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  • Tips and Tools for Lawns and Gardens
    		•
    Find out how to get the greenest lawn and the longest growing season in the neighborhood.
    From "Today Show Tips"
    episode DTST-111


    Greening Up the Lawn

    The grass is always greener when you know what you're doing, and these tips will help you have the lushest lawn in the neighborhood.

    Lawn mowing. No matter how well the grass is growing, a poorly maintained mower can leave it looking uneven. So every season, have the blade sharpened and balanced. A sharp blade cuts cleanly and is less likely to damage the grass. Take the mower to a professional to make sure the job is done right. Also replace the spark plug and the filter to keep the mower running efficiently.

    Set the mower blade so that it cuts the grass no shorter than 2 inches. Leaving the grass a little longer shades its roots and keeps it from drying out too quickly.

    Grass species. If you live in the North, look for grass seeds for cooler climates, such as Kentucky bluegrass and fescues. If you live in the South, you'll want to use something like Rebel or hybrid bermuda, which are really good in very warm climates.

    Pet damage. Female dogs can cause brown spots surrounded by bright green — the result of the uric acid in their urine, which is very high in nitrogen. Fortunately there are lawn-repair kits that have the mulch, the seed and the fertilizer. Work up the soil a little bit, then just sprinkle the seed and mulch on it. Keep the soil moist, and in about four days, you'll have grass.

    Fertilizer. Grass needs fertilizer, and you can choose organic or inorganic. Whichever you choose, though, make sure you apply it correctly. When you put the fertilizer into the spreader, place the spreader on the sidewalk or driveway. That way, if you spill some of it, you won't burn the lawn with the excess fertilizer. Set the spreader on the very lowest gauge, and then give it a push like that, and go over and over the grass to get even distribution across the entire lawn. You don't need very much. Remember: Too much fertilizer will cause more harm than good.

    Watering. The timing of watering your lawn is important. Ideally you'll water very early in the morning — at dawn or just before. The good news is that you only have to water a couple of times a week or less, depending on how much it rains. Give the lawn a good, deep soaking — an inch to an inch and a half. That encourages the roots to grow deeper into the soil, making the grass less susceptible to damage if it has to go without damage for a week or two.

    Most underground sprinklers come with a built-in timer, but now you can actually link that timer to a computer and increase or decrease the watering times, depending on how much rain is falling. And you can do this right from your desktop. These days it's really hard not to have a green thumb, or at least a green lawn.
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    PHOTO

    A reel model from American Lawn Mowers
    Finding the best lawn mower

    Now that your lawn is growing at a healthy rate, you'll need to keep it trimmed so it looks its best. Using the right mower can make that job a heck of a lot easier. Whether you want one that gives you a workout or one that actually does all the work for you, there's a mower to suit your needs. To figure out how big a mower you need, take into account the size of your lawn and your budget. Here are a few to consider:

    • The American Lawn Mower Co. makes old-fashioned reel mowers for which you are the energy source. Lawn-care purists say that reel mowers are the best way to cut a lawn, because they make the blades of grass stand up straight. A reel mower provides a good workout, too, burning as many as 500 calories in one mowing, depending on the size of your lawn. Add in the air-quality benefits, and it's easy to see why they're becoming more popular; sales of reel mowers are increasing about 10 percent a year.
      PHOTO

      Brill's hybrid reel-electric mower
    • Brill, a German manufacturer of reel mowers, offers an electric-motor version. Designed for smaller lawns, it makes cutting grasses such as St. Augustine and Zoysia easier that with a conventional reel mower.

    • Black & Decker was one of the first ones to come out with a cordless, rechargeable mower that mulches and offers a bagging option. It's extremely quiet, and you can cut about a 1/4 to 1/2 acre on one charge.

    • The Neuton offers an extra battery that you can charge up and switch out for a drained battery, letting you mow a larger area. There's also an optional attachment that trims while you mow, saving an extra pass with an edger.

    • Gas mowers have gotten a lot of bad press because of the air pollution they generate, but the Clean Air Act has forced the manufacturers to deal with that problem. Some MTD mowers have recoil starters, which are great for people who have trouble starting a mower. You push a button, and you're ready to rock. The company claims the button will start the mower 10,000 times.
      PHOTO

      The Neuton cordless mower has a trim attachment.
    • Honda, one of the quality names in lawn mowers, has mowers with Xenoy decks. Xenoy is an impact- and heat-resistant plastic that's made from post-consumer recycled plastic waste. It will never rust or corrode, and it's very strong. The HRX model also has a clutch drive, which lets you operate use the self-propelled feature even if the blade is disengaged. And it's the first mower that lets you choose how much of the grass clipping are mulched for a more manicured-looking lawn.

    • John Deere is one of the leading manufacturers of riding mowers, and they offer a nice line of attachments for them: snow throwers, carts, spreaders, sprayers.

    • Toro makes a line of zero-turn mowers that can turn on a dime. They're designed with wide mowing decks — as wide as 52 inches — so they're great for large lawns. Zero-turn mowers are controlled with two handles instead of a steering wheel.



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  • ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:
  		• Tips and Tools for Lawns and Gardens