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.

Lawnmowers and How to Save Work Installing Synthetic Turf on Tennis Courts

Why install synthetic turf instead of real lawn? Most of the following steps are not required when you choose to install synthetic surfaces rather than a traditional one. A court should have a slope of a few inches from one end to the other to carry off water. After the level is determined, all there is to making a court is to fill in or cut away soil and earth until the proper level space is obtained. As a rule it is better to dig away for a court rather than to fill in, as we thus obtain a better bottom and one that will require but little rolling. In the case of a slope, it is well so to locate the court that the amount of earth excavated from one end will be just about sufficient to fill in the other.

The final surfacing of a court is done by means of clay and sand in the proportion of about four or five to one, the clay of course being in excess. To mix clay and sand thoroughly, the former should first be pulverized thoroughly when dry and the mixture sifted over the court carefully and evenly. The next step is rolling and wetting, and more rolling and wetting until finally the whole is allowed to dry and is ready for play. The slight irregularities and roller ridges that often appear in a court will soon be worn off by the players' feet, but playing of course will not change the grade. A new court will be greatly improved by use, but no one should be allowed on a court except with rubber-soled shoes. Heeled shoes will soon ruin a court, and it is bad practice even to allow any one to walk over a court unless with proper footwear.

Leveling The Playing Court

The preliminary leveling of a court can be accomplished with a rake and a straight-edged board, but after the clay has become packed and hard it will be necessary to use considerable force in scraping off the inequalities. A metal cutting edge, such as a hoe or scraper, will be found useful. A court should be swept with a coarse broom to distribute the fine material evenly. Another very good sweeper can be made from a piece of wood about six or eight feet long to which several thicknesses of bagging have been tacked or fastened. The final step in making a court consists in marking it out.

Since most courts are marked so that they will be suitable either for singles or doubles or so that either two or four people can play at a time. Where tape markers are to be used, the proper distances will appear on the tape without measuring, but if lime is used for marking a careful plotting will be necessary to secure the proper distances, after which the corners should be indicated by angle irons, so that the court may be re-marked at any time without re-measuring. Remember that synthetic turfs are almost free maintenance surfaces, and will save you time and money at long last.

Andrew Caxton is the webmaster and successful author of http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com . A guide on lawn mowers and garden tractors and how to choose the right type for your garden, including synthetic turf for different garden styles.