Even if you installed
Astroturf you'd still have
"lawn" problems, because some of
them are not associated with the
grass itself, but an expanse of
earth devoted to a single task.
Obviously, however, to keep the
neighbors from rolling their
eyes, most home owners don't
roll out a carpet of green
plastic -- except maybe for
those select locations out of
sight in the back yard.
So when the crown jewel of
curb appeal is the real deal,
upkeep costs mount. In 2005,
lawn owners spend nearly $9.7
billion to keep their green
verdant, lush, and uniform.
That's 10 percent more than they
spent in 2004 according to the
National Gardening Association's
latest statistics. Consumer
Reports says that's probably a
greater expenditure than
necessary. Less expensive
preventative medicine is a
lawn's best friend.
In a new report, the
respected consumer goods and
services rater, asked on-staff
experts and turf scientists to
identify the most common lawn
problems and related lawn grower
errors that persist. The report
also includes remedies for lawns
that cost more green than they
give.
Here's a brief look at
what the CR experts suggest.
There's nothing like
crabgrass to interrupt the
uniformity of a lawn. Trouble
is, home owners apply necessary
pre-emergence herbicides too
late, in the late spring or
summer. Prevention is key. That
means applying corn gluten meal
in the early spring to both
block crabgrass growth and
fertilize the lawn. Later ample
water, fertilizer and mowing --
your lawn's best friends -- will
keep crabgrass down.
Then keep crabgrass at bay
by feeding the desirable grasses
with ample water and fertilizer
-- and by mowing high. Check
Consumers Union's
GreenerChoices.Org for more
advice.
Pour on the fertilizer to
prevent dandelions. If they
sprout, remove or kill the
entire plant -- taproot and all
-- to prevent resprouting --
before the flower matures.
Other weeds that give your
lawn that ugly, patchy, clumpy
look most often show up in lawn
areas that are different from
the rest of the lawn. Prevent
dry, wet and shady spots on your
lawn. Otherwise, moderately
toxic chemicals and
back-breaking removal are your
only remedies.
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Fungus among the blades of
grass is tough to spot before
it's too late. Too much
irrigation, improper mowing,
off-season fertilizing are
primary causes. Fungicides are a
waste of time and money, says
Consumer Reports. After fungus
takes a patch of green, replant.
Moss means there's too much
shade, acidic, compacted or wet
soil; or not enough fertilizer.
Use shade-tolerant grasses in
shady areas and mow them high to
trap light. Keep nearby trees
and shrubs properly pruned to
reduce shade.
Also for compacted soil,
have it professionally aerated.
Maintain proper drainage and
adjust the soil's acidity. Moss
prefers acidic soil, but
alkaline soil will do just fine
if shade and moisture come to
the party.
Even so-called
"shade-tolerant" grasses prefer
the sun. Replace lawn beneath
trees with shade-tolerant ground
cover, using shade-tolerant
grasses at the edges of the
area. Trim back high hedges.
Remove the shade wherever
possible.
Compacted soil beneath the
lawn is, well, basic physics.
Gravity. Lawn traffic compacts
soil even more. Compacted soil,
however, repels water and
fertilizer, preventing nutrients
and moisture from reaching the
roots. Soil, or core aeration is
the only solution. It's a job
for a professional.
Beetle larvae, milky-white,
worm-like creatures with brown
heads and three pairs of legs
curled into a C shape -- grubs
-- feed on lawn roots. If the
lawn near the edge of a brown
area comes up easily, like
rolling up carpet, yuk, grubs
have had their way with the
roots. For mature grubs, you'll
need Heterorhabditis nematodes
(sold in paste-like form).
Chemical insecticides should be
used only when the grubs are
immature.
You dog is responsible and
well-trained. It's the neighbors
who let their untrained hound
run free and well, urinate on
your lawn. Look for brown spots
surrounded by dark green grass.
You money is best spent on a
motion-activated sprinkler
system rather than animal
repellents -- but delivery
people, guests and others could
get wet too. Talk with your
neighbors. Most jurisdictions
have restraint and or leash
laws.
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