Do you want the kind of lawn a passersby will slow to take a look at? The kind of lawn many are app to place a police sign in demanding you do not cross, too much foot traffic can lead to wearing of a path.
What good is this lush, perfect shade of green, soft as cashmere begging for some bare feet to scurry through – giggles included – well established, weed free stretch of Kentucky Blue grass? As Erma Bombeck once said – if I had life to live over I would have used my rose shaped soap instead of letting them collect dust, I would have worn my good sweater for no occasion and I would have eaten on the good China more often – maybe she would have run barefoot through the lawn as well.
Of course we are still talking about lawns; after all, we have a lot to do in such little time. If you would like the lawn described above here is another checklist to help you out:
LAWN TIPS
- Slit Seed or Aerate – Both will help to break up any thatch layer that may be building in your lawn, both create space for water and air to reach and penetrate the root system better. Slit seeding – drops seed and fertilizer directly into the small trenches the machine is slitting into your lawn – you will usually want to take a slit seeder at minimum two directions over your lawn, you will want to mow within a few days after, once you slit seed you will understand why.
Aerating – pulls plugs of soil out of the lawn – you can then overseed and fertilize –I will warn you, the plugs the aerator pulls from your lawn will lead you to believe a flock of Geese had landed for a quick respite. Depending on how you feel about it you may want to grab a five gallon bucket, a friend, some gloves and get to picking…I’ve done this.
You can rent a slit seeder or lawn aerator at most local rental shops or D.I.Y. stores. Making sure on both counts to keep the lawn watered as mentioned during week Thirty-Five.
- Overseed your lawn – You do not need to do anything to prep for this – simply overseed.
- Match the Lawn Seed to Your Lawn – You do want to know what variety or genre your existing lawn is so you can match the seed. Each lawn variety will have its own application rate such as Kentucky Blue grass at 5# per thousand square feet. It is always wise to get a blend such as 80% Kentucky Blue 20% Annual Rye or 65% Kentucky Blue Grass with 35% Fine Fescue. One particular contractor I know loves to use the 5-way Fescue blend or Oliger Seeds, (Wholesale Only), Super Fescue Mix. Different seeds do different things – and that is another blog.
- Look on the grass seed bag and find out what the weed % is listed on the label…of course you want this number to be as low as possible
- Fertilize your lawn with a granular feed
- Treat for Insects or the prevention of if needed
- Apply a liquid weed treatment
- Do Not mow within the first 24 hours after treatment
- Do Not remove any more than 1/3 of the grass blade at any one mowing
A TREE TRICK
Did you know a wood-boring insect could not burrow into a perfectly healthy tree? Most trees can sense the invader and if the tree is healthy it can raise its turgor pressure as the insect enters the phloem, this then is like a fire hose blowing the insect out of the trunk with such force the insect will not return. (Turgor being the trees “blood pressure” and the Phloem being part of the vein system).
As told to me by Ron Dawson of Advanced Arboriculture
Who Wears White after Labor Day
I must admit, my grandmother would have had a fit – though today when I look about I am not so sure who actually follows this tradition. Actually today when I was looking about I witnessed someone breaking this rule. Not only were they breaking the rule they were wearing so much fragrance you could not help but to turn your nose in their direction. Flaunting, wanting everyone to notice…who has?
Heptacodium Seven Sun Tree – blooming white right now, though once everyone begins to notice the tree it will begin to blush as the blossoms darken to almost pink and then bronze for the winter.
I can give you three reasons why you want one of these trees:
- They are blooming right now
- They are very fragrant
- They have gorgeous exfoliating bark
Do you wear white after Labor Day?
