Lawn Care Solutions - All about Lawn Sculptures

LAWN SCULPTURES

Choosing a lawn sculpture

Lawn sculptures can be very attractive pieces of art for your lawn. There are many different varieties of sculpture you can choose from including:
 

Water fountains
Bird baths
Statues
Figurines
Pillars
 

Of course, unless you are an artist or happen to know one, you will have to order a sculpture from a factory or lawn sculpture supply shop.

While some sculptures can be expensive, you should create a budget and not go over when shopping. You will be amazed at the variety you will have to choose from. When shopping for a sculpture, you should keep in mind the size of your lawn, the types of plants and flowers you already have, and the types you want to plant for the fall or spring weather. You should bring a picture or two of your lawn in order to have a fresh image of it in your mind.

There are many ways to decorate using sculpture:

Make it the focal point of a certain area of your lawn

Surround it with flowers and plants so that it blends with the rest of the lawn

Group one or two sculptures together

Place bird baths and fountains in shaded areas

Use smaller sculptures near driveways and walkways

Vary the use of colored sculptures and concrete sculptures

Lawn Sculpture Maintenance

Caring for your lawn sculptures will depend on the materials they are made from. Lawn sculptures can be made of the following:
 

Stone
Concrete
Metal
Plastic
Wood
 

If choosing sculptures that will need to be stored away during the winter, you should be able to lift them easily or be able to cover them. Otherwise they may be ruined.

During the wintertime, you should look at your sculptures to see if there are any cracks or broken pieces caused by the rain or the snow.

While most lawn sculptures should adopt a certain ‘weathered look’, they should not be falling apart on your property.

Plastic and metal sculptures are usually the easiest to clean because they can be wiped off after a rain storm. Other sculptures will need extra care.

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 Mowing - An Important Component of Total Lawn Care

Mowing lawn is perhaps one of the most important aspects of lawn care. Proper mowing will keep your lawn healthy and green.

When you mow, you are actually clipping off the growing point of the grasses. This is the part where new leaves develop. When this happen, the grasses will branch out and fight for every available space to grow. This will eventually lead to a dense, tightly woven turf.

Mowing is a lawn care process that needs proper knowledge to accomplish. It is not just about cutting off the extra height of the grass.

First you need to understand what type of grass you have in your lawn. In general, there are two types of grasses used for establishing lawn. One is warm season grass and the other is cool season grass. As their names implied, each type of grass prospers under different climate condition.

Each grass type has a specific height that is the optimum for it to be mowed. If you mow that type of grass to the specific height, it would grow healthily and look better. In addition, mowing at the correct height also means that the grass has sufficient leave left for it to absorb water and nutrients. Many lawn care experts believe that the depth of the root system of the lawn grass is directly proportional to the height of mowing. This means that the higher you mow your lawn, the deeper would be the root system of your lawn grass. It also translates into getting more water for your grass and making less effort in watering your lawn.

For cool season grasses such as Fescue, Bluegrass and Ryegrass. they should be mowed at a range of two and a half to three and a half inches of height. Fescue is generally mowed to about three inches in height while Bluegrass should not mowed at less than two and a half inches in height.

For warm season grasses, they can be mowed at a low height as provided by most of the home owned mowers. Some examples of warm season grass include Bermuda, Zoysia and Centipede. If you planning to mow these grasses in your lawn, you can try to mow them at about one inch. You should have a smooth grade or else it would not look good.

Lawn mowing helps in keeping the grass alive and makes roots grow deeper. Mowing lawns at a proper height also makes it look better. One of the biggest advantages of mowing lawns is that it saves water and this in turn will save your money and time that could have been spent in watering your lawn.

Jack Greenwood is the webmaster of GreenLawnCareTips.com which provide information on lawn care and mowing. Sign up for your free 7-part Green Lawn Care mini course at http://greenlawncaretips.com today.

Lawn Care - Decorating your Lawn with Shrubs

Shrubs

When most people think of shrubs, they think of green bushes or low lying plants. But there are many different kinds of shrubs. Some of the most common include:
 

Forsythia
Lilac
Rhodendrons
Mountain Laurel
 

These shrubs are very colorful, yet hearty. They will add color and variety to your lawn, and create a contrast between the grass and flowers to create a harmonious and pleasing aspect.

When planting shrubs, you should prepare the area as you would a flower bed. You will be buying small shrubs that will grow over time. Planting is the same as for flowers. Make sure you are packing the soil firmly. For certain types of shrubs, you may need to add fertilizers and nutrients to the soil.

When deciding where to place your shrubs, you should keep them close to your house, near a pile of rocks, or group them together. Lone shrubs make look out of place on the lawn.

Shrubs are used to accent existing plants, trees, and rocks on the lawn. Use them for that extra burst of color.

As with planting any type of greenery, you should properly prepare the soil first. This will reduce your weed population, allow the new plants to adapt to their new surroundings, and will also give your lawn a clean, polished look.

Planting trees and shrubs will add a lot to your lawn. It will complete the look you are going for and will establish your property as a growing lawn. You will be very pleased with the results.

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 Weed Control - Don't Let Weeds Take Over Your Lawn

How quickly weeds appear

A weed is a plant that grows where it is not wanted. Keeping a lawn free from weeds is nearly impossible as their seeds are very quick to germinate and only need to be within an inch of the soil surface to be able to sprout. Once they have sprouted, it doesn't take long for them to appear.

The key to weed control is to make sure you stay ahead of them. If your garden is neglected, even for a couple of weeks, it could quickly become overrun with weeds.

How to keep weeds away

A weed is just like any other plant that requires nutrients, except they compete with other plants to get the nutrients they need. A way of keeping your lawn free from weeds is to focus on how to make your lawn grow healthier.

The key things to having a strong and healthy lawn are, proper watering, sufficient nutrients and regular aeration. A healthy, strong lawn will become an unhealthy habitat for weeds. It will then be able to fight off the weeds and pests that try and take over.

What to do once they appear

Weeding is an ongoing process but once you have a healthy lawn, weeding shouldn't take much of your time at all. When they appear, the way to keeping your lawn free from weeds is to simply dig or pull them up as you see them appearing and your lawn will be kept weed free with the minimum of effort. A little weeding here and there is far better than a whole weekend's worth of work.

Use of chemicals to fight weeds

Daisy is a weed that can stand close mowing and still flower. It spreads by seed so it will be able to cover anywhere quite quickly. They are however susceptible to weed killers and you would only need to use one application to kill them.

Dandelion is a perennial weed that has large rosettes and bright yellow flowers. It can stand close mowing so the best control method is to pour salt on to the center of the weed, which will kill it overnight and then remove it by hand with removing the long tap root.

Always be careful when using any kind of chemical. Most chemicals that are used are for keeping your lawn free from weeds. However, they can also be used in flower beds but do not use chemicals until the existing plants and flowers have matured to at least four or five inches in height.

The use of herbicides should be used as a last resort. When applying any type of chemical or herbicides, make sure you have the correct weather conditions, as the slightest breeze can carry the chemical onto your plants and flowers and kill them. When spraying weeds, the nozzle should be kept close to the ground and sprayed directly onto the weed itself.

A beautiful lawn requires regular care, including the time to keep the lawn free from weeds. A little bit of time spent controlling weeds each week is much easier and more successful than trying to get rid of the weeds once they have taken over.

Carol Stack enjoys writing articles. She lives with her husband and three children in the United States. They have a large yard that they are constantly working on to make more beautiful. Her website, http://www.freegardentips.info covers lawn care, organic gardening, landscaping and more.

Top Ten Lawn Diseases and Proper Lawn Care

Most lawn diseases are cause by fungus. Although fungus is present in all lawns stress will cause a sudden fungal growth. Poor lawn care and extreme weather changes can cause fungus to multiply and destroy your lawn. Treat this lawn disease with fungicide. Check with your local nursery for the appropriate fungicide to use on your diseased lawn.

Fungus can appear in all different climates and can take on a myriad of different characteristics. From greasy to dry, yellow to black, dots to stripes, fungus appears in all shapes and sizes. Here are a list of the top 10, how to recognize them and how to prevent their recurrence.

1)Dollar spot – Your lawn will have light brown or tan spots the size of silver dollars. To get rid of this lawn disease feed your sod in the spring and fall. Apply light nitrogen frequently and be sure to remove and destroy infected grass clippings.

2)Red thread – This lawn disease looks like areas of pink grass. You can actually see red or rust colored threads on the grass. This lawn disease loves cool humid climates. For proper lawn care fertilize in spring and fall. Add lime as needed, improve drainage and remove all infected grass clippings.

3)Brown patch – Round brown areas characterize this lawn disease. The grass will first look water logged and then brown and dry. To combat this lawn disease use slow release nitrogen fertilizer in the spring. Be sure to improve drainage and remove all infected grass clipping.

4)Powdery mildew – This lawn disease makes the grass blades look white or gray. The blades may turn yellow and wilt. This lawn disease likes to attack new grass. The correct lawn care in this case is to remove causes of excess shade, aerate your lawn and be sure not to over water or over fertilize.

5)Rust – The grass blades will develop rust bubbles. To get rid of this lawn disease mow your lawn weekly and destroy all infected clippings. Be sure to feed, water and fertilize regularly.

6)Pythium blight (Cottony blight) – The grass looks greasy in areas with the affected outer areas black with white or gray mildew. For the appropriate lawn care for this lawn disease aerate your lawn. Do not over fertilize or over water the diseased area. You also want to reduce nitrogen applications.

7)Snow Mold – You will see white or pink spots on your lawn in spring. To prevent this lawn disease cut your grass short in fall and do not remove the clippings. Do not fertilize your lawn after mid summer and improve your drainage.

8)Fusarium blight – This lawn disease is characterized by red-brown rings with healthy grass in the center. This lawn disease tends to strike during drought. The appropriate lawn care in this situation is to water you lawn frequently and reseed affected areas with disease resistant seeds.

9)Stripe smut – Grass blades appear to be striped when this lawn disease strikes. The strips open into black powder like areas and the grass may wilt. Lawn care to combat this lawn disease begins with aeration. Be sure not to over water the area and remove all infected thatch.

10)Slime molds – Slimy patches in white, gray, or yellow will be seen on your lawn when this lawn disease strikes. When the slime dries it looks gray, yellow or black. Aerate regularly and remove any thatch. Cut your grass to the lowest recommended height possible.

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8 Common Fire Hazards In Your Home - Which Ones Could Be Stopped Using A Home Fire Sprinkler?

Over 80% of fire related deaths happen in the home and in a home without a fire sprinkler system, these fires can take over a house before you have time to do anything about it. Here are eight of the quickest and easiest ways you can reduce your house to a pile of ash-without even being aware of it.

1.Walk away from something cooking in the kitchen: The kitchen is often the most fire-prone room in the house. Unattended toasters & hotplates, dishes that are not microwave proof, cookbooks near naked gas flames are common causes of fires.

2.Let your electrical cords get worn out: Frayed or chewed electrical cords start many house fires. Exposed electrical wires will light your floor or rug on fire in no time. Pets often chew on electrical cords as well, causing serious fire hazards.

3.Overload your power strips: Overloaded power strips can also cause fire. When overloaded, they can spark. If they're anywhere near anything flammable-and in most homes they are-a fire is very likely.

4.Buy a malfunctioning electrical appliance: Malfunctioning electrical appliances are a big source of fire. Most of us own more than a few electrical gadgets, all of which can malfunction at any time. Sparks from faulty toasters, coffee makers, televisions, computer monitors, or any electrical appliance you could name can cause serious fires.

5.Put something flammable near something hot: Getting anything flammable near a source of heat is a quick way to start a fire. Some dangerous examples include lamp shades that rest too close to the bulb, clothes or curtains too close to a radiator, or any flammable material close to a space heater.

6.Leave a candle unattended-just for a minute: Candles cause hundreds of fires every year. Even with a safe holder, candles should never be left unattended. It only takes a minute for a pet or child to knock a candle over-or just nudge it too close to flammable material.

7.Use a fireplace or wood stove incorrectly: Fireplaces and wood stoves can be fire hazards when not properly used. Make sure your chimney is clear and clean before burning anything. Never throw away ashes that aren't 100% cool-even the tiniest smoldering coal could easily start a fire in your trash bin.

8.Leave burning cigarettes unattended: Cigarettes are a huge fire hazard. Smoking in bed, leaving a pipe or cigarette unattended, and emptying ashtray contents before they are cold cause hundreds of fires each year.

Once started, a fire can rage out of control in minutes. Many people don't realize how quickly a fire can spread. But a small fire can become a large one in the time it takes you to read this sentence. A fire sprinkler is activated the moment a fire starts - extinguishing the fire out before it gets out of control.

Alan Price is the Managing Director of one of the UK’s leading Fire Sprinkler Installation Companies, Southern Fire Security Ltd. Alan’s advice is regularly sought out by local councils, architects and developers when they face challenging fire sprinkler system design and installation questions. Alan is currently the on the board of The British Fire Consortium Sprinkler Association. He is also the founder of the leading site on the web for people looking for Fire Sprinkler System Information - http://www.FireSprinklerSystemsInfo.com Receive Your Complimentary Copy Of The ‘Fire Sprinklers For Life’ Special Report at :http://www.firesprinklersystemsinfo.com/report.htm