General Lawn Tips & Information
Environmental Benefits Of a Healthy Lawn
We’ve uncovered some interesting facts on the benefits of maintaining a healthy lawn – not only are you pleased by a great looking lawn, but check out how happy it makes our environment:
As homeowners, we are all interested in keeping our lawns looking their best, free of unsightly weeds and destructive lawn pests. But maintaining a healthy lawn is also important to the environment.
· A 50-ft by 50-ft healthy lawn provides enough daily oxygen to meet the needs of a family of four.
· Grass cools naturally. Eight average-size lawns have the cooling effect of 70 tons of air conditioning (the average home central air conditioner produces about 3 tons).
· A well-managed lawn and landscape can boost the value of a home by as much as 15 per cent.
· Grasses reduce undesirable noise levels by 20 to 30 per cent.
· Healthy lawns absorb rainfall four to six times more effectively than farm fields. They return the moisture to the water table, where is can be used by everyone.
· Weed-free lawns remove pollutants from the air, prevent water and wind erosion and the loss of precious topsoil, reduce allergens and the likelihood of insect bites and stings, absorb and reduce glare and act as a cushioned surface for outdoor activities and sports.
A healthy lawn is more than a just a thing of beauty, it is a vital living part of our environment that, with proper care, can improve the quality of life we enjoy and the cleanliness of our world.
Efficient lawn watering
What happens to water you put on your lawn? Water can be used by plants, evaporate from the soil or percolate down through the soil to the water table.
The most efficient watering system for a lawn is to water it only when necessary. Check the amount of moisture in the soil about three inches under the surface with a screwdriver or small Garden trowel. If the soil is damp, there's no need to water - even if the surface soil looks dry.
To determine the rate at which your sprinkler system applies water to your lawn, place several small containers in the area being watered. Run the system for 15 minutes, then measure the depth of water in all of the containers and average them. Multiply the average by four to determine how much water is applied to the lawn per hour.
Typical lawns should receive at least one inch of water per week. When you do water, don't apply water too quickly. Heavy clay soil can only absorb about one-quarter inch of water an hour. That means that this type of soil should be watered more frequently with smaller amounts of moisture.
Finally, avoid watering during the heat of the day. Water early in the morning or in the evening. If you have an automatic sprinkler system, water during the night; our climate is so dry that night watering doesn't create problems unless you overdo it.
Resource: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1532.html
Fall & Winter Tips
Planting Bulbs
- There is a direct correlation between the size of a bulb and the size of the flower grown from that bulb.
- Late September is the preferred time to plant bulbs so they root well before the ground freezes.
- The selected site should have adequate sunlight, be well drained and show the flowers off to their best advantage.
- Bulbs are planted much deeper than seed; therefore, soil preparation methods differ. Plant bulbs with the growing tip up.
- Fertilizer must be present in the root zone to be effective.
September and October are the best months for planting bulbs because they can become well rooted before the ground freezes. Plant the bulbs at a depth consistent with the level indicated on the planting chart. As a general rule, this depth is four times the height of the bulb between the soil surface and the tip of the bulb. Plant bulbs with the growing tip up.
Remove flowers as soon as they wither, because seed production diverts food that otherwise would be used to produce more vigorous bulbs. Apply nitrogen at the rate of 1/4 pound per 100 square feet before the foliage withers. After the foliage has withered completely, the bulb is dormant. Resource: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1008.html
Please call FLM with any questions or planting needs
Getting your landscape ready for Winter
Mother Nature is starting to show signs of the changing season ahead. There are a few things that you can do to prepare your landscape for the upcoming winter months.
Sprinkler system: Your irrigation system should to be turned off and the water drained from the pipes before the air or ground surrounding the pipes reaches freezing temperatures. Unless you have a system the is self draining, it is recommended to use an air compressor to force all of the water out of the lines.
Fertilize: Fall is the best time of year to fertilize Colorado's bluegrass lawns. Promotions about "lawn winterization" may sound mysterious, but there's nothing magical about it. Simply have a fertilization with nitrogen sometime during late September to early November along the Front Range, and earlier in the mountains.
The benefits of fall fertilizing include a healthier turf before winter, a healthier root system, and stimulating a turf that greens up earlier in the spring without excessive top growth. Fall fertilization produces dense, green spring lawns without the mowing chores that come with spring fertilization. It should be a part of every good lawn care program.
Resource: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PTLK/1523.html
Trees: For all deciduous trees that have been planted within the last three years is important to wrap their trunks in the winter. Wrap them from the ground to the first branch. This will help prevent sun scald due to the intense sun in Colorado. You should winter water newly planted trees and all evergreens once every three weeks during the winter.
Shrubs: You should winter water newly planted shrubs once every three weeks during the winter.
Perennials: Fall is the time to deadhead your perennials. Do not forget to winter water perennials as well through the dry Colorado winters.
Please call FLM at 472-0690 if you have any questions or need assistance preparing your landscape for winter