How To Areate Your Lawn
The basic idea behind lawn aeration is that, like you, your lawn and the soil under it need to breathe. Providing much-needed lawn aeration for your grass entails dealing with thatch. Soils can become compacted in high-traffic areas or in areas that have mostly clay soils. This can kill off grass very quickly. Lawn thatch is the layer of dead turf grass tissue between the green vegetation and the soil surface that must be removed (a process known as "de-thatching") to maintain lawn health. Lawn thatch is derived from stems, leaves, stolons, rhizomes and roots.
The build-up of lawn thatch makes it difficult for your lawn to breathe. Lawn aeration performed in spring or fall helps control lawn thatch. You should have your lawn aerated once a year.
The process of lawn aeration can be as simple as poking holes in the soil throughout the lawn by walking over the lawn with spiked shoes such as golf shoes. You should also faithfully remove as much lawn thatch as you can in fall by raking deeply, rather than just skimming the autumn leaves off the top of the lawn.
Lawn aeration also reduces soil compaction, allowing water and fertilizer to permeate into the root zone. Grassy areas submitted to constant foot traffic require lawn aeration more frequently.
Lawn aeration may be undertaken in the spring, as soon as the soil has thawed. But for Northern lawns, the fall season is better suited to lawn aeration. The ideal air temperature is around 60 degrees to perform lawn aeration.
If the soil is severely compacted, simple lawn aeration methods such as that mentioned above may not be sufficient. In such cases, go to a rental center and rent a piece of equipment especially for lawn aeration, called the "lawn aerator." This lawn aeration equipment will pull "cores" or plugs of soil out of the ground, letting air in.
These plugs should be 2"-3" in depth. Such a plug should be pulled out of the lawn at about every 3". The plug-removal process is facilitated by watering the lawn the day before, but don't water to the point of muddying the soil.
Likewise, if your thatch problem is severe (say, 3/4" thick or more), rent a vertical mower from a rental center. If you don't think you can do this job yourself, there's nothing wrong with hiring a lawn service to aerate your lawn. You also need to take care of your lawn properly when it gets too long. Start with the right equipment.
You might think that lawn mowing would be a simple subject, and basically it is. However, there are some things you need to know about how to mow, when to mow, and what kind of lawn equipment you'll need.
There are all sorts of different lawn mowers on the market, you might be a little confused as to which one you should get. Well, let's see!
About the Author
For tips on lawn problems and lawn grubs, visit the Lawn Tips website.
Lawn Care Program To Keep A Beautiful Landscape
If you doing the right lawn care program for your yard, then you will be full of pride to in your home. A lot of folks realize that maintaining a nice looking lawn and garden is exactly what they require to have gratification in home ownership. You can accomplish this in many ways, and performing the appropriate lawn care program can make the job much easier.
A few of the more essential topics for you to think about is having the correct tools on hand. First of all you need a good lawn mower. This fundamental tool ought to supply you with the correct power for your lawn. Think about a lawn tractor for a bigger yard, however you should stick with a push mower if your yard is smaller. As for mowing, this is one lawn care procedure that you can’t go without. The lawn must be kept mowed so that the grass will keep on growing well. Certain wild grass types must be kept longer, naturally, nevertheless you still have to manage them properly.
Lawn watering is a procedure that baffles many folks. Don’t underrate the significance of keeping your lawn well watered. A decent quality lawn sprinkler system is vital because it will facilitate watering a large area on a regular basis. You may not need this if your climate has wet enough weather patterns. If your lawn gets too much water, be certain to check for the growth of mushrooms since that is something common in those conditions. Make sure that all of your landscape plants get enough water. Once you have new grass and plants, they’ll require more water as their root systems continue to grow.
One more lawn care program to take into account is that of aerating your lawn. This makes small holes or removes plugs in the grass area. This step must be performed in the spring time. This lets more air penetrate the ground and helps to get nutrients and moisture to the root system. You might also think about thatching the lawn in the spring. This eliminates all of the dead or dying grass and promotes healthy new grass to grow instead.
As soon as you use these lawn care programs, you enhance your talent to have a well maintained, and attractive yard. All it takes is keeping up these programs to see noticeable improvement in the way your lawn looks.
About the Author
For more information about any lawn care program, try visiting http://lawncarefaq.com, a popular lawn and garden site where you can also find information about home landscaping, home gardening, landscape contractor, and much more.
