching nitrogen promotes turf growth naturally. Mulching can also reduce fertilizer needs by a third, saving money as well.
Water wisely
WATER IN CYCLES Turn sprinklers off if water is running off the lawn. Wait a half-hour for the water to soak in. Try again.
Half of all water applied to residential yards is lost to evaporation, wind, or overwatering, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates. The secret is to water deeply but infrequently. Once a week is often enough for even the best yard, provided you do it in the morning, when the winds are calm and the sun isn't so hot that the water will evaporate before it reaches the roots. Watering at night promotes mold and disease. For the best yard results, shoot for 1 inch of water (including rainfall) per week in the growing season, or check with your local extension for specifics. Use an empty tuna can to track volume. Another check: If you leave footprints on your lawn when you walk on it, the grass needs water.
Water sensors can improve the efficiency of in-ground sprinkler systems. The EPA's WaterSense program includes more than 300 certified landscape professionals nationwide who can design efficient irrigation systems or perform efficiency audits on existing systems. To learn more, go to www.epa.gov/watersense.
Trim trees and shrubs
SNIP SNIP Proper pruning can improve the health of shrubs.
It's not all about grass. Properly pruned trees and shrubs add interest and variety to your yard. Mature ones are also pretty expensive to replace. If you're adding plantings to your lawn and garden, check your local extension for species that will thrive in your area. Think about placement as well. Planting shade trees on the south and west sides of a house, for example, can help reduce energy bills by blocking solar heat gain.
Established landscape plants rarely need to be watered. But newly planted trees and shrubs need water through their first couple of seasons. Instead of sprinklers for your lawn and garden, consider a drip irrigation systems or soaker hose, both of which put water at or near the root system. Finally, add mulch around trees and shrubs to retain moisture and minimize weeds.
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