Professional Lawn Care

Table Of Contents
Introduction 3
Starting from Scratch 4
Grass Varieties 6
Best for Shady Areas 7
Best for Hot Climates 7
Best for Cold Climates 8
Best for Drought Resistance 8
Best for High Use/Traffic Areas 9
Best for Low Maintenance Needs 9
Considerations for Shady Areas 10
Planting the Seeds 11
Planting an Existing Lawn 11
Planting a New Lawn 13
Watering 13
Fertilizing 14
Weed Control 17
Crabgrass 19
Bentgrass 20
Dandelions 21
Ground Ivy 23
Moss 24
Mushrooms 25
Bermuda 26
Chickweed 27
Dallis Grass 28
Plantain 29
Patch Diseases 30
Aerating Your Lawn 33
Choosing a Mower 34
Reel Mowers 34
Electric Mowers 35
Mulching Mowers 36
Rotary Mowers 37
Mowing the Lawn 38
Grass Clippings – Keep or Toss 41
Leaf Removal 42
Caring for Your Mower 42
Tuning It Up 43
Winterizing 46
Landscaping 47
Building a Waterfall 55
Conclusion 60
INTRODUCTION
Men have had fights over it. It’s a battle of suburbia that has
yet to be won. They all compete for the coveted prize with the best
machines made by man. Lawn care has actually become a
competition these days. Do you want a lawn to make your neighbors
jealous for?
Lawns, yard, and grass: everyone has a name for that green
space, but what it really is, is your own little piece of the earth. You
own it, you take care of it, and you’re responsible for it. It needs you!
And, you need it.
Our lawns have become a major player in our eco-system, after
all it covers about 50 million acres in just America (2003 estimate).
That means what you do is multiplied thousands of times over, every
day in our country. So it's important that you do things right and stop
flying by the seat of your pants just because that's the way you've
always done it.
Besides keeping your house from sinking into some dark abyss,
your lawn is an important part of our environment. Environmentally,
turf grass reduces carbon dioxide emissions, mitigating the heat island
effect commonly found in our urban environments.
Lawns also reduce energy consumption through its cooling
effects and contribute to efforts to reduce global warming trends.
Grass reduces soil erosion by holding the soil in place during heavy
flooding. Just 2,500 square feet of lawn not only absorbs carbon
dioxide from the air, but it also releases enough oxygen for a family of
four to breathe.
It can say volumes about your pride as a homeowner. It can say
volumes about your lack of pride as a homeowner.
The truth is that if you live in a community that thrives on the
way houses look – ala Stepford – then lawn care is important to you!
But what the experts say is true: grass and lawns are an
important part of the environment. Let's face it: your turf grass, lawn,
yard, or whatever you want to call it, is pretty cool. Not only does
grass smell good when you mow it, but grass feels good to walk
across. My kids like playing on it, and my dogs definitely like it for
entirely different reasons. Grass looks pretty in the early morning with
the dew sparkling across it, or in the fall when the first frost settles in.
The only thing all that lovely lawn of green grass asks is a little
care, a little patience, and to be fed and groomed occasionally. Pretty
much what your kids expect, except you'll never have to set up a
college fund for your grass.
Believe it or not, some people feel that a beautifully manicured
lawn is a hazard to the environment. They feel they are unhealthy
habitats that consume not only time, but also precious resources
In actuality, a well manicured and well taken care of lawn can
actually be a thriving eco-system that can help all sorts of living things
thrive and grow. But this book isn’t really about that part of keeping a
great lawn.
What we hope to do in this book is to help you realize your
dream of having a beautifully manicured lawn by using the techniques
and tricks that are used by professional landscapers.
Many times, there are people who believe that having a beautiful
lawn requires the use of harmful fertilizers and other components that
can damage the environment. The reality is that you can have a
beautiful lawn without harming the environment.
Once you learn all of the particulars, we’re pretty sure that you’ll
be amazed how you can achieve a beautiful front yard, back yard, and
side yard – a beautiful lawn that your neighbors will be envious of.
What do you really need? Well, we’re going to show you. How
do you take care of it? We’ll show you that too.
You can have a beautiful lawn and get rid of all the critiques
from those natural people...