Posts Tagged ‘Grass’

Lawn Leveling Tips – How do you Level Lawns

The key to achieving a clean, even placement of a lawn lies in the preparation of the site on which the grass is to grow on: no rubble, no protruding large stones, no holes or crevices on the ground that may twist one’s ankle, hide tiny objects, even creatures, that inadvertently roll onto lawn grass, and will make the task of mowing the lawn difficult.
The first step to level lawns – is to clear the area of unwanted objects like tree stumps and large stones. This is done by digging or by using a Rotavator. If there are weeds or unwanted vegetation growing, a systemic weed killer may be sprayed onto the soil to discourage the further growth of weeds. After clearing, the soil is raked to improve soil structure. This also facilitates the leveling process.

The next step is to do soil patching to further even out the surface area and to create a planting surface that is acceptable to the roots of the plants. This can be done by dragging topsoil from one area of the lawn to the other in order to create an even planting surface. Well-drained, sandy loam makes the best topsoil for a lawn. It should be free draining, but at the same time be able to retain a certain water level that can prevent plants from completely drying out. Sand may also be added to the topsoil to level the soil but it can turn cement-like when dry and can cause soil drainage problems. Used alone, sand is not a good surface to grow grass on.
To achieve a uniform level for the planting area, mark the desired soil height using string that is drawn taught on pegs. These pegs are evenly plotted on the area, creating a uniform grid that will guide the distribution of the soil. Adjust the soil level to the marks indicated by the lines. Repeat the digging, raking and leveling processes until a level surface is achieved. The soil is then firmed down.

Cover the whole area with topsoil, preferably 20-30 cm (8-12 inches) deep. Tread evenly over the ground to test if the soil is evenly firm. Take care not to over-compress so that the soil won’t get compacted or water-logged. No activity should be undertaken on the soil surface within the next 4-6 weeks to allow the soil particles to settle down naturally. Lightly fertilize; water the soil thoroughly a few days before putting the grass in.

If lawn ruts or uneven spots appear after the grass has been allowed to grow, patch the soil with an equal mixture of sand and dry topsoil, evenly spreading the mixture, but not entirely covering up the growing grass underneath. Compost may also be added to the patching soil mix for a richer planting medium.

That should be it, keep an eye on the lawn but over time, this uneven spot should eventually level out. These are the simple steps in lawn leveling, it’s not as difficult as it seems. You can save on professional fees. But more importantly is the fact that you will derive much satisfaction in doing your own lawn leveling

Lawn Seed Preparation and Costs

Looking for ways to come up with a durable, more lasting lawn? Consider lawn seeding. Lawn seeding ensures that grass on your lawn are deeply rooted and will withstand the wear and tear that most lawns are subjected to.

Although seeding a lawn takes and awful lot of time to do, it is definitely a lot less costly than laying sod. The first step is to determine the type of turf grass to plant. This step requires serious planning and it would be a good idea to get professional advise on what grass to grow in your particular area. Seed dealers can offer a wide variety of lawn products and services to choose from: from seed costs, to labor costs, and other requirements. One tip: never use quick grow seed packages as these contain a high percentage of annual rye, which dies after only one season. How much seed to buy? The rule of the thumb in seeding bare ground is 5 – 6 lbs per 1000 square feet; for over seeding add an estimated 3 – 4 lbs per 1000 square feet.
The initial establishment cost in lawn seeding is generally lower costs related to sodding. This is basically because seeds cost less than sod. Where to plant? Seeding is not an option in areas where there is a high probability of soil erosion. Too much movement of soil particles will prevent the seeds from properly taking root and will prove to be more costly when the process of seeding has to be repeated. Also, herbicides may be needed during the first year of seed establishment to ensure that the young grass plants do not compete with herbs for much needed nutrients in the soil. The cost of herbicide application should be included in the computation of seeding costs.

Taking Care of Grass

Seeding is a good option when you want to have grass in a shaded area; just be sure to plant the right type of grass seeds for the site. Other things you need to do in seeding include loosening the soil, which is a basic requirement for any lawn establishment procedure, clearing the area of weeds and debris, leveling the ground and applying topsoil where needed. Your usual garden tools are often sufficient for these procedures: shovel, rake, pick-ax. A rotary tiller might be needed in areas that are tough to loosen, but renting one rather than buying would be sufficient.

For seed application, you will need a drop or a broadcast sprayer, and then a garden hose and sprinkler to dampen the area where the grass will grow. Make sure the prepared ground drains well. New sprouts can be protected from heavy rain or strong winds by covering them up with a fine layer of hay, which can be removed with a rake when the sprouted seeds are strong enough to stand on their own.

A professional landscaper usually charges around $201for a 2,000-square foot lawn; others may charge around $90 to work on a 1,000 square foot lawn. Just a reminder: be wary of so-called professional grass seeders who charge too little for the job. You might be in for more trouble. Most seed /landscaping companies stay competitive and their price range will lie within a competitive range, so costs should be fairly even.

For an average-sized lawn, you will only need around $50 if you plan to buy the seeds and plant it yourself. If you need to add topsoil, you’ll have spend a little bit more. Some shops have a grass seed calculator that can help you in the computation of costs in preparing your lawn.
Your starter fertilizer should be an 18-24-12 mixture; a 50 lb bag will adequately cover about 12,000 square feet.
A final advice: do your seeding in late summer or early fall, when cooler weather and rains are expected. That way, the tiny plants will be less subjected to stress and will pass through their growing season more peacefully. You will also lessen the probability of having to reseed due to failed initial seeding attempts.

And remember choose the best lawnmower you can to keep the grass trim, and it’s especially important to keep the blades sharp when grass is young as otherwise your mower will tear the grass rather than cut it cleanly.

Does Walter Smith Cut His Own Grass Or Does He Have A Gardener?

What type of lawn mower will he have? Electric or petrol? Rotary or blades?

Wanted To Know Best And Safest Way To Cut Grass. What Lawn Mower Buy And Safety Considerations.?

I am a retired college teaching professor, who has taken over raking leaves. Now want to go to cutting grass on lawn. The lawn is straight and small in front. In the back there really is not much grass. The lawn is more the crabgrass type. Even with the greatest of efforts, it will not get that “golf green” lawn look.
I am not interested in a riding lawn mower. Have talked to a couple of people. It looks like a push lawn mower with a bag is the way for me to go. Someone mentioned having one in which you do not have adjust the wheels.
Am concerned about what would be best to buy, where. Safety is also a major concern on how to adjust the blades, and any other matters should know about.
Tired of walking and thought practical exercise would be good. The mower would pay for itself soon.
Any suggestions about operating and buying a motorized push lawn mower would be greatly appreciated.

Taking Care of Grass

Many people feel that the grass is always greener on the other side, but what if for you it is literally true? It can be frustrating to look across the street and see your neighbor’s green grass practically glowing in the sunlight. You may be taking care of your grass and wonder what you are doing wrong. There are a few landscaping tips that may help you discover what you can do right.

Taking Care of Grass

First, when it comes to watering the lawn, less is more. Too much water can cause damage to your lawn. In fact, brown patches on the lawn can be caused by over watering. Most lawns only require approximately 1-1.5 inches of water per week. Over watering can actually leach valuable nutrients from the soil. These nutrients are essential to making your lawn a lush, green color.

Another important tactic for keeping your lawn green is to ensure that you are mowing it properly. Cutting your grass too close to the ground and cutting with a dull blade can both cause problems. For example, ripped grass is more vulnerable to pests.

Pests that can damage your lawn can be divided into two categories – soil inhabitants and thatch inhabitants. Examples of soil inhabitants are mole crickets, white grubs, and billbugs. Examples of thatch inhabitants are spittlebugs, clinch bugs, and sod webworms. It is best to figure out what kind of pest you are dealing with before spending any money on the problem.

Weeds can also deteriorate the beauty of a lawn. It is best to nip a weed problem in the bud before it gets too serious. Weeds can spread quickly throughout your lawn. A liquid spray weed killer would be best to spot treat weeds on a lawn. However, it is important that you read the label and do not purchase a weed killer that will do damage to your grass as well.

Then there is the issue of fertilizer. Most experts recommend using a fertilizer on lawns but they may disagree on how often. The frequency of fertilizer use and what type of fertilizer to use can depend on climate. The best option would be to ask your local lawn care supplier for his or her advice on the matter.

If you are still not satisfied with your lawn after changing your landscaping techniques, then sod is always a possibility. Laying sod takes a little work but it is not difficult. It would require you to rip up your existing lawn to make room for the new one. The process of laying sod generally takes two or three weeks. Sometimes putting your current lawn out of its misery might be the better option than continuing to watch it struggle.

There is obviously hope for even the worst lawns. Changing your lawn for the better is often just a matter of figuring out if you are doing something wrong or if there are other forces at play. It could be a problem with how you are watering your lawn or maybe it is just an unknown pest that has invaded. After some research and some changes, your grass can be among the greenest on the block and you’ll need to get the best lawnmower you can.

My Riding Lawn Mower Cuts The Grass Unevenly. How Do I Adjust It?

I have a Craftsman TS1000 riding lawn mower and my son ran over a large rock that damaged one of the two blades. After replacing the damaged blade, the lawn mower cuts unevenly. I put the lawn mower on a level surface and can see that the mower deck is uneven, but I don’t know how to adjust it. Can you help me?

What’s The Best Type Of Lawnmower For Tough Grass On An Uneven Surface?

I’ve had very limited success with hover-mowers, and metal bladed rotary mowers.
I’ve never tried a cylinder mower, but I suspect it would be better able to handle the tough conditions of my back garden.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Grass Cutting Green Options

  The industry in general landscaping is a wonderful activity. They create beautiful landscapes, install trees, shrubs, plants and flowers. This reinforces our environment and beautify our homes. There are a number of things about the industry that is negating all the work they are doing right. Mowing the lawn is a big part of the company. Each day, 5 days a week they drive from home to home, get their gas on the lawn too hungry to start their Gas Powered Trimmers online and blowers. They spend probably no more than 30 minutes on average to a house. Then they are back in their vehicles and the house next door. This is an extreme amount of gas usage from machinery and vehicles and an extreme amount of pollution that destroy ozone. We can reduce the amount of pollution in our atmosphere, if we have time to even cut the grass, a non-polluting. There are more and more rechargeable mowers and trimmers to come on the market. Most of these rechargeable mowers will cut about 1 / 3 acre on a single charge. This will accommodate many home lawns. However, it still takes energy. There is an option that does nothing more than human energy. . . a rotary mower. These mowers have come a long way in recent years. They used to be heavy, difficult and often need sharpening. Rotary mowers of today are lightweight, ergonomic, and sharpening blades require little. These mowers are easy to use, less expensive than traditional gas mowers and powered lawn mowing services. Rotary mower price starts around $ 90. $ 00 and up to 300 million U.S. dollars. On models better bagging attachments are available. Rotary Mower Brill is the best I've encountered. The blades require sharpening once every ten years. An optional bagging is available for about $ 50. $ 00. They are light and easy action to cut smoothly, even through the thick grass. The way a rotary lawn mower cutting is also better for the lawn. It cuts the grass with scissors like motion, leaving a clean cut. A gas powered blade rotates at a high rate of speed traction on grass and cutting it. If the blade is not sharp, it tears the grass. You can tell if the blade is not marked by white edges on top of the grass-like split ends. Perhaps we as a nation would be a little healthier too, if we cut our own grass. So many people live lives of quiet now more than ever. By reducing our own lawn equipment with environmentally friendly, we will not only improve our planets health, but the improvement of our own good.

The Grass is Greener: An Anglo-Saxon Passion

Check "A mind, the bizarre story of the lawn – and a warm tribute to the lawnmower 'The Times' This book is absolutely hilarious. Brilliantly written, a minor classic. A gem. 'The field "Even those without green fingers will find hymn Tom Fort horticulture fun. "The cultural history Evening Standard 'best' Country Life Grasses and organization in lawns is a particular obsession in English. If a house of an Englishman is his castle, then his law…
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Get a Better Grass Cut With a Sharp Mower Blade

If you keep your lawnmower blades clean, sharp and well lubricated it will extend the life of your mower, make your lawn look better and make it easier to cut.

Remember the average rotary blade turns at around 2500 RPM, yet even at this speed if your blades are dull and chipped – you won’t get a very good cut. remember to check the blades regularly, sharpen them when required.

After you have mowed the lawn you should also ensure that you clear any excess, or stuck grass from the blades before putting the lawnmower away. Oil the blades occasionally with a good machine oil.

Simple things but will save you lots of time and effort and best of all money as you keep your mower cutting for longer.