6 Steps To A Greener, Healthier Lawn
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Article by: Jim Reinhardt It is important to understand that a lawn , How to Grow Wildflowers that is easy to care for and gives you the health and beauty you desire is dependant on several steps including those that occur before you make your first application of fertilizer. St. Augustinegrass, the type of grass , Oregano: Joy of the Mountain in most Florida homes, , Build A Simple Planter Box comes in many subtypes called varieties and have different characteristics that make them more or less suited for various conditions like shade tolerance and others. The term lawn , New Uses For Old Plants or turfgrass as found below will be used interchangeably to refer to St. Augustinegrass. 1. Turfgrass Establishment: Successful turfgrass establishment is important because without it lawns , The Basics of Plant Growth; (Part 3) Root Formation in Cuttings perform poorly and become infested with weeds , How to Grow Wildflowers that later can be difficult or impossible to selectively control. Proper soil , Tractors and Their History preparation followed by the selection of quality sod that is of the appropriate variety (cultivar) for your general shade conditions, combined with properly installed irrigation all contribute to the success of turfgrass establishment. Neglecting any of these important steps can lead to necessary corrective action in order to maintain a healthy , How to Use Garden Ornaments desired lawn. , Treating Rust on Metal Railings This action can include removing sod from an area that is too shady for grass , The Cottage Garden to grow , Low Maintenance Teak Furniture and replacing it with a more shade tolerant plant , Growing an Indoor Herb Garden Year-Round material, pruning , Viburnum Dilatatum 'Cardinal Candy' a tree , Viburnum Dilatatum 'Cardinal Candy' to allow more sunlight, adding or moving sprinklers, or removing the existing weed , Handcrafted Garden Bridges Builds Traditional Arched Span Bridges with Modern Flair infested areas and re-sodding with the appropriate variety following proper soil , Treating Rust on Metal Railings preparation. 2. Mowing: St. Augustine grass , Garden Swings Create an Enchanted Garden Setting should be mowed frequently enough to never remove more that one third of the grass , Planting Summer Flower Bulbs blade and always with a sharp mower , The Cure for Common Pool Stains blade.Mowers should be set on the highest setting for all varieties other than semi-dwarf varieties such as Seville and Delmar, which should be mowed at about two and one half inches high. When mowing once per week, this practice can be easily followed during the slower growing , Nepeta Faassenii 'Kit Kat' cooler months but becomes more difficult during the fast growing , 'Brite Eyes' Climbing Rose rainy summer , Composting - aka: The Circle of Life! months. A dull mower , Garden Swings Create an Enchanted Garden Setting blade will split and tear the grass , 'Brite Eyes' Climbing Rose blades that will eventually die from their wounds. Split and torn grass , Tomatoes: History, Origin, Facts... or Fiction? blades can thin the grass, , Low Maintenance Teak Furniture encourage weed , Durable Wooden Swing - Decorate Your Outdoors with One growth, cause an entry point for fungus and detract from the overall appearance of the lawns color , 'Sir Cedric Morris' Hardy Geranium by combining dead grass , Viburnum Dilatatum 'Cardinal Candy' blades with green healthy , The Cure for Common Pool Stains ones. Grass , Growing an Indoor Herb Garden Year-Round clippings should be mulched and returned to the grass , How To Find Cheap Flower Delivery In Your Area to be used as an additional source of nutrients. 3. Irrigation: Proper irrigation conserves both water , Treating Rust on Metal Railings and fertilizer and contributes to a healthy , Garden Swings Create an Enchanted Garden Setting lawn by encouraging healthy , Tips for Buying Plants Online root growth while discouraging weeds , Tomatoes: History, Origin, Facts... or Fiction? that thrive during constant wet conditions. Irrigation should be performed as needed by recognizing temporary wilt symptoms and then applying three-quarters of an inch of water. , The Cottage Garden If a regular frequency is desired and you are in the St. Johns Water , Teak Outdoor Furniture -- From the Forests to Ships to Your Patio Management District, you must follow the irrigation requirements that allow watering only two times per week and only on specified days that correspond with your street address.You should then apply only three-quarters of an inch of water. , Sowing an Annual Flower Border Ask your Dr. Jack's horticulturist for a free irrigation gauge to help you determine how long you need to water , 'Sir Cedric Morris' Hardy Geranium each area (irrigation zone) and set your timer (controller) up accordingly. 4. Fertilizing: Fertilizer is a lot like vitamins. There are many different opinions on what fertilizer is the best and what the frequency and rate should be. Turfgrass experts will all agree that St. Augustinegrass must receive additional fertilizer other than grass , Yellow Headed Spruce Sawfly clippings in order to be healthy , Yellow Headed Spruce Sawfly and have a good green , Patio Umbrellas appearance. Most turfgrass experts will also tell you that St. Augustinegrass in Central Florida requires 4 to 6 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 square feet per year. Most will also agree that nitrogen should be applied at 1 pound per 1000 square feet, and that formulations should contain some slow-release fertilizer. We recommend that as much as 50% of the nitrogen applied should be a slow-release form. Do not be fooled by the term organic! , The Cottage Garden Organic , Treating Rust on Metal Railings can be an expensive slow release synthetic or natural , Landscaping 101 long feeding product, , Planting and Caring for Flower Bulbs or it can be a cheap quick release synthetic or natural , The Basics of Plant Growth; (Part 3) Root Formation in Cuttings slow feeding product. , Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction to Hydroponics Gardening for Beginners (part 16) Temperature The important key word again is slow-release. Since our soils , Planting and Caring for Flower Bulbs in Central Florida usually contain adequate amounts of Phosphorus, and because Phosphorus is detrimental to the health of our lakes, it should be applied in smaller amounts than Nitrogen and Potassium or eliminated from the fertilizer completely. Potassium is important for root , 'Brite Eyes' Climbing Rose growth and should be included at rates close to those of Nitrogen. Micronutrients such as Iron and Manganese help with turf color , Teak Outdoor Furniture -- From the Forests to Ships to Your Patio but can cause staining if applied to paved surfaces. Generally, you get what you pay for when it comes to fertilizer. The cheaper the fertilizer the more you will need to buy and the shorter time it will last. This will ultimately cost you more than if you buy a more expensive fertilizer that requires you to use less but feeds your turf far longer. Good quality broadcast spreader types are the easiest to use and achieve the best results. Avoid getting any fertilizer on paved surfaces and if you do, blow or sweep the pellets back into the lawn , Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction to Hydroponics Gardening for Beginners (part 16) Temperature area to avoid potentially staining paved surfaces. It is also important to apply fertilizer in a manner that can be utilized by the grass , The Guide to Cloudy Pool Water and not wasted or cause pollution , Viburnum Dilatatum 'Cardinal Candy' to our lakes. Many of our paved surfaces drain into lakes and can carry misapplied fertilizers into our waterways during rainfall. All fertilizers are harmful to our lakes so you should always follow Florida's Best Management Practices (BMP) when making fertilizer applications. You can learn more about fertilizing and other Best Management Practices by visiting: http://tinyurl.com/eypua In conclusion, you need to determine several things before you apply fertilizer. Have you purchased the desired blend? Are you going to apply the right rate evenly so that you achieve an even, rich color , Teak Outdoor Furniture -- From the Forests to Ships to Your Patio that you desire while avoiding damage to the lawn , Tips for Buying Plants Online from applying too much fertilizer? And most importantly, are you avoiding any detrimental environmental , Landscaping 101 impact? 5. Pest , Brighten Your Path By Installing Decorative Landscape Lighting Control: A certain level of expertise is required to properly identify the different pests , Viburnum Dilatatum 'Cardinal Candy' that can harm our St. Augustinegrass turf before you decide to use a pesticide. You can view pests , Fence Companies that damage St. Augustinegrass by visiting: http://www.pestweb.com Proper identification of insects, diseases , How To Find Cheap Flower Delivery In Your Area and weeds , Butterfly House in the Flower Garden will help you decide if a pesticide is required and if so which one should be used. You need to read and understand the label before making any application of pesticides. There are several things you can do to reduce the need for pesticides on your site. These include proper watering, mowing, fertilizing, reducing traffic where possible, and avoiding any other stress to the grass. , Extreme Botany And The Glory of the Carnation If you are unsure about what you are attempting to control, you should consult or hire a professional. Any pesticides that are unused in an application should be stored safely away from children, always kept in their original container with the label attached, and never disposed improperly by pouring them into a sink drain or body of water. , Landscape Design - Well Balanced Home Landscaping 6.Change Your View and Perspective: If you think your lawn , Bonsai Trees For Sale - Things To Know Before You Buy doesn't look as good as you think it should, or it is not as green , The Cottage Garden as your neighbors across the street, try walking across the street to view your lawn. , Durable Wooden Swing - Decorate Your Outdoors with One There is no such thing as the perfect lawn , Chain Link Fences and sometimes we see things up close that aren't apparent from further away. You will probably find several things wrong with your neighbor's lawn , Low Maintenance Teak Furniture up close that were not apparent from your home , Composting - aka: The Circle of Life! across the street. Having a residential St. Augustinegrass lawn , Brighten Your Path By Installing Decorative Landscape Lighting that looks like a closely mowed Bermudagrass hybrid that you play golf on is an unrealistic goal. Remember, the grass , The Guide to Cloudy Pool Water is always greener on the other side of the street! For more information, , Build A Simple Planter Box please visit www.greengrassnow.com Dr. Jack's, a Central Florida Plant , Build A Simple er Box Care & Pest , Teak Outdoor Furniture -- From the Forests to Ships to Your Patio Control company, was founded in 1972 by Dr. Jack Reinhardt (Plant Pathology). The family owned and operated company provides high quality lawn , The Feng Shui of Trees & ornamental lawn , Viburnum Dilatatum 'Cardinal Candy' care, termite protection, and pest , Sowing an Annual Flower Border prevention by degreed horticulturists. Jim Reinhardt, Jack's son, earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida. Jim's brother, Rick Reinhardt, president of Dr. Jack's, obtained a degree in Horticulture. Jim has been a licensed , Tractors and Their History Florida Pest , Landscaping 101 Control Operator since 1985. He has served on the Orange County Agricultural Advisory Board and many tasks committees with the Bureau of Entomology an Pest , How to Grow Wildflowers Control (division of DACS). |
  
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