Lawn Care

Did you close on a new house that needs a new lawn?

Whether you recently received keys to a new house, or simply discovered you have a green thumb, the following tips will revive any yard and will be ready for bare feet and BBQ's in no time!

Test your soil. A soil test takes the guesswork out of lawn care. I lets you know the pH as well as the availability and precise quantities of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. You can contact your state cooperative extension office, which will do the test for around $20, by going here.

Fertilize. There's no formula for springtime, and it all depends on your soil and grass type. A soil test will offer clues as to what you should add, and a gardening center can assist you interpret. Opt for a slow-release organic fertilizer.

Watch you calcium! Up to 90 percent of lawn weeds are linked to a lack of calcium in soil. The ideal calcium-to-magnesium ratio is 7 to 1. If yours falls short of that goal, spread high-calcium time over your lawn to increase its ability to absorb nitrogen and synthesize proteins, robbing weeds of food!

Add organic matter... Early-season grass benefits from compost. Apply a half-inch layer over your lawn, and rake it into the surface. Finished compost should smell earthy and slightly sweet; avoid using compost that is still steaming, which indicates it is not yet fully decomposed! One yard will cover 600 square feet.

Time to fix your mower! Dull mower blades tear grass rather than cut it clean, leaving ragged tips that invite illnesses to flourish. Holding the blade in a vise, sharpen it with long, smooth strokes using a Dremel blade sharpener or a 10-inch mill bastard file, following the manufacturer's instructions for the proper angle. Sharpen the blade after every 10 hours of use.

Let the grass grow ..a litte! Keep it at three to three and a half inches tall all season so that the grass blades shade out weed seeds and the soil reducing evaporation. Come fall, crop it tight! 

Remember...

Happy landscaping! =)