Lawn Mowers

There is a new trend taking place in many localities were they are doing away with pesticides and the use of any chemicals to control weeds and grow nice green lawns. What is the average gardener to do in this new situation? How does the average consumer maintain their lawn, control the weeds and keep their lawn lush and healthy?

Well it turns out to be relatively easy. All it takes is the following and I will expand later in this post:

• Water your lawn on a regular basis
• Add fertilizer at least four times a year, without the pesticides
• Cut your lawn at least weekly
• Allow your lawn to grow longer during dry periods
• Never cut your lawn really short
• Never cut more than an inch at a time
• Routinely pull weeds each week from your lawn

Water your lawn on a regular basis

Always water your lawn for at least an hour once a week or at least an inch of water to make sure that the roots receive sufficient water to help them grow deeper. You can place a small can were you are watering to make sure that you are delivering sufficient water to your lawn.

Add fertilizer at least four times a year, without the pesticides

There are still some fertilizers that offer pesticides mixed in with them to kill off the weeds and fertilize the grass. However more and more cities and towns are making them illegal, so the best way to combat weeds is to make sure that you have a very healthy lawn so that weeds cannot get a foot hold in your lawn. Fertilize at least 4 times a year and use the correct fertilizer for each season of the year to make sure you have a green lawn.
Cut your lawn at least weekly

Your lawn should be cut more often rather than waiting until it gets too long. At the most you should be cutting no more than an inch of grass each time, otherwise it shocks the lawn too much. Also a sharp blade is very important. A sharp blade cuts while a dull blade tears the grass and makes it tougher for the grass to be healthy.

Allow your lawn to grow longer during dry periods

If you are going through a dry period, allowing your lawn to grow a bit longer is better to provide more protection for the roots and preventing the ground from drying out. Set your lawn mower higher so that the grass can grow longer and still cut no more than an inch at a time.
Never cut your lawn really short

Some people like to cut their lawn really short, however this makes it more susceptible to drying out, weeds and damage. If you really want the lawn short, then water more often and spread your fertilizer so that it goes on well spread out to avoid burning.
Never cut more than an inch at a time

We have emphasized this several times. It is more important to cut the lawn more often and just trim it instead of allowing it to grow long and cutting two or more inches off at a time.

Routinely pull weeds each week from your lawn

One of the impacts of no pesticides for weeds is that you have more weeds. I take five minutes each week and walk the lawn to dig out any weeds that I see. I started in the spring and there seemed to be a lot of weeds to dig out especially dandelions. Now when I walk the lawn there is only maybe 3 or 4 weeds that I find and have to pull out. There are special tools you can purchase to make it easy to get the root and all out or you can just use a sharp chisel to do the same thing.

Hope this post helps people maintain their lawns. We welcome other ideas as well so leave your comments for our readers.

Every wondered what it takes to have the perfect lawn? One of your neighbors probably has a lawn that is close and you wonder what is he doing that your not? Well it turns out it is actually pretty easy to get a near perfect lawn, which will be the envy of your neighbors and friends and really will not take that much work.

The secret to the perfect lawn is regular care, regular watering when needed, regular fertilizer, cutting when the lawn has grown an inch or more and before it gets too long, and keeping debris and weeds away from your lawn. We will cover these issues in detail, however if you pay attention to these basics, your lawn will look great! All of these items are required, however if you keep up with the work, you will not get over whelmed and the lawn will look great. If you let it go for a few weeks, you may have a big job on your hands and that is no fun.

Fertilizer
Lawns need fertilizer at regular intervals. Even if you use a standard fertilizer without chemicals for killing weeds you will be away ahead in terms of a healthy lawn. The fertilizer companies offer specific fertilizers for the spring, the summer and the late fall. We recommend that you use these fertilizers and put them on your lawn following the instructions that come with the fertilizer. You will have a nice green healthy lawn that will be better able to withstand dry spells and also fight off weeds.

Some fertilizers call for lots of water afterwords while others require a dry spell. Either way follow the instructions to avoid burning your lawn. Also use a proper spreader and avoid spilling fertilizer on your lawn in concentrated amounts.

Weeds & Debris

Another trick to a healthy lawn is to keep the lawn clear of debris such as leaves, branches and other material that might impede the growth of your lawn. Weeds seem to grow every where and are able to survive in the driest conditions. Many municipalities are cutting back on pesticides and limiting what you can purchase at stores to kill the weeds in your lawn. For many people this is a good thing, especially if you are concerned about getting sick from these chemicals. For the last two years, I have just carried a small blade with me to dig out dandelion roots and other weeds. So far I am ahead of the game. NO weeds, no chemicals and less cost! I just dig them out as I see them while I am cutting the grass. It takes a little longer to mow the grass, but that is ok with me.

Water

Water is important for lawns, both too much and too little. Too much rain and you get mould, mushrooms and rot in your lawn. Not enough and it gets dry, dead looking and very thin. These are excellent conditions for weeds to take over since they seem to thrive in all conditions. If your lawn is looking dry give it a good watering so that the roots get a chance to replenish the roots and the blades above ground. Let the grass grow a bit longer before cutting it to provide more protection and guard against evaporation. If water is inexpensive and not limited by the city, water every day in the evening. This ensure less evaporation and more water for the grass.

A strong root system, deep in the soil and a thick mat will ensure that your lawn can withstand dry spells longer. When it is growing quickly, cut it often, when it is growing slowly cut it less often and allow it to grow a bit longer that you normally wood.

Cutting Your Lawn

We talked a little bit about cutting your lawn earlier in this post.  Never allow your lawn to get too long without cutting it. It is hard on the grass, hard on your lawn mower and more work for you if you have to cut grass that has grown too long. Cut it more often so the lawn can easily recover, unless you are going through a real dry spell and you do not want to water your lawn.

Make sure your mower blade is sharp and not tearing the lawn. This makes for a nice even looking cut and a more tailored look.

Mulching, bagging or leaving the Grass Clippings

There are many opinions about whether you should mulch, bag or allow your grass clippings to mix in with the grass. Bagging your grass is the most work and your city needs to collect the grass weekly or you need some place to dispose of it.

Mulching your grass as you cut it means you are leaving the grass on the lawn in very small particles. It will disintegrate quickly allowing the nutrients to go back into the lawn. The mulch also insulates the lawn and provides protection from evaporation as well as makes it more difficult for weeds to grow. The only drawback of mulching is really that you should cut the lawn more often than normal since a long grass lawn is very difficult to cut while mulching. Your lawn mower can do a really good job and you will also not have obvious lawn clippings on your lawn.

The same goes for just leaving the grass clippings on the lawn, Cut it often to avoid having to rake the lawn. Sometimes when cutting a lawn that has been allowed to grow too long, the grass will coat the lawn and block the lawn from getting any light. Cut often and you will have a great lawn minus the weeds.

In summary, cut often unless it is dry, do not cut it too short, fertilize 4 times a year following the proper instructions, keep the weeds down even if you have to dig them out yourself, keep the lawn clear of debris such as leaves and water often enough depending on local conditions to maintain a healthy lawn. Please feel free to leave your tips regarding keeping a healthy lawn!