Lawn Care By The Season

Your yard will not be the same in winter as it is in the summer, and your regular lawn care routine will determine how many blooms you get as well as how dense your grass is in the spring.
Each different season brings different lawn care needs. Simply mowing and picking up the dead leaves will not be enough to ensure a bright and healthy garden by the spring. In order to keep your yard looking its best year-round, it is important to perform regular maintenance. The most beautiful yards have generally been planned and started well in advanced of when you seem them at their peak.

Spring
Mild weather and good growing conditions mark this season in most climates. Spring is a great time for lawn care enthusiasts because it's when a lot of the action takes place. You get to plant beds of colorful flowers, see blooms burst open, and any fruit or vegetables will start to bud. While spring is the time for planting, there is still other regular maintenance that is needed. Pests can start to nest and breed, which will quickly run afoul of your garden if left untreated. It is important to give your soil and grass a thorough inspection as well. Check to the soil to see it has become too compacted. If so, it will need to be aerated. Re-seeding and fertilizing may also be necessary to fill out bald patches.

Summer
Lawn care under the hot sun isn't the best chore, but if left untreated your lawn will take a beating from the heat. Frequent watering will be necessary to keep it somewhat lush, and the best times are when the weather is still cool such as early morning or late evening. Leaving the blades longer is suggested, so cut down on the amount of cutting. Fertilizer may be useful, but use it cautiously as the heat cannot only make the odor twice as deadly, but too much can burn up the lawn. Keep weeding as needed.

Fall
This is the season that many gardens fall into neglect due to the heavy workload. Most people's lawn care routines will consist of raking, raking, and more raking. If you're stuck with a lot of leaves, make the most of it and turn it into mulch to feed your lawn. Fall is all about cleanup and prepping for the coming spring, so it is important to not fall too far behind on maintenance. Work on strengthening your lawn by using winter fertilizer and de-weeding vigorously. Keep the blades clipped short, but not too short that they lose insulation during the winter months.

Winter
If you live in a colder climate, say goodbye to your yard for a few months and be sure to leave it neat and trim. Most plants become dormant so there is no need to mow or prune. You may wish to aerate, fertilize, and reseed just before the onset of cold. Article Submission, but you may have to repeat this process in the spring as well. People living in warmer climates with no snowfall can continue to care for their garden as if it was the fall. A little bit of trimming and pulling weeds should keep it strong.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Helpful Lawn Care Tips

Creating a lawn that your neighbors will envy takes time and dedication. If you follow some very basic principles you will have a green lawn in no time. Here are some lawn care tips that will get your lawn in shape for BBQ season: Mowing
• Mow the grass at a height of 2.5-4 inches.
• Do not set your mower too low. Cutting your grass too short will not allow your lawn’s roots to grow deep. • Mowing should be done when the grass is dry. Mowing wet grass can cause disease.
• Use a high quality mower with a sharp blade.
• Sharpen the mower blades before mowing or at least once every 7-10 uses.
• Leave the clippings on the lawn. It will add nutrient as well will act as a mulch. Watering
• Apply water to keep the soil moist.
• Soak your lawn so the water penetrates the soil. Applying water to the surface makes the grass roots grow very shallow.
• Water when there is need, otherwise do not water.
• Do not over water lawns. This will cause disease, water loss, and other problems in most lawns.
• Apply water in the early morning.
• Do not water in the evening, this may create problems for the lawn. Fertilizing
• Use compost to improve the soil structure. You can apply compost at any time.
• Before seeding, mix compost and fertilizers in with the soil.
• In seeding, use a slow release fertilizer at the time of seeding. Again apply a fast release fertilizer after the seeds have germinated.
• Use commercial fertilizers which carry all the three major plant nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
• Fertilizer rates, application time and application process varies.
• There are different fertilizers available like organic, synthetic, inorganic, slow release, fast release etc. Use the appropriate fertilizer for your lawn and region.
• Tests your soil before applying fertilizers. Overseeding and Replacing Sod
• The best time for over seeding is early fall.
• Important for lawns which get more shade.
• Add compost while overseeding.
• When replacing sod, cut the affected lawn out with a spade or shovel and create a nice crisp edge before planting the new sod.
• Add fertilizer to newly replaced area.
• After installing the sod, use a soil press or roll it to get contact with the soil Aerating
• Aerate your lawn from time to time. Typically once in the fall and once in the spring.
• Keep checking I the soil to make sure it is ok.
• Use aeration to reduce compactness of soil and to remove the thatch.
• You can use mechanical and/or hand aerators. Thatching
• Try to thatch at least once per year. Thatch can stunt the growth of lawn’s and can prevent healthy growth. • Old thatch is difficult to remove.
• Use aeration to reduce thatch problems. Pest Management
• Lawn pests need to be managed with organic methods or pesticides.
• You can use mechanical method, cultural method, chemical method or biological method to control pests.
• One option is to use chemical pesticides to control pests. Make sure you read the warning labels. You may also want to look at organic options if you have children or pets.
• While using chemicals, be sure to follow the instructions.
• Follow the recommended dose to avoid toxicity to the grass. Weeding
• Weeding is very important and should be done in the fall and spring.
• Use pre-emergence and post-emergence herbicides to kill the weeds.
• Mulching helps in weed control.
• Do not apply herbicide soon after seeding or after emergence of the grass seeds. For more information visit: http://www.lawn-care-secrets.com Lawn Care Tips

Article Tags: Lawn Care Tips, Lawn Care, Care Tips

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com