Mystic Grass

You will have less problems by properly mowing, watering, fertilizing and weeding your lawn.

Keep in mind when watering your lawn that to much water is not a good thing. Water only when necessary. Once the soil dry’s out its a good time to water. You should water before the grass blades start to wilt. When grass wilts the blades will roll up to conserve moister. The grass color will also change from green to a blue green. You can also tell it is time to water by walking on your lawn. If your foot impressions remain for more than a few seconds, the grass does not bounce back up, it is time to give the lawn some water.

When watering, water enough to get the soil moist six to eight inches deep. To check stick a screwdriver in the ground. If the screwdriver goes into the soil six to eight inches without much effort, the soil should be wet enough.

Watering your lawn early in the morning is a very good time. There will be less evaporation from the sun and wind in the morning. With less evaporation the water will reach the grass roots faster.

Mowing to the proper height is important to keep away weeds and disease. The height of your grass will depend on your grass type. Never let your grass grow to tall. Letting it grow to tall and then cutting can traumatize the grass. When mowing your grass, make sure the mower blades are sharp. Having sharp blades on your mower will cut the grass, dull blades will tear the grass.

Applying fertilizer is a good idea to keep your lawn greener and weed and disease free. Apply the fertilizer evenly to avoid uneven colors on the lawn. Using a broadcast spreader to apply the fertilizer evenly will work well. For good results apply the fertilize on calm days.

Daniel Lazaj
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/lawn-care-tips-and-advice-for-a-healthy-lawn-645002.html

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The average home-owner doesn’t devote much attention to their grass. They mow it as short as they like and they water it as much as they like – and both tactics are hard on the grass.

You may be harming your lawn without knowing it!

Do you hate mowing? Do you attempt to solve that problem by cutting your lawn as close to the ground as possible, then letting it grow as long as possible, until you mow it when you just can’t stand the way it looks any longer?

Do you water your lawn every other day or so, but not too much because you don’t want to drown your poor yard?

If you do, you could be harming your lawn!

Mowing Your Lawn
Every blade of grass is a living thing. The roots burrow into the soil where they absorb nutrients in the soil, but that green blade of grass has its own job to do as well. It absorbs the sunlight which produces photosynthesis.

If you cut the blades of grass too short, they can’t absorb enough sunlight. Losing so much of the blade at once will also stress out the root system, which will make the lawn less resistant to disease. On the other hand, you don’t want the grass to grow to long, either, because the longer the grass is, the more nutrients it needs, and so the more stress placed on the root system.

For cold-weather grasses, therefore, the best height is about three inches, and for warm weather grasses, two-and-a-half inches is the optimum height. Depending on the season, the grass will grow more quickly and need to be mowed more often.

Don’t mow your lawn in the same pattern each time- mow east to west one week, and north to south the next week. And don’t mow with a rusty blade – sharpen the blade of your mower three times a year. A dull blade will play havoc with your grass.

Watering Your Lawn
It is not necessary, or advisable, to water your grass every couple of days. Grass doesn’t need it – unless you live in a very hot climate.

Put an inch of water into an attractive dish, and place this somewhere on your lawn where it won’t be spilled. When this water evaporates out of the dish, it is time to water your lawn.

When it come time to do your watering, give the ground a good soaking. If you merely moisten the top inch or so of the soil, the root system does not go deep into the soil as it should, but rather remains shallow – and thus easily harmed.

The best time to water your grass is in the morning, before the heat of the day has time to evaporate it. However, it’s also important to be careful about water run-off. If your soil doesn’t absorb water easily, the best thing to do is water it lightly to begin with – and wait about half an hour for that water to be absorbed into the soil. Then water it again, so that the additional water will then have time to be absorbed into the soil as well.

Proper watering and proper mowing procedures are the two main keys to maintaining a healthy and beautiful lawn.

Mr.Andrew Caxton
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/grass-care-two-important-tips-124685.html

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It does not matter if your lawn has beautiful plants, trees or a beautiful vegetable garden in it until and unless it does not have a green pasture of grass covering it. The whole landscape of the lawn changes if the grass in your lawn is green and lush. It is very important to select your grass very carefully.

The points that are to be considered while selecting the grass for your lawn are: how much you desire to use your lawn, the amount of money you intent to spend to maintain your lawn and the pH of the soil in your lawn. Also the grass grown in your garden depends widely on the climate you live in.

Different types of grasses are suitable to be grown in different seasons. For instance the Bermuda grass grows well in summer season and cannot take up lower temperatures, The Kentucky blue grass on the other side requires moist and cool weather to grow quickly. That is why the best seasons for this grass are considered to be autumn and spring. Also, the grass type in your lawn largely depends on the use of your lawn. For example, if your lawn is a place for your kids to play football then the best grass seeds that you can use are Bermuda grass or Perennial rye grass. If you do not want to water your grass very regularly, the best choice of grass seeds is buffalo grass, prairie grass or the blue grass. The Kentucky grass is considered to be best if you have ornamental lawns where no damage is done to the grass. If you live in an area nearby sea and have a supply of salt, water Saint Augustine grass is considered to be a good choice. It is considered to be a good idea to get a mixture of grass sown in your lawn so that if one type of grass fails the other type will grow and make your lawn looks attractive and green.

When you want to purchase the grass seeds make sure that you read the labels on the packet carefully. Properly read the rate of germination and expiry date. To keep your lawn healthy and jade and avoid weeds in your lawn, it is considered good to cast grass seeds in your lawn during the spring season and the fall. Reseed the plain spots and fill the grass seeds in these areas. You can use your feet to push the grass seeds into the soil. After properly sprinkling the grass seeds into your lawn make sure that you water the grass regularly, so that the grass seeds can sprout easily.

It has been seen that all types of grass seeds do not look, perform and stay alive at the same level. They vary both in feel and fawn. Some grass seeds are sensitive to sun and require shade to grow while the others can tolerate changes in climate. Hence, proper research and study is essential before making a perfect choice of the grass seeds to decorate your lawn.

Aakash Shah

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First things first, nothing beats smelling fresh and perfect lawn grasses very early in the morning. On a subtle level, the right lawn grass basically ensures that you have a beautiful, fresh and new day ahead.

The following are basic tips in choosing the appropriate grasses.

If you are in a cold area

The fact of the matter is that the best lawn grass for you to select if in case you happen to reside in a specific area that have winters that are very cold and summers that are quite mild, is bluegrass or those ryegrass. You could also consider choosing those tall lawn fescue grass.

Basically, all these belong to the cool season grasses. These grasses grow very vigorously during the cold months of fall and spring.

If you are in a warm area

The perfect lawn grass to select if in case you happen to live in a warm area are the Bermuda grass as well as the zoysia grass. Another lawn grass that is perfect for the warmer climate is St Augustine grass.

Such lawn grasses are perfect for the summer hot weather and the mild winters. The reason for this is that the lawn grasses that fall under the warm season types are a bit less hardy.

They also gro quite vigorously during the summer hot months and eventually turn to crisp brown during the months of winter.

Choose wisely

The best grasses to select are those that are perfectly adapted locally to pests. These lawn grasses must be the varieties which are called pest resistant.

You could also settle for variety blends or a mixture of various types of lawn grass. You could ask the help of the nursery in your local for additional information and to eventually help you choose.

What types of grass are best for spots that are shady

The perfect grasses for this are those that fall under the cool season lawn grass fescues as well as the warm season Lawn St Augustine grass. Another option is the zoysia lawn grass.

What kind of grass is perfect for the summer?

The type of lawn grass that is perfect for the dry areas come summer are the Bermuda grass, the tall lawn fescue grass as well as the buffalo lawn grass.

When you have chosen, now what?

A lot of the grasses that are perfect for the warm climate season are usually wiry and stiff. They do require that you own a reel power driven mower in order to keep these lawn grass the best they could possibly be.

How to keep lawn green when the weather is blue

The best thing to do during the months of winter when the climate is cold to the brim is to overseed the warm season lawn grasses early on in the fall. Through this method, the lawn grass is kept green and looking beautifully clean.

Usually, the buffalo lawn grass and the zoysia lawn grass are the lawn grasses that are hardiest if compared with the warm season lawn grasses.

What if your pet pees on the grass?

Dogs will always be dogs, and lawn grasses will always be lawn grasses. When your pets pee on your precious green grass, relax. It is not the end of the world.

When such a thing happens, the usual green lawn could suddenly have brown spots. What happens is that your pet’s urine has overly concentrated nitrogen content which causes the lawn to burn.

Why is this so? Believe it or not, your soil already has nitrogen in it. So when your pet dog puts a lot more of his nitrogen, your precious grass gets edgy and ultimately gets brown.

Take note that the pee of a female dog is a lot more potent than the male dogs. The best thing to do when the crime has been committed is to flood the specific area.

After a few days of thorough flooding and flushing, any damage would probably be averted and your lawn grasses will be back to its good and green color.

All in all, maintaining a lawn grasses is easy. All it takes is a little patience and know how.

Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/how-to-choose-and-maintain-lawn-grasses-93430.html

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Lower the Cutting Height of Your Mower

In the fall the cutting height of your mower should be gradually lowered in order to begin the winter with no tender young grass that will be susceptible to disease. In addition young grass will be vulnerable to drying out in the cold winter winds leaving you with a brown lawn. Lower the cutting height in steps so that the grass is gradually cut shorter or you may damage the turf by removing all the green growth.

Fertilise the Lawn

It is a good idea to give your lawn a final dose of slow release nitrogen fertiliser in the fall. The nutrients will not be used immediately as the grass is becoming dormant but they will be stored ready for use in the Spring.

Aerate the Lawn

Give your lawn a final aerating before the winter sets in. This will discourage thatch growth and prepare the lawn for good growth in the
Spring.

Watch Out For Weed Growth

During the winter the grass is growing more slowly but weeds will be growing much faster. Remove any weed growth regularly to prevent damage to your lawn. Weeds growing unchecked all winter can kill all your grass before the Spring.

Water the Lawn

Grass in your lawn will need watering a lot less often than in the summer months. As long as the ground is not frozen the lawn should be watered about once a month. Take care of areas that are exposed including slopes, south or west facing areas and place where grass is growing on shallow soil.

Remove the Fallen Leaves

Removing leaves from your lawn is essential at this time as they can cause damage to your lawn if left through the winter. The grass can be smothered by the leaves and die and the leaves can decompose under a layer of snow and cause damage to the grass. The leaves can be used later in the year for composting or mulching so before you rake the leaves decide how you will be using them as this makes a difference in how they are treated.

Composting the Leaves

In composting organic material is completely broken down to release nutrients into the soil. Composting is not an easy task, the leaves cannot just be tossed into a container and left! for good compost start by shredding the leaves with a garden shredder or by running them over with a lawn mower. Place the shredded leaves in the bin and add water. The materials need to be mixed well and turned regularly. After the decomposition of the leaves is complete the compost still needs to be protected from the elements to prevent loss of all the nutrients.

Mulching the Leaves

A mulch is used to act as a protection for soil of the lawn and has to act as a barrier to the elements. Leaves and other organic material therefore do not need to be decomposed as decomposed material will not make a good barrier. Mulches are usually finely chopped grass or leaves. After shredding place the mulch in a bin to protect it from the elements. You are aiming to preserve the integrity of the leaves or grass rather than encouraging decomposition. Shredded leaves will pack down less than whole leaves. No water should be added as this will encourage the leaves to decompose and the leaves do not need turning as the leaves in the compost bin need.

With good care your lawn will weather the winter and in the Spring you will have a lawn to be proud of.

Janet Ashby
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/care-for-your-lawn-winter-lawn-care-tips-706246.html

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Are you dreaming of a lush, velvety green lawn? Achieving this is not as hard as you may think. Although the quickest and easiest way to make this dream come true is by laying sod, there are other ways if you stick to a good plan. First and foremost you must select grass that will work the best in your climate and for your soil conditions. After that the key is simply regular, scheduled lawn maintenance by ensuring appropriate mowing, watering, fertilizing and weed control.

Always keep the blades on your lawn mower sharp so you get a nice, clean cut. A dull blade can tear up the grass blade tips causing stress and promoting disease in your lawn. Avoid the heat of the middle of day while mowing. It is best to try early morning or after the sun starts setting.

Mow the lawn to an approximate 3 inch height to achieve deeper, stronger roots that are resistant to disease and drought. When mowing your grass to this longer length, do not bag the clippings. Instead leave the cut grass clippings in the lawn as it will act as a natural fertilizer and provide up to one fourth of the nutrients your lawn needs. If your lawn is too high, mow it in stages to get it to the proper height. Cutting more than half the length of the grass during one mowing will shock the grass. Also, do not mow your lawn when wet.

Your lawn needs approximately one inch of water, enough to reach the roots, at one time and it should usually be sufficient to do this twice a week depending on where you live. Remember deep watering instead of frequent watering encourages root growth. Water in the early morning or early evening but never while the sun rays are powerful as this will prevent deep soaking and the water droplets on the blades may scorch the grass. Try not to let your lawn completely dry out between waterings. A sprinkler system, even a home made one, can really make this easier. If your lawn, or parts of it, is without any sunlight, it will die. If a section of the lawn is deprived of all sunlight due to branches or bushes try pruning so the grass receives some sunlight during the course of the day.

Create a compost heap with things like lawn clippings, raked leaves, fruit rinds, eggshells, coffee grounds etc. to feed your lawn. In any climate, spring and fall are the most important times to fertilize your lawn. Fertilize with natural soil improvers you may be able to pick up from your local town such as organic compost or manure. After fertilizing, make sure you water your lawn so that the nitrogen in the fertilizer does not burn your grass. Aerate your the lawn when it becomes impacted. Aerating is simply allowing air circulation to the roots done by making small holes all over yard. Although a healthy lawn is rarely 100% weed free, keep them under control so they do not take over your healthy grass.

Staying on top of lawn maintenance is far easier than fixing problems once they have taken root. Keep to your plan and I wish you a lush, green lawn.

Ann McKee
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/green-lawn-basics-225323.html

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Broadleaf Plantain, also know by the scientific name Plantago majo, is a short, leafy plant that loves to grow in thin and weakened sections of your lawn.

There is one problem with this pest, It forms large spreading colonies, suffocating the grass around it.

I’ve seen lawns absolutely covered with this stuff.

Here is some basic information about this weed:

It grows everywhere in the United States, southern Canada, most of Europe, and northern and central Asia. Grows well in full sun or partial shade. Its rosette of leaves is 5-10 inches across, with each leaf being 2-8 inches long, and 1-4 inches wide. The leaves hug the ground, and crowd out healthy grass. The main advantage that this plant has is that it grows better than others where the soil is compacted. So if your lawn has a small gap it can easly grow there even if the soil is firm, choking out the grass around it.

Early summer through September you will see the seed stalks rising. It spreads from seeds and also re-sprouts roots below the ground. If Broadleaf Plantain is appearing, it can be an indication that you are mowing your grass too low.

If you want to try removing this plant yourself, the only way is to dig them out. You will need to do this repeatedly over several months in order to effectively control the plants. Removing the plants before they produce seed also helps to speed up the process.

If you try pulling the plants out by grasping the leaves, they tend to break off, allowing the roots to continue spreading beneath the ground, forming new plants. Mowing does not work because of how low the leaves lie. Additionally, seeds and plant parts can contaminate your lawn mower and other equipment, so mowing will just spread the plants to new areas.

Herbacides can be effective to control plantain seedlings, and can also reduce the vigor of established plantain plants. Please ask your lawn care company for help in applying the correct herbacides for this weed.

chad kimball
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/did-your-lawn-care-company-tell-you-that-broadleaf-plantain-will-destroy-your-grass-221944.html

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If you’re after a gorgeous lawn for your backyard, you should read up on how to select the right type of grass for your plot. Then, by following a few maintenance tips, you will be well on your way to achieving the lawn you dream of.

Garden Design With Lawns
By picking up a few things about how to choose the right type of lawn for your backyard you can ensure a beautiful design that is both easy to keep up and doesn’t require unreasonable amount of energy to look its best.

The Color Of the Lawn
Though light and dark green are equally pleasing to the eye, most people prefer a darker shade of green for their yards. To ensure the newly planted darker turf doesn’t get overrun by the lighter color blades of the existing grass you should pick a type that mixes well, for a unified look.

Kinds of Grass Available
Grasses come in many shapes, shades and sizes and can originate from your area or much further locales. You should therefore be able to find a type of grass that suits the growing conditions of your plot, the level of sun exposition it receives and the kind of weather you get.

Back To Basics
It is essential that you establish what types of lawn are suitable for your plot, condition of the soil and size of the area: these elements are important for a great looking result and your local home improvement and garden store should be able to advise.

Turf or Seed?
Before you get planting you need to select whether you want to lay turf or sow seeds.

New Lawn Maintenance
It is essential that you look after your new lawn properly, by maintaining a regular care program: regular watering, mowing twice a week, tidying up the edges every 7 to 10 days, adding fertilizer four times a year, and also possibly applying lime and thatching on a yearly basis.

Fertilizing and watering
Watering and feeding will promote healthy growth, to keep your lawn looking great at all times. Once you’ve established what routine is most suitable you should aim to maintain it.

A lawn in good order will not only generate oxygen and help maintain a healthy environment for you and yours: it will also act as a fantastic erosion prevention tool and absorb both dangerous toxins and noise. Keep your grass happy and it will repay you in the long term!

Mr.Andrew Caxton
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/what-type-of-grass-for-the-perfect-lawn-137528.html

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Simple tips on watering and mowing the lawn can yield great results. Follow a few maintenance rules to achieve the lawn you dream of!

Have A Great Looking Lawn

With the right maintenance routine you too can have a lawn to be proud of. It’s not actually that difficult to get your grass as green and luscious as the one you can see at golf courses: you can definitely achieve a great result by following the few tips and tricks thereafter.

How To Care For Your Turf

It’s actually really easy to get a beautiful, green and healthy looking lawn: all you need is to follow the rule of third and the rule of 25 mm. Here is how these work.

The 25mm Rule, Or How To Water Your Lawn

The theory is that you should give the lawn enough water to cover what it needs and what is evaporating. The rule of 25 is an easy way to figure this out. Next time you water your lawn, place a bowl in the area you watering and allow it to fill up to about 25mm, or one inch. Keep an eye on it and when all the water is gone, it is time to water your lawn again: you only really need to do this once to find out what is the ideal watering frequency for your garden, unless you experience abnormal drought conditions. Make sure you water in the morning to avoid the mid-day heat: this will give the water plenty of time to get where it is needed.

You cannot over water your lawn and it is always best to water more, less often: this promotes healthy root growth. Combined with a regular feed rich in nitrogen this will give you the luscious green and light to the foot lawn that you dream of. You may want to check that the area has good drainage though, as a water-logged patch could kill the grass.

The Rule Of Third, Or How To Mow Your Lawn

To keep your grass looking its best you need to keep it healthy. The best way to encourage this is by making sure you do not cut out too much each time you mow. Military short is not a good look for lawns, and can promote diseases to boot. You should ideally aim to cut off about one third of the height of the blades – hence the name of the rule.

If you go too short you also risk preventing the good development of the roots and you grass will grow slower as a result. The exact amount to cut may vary slightly from type to type, and how long the blades are: you should check how much to allow the grass in your yard to grow by, and then cut a third off for best results. Most mowers collect grass cuttings as they go along but it can be beneficial to leave them on the turf as a natural fertilizer. If you decide to give this a try just be careful not to over cover the growing grass with too much: this is known as thatching and can restrict the growth rather than promote it.

These two very simple rules can really get you on your way to a stunning, healthy looking lawn.

Mr.Andrew Caxton
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/a-great-lawn-no-matter-what-type-of-grass-you-have-133087.html

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Most people, if they think of grass at all, think that one size fits all – any grass will do for any lawn. That’s not the case. There are more grass species than flower species, so it’s easy to find the right one for your lawn.

Grass Is As Grass Does

When you drive past homes in your car, you may enjoy looking out at the yards and seeing the vast expanses of lush green grass, interspersed with the occasional flower or vegetable garden. A rock or water garden with an appropriate statue might catch your eye. While you may know the names of every flower that you see, can you say the same about the grass?

Grass isn’t just “grass.” There are almost as many types of grass as there are types of flowers, and like flowers you need to choose the appropriate grass for your lawn. Grass that you’re going to use for your lawn should, really, be called lawn grass, to differentiate it from other types of grasses.

Before choosing your lawn grass, you need to know as much about the lawn as possible. Of what is the soil composed? Clay, loam, sand? You’ll want just the right proportion of these materials to ensure the best growing environment for your new grass. And that goes for the pH balance as well – the level of acidity or alkalinity in your soil.

Are there a lot of trees in your yard, with branches spread wide? This can interfere with the amount of sunlight that manages to filter down onto your lawn and feed your grass. If you want to keep those trees (and if you have trees on your lawn that are over a hundred years old, there’s a lot of history there) than you’ll want a type of grass that doesn’t need a lot of sunlight.

If your area gets a lot of rain, you’ll want a type of grass that loves all that wet stuff. If your area is lucky to get a few inches of rain a year, you’ll want a different type of grass.

Then there’s the color. Grass color varies widely, from dark greens to light yellows. It’s nice to be able to vary the color of your lawn – but it might get annoying if you have vast amounts of dark green with patches of yellow intermixed.

So, what types of lawn grasses are there?

For grass that grows quickly in cool climates, you’ll want to consider the grass families such as bluegrass, bentgrass (usually used for golf courses), ryegrasses (used at the Wimbledon tennis courts) , fescues (used for bowling greens) and Grama grass (praire grass, good for erosion control). They each have their own particular properties, so you’ll want to investigate them all, either on the web or by talking to a gardening professional in your area.

For grass that grows quickly in warmer climates, consider zoysiagrass, bermudagrass (great for drought tolerance), St. Augustine Grass, bahiagrass (great in Florida because it tolerates salt well), centipedegrass, carpetgrass or buffalograss

You can research all these types of grasses on the web, and it makes for fascinating reading. But the best way to find out what kind of lawn grass is right for your area is to consult a garden professional near your home.

Mr.Andrew Caxton
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/consider-what-type-of-grass-your-lawn-needs-128818.html

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