Lawn care is all about good habits. A habit is a regular tendency or practice that is often hard to give up. When good lawn care habits are established you won't even realize your doing them.
I've come up with five habits that I think could be the backbone of a responsible lawn care program. Whether you keep a highly manicured lawn or a low maintenance lawn, use conventional fertilizers and pesticides or grow an organic lawn, these habits are simple enough to fit any lawn care regimen.
Great lawn care habit number one is to mow the lawn as high as possible. Some southern lawns just can't grow very high so this habit is mostly applicable to the northern lawns consisting of bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass mixes.
It may seem odd at first to grow a lawn to 3 1/2 inches but it is the most critical element of my lawn care program. Long grass can withstand drought conditions better than short lawns and out-compete weeds for territory. The longer grass blade not only allows for increased photosynthesis, the lawn will also become more dense, lush, and green.
Read about all the great lawn care habits:
5 Great Lawn Care Habits originally appeared on About.com Lawn Care on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 19:46:28.
Happy New Year! Surely 2010 will be a year of great expectations in the face of enormous challenges. Lawn care may seem insignificant next to other lofty topics, but it very much ties in with current environmental challenges.
In 2010 water woes will continue, resulting in it being illegal or highly frowned upon to water a lawn (in the old gluttonous fashion). Be sure to select the appropriate grass species for your climate and use drought tolerant, native species wherever possible. For the most efficient use of water have a professional install an automatic sprinkler system enabling you to water at the proper time and with the proper amount of water. In extreme circumstances it may be more prudent to plant lawn alternatives like moss, or xeriscaping.
Another trend that will continue to grow is the "green" movement. Green is everywhere lately and lawn care is no exception. As more people discover the lack of perceived benefits in using synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, the organic lawn care movement will continue to grow. Organizations like Safelawns.org are spearheading the delivery of knowledge and the subsequent grassroots action resulting in pesticide bans throughout Canada and the United States. People are waking up to the reality of groundwater contamination and the health risks associated with synthetic, chemical, lawn care products.
These two trends may be seen as limiting factors but they are actually an opportunity. An opportunity to learn more about how grass grows, what it needs to be healthy, and how to successfully manage it without relying on dangerous products or scarce resources. Ideally, a healthy lawn will not be judged on how amazingly lush and green it is but on how natural and alive the soil that's growing it is.
Happy 2010 to everyone.
Lawn Care Trends for 2010 originally appeared on About.com Lawn Care on Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 at 11:06:00.