Lawn Care

[Pats300zx]

One thing that really separates my lawn from my neighbors (besides being green and weed-free), is 1) edging the lawn properly (makes it look so much better) and 2) Striping my lawn. You probably already know how to properly edge/trim around the boundary of the grass, but you really should research "lawn striping" for the ultimate in lawn appearance.

Any tips on how to do this???

[truzoom]

Edging the lawn? That's just as easy as carefully using a weedwhacker to cut away the stray grass from the edge, leaving it clean and sharp.

Striping requires a tool IIRC. It's basically a heavy roller that attaches to the mower and will bend the blades of grass over depending on the way you are going, creating alternating patterns between rows as the light hits it.

[Mr. Clean]

We are going to be putting in sod at the new house and living on a lake I want to learn more about organic fertilizers and proper lawn maintenance. My lawns have always looked good, but not quite Autopian. Also, what do the numbers mean in the fertilizer ratings? How can you tell if you are deep watering, other than time elapsed during the atering? Is the a gage or anything you can buy that will show you how deep you have watered?

Numbers on the fertilizer bags = NPK
Nitrogen - "leaf" growth / green color
Pottassium - root system / bloom
Phosphorous - bloom

With organic fertilizers those who have those numbers on the bag will have a far different ratio than you are used to seeing with the synthetic offerings. You don't have to rely solely on commercially available "branded" organic fertilizers. You can use corn meal, corn gluten meal, and organic compost just as effectively and the cost/application is lower.

Watering, the easiest way to measure your water output is to place several straight edged cans (ie. tuna) thorought the watering zone. Consider the time it takes for @1" of water to accumulate in the cans and you have your watering time.

Super, I'm sure we have differences in actual soil makeup, but I also sit atop a combination of black clay (we call it black gumbo) and sandy loam. After restoring your soil's health by stimulating the microbes and worm population, unless you have other contributing factors, I'm thinking you won't have to mechanically aerate your soil even annually. My lawn consists of Bernuda, Clover (mostly Dutch White), St. Augustine, and Fescue (Tall).

FWIW, I've been applying the organic landscape methods for better than 20 years. They work. Like detailing products however they are not silver bullets to a perfect lawn. There is still some physical work required to acheive the landscape you desire.

[ZaneO]

I understand that the shoes available for aerating aren't necessarily the proper tool for the job, but can any benefit be had from them? To my knowledge, our yard has never been aerated.

[Mr. Clean]

Originally Posted by ZaneO

I understand that the shoes available for aerating aren't necessarily the proper tool for the job, but can any benefit be had from them? To my knowledge, our yard has never been aerated.

Utterly and totally useless. In a soil that needs aeration they won't penetrate enough to be worthwhile, although they could provide you with a healthy ankle sprain.

Aren't ya'll sitting on a pretty light sandy soil? good (too good) drainage? trouble with water retention? water percolates right through the soil too quickly?

Core aeration (the machine literally removes a core @ 1-2" in length of soil which is left lying atop the lawn) benefits denser more compacted soils almost immediately. I've never done anything to my lawn which had a more immediate and visible impact.

[ZaneO]

Is this a good time of year for aeration?

[Mr. Clean]

Originally Posted by ZaneO

Is this a good time of year for aeration?

If you have a period of dry weather ahead, it would be fine. My personal preference is Sept-Oct. If you choose to have it done, check with an organics specialist in your area for suggested ammendments which you can add at the same time. Compost would be number one on the list. If your soil is as I described, they may also recommend the addition of some form of rock powder such as lava sand or Texas green sand.

[SilverLexus]

Definitely leave clippings on the lawn, especially if you have a fine cut mulching mower. Grass has high levels of Nitrogen which help green up the lawn as it is digested.

[SilverLexus]

Is this a good time of year for aeration?

In Atlanta, the best times are April/May and Sept/October. I'm not sure about Ohio.

[Mr. Clean]

Originally Posted by SilverLexus

Grass has high levels of Nitrogen which help green up the lawn as it is digested.

In addition to nitrogen, grass clippings reportedly contain somewhere between 70-85% water. For those who worry with the "numbers" some sources assess a 4-2-1 to the nutrient content of clippings.

As mentioned in an earlier post, when returning the clippings to the turf, it is important to mow with a frequency which allows for only the top third of the leaf to be removed. It is not a hard rule, but rather a general one.

[ZaneO]

Originally Posted by SilverLexus

I'm not sure about Ohio.

Who's in Ohio?

[SilverLexus]

Who's in Ohio?

Doh! I mean Texas.

In any event, check with http://www.scotts.com/ and register for local advice. It's a good site for lawn information in my experience.