lawn

How to Get the Greenest Lawn on the Block — Naturally

Ashley Marcin — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 09:30:24 +0000

Want a gorgeous, lush lawn without all the chemicals and other icky stuff? It's not as hard as you might think. With a little creativity and some elbow grease, you can whip your grass into shape without calling a service or spending much at all. (See also: Secret Lawn Tonic Golf Course Groundskeepers Love)

Amazing Aeration

Before the season even starts, you should aerate your lawn so it can have its best year yet. By letting it breathe, you get rid of nasty compaction issues that can cause bigger problems down the line. To aerate, you'll want the grass to be pretty dry. Insert a garden fork or sod coring tool every few inches to get the oxygen in. If you have a big lawn, you might consider going in with a neighbor and renting a power lawn aerator for a day or two. After you've finished this process, collect soil plugs with a bagged mower and add them to your compost heap.

Beer Fertilizer

My grandfather is known as a lawn king of sorts in my hometown. He swears by feeding his lawn with beer. The fermented sugars and other nutrients improve the soil and help to get rid of dead spots. All you have to do is pour about eight ounces of regular beer per 10-inch spot that needs love. Beer can be fresh or flat, hot or cold. Wait about a week and if the area is still droopy, repeat the process.

Soothing Salts, Part I

Not into brews? That's okay. You can actually use your favorite bath time soak to nurture your lawn. Epsom salts help keep your grass green and healthy all year round — they may even soften grass. You'll want to use about three pounds of salts per 1,250 square feet of lawn. To apply, use a lawn spreader. If you'd rather add water and spray, use a tank sprayer or a hose with a spray attachment.

Soothing Salts, Part II

The National Gardening Association explains that epsom salts also work wonders in your vegetable and flower gardens by enriching the soil with magnesium. The group conducted a study where gardeners from across the United States sprayed their peppers and roses with the stuff. The results? Four out of six gardeners reported that their pepper plants were more robust. All the rose plants were bushier with greener foliage and more roses. To try this at home, add one tablespoon of epsom salts to a gallon of water, spray plants, and repeat the process every 10 days (peppers) or six weeks (roses).

Kind Killer

This weed killer is kind to the environment and won't cost you much. In fact, you might already be using it for many tasks in your home. Simply spray all those pesky weeds with plain white vinegar. You'll want to do this on a day with no rain in the forecast (can dilute the effects). My mother-in-law says that heartier, more persistent weeds respond better to something stronger like pickling vinegar. Just pour vinegar into a spray bottle and use as liberally as necessary.

Wondrous Water

Whether or not you live someplace where you have a cap on water usage, it's a good idea to conserve this precious resource. Try building your own rain barrel to collect what falls from the sky. You just need a 32-gallon plastic trash can, brass faucet, flexible downspout, and utility knife. Cut a hole in your can's cover, attach the downspout to your gutter, and then connect the two components. Wait for the rain and then use your faucet to tap into the magic.

Modified Mowing

How often and how short you cut your grass has an impact on its overall health as well. There's no one-size-fits-all approach, unfortunately. Regardless, grass cut too short can be more prone to problems like weeds, drought, and heat damage. So, if you're experiencing little precipitation, it's a good idea to let grasses grow taller as a defense. For guidelines on how tall or short you should keep your grass in general, call your local extension office, garden center, or seed supplier.

Clover Comeback

So many of our neighbors seem to battle to keep white clover out all season long. We've embraced clover because it's actually a natural way to crowd out weeds. Clover also spreads quickly and covers the ground with greenery to blend with your other grasses. It grows well in shadier areas of your lawn and those with poor drainage. Best yet, it's a legume and can convert nitrogen into its own free fertilizer. Learn to love this misunderstood ground cover!

What are some natural ways you care for your lawn?

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This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Things You Should NOT Do to Your Yard This Fall

Linsey Knerl — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 17:00:06 +0000

The air is starting to chill and the leaves are starting to fall. Pools are coming down, and plans for how to prepare the yard for winter are being made. There is never enough time, it seems, to get everything in order for the new season, but it isn't the occasion to take shortcuts; in fact, skipping out on the proper way to handle your yard and garden could cause big damage come spring. (See also: 7 Ways to Improve the Life of Your Lawn Mower)

Avoid killing your outdoor space for good with these common mistakes.

1. Cut Your Grass Too Short

Depending on the species of grass you have growing in your yard, a buzz cut can kill the lush carpet covering your lawn and cause high-dollar damages, too. In fact, zoysia grass is not recommended to be cut down to less than two inches high, especially in the fall before it goes dormant. Leaving a little more length on your blades isn't really an eyesore, and it will help preserve your lawn in the long run.

2. Just Do a Once-Over

When mowing, aerating, or reseeding your lawn for the winter, be sure you do it once, and then go over it again diagonally. This will prevent your yard from having "lines" that will appear unattractive come spring.

3. Stop Watering

Unless it has reached freezing temps in your area of the country, continue to water as you normally would. Shrubs, fruit trees, and hedges are especially dependent on water this time of year, as they are getting what they need before they go dormant. Failing to water could cause significant damage to your precious plants.

4. Use the Wrong Fertilizer

If it's still warm enough to use fertilizer, opt for an easy-to-apply spray instead of a granular product. The small pieces of granular fertilizer can sit on your yard for months, failing to dissolve in to-dry conditions. You may end up with a burnt lawn if this happens.

5. Forget to Mulch

As long as the ground hasn't frozen, you still have time to apply mulch around your trees and on top of garden plants such as asparagus and rhubarb. Use the right kind of mulch for the plant, and be certain that you aren't spreading dangerous pests or fungus by moving recycled materials from a diseased plant to a healthy one.

6. Skip Raking

It is so much work, but it is so vital to a healthy yard! Layers of snow over layers of leaves can lead to mold and fungus damage. Plus, it makes it ridiculously difficult for that first mowing next year.

7. Spray Weed Killer When It's Cold

While the fall is the ideal time to get one last weed killing in, you do not want to do this in areas where it is not consistently above 60 degrees. So, southern folks are probably safe; here in Nebraska, we are past that point, already.

8. Leave Spring Planting Until the Spring

If you want beautiful spring bulbs, now is the time to put them in. Tulips, lilies, and even garden "roots" such as asparagus can go in now for a head start on next year. While getting behind on flowering plants isn't the end of the world, waiting an extra six months for asparagus is a big deal (especially since they need two full years to mature before the first harvest.) This is also a great time to plant new trees and shrubs.

9. Forget to Shop

Stores are clearing out all of their spring and summer gardening supplies right now! Stop in to get things you know you'll need like pots, soil, seeds, tools, and more. With savings of up to 90%, it's foolish to wait. Don't forget to check your local dollar store, too!

10. Overlook Pests

Do your apple trees have orange spots on the leaves? Did your fruit all end up with worms in it? Many of the pests that plague the family orchard and yard need to have an aggressive plan to stop them, and fall is the perfect time to take notes of what you see so that you can be proactive next year. Take pictures of any damage done to your yard and garden now, so that you can research the damage and purchase the right tools next year. Many issues, such as fungus and codling moths (the bugs that makes "wormy" apples) need to have sprays applied to trees in the early spring before symptoms appear. Taking notice now is the only way to get ahead of these problems.

Taking care of your lawn and garden the right way will depend on location, choices in greenery, and personal style. Being diligent about this last stage of the year can allow you to take a break during the winter before another season of yard work in the spring!

What are you doing (or have already done) to prepare your yard for winter? Please share in comments!

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This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Stuff We Love: A Lightweight Electric Lawn Mower

Elizabeth Lang — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:22:21 +0000

We recently moved from a house with a tiny yard to one with a much larger yard. At our old house we used a push reel lawn mower (which was awesome because it cut the grass well, I got good exercise using it, and it required no gas or electricity to run). With our new house and a much larger yard, not to mention a giant hill, we knew there was no way we could continue to use the push lawn mower. So we bought an electric lawn mower.

Why I Chose an Electric Lawn Mower

Knowing we would need a new lawn mower for our new house, we started looking at options. The smell of gasoline fumes makes my spouse sick, and as I did not want to be the sole person in charge of our lawn, we started looking at corded-electric and rechargeable-battery lawn mowers. After a bit of research we decided that we didn't want to worry about the battery wearing out and not holding a charge in a few years, so we opted for corded electric. After spending hours and hours reading reviews we decided on the GreenWorks 3 in 1 Electric Lawn Mower.

What's Great About It

The best thing about the GreenWorks Electric Lawn Mower is that it's not a gas mower. There is no gas to remember to buy and then stink up your yard on a nice night. But beyond that, this electric lawn mower has a number of great features. It's easy to assemble right out of the box (it pretty much just unfolds). Here's what else I like about it.

It's light and easy to maneuver (even up a hill).
It cuts grass to a very low setting (1.5 inches) to a quite high setting (3.75 inches).
It has a 20 inch cutting width.
It comes with a 4 year warranty.
There are three settings for the discharge: mulch, clippings (bagged), clippings (unbagged).

What It Compares To

There are a large number of corded electric lawn mowers on the market. Black and Decker offers several as does Earthwise. However, after reading the reviews and considering our options, we decided that we wanted a 20 inch cutting path (most others range from 16-19 inches). Our previous reel mower was only 16 inches wide and those extra inches add up quickly. Also, we wanted a mower that had an option for bagging if we wanted it. (Right now we just use the side mulch.) And ultimately, at the price point ($175) for the only electric lawn mower with as many good reviews as the GreenWorks has, we decided we couldn't go wrong.

Who It Is Best For

The GreenWorks electric lawn mower is best for someone who is looking for a corded electric lawn mower who has any size yard (except a huge yard, see below). It has zero gas emissions and is lightweight and easy to use.

How It Could Be Better

The one thing that I don't like about the electric lawn mower is the cord. Due to the size of our yard we bought a 100 foot extension cord. It is always tangled when I go to mow the lawn (no matter how good of a job I did putting it away the previous time), and I have a hard time mowing the lawn in just the right pattern to avoid the cord. But, I would have these problems with any electric lawn mower; they are not unique to GreenWork's design.

What They Don't Tell You in the Manual

There are two things to know about buying a corded electric lawn mower for a larger backyard with a hill.

First, regardless of the size of your yard, you want to start mowing from the point closest to the electric outlet. As long as you are always mowing away from the outlet you won't run the cord over. My spouse can do this perfectly. I, on the other hand, constantly seem to have the pattern in such a way that I have to move the cord.

Second, if you have a hill, you should mow across the hill and not up and down. You don't need a self-propelled electric lawn mower (this mower is not, like most), even for a hill, because the machine is light enough that it's very easy to push. But, if you're using it on a hill you will definitely want to cut across the hill and not mow up and down it.

Bottom Line Recommendation

If you're in the market for an electric lawn mower, the GreenWorks mower is the best mower you can get (at a great price).

Where to Get Yours

You can buy the GreenWorks electric lawn mower on Amazon for about $176.
You can also buy it on Mowers Direct for $199 and on Sears.com for $169 (plus tax, depending on your state.).

Get yours today!

Do you have an electric lawn mower? How do you like it?

This article is from Elizabeth Lang of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Save Big Money on Next Year's Lawn and Garden

Linsey Knerl — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:00:03 +0000

Dealista MP3:

Dealista #25: Save Big on Next Year's Garden

This article shares tips from the newest episode of Dealista, our podcast that'll help you get more for less.

Brrr! It’s still cold outside, but that doesn’t mean you can’t turn your mind to warmer thoughts and begin planning out how you’ll save on next year’s lawn and garden! The time to start is right now. Get the tips you need to save some green come spring time.

Use Seeds

Yes, we know it takes a bit more time, patience, and sometimes, even special equipment. The fact remains, however, that the cost of a tomato plant from seed (usually pennies) is far cheaper than those beautiful, giant plants you can get at the nursery (usually $2-6!). While time is money, the great thing about growing from seed is that the time invested can pay off big time come planting season. Consider it if your budget is tight, or you want to have more control over the conditions your little plants are raised in.

Swap ‘Em

Last year, I bought several heirloom seed packets (watermelons, tomatoes, etc), but had room to plant just a few seeds per packets. What did I do with the other 20 per packet? I traded with my mom. While seeds can be stored in cool and dry conditions for a year or two beyond the season you purchase them in (this can vary per species), why not spice up your garden with a seed swap? Have friends bring all their seed packets and trade out a few per packet for a free way to expand your gardening options. (Have the directions for each seed packet photocopied onto a sheet of paper for future reference.)

Buy Little Plants

Sometimes, even our best intentions will leave you seedless (or your dog may knock over all your tiny seedlings!). In the case of springtime approaching without having started anything, buying a plant is an OK alternative. Just go small. Those beautiful, arm-length plants with fruit already starting will cost you! If you can find small-rooted 4-packs that are less than 6 inches tall, you’ll usually get a greater discount per plant.

Go Garage!

Garage sales and flea markets are the perfect place to stock up on supplies for growing. The best finds are usually clay pots, which can cost a pretty penny new from the store. Remember that some of the best finds may not look the greatest at the sale, so be prepared to dig through broken and dirty pots and accessories to get to the good stuff. It’s worth it!

Set Up Your Subscriptions

Subscribing to several mail-order catalogs is a great way to grow your garden. Not only can you learn a lot about planting and harvesting techniques, but you can also find out about new varieties you may not have heard of before. When you sign up, you’ll also get access to exclusive discounts and shipping offers. It’s the perfect way to save a bundle on some exotic plants or organic varieties. (Those who don’t want the paper waste may go ahead and search out the same companies online — but many of the colorful photos and charts may not be accessible this way.)

There are a few other tips you will want to know before you plan out that dream garden:

Get the dirt on your supplier. To know if you’re working with a reputable company before you order, check out The Garden Watchdog, which is a free directory of over 7,000 mail-order companies, with ratings and comments from customers to help you get an unbiased review.
Go Green! Organic and heirloom varieties are not only super-tasty, but they are great for reintroducing long-forgotten species of plants back into our environment. Consider getting these kinds of plants from a special supplier. A good list to start with is located at Green Promise.
Hit the dollar store. Seriously. I got most of my potting soil, accessories, and even a few seed packets from my local store, for far less than what I would have gotten from a gardening retailer. (Many of the brands are exactly the same.) You’ll also want to check out retailers like Walmart, Target, and Home Depot after the summer season, to see what clearance items you can buy for next year!
Get online codes. RetailMeNot.com continues to offer codes for big suppliers like Johnny Seeds and Spring Hill Nurseries. Try Googling your favorite seed company to see what codes may be available for your next phone or online order. (We’ve seen them as generous as 50% off an order, or free shipping plus gifts!)

How does your frugal garden grow?

Dealista is a collaboration between Wise Bread and Quick and Dirty Tips, the producer of popular podcasts such as Grammar Girl, Money Girl, Winning Investor, and Mighty Mommy.

If you enjoyed these tips you can find more in our show's archive.

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Beautify Your Yard: What's Your Best Advice?

Linsey Knerl — Mon, 04 May 2009 03:39:07 +0000

Wise Bread’s “Cream of the Crop” Roundup

Our best garden and yard advice. What's yours?

Free Food In Your Yard: Edible Weeds - Weeds are a pain, but Andrea has given us the best advice for those who have been officially defeated. If you can’t beat ‘em, eat ‘em!

Secret Lawn Tonic from Golf Course Groundskeeper – This is one recipe that I didn’t see coming! Paul shares this “top secret” formula containing a few choice beverages, mouthwash, and some cleaning products.

Gardening in a Group: 6 Tips – Who knew that getting dirty with your friends could be so healthy and productive? Thursday’s simple ground rules can keep things civil, and they can help guarantee a “fruitful” partnership.

Vegetable Gardening: Four Cheap Hacks – Myscha presents four of the most clever horticulture hacks to our readers. When you combine frugality with farming, I’m in!

Growing My Own Food… In My Apartment – Thursday’s not letting anyone off the hook this time. Even if you don’t have a sprawling backyard, there’s a gardening option for you!

The Ultimate “Green” Workout – Forget pricey gym memberships and recalled commercial fitness equipment; this gal’s getting fit and trim in the garden! I’ll show you how, in this reader-inspired article.

So what do you think? Are you excited to grow something that will feed your body and your soul? Share your gardening and lawn tips in the comments!

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Uses for Those Old Whitewalls

Linsey Knerl — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 22:06:52 +0000

No, they don’t have to be whitewalls, but I know that sometime in the near future you will have an old tire to get rid of. I’m not the most eco-friendly gal in the bunch, but I do hate waste (and that nasty tire disposal fee they charge when you buy a new one.) So without further ado, here are the best ways I’ve found for putting those old rubber rings to good use:

1. Flower planters – There are so many adorable and trendy ways to make flower beds, planters, and gardens by simply using old tires. An undecorated, clean tire can be filled with topsoil and placed in a sunny area for growing flower and tomatoes faster than using soil alone! Those with patios or small apartment decks might like the dozens of designs for do-it-yourself tire planters to match all decors. Durable, and unlikely to be dug up by dogs or blown away in storms, your plants will find a safe haven in your old tire.

2. Backyard play equipment – Sure, we’ve all had fun on a tire swing, but have you tried a horse swing? Made from tires and a few hardware staples, this is the swing to have!Big kids (you know who you are) can enjoy a good giddyup from a tree or sturdy swingset.

3. Fountains, Waterfalls, and more – Did you know that it is possible to use the walls of rubber tires to create beautiful 3-tiered fountains for your outdoor landscape? You could even create a fish pond full of koi with your unwanted tires. Bubbling water décor can be made from old tires and less than $30 of supplies!

4. Composter – Maybe you know that you should be composting, and that it is a very responsible way to dispose of and reuse garden refuse and vegetation waste. While it can be a pain to make your own composter, using tires makes it very simple and super cheap!

5. Sandals – Don’t go trading in your Birks for these tire-inspired models just yet. While wildly popular in some countries south of the border, these homemade sandals haven’t quite caught on here in the States. I’ll admit, they look comfy, and those that wear them swear by their ability to allow air to circulate (thus eliminating nasty, sweaty bacteria and yeast to thrive). A sort of Teva-style knock-off from tires and nylon strapping, these sandals can be made from instructions found at Hollowtop.com .

6. Home sweet home – I have learned that it is possible to use landfill tires and other discarded rubber products to build an energy-efficient home! Obviously more than a weekend project, home-building with tires has been around for over a decade, and the designs just get better each year. A good place to start is The Tire House Book, and if unsure of making that kind of commitment, you can design a small shed or garage to get started.

This is just six of the dozens of ideas for reusing tires (sometimes called “tirecrafting”.) A simple online search will get you hundreds of free resources to get you started. Some of the designs are so simple, and no one would ever guess that the finished project started out as an old tire. Other uses include lawn and garden edging, retaining walls, portable coldframes, solar raised bed planters, and sandboxes. There is also a super book called Tire Recycling Is Fun.

I should note that over the years there has been concern about the toxins in tires that may be released over time into the surrounding soil. While moving the tires every 5 years should prevent any unwanted leeching of the zinc that is contained within tires, you may paint your tires with a toxin-free sealant to be on the safe side. More information on this topic can be found in an article by the Countryside and Small Stock Journal .

One other word of warning is on storing the tires. Please do not lay old tires outside where they can collect water. Since standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitos, you will not be doing anyone a favor by allowing rainwater to collect in abandoned tires. Keep them inside in a dry, cool place, and they will be ready to go for your next tirecrafting project!

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Secret Lawn Tonic Recipe From Golf Course Groundskeeper

Paul Michael — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 22:46:39 +0000

I am always on the lookout for gardening tips and cheats because, well, I'm awful at gardening. My local news station airs this one every year, and it has always worked wonders for my lawn. And as I live in the arid climate of Colorado, it's even more useful these days. (See also: 7 Ways to Improve the Life of Your Lawn Mower)

The recipe came from Tim Heffron, a former groundskeeper at a golf course. All you need are five common household ingredients and a 10-gallon hose-end sprayer. This recipe can be modified slightly for other less dry climates, but for areas like Colorado it works wonders. And it's a heck of a lot cheaper and more effective than the store-bought mixes.

You will need:

One full can of regular pop (any kind-no diet soda)
One full can of beer (no light beer) 12oz
1/2 Cup of Liquid dishwashing soap (do NOT use anti-bacterial dishwashing liquid)
1/2 Cup of household ammonia
1/2 Cup of mouthwash (any brand)

Directions:

Pour into 10-gallon hose-end sprayer (other sizes will work too)
In high heat, apply every three weeks

UPDATE
I have received several emails recently asking me about the 10-gallon hose end sprayer, and if you need to add 10 gallons of water to the solution. The 10-gallon hose end sprayer is actually quite small, enough to fit the undiluted solution. You fill the hose end sprayer, attach it to your hose and turn on the water. The solution is mixed with water as it sprays out, automatically diluting it, and should give you enough for 10 gallons of the diluted mixture. I hope that helps.

That's it! Simple, easy, cheap and very very effective. But I already know what you're asking. How does this work? Well, Heffron explains the science behind the homemade tonic:

The liquid soap is a wetting agent, helping the formula penetrate the roots.

The ammonia promotes growth and turns your lawn green.

The mouthwash does something you would never suspect mouthwash would do. It kills the bugs and grubs.

NOTE: Do NOT use anti-bacterial dishwashing liquid in the mixture as it will kill off important microbes in the lawn and soil that help "digest" thatch.

Says Tim,

"It essentially messes-up their re-productive cycles and keeps them out of your lawn and makes it look a lot better and leaves it minty fresh," laughs Heffron. And because it's applied with the hose sprayer, it's a direct shot to your sod. "When you don't have a lot of water and we're on watering restrictions, this is another way to get the nutrients to your lawn and keep it growing."

So there you have it. My lawn is already starting to awaken from its winter hibernation here in Colorado, and it won't be long before the scorching sun will turn the neighbors' new green growth into brown, dry thatch. But with my trusty tonic by my side, my lawn will be greener than blood from a Vulcan.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: