How to Have a Healtier Lawn?

Spring is here and it is now time to revisit out lawns, gardens and yards. There we find fun, beautiful, great spaces for relaxing and enjoying our outdoors. If we take the time to care for our lawns and gardens properly, we can save money. We strive to protect our environment, we want our environment to be healthy for our grandchildren. We put nature to work for us, soil recycles dead plants into nutrients for new plant growth. Plants are adapted to the water, sun and soil available in their site. By maintaining a variety of healthy plants, soil organisms, beneficial insects and animals can keep most pests and diseases in check.

Try to use chemicals properly and only when necessary to keep waterways and drinking water clean. Most Garden centers have soil test kits, a soil test will tell you how much nitrogen, phos¬phorus, potassium and lime your soil needs to grow healthy plants. The condition of the soil determines if you may or may not need to apply these nutrients.

Yard waste are a result of us keeping our yards looking good, but what do you do with that pile of leaves or dead grass? Recycling yard trimmings into free fertilizer, this will help you and the environment. Create a compost helps sandy soils hold nutrients and water. You can make compost at home or buy it in bags. Rake your leaves, chop stalks, fallen flowers and grass all make great compost in a pile or bin. You can also use vegetable scraps and coffee grounds to add to the compost pile. Compost piles need to be tended, turn the compost every few weeks with a pitchfork to distribute air and moisture. A finished compost usually takes approximately three to six months, when the waste becomes a dark, crumbly material that is uniform in texture. Compost helps sandy soils hold nutrients and water. When you mow your lawn you do not have to pick up all the grass clippings, the grass clippings will decompse and release nutrients back into your lawn.

Did you know that watering too much or too little is the cause of many common plant problems? You can have healthier plants, save money on water bills and conserve precious water resources by learning to give your lawn and garden just what they need, and no more. Try using a soaker hose to save on sprinklers they work just as well and your lawn and garden gets the water that it needs. Water in the early morning or evening, if you water at mid day when the sun is high in the sky the water will evaporate more quickly.

Now relax and enjoy your green lawn and beautiful plants, sit back and have that cool lemonade you deserve it.