Tom Jones eat your heart out. (Caring for Your Lawn)

Member Name: cata

Product:	Caring for Your Lawn
Date:	18/09/01 (203 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Green Oasis right outside

Disadvantages: You have to work very hard, Time consuming

How to care for your lawn?

Well really how do you begin to start, firstly you have to decide on the type of lawn that you have the so-called ideal lawn is the velvety lawn that gives the impression of being a Bowling Green. This is composed mainly of fine leaved compact grasses, you do not find rye grass in lawns of this type, the lawn is also kept closely cut to carpet pile sort of height.

This lawn is very much of the classical sort and is ideal for areas that are seen but not walked on by too many people. It is an ornamental lawn and not suitable for those of us with children. Be warned though this type of lawn is a thing of beauty but takes a lot of time and effort to maintain properly.

The better lawn for most families would be what is known as a utility lawn. This contains perennial ryegrass and other broadleaf grasses. Although this type of lawn can never compare to the classical lawn it is hard wearing and suitable for people who use their lawns as another room or as an area of play. It disadvantage is the speed at which it grows so ensuring that the lawn mower is required as a regular part of your garden duties.

The type of lawn that most of us probably have if truth be told is called by the garden community as a second rate lawn. This is due to years of neglect and the belief that the lawn unlike other plants in the garden can just look after itself. Other problems such as family pets, over hanging trees heavy traffic all cause problems in our lawns.

The worn out lawn, this is what I have, really it is where moss and other weeds have taken over or the grass has died in patches resulting in bare patches. The only way to cure this is either by reclamation in patches or by completely starting again.


Lawn Care:

Very similar for each type I have described just for velvet lawns make sure you cut to carpet pile and do all of the tasks. for those of you with other lawns stick to the essentials. <
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Most people want a lawn they can be proud of and not ashamed when people come to visit, showing somebody round your garden when the lawn looks fresh certainly leaves a better impression than when it is sad and tired. It also makes your property look better cared for and so affects on how people view your property as a whole.
In millions of gardens the lawn is mowed as a regular thing and edged beautifully but then left to maintain itself. ‘THIS IS NOT LAWN CARE’ Too many people water in drought conditions and put weed killer on when they notice a problem, what they are doing is fire fighting not nourishing the lawn to act as a preventative from illness. There is a simple programme of treatment you can carry out to help your lawn rather than treat it when it appears sick and it will reward you with strong rich green grass that will improve the look of your whole garden.

Essential tasks for a healthy lawn: Mow regularly, water before the grass turns brown, trim the edges, feed with a nitrogen rich fertilizer in spring or early summer, rake during spring, summer and autumn, kill worm casts when they appear and lastly kill weeds and moss when you find them.
By doing the above you will ensure your lawn remains fit and well for many years.

If you are after a show lawn then I would recommend that you also do the following tasks, aerate the lawn, top dress, autumn feed, brush the surface regularly, routinely treat for moss, weeds, worms and disease. You may also roll the lawn if necessary but use caution and apply a lime dressing if the soil is acidic but again be careful, too much is harmful to the turf you have.

Essential Tools: A lawn mower, be sensible and buy one to suit you and your lawn, grass boxes however are very useful. A spring-Tine rake for raking debris from the lawn. Long handled shears for edging, many people use a strimmer but they are not the best tool stick to edging shears use a strimmer for ro
und post and trees etc. A besom (witches broom) Hose pipe watering can and a small trowel or hand-fork, a Garden fork for aerating the lawn. You can also use a plank to get a straight edge on your beds and paths.

For the enthusiastic lawn maker you can also buy a roller, several different methods of aerating your soil, edges for beds and paths. Strimmers, mechanical brooms and fertiliser spreaders. The list is endless and you can no doubt think of other items that many would consider an essential.
So to get a good looking lawn be prepared to spend just a little bit more time on it than you do now; a lawn will reward those of you that are prepared to work at it. For those of you that want to just cut the grass you have to accept your lawn will never be an object of desire to others. For those of you that can spend a lot of time you can make that dull boring patch of grass out the back or front of your house into a rich verdant oasis that will be admired by all.

Speaking personally I have just planted lawn chamomile and hope that next year I will have a beautiful chamomile lawn which will smell heavenly on a hot summers night. Big plus I do not have to get the mower out or do any of the above. :>)

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