(ARA) – As Mother Nature adorns the trees in your yard with riotous reds, vibrant yellows and exotic oranges, you can easily get swept up in the romance of the season – until those leaves turn brown, drop from the branches and litter your lawn. Then you start to think of the hours of backbreaking raking work ahead of you.

This autumn, why not try working with Mother Nature by mulching those leaves instead of raking, bagging and condemning them to a landfill?

Leaf mulching is a time-saving, environmentally friendly way to deal with fallen leaves. Plus, if you live in a community that has cut back on collection services due to the economy, mulching can solve your dilemma of what to do with the leaves littering your lawn.

“It doesn’t make sense to rake leaves and bag them, just to have them end up decomposing in a landfill,” says Dr. Phil Dwyer, senior scientist at The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. “Leaf mulching recycles a natural resource and enriches the soil of your lawn for free.”

In fact, turf benefits by receiving more nutrients when you mulch fall leaves back into the lawn instead of raking them, according to a study by Michigan State University turfgrass researcher Thom Nikolai and ScottsMiracle-Gro scientists. Recycling fallen leaves saves time and money, adds nutrients to the soil, speeds spring greening and reduces weeds.

Here’s how to recycle this fall’s crop of fallen leaves:

* Remove the grass catcher from your lawn mower. Mow over the leaves on your lawn. Repeat until they are reduced to dime-sized pieces.

* Mow until you see about half an inch of grass through the mulched leaf layer.

Any kind of rotary-action mower will do the job, and all kinds of leaves can be mulched. Throughout the season, you can chop up to 18 inches total of leaf clutter with several passes of the mower. Having a somewhat thick layer of mulched leaves is okay as long as you can still see the green grass blades poking through. As leaf bits settle into the ground, microbes and worms get to work recycling them.

Once you’ve enriched your soil with leaf mulching, don’t forget that fall is the best time to feed and seed your lawn. A few simple steps can help ensure that your lawn will be strong next season and beyond:

* After mulching, feed your lawn with Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard fall lawn fertilizer to help build strong, deep roots for a better foundation and a more robust lawn next year. The nitrogen in the fertilizer will also help the mulched leaves decompose faster. Be sure to sweep excess fertilizer off hard surfaces like driveways and sidewalks.

* After feeding, spread seed where needed. To reseed your bare spots, dig up bare areas, mix in compost, sow your seeds and cover with more compost. If the weather is dry, keep the seeded soil moist until new grass begins to grow. Seeding autumn bare spots will thicken the lawn and make it more resistant to future bare spots.

To learn more about leaf mulching and autumn lawn care, visit www.scotts.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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3. Avoiding the ‘Rakes and Pains’ of Autumn Yard Work

Avoiding the 'Rakes and Pains' of Autumn Yard Work

As the leaves turn different colors and the weather becomes cooler, many Americans begin to engage in outdoor cleanup. Consider the number of Americans injured in yard work accidents every autumn and you may begin to suspect that “fall” is actually short for “pitfall.” Fall, it seems, is becoming the season for back injuries, tumbles from ladders and lawn mower accidents.

“Approximately 42 million people seek emergency room treatment for injuries each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” says Brett Taylor, MD, spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). “Many of these injuries can happen while performing seemingly routine tasks, like autumn yard work.”

The AAOS offers a few simple tips to avoid common autumn injuries while in the yard:

Rakes and Pains

Brightly colored fallen leaves are one of the charms of autumn, but raking them also sends thousands of people to emergency rooms each year. Raking is vigorous exercise, and you should pay close attention to your arms and back to avoid injury.

To prevent injury from raking, be sure to:

* Warm up for at least 10 minutes with some stretching and light exercise.

* Use a rake that is comfortable for your height and strength. Wear gloves or use rakes with padded handles to prevent blisters.

* Keep your vision free of impediment, like hats or scarves and beware of large rocks, low branches, tree stumps or uneven surfaces.

* Vary your movement, alternating your leg and arm positions often. When picking up leaves, bend at the knees, not the waist.

* Wet leaves can be slippery; wear shoes or boots with slip-resistant soles.

* Do not overfill leaf bags, especially if the leaves are wet. To avoid back injury, you should be able to carry bags comfortably.

* Never throw leaves over your shoulder or to the side. The twisting motion required to do so places undue stress on your back.

Clean up that Lawn

It will soon be time to store the mower until spring, but chances are you will mow the grass a few more times before the snow falls. Or, you may use it to collect leaves or and lawn clippings. You may love your lawnmower, but keep in mind it is a powerful tool – one that can cause significant injury. In 2007, more than 225,000 people were injured by power, manual and riding lawn mowers, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

To avoid lawnmower-related injuries be sure to:

* Make sure the engine is off and cool before you begin any maintenance work or refuel your lawnmower.

* Never use your hands or feet to clear debris from under a lawnmower. Use a stick or broom handle instead. Likewise, never touch the blades with your hands or feet, even if the engine is off. The blade can still move and cause serious injury.

* Never remove safety devices, shields or guards on switches.

* Do not leave a lawnmower running unattended.

* Wear protective gear like goggles and gloves, boots and long pants when mowing. Never mow barefoot or in sandals.

* Do not consume alcoholic beverages and mow.

Ladder Safety

Autumn is a great time to clear out gutters, check roof integrity and wash windows. More than 532,000 people were injured in falls from ladders in 2007, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

To stay safe on a ladder:

* Inspect the ladder for loose screws, hinges or rungs. Clean off accumulated mud, dirt or liquids.

* Make sure all four legs rest on a firm, level surface. Avoid uneven ground or soft, muddy spots.

* Before you climb, be sure all ladder locks and safety braces are engaged.

* Never sit or stand on the top of the ladder or on its pail shelf. These areas were not designed to carry your weight.

* Choose the right ladder for the job. A step stool or utility ladder is good for working at low or medium heights, for jobs such as washing windows. Extension ladders are appropriate for outdoors to reach high places, for when you need to clean gutters or inspect the roof.

* Be aware of your balance. Be careful when moving items off a shelf while you’re standing on a ladder. If you have to stretch or lean to reach your work area, it would be safer to climb down and reposition the ladder closer to your work.

For more lawnmower or ladder safety tips, visit the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeon’s Web site at www.orthoinfo.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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It is just a horrible thing to see and many people just give up without a fight when it comes to deciding between a nice lawn or a happy dog. Still, there are a few things that you can do to keep your lawn healthy and happy the whole time you have a dog or three running around.

First things first, don’t get too down on your dog if he starts destroying your lawn. Things happen and usually it is the owners fault more than the canines. Now that we have that figured out, lets get to the lawn.

One of the biggest complaints that pet owner’s have about dogs and lawns are the burn spots caused by their urine. Now, this isn’t a blog for pets but since some landscapers either have pets or know people that need help with those burn spots, I thought I would take a minute to talk about ways to get rid of those problem spots on your grass.

First, the damage done to a lawn isn’t caused by the actual urine but is in fact caused by the nitrogen that is found in the urine. Have you ever noticed that there are more burns when a person owns a female dog and less with males? This is often because a female will empty her bladder in one spot while a male will distribute it around a space (marking). The amount of nitrogen is spread out and it doesn’t affect a yard as much.

If you prefer to not worry about the grass at all, the best option for you is to add into your landscape plans, an area of gravel or mulch where the dog can go to the washroom. This is actually one of the easiest ways to alleviate the problem of burnt grass but make sure that you avoid using that particular gravel or mulch in your flower beds since the dog may have difficulty differentiating between the two areas.

If you want nice beautiful grass, one of the most inexpensive options is to go outside with your dog and pour a bucket of water on the spot where your dog has urinated. This gets rid of the nitrogen and you should be able to avoid the yellowing stains in your yard.

Since not everyone has time to get out there and pour buckets of water, there are several products available for both pets and lawns. I’m not sure how I feel about feeding pets pills to cut down on the Ph level in their urine but I know that many pet owners have begun to use them. If pills aren’t the way you want to go, you can always go with a treatment for your lawn, such as Pet Peeve, which is an organic treatment that should prevent yellow spots as well as correct burns that have already occurred.

Whatever your choice for dealing with unsightly grass stains, rest assured in knowing that pets and green grass can now be enjoyed by all.

Sirena Van Schaik

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When it was time to take the pool down, we were left with that horrible brown spot in the middle of our lawn (okay, not quite the middle because I had it off to the side). Still, the lawn looks awful and there is very little that I can do to fix it now.

Next year, however, I can ensure that my lawn comes back as green as the rest by just following a few simple steps.

1. Find a grass seed that is similar to the grass in your yard. It doesn’t have to be the same seed, something that can be hard to find if you didn’t lay the original sod, but there are many varieties that will blend in.
2. Before you apply the grass seed, get the space ready. Just like when you are aerating the yard, prick the soil with a rake or a fork. Don’t go too deep since this is just a brick and not a full aeration.
3. As you work, remove any weeds, no sense leaving them there to choke the seeds you are putting down.
4. Take a steel head rake and level the surface that is bald or brown. The rake will create a small furrows for your grass seed.
5. Apply a thin layer of compost (about an inch) if you are not working with a bald space. You can also use a starter soil. Use the rake to create the small furrows.
6. Add the grass seed across the space. Make sure it covers well.
7. Take the rake and lightly draw it across the area in right angles. This will cover the furrows with a thin layer of the soil or compost.
8. Finish off by stretching black cotton thread over the area and tying the thread down with some stakes. This will keep the birds from eating all the seeds.
9. Finally, water and continue to water.

One final point to mention about repairing your lawn is to repair in October or early November at the latest. If it is too hot or dry, your grass seeds are not going to have a chance to grow and you will have wasted both the time and money it took to apply the seed.

All the best and goodluck with that green lawn.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Sure, maybe I just expect perfection but it often seems that people either forget the edging or the edging is so wide that they need a bridge just to step across it. (Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit but just the other week, I almost sprained my ankle when I slipped into someone’s attempt at edging.)

Making a neat edge, doesn’t have to be that hard. In fact it is rather simple and all it takes is the right tools.

For any type of edging, you will want to have a pair of sheers. You can use regular sheers but considering the size of some lawns, it is better to have a long handled pair of sheers or a mechanical edge trimmer.

Many people believe that for a neat edge, there has to be an actual gap of an inch or two between the flagstone (or sidewalk) and the lawn. This isn’t necessary at all and can actually lead to soil erosion, something you do not want to deal with. Instead of digging out an edge, simply run your sheers or edge trimmer along the grass where it meets the pavement. This will clip the grass back and you won’t have any creeping out of the lawn. The edge is neat and the soil erosion is nil.

If you are dealing with edging along a planter, then chances are you will need to have a spade or an edging tool. This is where you can dig out an edge but keep the dig about a half inch to an inch wide. Any deeper and you are building channels not edges. Remember that this type of edging does cause soil erosion so there will be times when you need to build up the soil again.

Lastly, if you don’t want to deal with edging tools and spades, simply plan your flower beds around flagstone by having the flagstone work as a divider between the flower beds and the lawn. This way, all you will ever need is your sheers and your lawn will always have a neat edge.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Surprisingly, the easy grass seed that they market in stores, really isn’t that easy and it takes a lot of work to get your lawn looking amazing.  A lot of times, that beautiful lawn can take even more work than your beautiful gardens but the end result is definitely worth the effort.

To have a beautiful lawn, there are a few tips that you should follow.

1. Scarifying:  Okay, this actually sounds like you are going to damage your lawn but in actuality scarifying is a way to reduce the debris that is growing on your lawn.  You know the stuff, the hard dead grass, the horrible moss, and those awful worm casts.  You may not even notice them but they are there and they are not doing your lawn any good.  The frequency that you scarify your lawn really depends on the overall appearance that you are looking for and the quality of the soil.  A well aerated soil won’t need to be scarified as often as one that isn’t.  When you are scarifying your lawn you should use a plastic lawn rake or a spring-tine rake.  Take the rake and carefully rake your lawn in only one direction such as from right to left.  Gather up the moss and other debris as you work so you are not unintentionally spreading it.  Once you have raked the area, rake it again only this time work at a right angle.  Again gather up the debris as you go along.  Repeat this once or twice a month during the summer and before you fertilize your lawn in the fall.
2. Fertilizing:  Since I already mentioned fertilizers, I will just cover it briefly.  You should fertilize your lawn several times per year.  The important fertilizing times are late spring and in the fall.  There are special fertilizers for autumn and it is important that you use those.  In the spring and summer, you can use your regular fertilizer and it is important that you follow the directions on your fertilizer of choice so you have the desired outcome.
3. Watering:  Every garden and lawn needs to be watered so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I mentioned it here.  The amount of watering that you do is completely a personal choice and don’t feel that you need to water your lawn on a daily basis.  In fact, to conserve water, I would only recommend watering your lawn if you absolutely must water it.  Generally, most lawns will bounce back after a rain fall so there is no reason to worry.  If you do water your lawn, try to use a gentle sprinkler since it is soaked up by the ground much easier than water that is sprayed harshly onto it.
4. Weeding:  I hate this most of all, especially when dandelions take over a yard but it is a necessary task to keeping your lawn as beautiful as possible.  If you prefer an organic approach (something that I prefer), I would suggest purchasing a dandelion grubber to remove any of those stubborn weeds. If you use weed killers, make sure you follow directions and warnings.  Also be aware of your city’s bylaws concerning weed killers.  Many cities are banning the use of pesticides and herbicides so it is important to know if your city allows the use of these products before you use them.
5. Aerating:  This is the last tip that I offer for having that perfect lawn.  You will need to aerate your lawn, usually in the fall, and the easiest way to do this is to use a garden fork.  Simply push the tines into the earth and pull back slightly to allow a raise in the turf.  The depth of the holes should be about 3 inches and you should repeat this every 6 inches apart over your entire lawn.  If you prefer, you can purchase tools for aerating your lawn but the fork works perfectly and is fairly inexpensive.

So, hopefully, these tips will lead to a very green lawn.

Sirena Van Schaik

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One of the most common difficulties in proper lawn care is how much and when to apply either of these. To overcome those problems, though, is relatively simple.

If you live in an area where there is regular, ample rainfall during the non-winter months, there is little you can or need to do. It’s impractical to try to control the amount of rainwater a lawn receives, in most cases. The only important and possible step you can take is to ensure there is adequate drainage. Make sure that any spots in your lawn where excessive water can collect have a drain.

That drain can take any of several forms. You can have a literal drain – a grate-covered pipe that is kept free of leaves and dirt. That will allow excess water to flow out to the street or into a pond or other area. That can be helpful even if sprinklers are your primary source of water for the lawn.

Other drain styles are possible, and sometimes preferable. If, for example, you have a very large yard – say, one that is part of a large rural property – but have areas where water collects, a shallow ditch is often good enough. That can be made more attractive and functional by lining it with small pebbles.

The ideal solution in all cases is to have a yard design – best implemented when the house is first constructed, whenever possible – that slopes away from the house continuously. That keeps water from building up near the house – which protects your home foundation and basement.

It also is good for the lawn, since water will flow more or less evenly over the entire surface. It will then drain off the lawn into side areas. Those side areas could be partly garden, which makes watering the garden less of a problem. Or it may simply go off into rocks or the street.

When you don’t get sufficient rainfall a sprinkler system is, of course, the easiest solution to supplying water. In warm climates, during Spring and Summer, 15 minutes per day is usually best – but not necessarily every day.

If you live in truly hot areas, 15 minutes per day every day is good. If you live in a more moderate climate, 15 minutes per day every other day or less often is preferable. Automatic sprinkler systems that allow you to set the length and days of watering are the easiest solution of all.

Some even allow you to set different days of watering for up to two weeks. Then you can water on Monday one week, but Tuesday the next. Absolute regularity isn’t necessarily the best thing for your lawn.

Water very early in the morning when possible, not the evening. This avoids having water on the lawn overnight where it contributes to the growth of harmful plant and insect life.

Avoid watering in the middle of a hot day. Even though it looks as if the lawn could use it, it causes the grass leaf pores to open (when it is trying to conserve water) by cooling it down. This leads to it evaporating even more water than it absorbs, counteracting your intention. In some cases, it can lead to burning when water droplets focus sunlight onto the grass leaf.

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These two work together to give your lawn everything it needs from you. The rest it gets for itself. Even these, of course, may be supplied in other forms or from other sources, depending on the soil and climate.

One of the most common difficulties in proper lawn care is how much and when to apply either of these. To overcome those problems, though, is relatively simple.

Scotts and other commercial fertilizer makers have special preparations, with directions that show you how and when to apply the contents. Following the directions is about the simplest method for application.

Take care, though, to factor in specifics about your circumstances. Be sure to check the weather forecast for the upcoming 48 hours after the day you plan to apply. Some mixtures work best if they’ve been leached into the soil by a couple of hours of light rain or 15 minutes of sprinkler watering. Others will be washed away or diluted by that.

Applying the Spring fertilizer is best done as early as possible in the season. Clearly, if you live in an area where snow is still on the ground in May, you can’t properly apply the compound with a spreader. But getting it down as early as possible has several benefits.

New seeds laid down the previous Fall will be starting to germinate. Giving them that additional assistance early will help them gain the most advantage over competing plants like crabgrass or weeds. Feeding early also helps when the mixture contains (as it frequently does) compounds which help fight lawn insects.

Japanese Beetle grubs and other insects destroy lawns. Most of them do this by feeding on the roots as the young shoots are sprouting when the insects are still in the larvae stage. Once they’ve begun that process, if not stopped right away, your lawn in that area is dead for at least that year.

Rarely will you be successful even replanting the same year, since the damage doesn’t usually show up until later in the Spring or early Summer. By that time, the infestation is advanced. Sometimes it will take two or three years for the lawn to fully recover. Head the problem off by laying down grub-killing fertilizer before you even know you have a problem. These are sometimes called pre-emergent herbicides.

Fertilizers can be overdone, though, so exercise caution. Applying them too frequently or during hot weather can burn your lawn. Most contain the proper amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and other elements to help Spring blooming grass. But in areas where the soil is already amply supplied, the grass gets too much. Like any living thing, getting too much of an element is often as bad as getting too little.

Be sure to measure and factor in pH – the degree of acidity or alkalinity of your lawn. Lawns like a neutral pH, like that of water. Too acid and you’ll have moss and other grass-crowding growth. Too alkaline and salts get concentrated and water absorption altered.

Keep to a regular fertilizing schedule with an adjustable spreader and your lawn will be green and weeds and insects will be minimized.

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Lawn care is often the most basic of landscaping chores. Taking care of the yard is practically an American institution. There is much pride in ensuring that you have a healthy and beautiful lawn. Additionally, it is satisfying to know that you can take care of your lawn on your own for much less than paying someone else to do it. Plus, you get that sense of satisfaction knowing that you did a great job on your lawn. But in order to have a great looking home landscape, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding lawn care basics. But once you have the basics down, and if you keep with them, there is no stopping you from having a great looking lawn.

Before you do anything, like mowing, you need to make sure that you clean the lawn. This means raking up leaves and debris, and clearing the area of unwanted brush. If you are looking to have a level lawn, getting rid of bumps and or dips, there are some things that you can do. To get rid of little valleys, you can fill the holes with topsoil and then add grass seed. Bumps can be removed by using a garden spade to cut an X in the raised area. Peel back the sod and then remove the soil as needed before replacing the sod. By cleaning and leveling your yard, you will make it easier to mow the lawn, and your yard will have a pleasing uniformity of appearance.

Mowing the grass should be done regularly. Depending on where you live, and how fast your grass grows, this may need to be done once every week or once every other week. You should adjust the lawn mower blade so that it does not cut off more than one third of the grass’s height. The surface area of each blade of grass is important in sustaining the health of the lawn. If the grass is cut to short, an environment especially conducive to disease is created, and this can result in a rather unhealthy lawn.

One of the essentials of lawn care is making sure that you do not have too much soil compaction. Over time, your soil will become compacted and harder beneath the grass. This begins to cause problems like moisture penetration and grass root restriction. Aeration makes it possible for your soil to “breathe” a little easier. There are two types of aeration. One is the kind called “plugging,” where a special device removes clumps of soil, about the size of a finger, from out of the ground. The other kind simply punches holes into the soil. The point, however, is that this allows water seep down better (preventing erosion and drying out), as well as providing room for helpful organisms like earthworms to live. It is usually possible to rent an aerator if you do not wish to buy one. It is good to aerate about once every year or two.

Fertilizer can help your lawn grow as well. While it is not strictly necessary, and while it is possible to grow a healthy and attractive lawn without the aid of fertilizers, many people find them very helpful. It is important not to apply too much, however, as this can result in the death of your lawn, and also can result in harm to the environment as the excess fertilizer is washed away. Fertilizers usually come in liquid or granular form. Liquid fertilizers act fast and require application every two to three weeks. They can be applied with a hose-end sprayer or by using a watering can. Granules are dry and require that you water the lawn immediately after their application. You most often use hand spreaders or mechanical spreaders to disburse these types of fertilizers. They can last eight to twelve weeks.

When you use fertilizer, you should be aware that it might be harmful to let your children play on the lawn for a few days. You need to make sure that the fertilizer has been absorbed below the surface before allowing yourself or others to play on the grass. Many conscientious landscapers find that they do not need fertilizers to create a successful lawn.

 

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