Protect Your Lawn With The Proper Lawn Care Equipment

As any homeowner will tell you, the upkeep of the perfect lawn can be a meticulous and time-consuming job requiring many hours of dedication and around-the-year care. For some, who do not have the time or skills needed to maintain a healthy lawn, professional lawn care services are appropriate and worth the money.

But for others, who are insistent upon do-it-yourself yard work or enjoy the hours spent outdoors, the accumulation of lawn care equipment helps them do the job right. And while some may be pricey investments up front, their worth reveals itself in a lovingly tended lawn that is healthy and beautiful. Further, while the price may be high in the beginning, lawn care equipment eventually pays for itself, saving homeowners the expensive – and ongoing – fees paid to professional lawn care services.

One piece of lawn care equipment that is essential to maintaining a healthy and thriving lawn is a reliable lawn mower that will allow you to cut your lawn to your precise height specifications. Any home improvement retail store will likely carry a full line of professional style lawn mowers; make a choice based upon the size of your lawn and features you most require. With larger lawns, a riding lawn mower can be well worth the investment, but if mowing your lawn is also your form of exercise then go ahead and push away!

Another essential piece of lawn care equipment is the tool used to properly aerate a lawn. Experts agree that the frequent aeration of lawns – the upturning of soil – allows the lawn to breath – giving it room to receive plenty of sunlight and water. Compacted soil becomes the consistency of cement and the roots of the grass are literally strangled beneath it. Subsequently, aeration is an important process for lawn care.

Rain can not always be relied upon to provide adequate hydration. Therefore you should always include a standard garden hose – or sprinkler system – as part of your lawn care equipment. In drier times, be sure to give your lawn frequent and ample watering.

For easier seeding and fertilizing in the fall, an important piece of lawn care equipment is a spreader; a simple push device that allows you to evenly distribute appropriate nutrients to your lawn.

The expanse of lawn care equipment is considerable. Speak with a professional at your local home and garden store to narrow down the choices of the most appropriate equipment for your needs.

For easy to understand, in depth information about Lawn Care Equipment visit our ezGuide 2 Lawn Care.

Lawn Care Solutions - The Right Way to Mow Your Lawn!

Lawn Mowers

The way you mow your lawn could mean the difference between a healthy lawn and a very healthy lawn. Most people are not thrilled when they have to mow the lawn or weed it. But these are important lawn maintenance tasks that have to be done.

The first step to mowing the lawn is to buy the right lawn mower. There are many different kinds on the market today.

Push mower -These are probably the oldest lawn mowers in existence, but they are very effective for smaller lawns. You will get no special perks from this mower. With some updated mower, you may be able to change the blade height, but that’s about it.

All you have to do is manually push the mower over the lawn and it will cut the grass. It is important to make sure the grass is dry or it will get caught in the blade and you will have to remove it.

The clippings will fall on the lawn.

You can grab a bag and rake them up, or you can let them decompose and feed your lawn. It’s your choice.

Electric mower - An electric mower is a little easier to use because it is powers by electricity. This means that you will be able to cut your lawn faster than with a push mower. Older electric mowers have a power cord that you will have to plug in order to use. These mowers can be dangerous if you do not remember to look after the cord.

As with the push mower, you will have to clean up the clippings or leave them on your lawn.

Electric cordless mower - These mowers do not have cords which make them much easier to use and do not require you to find an outlet on both sides of the house. Electric cordless mowers also come with a bag that will store lawn clippings. When the bag is full, you will have to empty it. These mowers run on a battery that can be charged easily when not in use.

These mowers can also be used without the bag if you would rather let the lawn clippings fertilize your lawn.

Ride-on mower - For larger lawns, a ride-on mower will help you not run out of energy to complete other tasks around the yard once the mowing is complete.

These mowers have bags that will catch lawn clippings.

Mulching mower - If you want to use your lawn clippings, but do not like the site of them, you should look into investing in a mulching mower. These mowers will ground up lawn clippings so they are not as visible as regular clippings.

How to Mow

Regardless of which lawn mower you purchase, you should learn how to mow the lawn correctly so that you do not do unnecessary damage. You should consider following these tips:

You should mow your lawn when the grass is dry and is about three inches in length. If you mow any sooner, you may end up killing the grass. You will then have to reseed and start all over again. If you don’t want to walk outside each weekend and measure your lawn, you should mow about twice a month or every other weekend during the summertime.

Each time you mow your lawn, you should begin in a different direction. If you mow in the same direction each time, you will end up creating ruts in your lawn. These ruts could destroy your lawn and also make it look run down and unkempt.

Even if you do not want lawn clippings, and have not purchased a mulching mower, maybe you could compromise and only pick up lawn clippings once a month instead of twice. Full of nutrients, lawn clippings will make your lawn healthier.

Mowing the lawn is not difficult, but it should be done correctly so that you can get the most from your lawn during the spring and summer months. The nutrients you feed your lawn during this time will keep your lawn healthy for the entire year. While mowing too much can be a problem, so can not mowing enough. Long grass can cause shorter pieces to not get enough sunlight.

Mow your lawn consistently and you will enjoy a lush lawn all season long. Fertilize it with fertilizers, mulch, compost, and lawn clippings to keep that green alive all year long.

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 Care - Decorating your Lawn with Trees

TREES

What lawn is complete without trees and shrubs? They add color, character, and a sense of history all year long. By planting the right trees and shrubs, you can enjoy different trees each season.

Trees

When deciding where to plant young trees you should:

Decide which older trees will be staying and which ones will not Choose the right areas for the trees Try to incorporate shrubs into the landscape Decide where you want or need the shade Group trees when necessary

Planting the trees and shrubs is easier than deciding where they should go in many cases. You will have to be aware of your surroundings. Do not plant trees that are going to grow very large underneath wires, near utility poles, or too close to your home. You will run into problems later on. Also, if you are planting trees that will drip sap or have sticky flowers, you not plant them near your driveway.

After you have moved into your new how, you should survey the lawn to see if there are older trees that should be taken down. Trees that appear dead should first be inspected by a landscaper and then removed in order to protect those who will be using the lawn. You can choose to replant young trees where the old trees stood, or you can totally change the landscaping and come up with your own creative ideas.

You should research the trees and shrubs before buying them. Some trees, like oak trees are wonderful to have on the lawn, but over time their roots may emerge from the ground. If you plan on living in your home for a long time, you may not want this feature. Buying trees as young as possible will eliminate this problem, but you may have to wait twenty or thirty years before you will truly be able to enjoy them.

Many people enjoy grouping trees of the same kind together. This creates a more woodsy or rustic look. Your landscaper will be able to tell you which trees should be grouped together. Many times birch and popular trees are grouped together because their branches are higher and their trunks are smaller than pine or oak trees.

Trees can also be used for privacy. Buying evergreen trees and using them on the sides or the back of your home will act as a natural fence. You should buy these trees when they are mature and already standing about five or six feet tall. This will give you automatic privacy. For those who want to keep the landscape as natural as possible, but who also want privacy from their neighbors, evergreen trees are the perfect substitute for a wooden or metal fence.

After buying your trees, you should clear the areas where you want to plant them. You should plant two and three year old trees between the months of December and March. You will need to dig a hole using a shovel or a planting bar. This is a device that will make digging into the dirt a lot easier because it has a pointed end. You should remove about a foot and a half to two feet of dirt. Place the tree into the hole and spread out the roots. If they do not fit properly, then you may need to dig a little more.

After placing the tree, you should cover the hole with dirt and pack it firmly so that the tree does not fall over. Care for the tree as per the instructions.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com. Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at 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.

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

5 Simple Lawn Watering Tips to Make Your Lawn Shine

Your lawn needs the right amount of water to grow. However, you should not water your lawn blindly. The frequency and amount water needed for your lawn depend on various factors including the type of grass, soil, climate and many others.

Here are five simple watering tips you can follow to make your lawn shine.

1. Water to a depth of 6-8 inches

Grass roots usually grow to a depth of six to eight inches. Applying water that penetrates beyond eight inches is wasteful. On the other hand, penetrating less than six inches can result in a shallow-rooted lawn that is weak and require more efforts to maintain.

For a quick test, use a screwdriver to probe the lawn ground. Once you feel that it is hard to probe further, pull out the screwdriver and check. Alternatively, buy a soil probe from the local nursery and use it to remove small cores of soil, which you can feel to see how wet they are.

2. Allow the lawn to dry out partially

You should give your lawn ample time to dry out partially before watering it again. This will create a good air-moisture relationship that promotes healthy roots. Before you start watering again, take a walk on your lawn and observes your footprints. The grasses will not spring right back if they lack water. If the grasses changed to a dull color, this is also another indication that your lawn needs water.

3. Water in short interval

If you water too fast, the lawn will not be able to absorb it and excess water will run off into the streets or other places. This is a waste of water and should be avoided. Try watering for fifteen minutes and then stop. Wait for ten minutes to let the water soak in. Then repeat the process again until the water has penetrated to a depth of six to eight inches.

4. Water in the early morning

Water your lawn in the early morning is a wise choice. The weather is usually cool and clam. The humidity is also high and there will be less evaporation. Your lawn also has ample time to dry off before nightfall. A wet lawn in the night can cause lawn diseases to spread quickly.

5. Record your observation and adjust accordingly

Get a notebook or journal and record your watering activity on a daily basis for at least three months. Note down the time of watering, the amount of water used and the intervals between each watering session. Observe how your lawn respond to your watering practice and record the result in your journal.

If your lawn does not dry out enough between watering, increase the interval. If you discover that the water is not penetrating to the required depth, apply more water. Record all these observation into your journal. You should also make small changes to your watering practice and record the results.

Over time, you will be able to water your lawn with greater efficiency as you adjust your watering practice based on your recorded observation. As a result, you will have a lawn that continues to shine and grow healthily without having to put in more maintenance efforts than necessary.

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

Lawn Soil Content and Types of Grass in Your Lawn!

Soil content

This refers to the color, smell, and feel of the soil. Since soil can vary greatly from home to home, you will need to do your research to find out how your lawn’s soil measures up.

You should have your soil analyzed in order to determine the pH level, nutrient level, and chemical properties. If you are not a gardener or a chemist, you can call your local gardening service who can take a sample. You may have to wait a few weeks for the results, however.

The soil content is a very important part of cultivating a good-looking lawn. Once you know more about the soil content, you will be able to choose flowers and plants that will survive, learn about ways to enhance existing soil, and also find ways to add nutrients to the soil so that the grass will be able to grow.

Many times adding fresh soil to existing soil will help bring your lawn back to life. This will require you to make sure your lawn is watered and that you don’t mow the grass too often when trying to get the grass to grow. Over time, the soil content will improve. Throughout this book, you will learn ways to take care of your soil.

Types of Grass

This is another issue that will require your immediate attention. While you have no control over the types of grass that has grown in the lawn, now that it is your lawn, you will be able to get rid of certain types of grass and start all over. There is a nasty type of grass that will suffocate flowers, plants, and other types of grass just for the fun of it. This type of grass is called Crab grass. It resembles straw and can quickly invade a lawn and take it over.

Depending on how overrun your lawn is with unattractive grass, you may have to remove the grass and begin again. Crab grass is very difficult to remove and may require the use of chemicals. After removing this grass, you can reseed or use sod in order to make your lawn grow faster.

Other types of grass include:

Bermudagrass
Bluegrass
Ryegrass
 

If you want a lush green lawn, you will have to spend the majority of your time removing and replanting in order to achieve this type of lawn. But if you are after a more garden style type lawn or a lawn that has almost no grass at all, you may be able to leave certain types of grass alone. This will save some and money.

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 Mowers Guide - Cut a Fine Figure of Your Lawn

Lawn maintenance is a quite wide term, which encapsulates the activities like landscaping, lawn care, growing grass, cutting or mowing grass.

A layman may reckon that the lawn maintenance is a simple activity of just growing and mowing grass, but it isn't so. Lawn maintenance means meticulously grooming a lawn. It's not just growing or mowing grass, rather keeping a professional savvy about growing & cutting grass.

The two adverbs 'when' and 'how' are very important in lawn maintenance. They raise scores of questions like 'When should the grass be mowed? How frequently the grass be mowed? How high should the grass be cut? How low should grass be cut? How should the grass be mowed?'

These are not simple questions to answer. One needs to have professional knowledge on the subject and an unprofessional approach may prove insalubrious for a lawn.

When should the grass be mowed?

There are few important things that should be kept in mind before getting ready to mow the grass.

First, it should be made sure that the lawn is not damp or wet. One shouldn't try mowing even dewy grass. A damp or wet lawn may lead to lousy mowing by mower getting clogged with grass or bogging down. The mower may pull out the clumps of grass from the wet land. The simple solution in such cases is to wait and let the lawn fully dry.

Secondly, it's high time to mow when the grass has grown to at least a third past its mowing height.

How frequently the grass be mowed?

The frequency of mowing grass depends on the type of grass and season. The different grasses have different growing patterns and different peak growing seasons. They grow quickly in their respective peak growing seasons.

The warm season grasses flourish when temperatures exceed 80 degrees F. They grow very fast during summer and thus may need mowing every 3-4 days. The growth rate of these grasses may decline in the fall season and thus may only need mowing every other week. These grasses usually become brown and dormant depending on the drop in temperature in winter.

The cool season grasses, on other hand flourish in 60-75 degrees F. They are active in spring and fall months and thus may require mowing frequently. The growth rate of these grasses declines during hot and dry summers and they require less cutting. These grasses cannot bear hot summer and may also turn brown and dormant in extreme hot conditions, but the damp climate and higher elevations are very conducive for them. The bluegrass or fescue lawn grasses grow actively in spring. They should be mowed every three to four days during the spring and only once every seven to 10 days when their growth is stumbled by heat, drought or cold.

The grass grows fast in rainy season and thus requires to be mowed quite frequently.

The Author owns a website about Golf Vacations. The website offers quick and easy tips to find Cheap Golf Vacations.

How To Lay Lawn Turf

Here is how to order and lay lawn turf:

Order your turf only after you have completed all the preparations. Arrange for your turf to arrive no more than 1 day before you plan to lay it. When it arrives, if the weather is hot and dry, soak the outside of the pallet with water, making sure to apply plenty water to the ends of rolls that are showing. You should order an appropriate pre-turfing fertiliser with your turf.

How to lay turf:

Stage 1:
Sprinkle pre-turfing fertiliser evenly over the area. Rake lightly to incorporate it and give the finished smooth surface.

Stage 2:
It is time to lay the turf. You can either lay turf whilst standing on the prepared ground or whilst standing on laid turf with the use of boards to prevent marking your new lawn. If you stand on the soil, give each new row a light rake to remove your foot marks.

Stage 3:
Start from a long straight edge and roll out a turf. DO NOT stretch the turf or you will get shrinkage later. If you are happy with the angle of your first turf, roll out the next one. Push the starting edge of the second turf hard against the first one, making sure to butt all joins up tightly. Do not have turf overlapping on top of already laid turf. You can use the back of the rake to pull the turf tightly together.

Stage 4:
You do not need to roll or tamp the turf at this stage except at the joins or edges. However if you have a very light roller this can be used to increase the turf to soil contact. Make sure and manually flatten the very start (centre) of the roll of turf (where the harvesting machine first turned the turf) As it is always misshapen.

Stage 5:
If you have gaps created through poor cutting or uneven turf sizes, you can blend the edges closer together by manually stretching, almost tearing the edges. (like flattening out dough). The turf will contract back a bit but you do improve the join. If the gaps are too big for that, use a Stanley knife to cut slivers from your off cuts of turf and squeeze these into the join. Remember wherever you do that type of join, will need extra water to aid recovery.

Stage 6:
Here's a little secret used by turf laying professionals to increase the "wow" factor on a new lawn. Roll out your alternate rows in opposite directions. This gives a good striped "just mown" appearance. Do not use small cuttings at edges of lawn. Use them in the middle.

Stage 7:
It is best to do your edges last, leave enough turf overlapping your proposed edge, that once you are done, you can lay a hose or rope on the edge and use an edging iron to shape your turf. This can be left quite rough, you can smooth this off easier when the turf has rooted in a couple of weeks.

Stage 8:
When you are done, unless a good amount of rain is forecast, you must water the grass. If you can't apply water due to hosepipe bans or water meters, then leave turf laying to the autumn/winter season This must be a very good soak, it may take several hours of sprinkler to put on enough. This must be repeated regularly for 1 month.

That's you done.

Angus Cheyne is a land based scientist specialising in laying and maintaining lawn turf.

See his work at http://www.turfandstuff.com/index.php and http://www.lawnwizard.co.uk.