Tips on Fertilizing Lawns

Fertilizing Lawns in Spring, Summer, Fall: A Schedule

By David Beaulieu, About.com

Your grass craves periodic feedings, and it is best to meet this need for periodic feedings by fertilizing lawns with “slow-release” products. You’ll find such products at local home improvement stores, such as Lowe’s and Home Depot. Because these products release their nutrients over time, rather than all at once, fertilizing lawns with them allows the grass to “eat” at its own leisure. As nutrients are released, the root system of your grass fills in any bare patches, depriving weed seeds of a place to germinate.

Of course, as a substitute for all this, you can stay organic and simply top dress your lawns with compost in spring and fall.

Scotts suggests a four-part schedule for fertilizing lawns. The schedule will depend on where you live and your grass-type; but, as an example, here’s the schedule for a Northern lawn composed of a mixture of bluegrass, ryegrass and fescue:

Sample Schedule for Fertilizing Lawns

1. Apply a fertilizer called, “Scotts Turf Builder With Halts Crabgrass Preventer” in April or May. Fertilizing lawns goes hand in hand with weed control.
2. “Scotts Turf Builder With PLUS 2 Weed Control” can be applied in June. This fertilizer fills the need for additional weed control, as the herbicide component fights everything from ground ivy to purslane to white clover.
3. In July or August, apply “Scotts Super Turf Builder with SummerGuard.” This fertilizer is billed by Scotts as a product that “strengthens and summer-proofs” your grass while “combating a spectrum of harsh seasonal threats like insects, heat and drought.”
4. Finally, Scotts winterizering fertilizer should be applied in fall. Fertilizing lawns with this product will not only prepare grass for winter, but also give you a head start towards achieving the green turf you’ll want next spring –- bringing us full circle.

Before fertilizing lawns with these products, read the instructions on the bag carefully (or ask someone at the store for details). A particular product may not be suitable for your type of grass. Likewise, when applying fertilizers, follow directions explicitly, concerning how much to apply, how often they should be applied, and under what conditions they should be applied.

Fertilizing lawns is best done with a spreader. Be advised not to fill the applicator with the spreader parked on the grass. Doing so invites grass-burn, as you may accidentally discharge too much while loading. Instead, fill the applicator somewhere else, then wheel the spreader onto the grass.

I also provide an expanded version of this story on fertilizing lawns, for those who desire a fuller picture of what it takes to keep your grass green and healthy.

Best Wood For Decks

What type of wood is best for decks and porches?

By Jackie Craven, About.com

Will your new deck be an enhancement or an eyesore? The answer depends on the type of decking wood you use. Pressure-treated pine resists rot and repels pests, but the green-tinged lumber is unsightly and the pesticides it contains are unhealthy.

To build a safer, more attractive deck, choose a prettier yet still durable wood for the floors, railings, and steps. Save the pressure-treated wood for the frame and supports.

If you purchase a tropical rainforest wood, make sure it carries the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) trademark, which certifies that the wood has been harvested responsibly.

4. Ipé

Known by the brand names Pau Lope® and Iron Woods®, Ipé is an almost magical South American hardwood. The USDA Forest Service Products Laboratory gives Ipé top marks for bug- and rot-resistance, and the wood is so hard, it’s nearly as difficult to burn as concrete. The use of rain forest woods is controversial, however. If you choose Ipé for your deck, make sure that it has been harvested responsibly.

Where to Find Inspiration for Your Outdoor Living Space

Need Ideas for Your Backyard, Patio or Other Outdoor Living Space? Look Here

By Lisa Hallett Taylor, About.com

At a loss for what you want to do with your backyard or outdoor living space? Are you tired of living in a cookie-cutter environment but don’t know how to subtly break out of the mold? Ready to try something totally new, but not sure where to start?

Follow these ideas to give you ideas on where to go to for inspiration. Have fun!

Browse Through Magazines

The most immediate sources for ideas include magazines, design books or the internet (you’re here, aren’t you?) Chances are good that something will catch your eye or inspire a possible idea for your yard.If you don’t want to drop a small fortune on the many home and garden magazines available, try other ways to get them. Swap or borrow with friends or co-workers. My favorite sources are “Friends of the Library” bookstores, where kindly, usually older, volunteers oversee a small room stuffed with donations. I often find magazines the same month of their publication date, along with vintage landscaping and garden books by Sunset Books. Magazines are usually 10-25 cents; books are usually under a dollar.

It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Photo by Lisa Hallett Taylor

When the magazine thing loses its appeal, get out and stroll through your neighborhood. Scrutizine the landscaping around you: consider tree and shrub choices, annuals and perennials, and anything different, like native grasses or succulents. Besides plants used, look at their arrangements and relationships. Take a look at hardscaping materials like wood, brick or pavers; things like raised planting beds, berms (small hills) and foot-path materials like pea gravel, cedar bark, or decomposed granite (DG). If there’s something that stands out about a neighbor’s yard, try to figure out what that is. Take photos are talk to your neighbor — gardeners love to share their secrets and might send you home with some cuttings.

Or Check Out Someone Else’s ‘Hood

Photo by Lisa Hallett Taylor

If you can’t find any inspirational designs in your own neighborhood, cruise on over to another area with houses and yards you like. Park and take a stroll, checking out the yards and landscaping. Take a small digital camera or use your cellphone’s camera to capture images of features that capture your attention. If anyone asks what you’re doing, tell them you’re with a local real estate office or are scouting for a yard-makeover cable series. Or tell the truth — they’ll probably be flattered. Who knows, they might invite you to look at their backyard, stay for a cocktail, bbq, etc.

Take a Garden Tour or Attend a Home & Garden Show

Photo by Lisa Hallett Taylor

Most of the home and garden tours occur in the spring, but check your local newspaper listings or nursery to find out when and where these tours occur. Many are held by garden clubs and local chapters of gardening and horticulture groups and associations.Home, pool, spa and patio shows are held at convention centers throughout the year. While many are product-heavy, they often hold seminars and feature guest speakers on topics like eco-friendly homes and gardens and small-space landscape design.

Visit Botanical Gardens or Nature Preserves

Photo by Lisa Hallett Taylor

Some of the best ideas or inspirations for redesigning your living area come to you when you get out of your environment for awhile. Visit one of the many botanical gardens, wildlife preserves, nature conservancies or parks that are usually a short drive away from most major cities. While most of us can’t precisely recreate a favorite botanical garden, you can take away with you the feeling of the garden. Make it a fun day trip: pack a picnic, take along a fellow nature lover, wear comfortable shoes and don’t forget your camera. Take photos of architectural and landscape design details, along with features like rocks, stones, walkways, fences, or whatever you find interesting.

Take a Vacation & Open Your Mind

Photo by Lisa Hallett Taylor

Travel is one of the best ways to physically remove yourself from stress and distraction. If you’re lucky enough to do so, use some of your time in a different environment or culture to really observe things beyond the typical tourist attractions. Consider where and how residents live. Take note of local materials used and how they relate to their setting. Does the landscaping seem to naturally blend with the architecture? Look at details, like pathways, gates, mosaics and planters. Again, you’ll want to bring your camera to capture intriguing images along the way. Besides a respite from our everyday lives, traveling helps us look at things in a different light. And that’s when inspiration is ignited.

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