Trade Your Lawn For A Ground Cover

(NAPSI)-If you're considering what to do about a hard-to-mow patch of your garden, ground cover may have it covered. Most ground covers require less work and fewer chemicals than a lawn--and they never need mowing.

Ground covers do exactly what their name implies: cover the ground with dense plant growth, choking out weeds and lending color and texture to a space. Even hostas and daylilies can be considered ground covers.

Regular turfgrass does a good job if you have a very large, sunny yard. But if you have a smaller area, a spot with shady pockets where turfgrass struggles, a difficult slope where mowing is difficult or another unusual situation, a ground cover can work wonders.

Many ground covers don't like to be walked on, but a few, such as creeping thyme or brass buttons (Leptinella squalida "Platt's Black"), tolerate some foot traffic and look great when planted between pavers and flagstones. Pink Chintz even sports tiny pink flowers in early spring.

If you want color in a partially sunny to sunny area, try the three-part Forever & Ever® GroundCover Sedum Carpet Collection. Golden foliage and flowers from Angelina, bronzy-red leaves and red flowers from Red Carpet and rich green foliage and yellow flowers from Kamschaticum sedum will light up the space.

Many sedums, including John Creech, Sedum divergens, Blue Spruce and Ogon, serve as reliable and beautiful ground covers whose stems can be left for months to provide winter interest. Just clip or break off the old dry stems in early spring before new growth starts.

Ornamental grasses, which come in various heights and shapes, work well in sunny spaces.

In partial to full sun, try a silver-veined winter creeper called Wolong Ghost, a type of spreading euonymus that just needs regular water to stay looking fresh.

Vinca minor, a stalwart ground cover for shade, gets a makeover with "Merlot." Instead of the traditional blue flowers, you'll get burgundy flowers in spring. Or seek out "Double Bowles" vinca minor, with a ruffle of extra petals in a lighter shade of violet.

All these tough ground covers are available at home and garden centers.

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Lawn or Garden Not Picture Perfect? Enter Get My Pest Out Photo Contest

(PR.com)-- With summertime fast approaching a lot of people dream of having picture perfect lawns and gardens, but outdoor pests can spoil the view. Now through July 30, homeowners can upload photos of their worst pest problems at www.getmypestout.com, for a chance to win thousands of dollars in prizes to help make that summertime dream come true.

Whether it’s grubs, fire ants, disease, or any other kind of pest destroying lawns or gardens, weekly winners will be selected by popular vote, receiving products to help control pest problems, and three Grand Prize winners each will receive $1,000 gift certificates to local retailers that may be used to help solve their yard pest problems.

“Homeowners send us photos all the time asking ‘What can I do?’ or ‘What is this?’” says Daphne Huey, marketing manager, Gulfstream Home & Garden. “Here is a chance to showcase their pest problems and have a chance to win.”

Gulfstream Home & Garden, the sponsors of the contest, also are offering tips on yard care and ridding yards and gardens of pests through Facebook and Twitter, and the Get My Pest Out blog.

Entrants are encouraged to use their social networks to drive votes to their photo entry during the contest which began May 24. One Grand Prize winner will be selected by each of three methods: Popular vote, highest rated, and judges’ selection.

For more information and contest rules, and to enter, vote or rate photos, visit www.getmypestout.com.

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The proper care and feeding of your fall lawn

(ARA) – Most people view spring and summer as the peak time for lawn care, but it’s fall that actually marks the beginning of your lawn’s growing season. There are simple but crucial steps to take now to promote a strong, beautiful lawn through next season and beyond.

Whether you have the best yard in the neighborhood or you haven’t had much success with your turf, you can improve and maintain the condition of your lawn if you take these three steps:

Build a foundation
The ideal conditions that come with fall -- cool nights and warm soil -- make it the best time to feed your lawn. The autumn window of opportunity to repair summer damage and achieve long-term lawn success is small, but it’s also a critical time to build and strengthen the root system. A product like Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard helps build strong, deep roots for a better foundation in your existing lawn. The better the root system, the more robust your lawn will be next year. A good fall feeding will keep your turf strong and green throughout the fall, winter and into spring.

Encourage new growth
Fall is also the best time to seed your lawn. The soil is still warm, but the air is cooler, meaning weeds have less opportunity to compete. Trees are shedding their leaves so grass receives more sun, and diseases that attack grass seedlings are less active in the fall. Overseeding with Scotts Turf Builder grass seed promotes (or helps create) a thick, lush lawn at the start of spring, making it difficult for airborne weed seeds to root in the soil. Seeding autumn bare spots will thicken the lawn and make it more resistant to future bare spots.

To reseed your bare spots, dig up bare areas, mix in compost, sow your seeds and cover with more compost. If the weather is dry, keep the seeded soil moist until new grass begins to grow.

Leave the rake behind
Don’t spend time raking and bagging leaves this season. Mulching leaves into dime-sized pieces by mowing over them and leaving them on the lawn provides valuable nutrients needed to produce thick, green turf in the spring. Mulching helps build a better foundation and returns much-needed organic matter back into the soil.

For more information on fall lawn care, visit Scotts.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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For gorgeous grass next season, start with soil, end with seed

(ARA) - Summer is winding down and soon it will be time to drain the gas from the lawn mower and safely store the string trimmer. You may feel like summer yard work is done for another year. But don’t turn your back on your lawn just yet.

Take care of some essential lawn chores this fall and you’ll reap the rewards next spring – in the form of a lush, healthy, beautiful lawn. In fall, lawn grasses need to become especially strong as the weather cools. Give them some TLC now, and your lawn will reap the benefits over the winter and into next spring. During the fall, your lawn is getting ready to go dormant for the winter. Your grass will rely on its roots throughout the winter season to obtain nutrients until spring.

Following these five (surprisingly fast) simple steps will ensure a sensational start to lush lawns next spring.

1. Start with the soil and aerate

The healthier your soil is the healthier your grass will be. Good, aerated soil will make room for water, nutrients, air and roots to move with ease. Aerated, healthy soil will hold water like a sponge, but at the same time promote drainage. Aerating also creates a good environment for the micro-organisms, worms and other life forms necessary for healthy turf. Without good soil you will find yourself doing lots of weed control and over-fertilizing.

2. Don’t delay dethatching

Thatch is the layer of dead grass that settles in between the soil surface and the green foliage of the grass. Too much thatch interferes with nutrient and water absorption. To gauge thatch’s thickness, take a 6-inch-deep plug of sod and soil from the lawn and measure the thickness of the packed thatch. If your thatch layer is more than 1/2 inch thick, your grass will struggle to grow.

3. Supply soil conditioners

Also called soil amendments, soil conditioners added to soil improve plant growth and overall health. Soil conditioners are not fertilizers, but they do improve soil’s drainage and some will also increase the water holding capacity of your soil.

4. Sow your seeds

Sowing grass seed will increase turf density and improve the overall health and appearance of your lawn. Seeding in the fall helps the lawn recover from heavy summer traffic and it influences the lawn's look for the following spring. A dense lawn is also the best natural defense against weed and insect damage. For a wide variety of grass seed choices specifically formulated for your geographic region visit www.outsidepride.com.

An increasingly popular addition to backyard beauty is planting wildflowers instead of grass in hard to maintain, problem spots, like slopes and banks. Outsidepride.com offers a wide variety of blends for nine areas of the country, from the rainy Northeast to the dry Southwest. Adding wildflower seed this fall to your backyard will add beauty and diversity to your landscape next spring.

5. The easy way is the better way

When it comes to labor intensive fall lawn chores like aerating, dethatching, and soil conditioning, brute force isn’t necessarily the best, most efficient way to get the job done. You could rent a core aerator to pull up finger-sized cores of soil, but it takes a strong back and plenty of time to manage the heavy equipment. If your lawn is small enough, you can do the dethatching job using a thick-bladed thatching rake. But bigger lawns call for a power thatching mower. Soil conditioning is easier, yet still time-consuming.

Try a labor-free, easy, all-natural option that’s a liquid product, like LazyMan Liquid Gold. You can tackle the tasks of aerating, dethatching and soil conditioning with a hose-end sprayer in a matter of minutes.

Non-toxic and all natural, LazyMan Liquid Gold’s polymers penetrate hard soil and alternately attract or repel water molecules, opening pathways to allow free passage of moisture and nutrients. A brew of microbes feeds on dead plant tissue in the thatch layer, reducing thatch by half with just three applications at four-week intervals. Finally, humic acids and soil fungi promote soil fertility and plant growth.

After one-step spraying of LazyMan Liquid Gold, you’ve already accomplished three essential fall lawn care tasks. Now, all that’s left to do is seed and feed.

By following these simple lawn care practices in the fall, you can put your lawn to bed and sleep easily knowing that when your lawn awakens from winter it will be healthy and super-charged for spring. To learn more about lawn care, visit www.outsidepride.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Consumers Can Save Up to 70% on Their Water Bill With SYNLawn's Artificial Grass Systems

/PRNewswire/ -- In today's economy, every penny counts. That's why SYNLawn (www.SYNLawn.com), the definitive authority on synthetic grass, is now helping consumers save up to 70% on their water bill by offering the only total solution-based artificial grass systems in the market.

"Our synthetic grass systems transform a previously high maintenance, costly lawn into an easy to maintain, water-saving show piece," said George Neagle, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for SYNLawn. "People are enjoying a great looking lawn all year round. They're helping conserve water while eliminating the hassles of maintenance, grass stains, dirty paws and more.

Consumers eliminate additional expenses with mowing, fertilizing and sprinkler repair along with cost savings that can average hundreds of dollars monthly on watering. Customers typically recoup their investment within four years and tax credits are available in many markets in light of SYNLawn's significantly positive environmental impact.

"Being a vertically integrated company sets us apart," continued Neagle. "We are able to integrate product design with our installation expertise to develop solutions based systems for all landscape applications."

Most Technologically Advanced Systems

SYNLawn helps consumers achieve the greatest cost savings possible by delivering a uniquely customized solution for all of their lawn maintenance needs. They offer the most technologically advanced, efficient systems for landscape, pet, golf and playground applications. The company's state-of-the-art products, precision installation techniques, creative designs and position as the only vertically integrated manufacturer ensure customers receive the total landscape grass solution they need at the best price and a secure warranty. SYNLawn's systems include:

-- SYNLawn Landscape System - As the system most specified by landscape
architects, this provides a wide variety of selections that result in
a custom designed, beautifully manicured lawn that is environmentally
friendly and allergen-free. From saving water and money to adding time
back to customer's busy lives and enhancing lifestyle quality, this
system guarantees the most realistic appearance and unparalleled
performance for synthetic landscape grass.

-- SYNLawn Pet System - Providing pets with a safe, secure surface while
eliminating unsightly dead spots, SYNLawn Pet System users don't have
to worry about their lawns. Destructive animals can't dig, they won't
be exposed to bugs and rodents that inhabit natural grass and those
animals who suffer from outdoor allergies will find relief in their
synthetic grass backyard.

-- SYNLawn Playground System - Safety is the number one concern with
children. With SYNLawn's patented 100% recycled foam and fastener-free
installation techniques, customers receive peace of mind from the
highest quality, most advanced safety features for playground surfaces
available in the marketplace.

-- SYNLawn Golf System - Marking the first time comprehensive science and
research is being applied to synthetic putting green performance,
golfers at all skill levels will benefit as Dave Pelz, former NASA
physicist and renowned golf short game guru, elevates the SYNLawn Golf
System. The system has advanced nylon putting green technology
resulting in superior aesthetics and unparalleled golf performance.
The true ball roll and unique chipping properties will help improve
every aspect of a golfer's game.

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Lawn Doctor Offers Top Five Tips for Do-It-Yourself Spring Lawn Care

/24-7/ -- Last year, 33 million American households took care of their own lawns rather than hiring a service. This year, according to a January poll conducted by the National Gardening Association, home gardening is expected to increase by 20 percent. Lawn Doctor, the nation's leading expert in lawn care since 1967, has compiled a Top Five list help new do-it-yourselfers achieve beautiful results.

"Many homeowners try to save money and tend to lawn care themselves, but end up skipping crucial steps that are routine for us to keep a lawn lush and healthy," said Lawn Doctor Director of Technical Services, John Buechner. "Spring lawns require extra care following harsh winter temperatures and dormant growth." Here are the Top Five Little Known Spring Lawn Maintenance Tips:

1. Grass-cycle: Simply allow grass clippings to remain on the lawn after mowing. It saves time on clean-up and allows for nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium to return to the soil as clippings decompose. This can be done easily by removing the lawn mower bag and is the ultimate organic solution in lawn care.
2. Check thatch levels: This is the layer of dead plant material tightly interwoven between the roots and the tops of living grass. Excessive thatch is caused by too much fertilization and over-watering. Use a soil probe or hand shovel to loosen and remove any thatch more than one-half inch thick.
3. Apply pre-emergents: Spring is the ideal time to control undesirable grasses like crabgrass, goosegrass and foxtail before they start to grow and cause problems. Common pre-emergents are available at home repair and hardware stores; be careful to apply as instructed.
4. Optimize pH levels in soil: Soil pH levels reflect nutrients available in the soil to promote healthy lawn growth. A pH level of 6.5 is ideal for most turfgrasses, where readings under 6.0 indicate additional lime is needed and a reading above 7.0 indicates the soil lacks sulfur. Tests can be conducted by services like Lawn Doctor or by homeowners using kits available at most garden centers.
5. Check for diseases and bugs: Following a winter thaw, a grub-damaged lawn will show large, irregular sections of brown turf that will easily detach from the soil. Replace and re-establish the turf in those areas and then treat with a grub prevention product. Disease can be more difficult to diagnose; professionals should evaluate questionable areas to determine proper treatment.

Prevention is always less expensive than treatment when it comes to lawn care. For homeowners not comfortable or familiar with DIY lawn projects, professionals like Lawn Doctor can treat and maintain a lush green lawn for about the cost of a monthly cable bill.

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The HSUS Offers Tips for Rethinking Lawns and the Environmental, Economic and Social Benefits

Lawns. The icon of the American suburb. We spend an extraordinary amount of time and money on them, despite what they do to our environment and particularly to wildlife. Americans spend billions of dollars annually to just fertilize and water lawns, not to mention the labor to mow and the gallons of gasoline to run those mowers.

According to John Hadidian, director, urban wildlife for The Humane Society of the United States, "The costs far outweigh the benefits when you consider the lawn from a wildlife perspective. Not to mention that lawns in some cases actually exacerbate conflicts between animals such as Canada geese and humans."

Having some lawn is not necessarily a bad thing. Lawns are visually appealing and provide a springy, open surface for recreational activities and entertaining for kids, adults, and pets. The benefits make some lawn space worth keeping, but only some – not the vast areas we currently maintain.

"Mid-summer is a great time for a yard makeover. Reducing the size of your lawn and introducing wildlife habitat will save big bucks on care and maintenance, since the new landscape should require only minimal work over the long term," Hadidian explains.

Tips for wildlife-friendly alternatives:

Planting beds of native nectar, berry and seed-producing plants favored by wildlife
Creating a meadow on a portion of your property
Installing a water feature, such as a small pond
Building shelter for wildlife, such as brush or rock piles in a corner of your yard
Replacing your lawn with drought-tolerant plants (xeriscaping) in dry parts of the country
Let it grow:

The easiest way to create a natural landscape from a lawn is to stop mowing it and let native plants gradually take it over. Start with limiting your no-mow zones to the corners or less-trafficked areas of your property. Continue to mow around them to create a neat "island" look. This lends the visual appeal that tends be more acceptable to the lawn-loving public.

Clearing the turf:

To install new wildlife-friendly features, start stripping lawn away. One easy approach is simply to extend the size of existing beds when edging them – even an inch or two a year is a contribution.

If you are patient and prefer a low-cost, low-sweat method, sheet mulching is a good option. This involves covering the lawn with several layers of organic material, akin to a forest floor. Over time, the combination of smothering layers and heat will break down your lawn. By next spring, your lawn will be a distant memory, replaced with rich organic material and ready for new garden plantings that will welcome wildlife.

Top Penny Pinching Lawn Care Tips

(StatePoint) Saving money on lawn care doesn't have to mean an unkempt, weed-filled lawn that's the ugliest one on the block. By following a few easy tips you can find ways to stretch your dollar and still have a green and beautiful yard.

"As household budgets get tight, lots of homeowners are looking for a way to save a few dollars here and there, and lawn care is no exception," says Yard Doctor, Trey Rogers, Ph.D. "The key to yard care on a budget is to do the basics right and forgo some of the frills."

Here are some useful penny-pinching lawn and yard care tips from Rogers and his Web site www.yarddoctor.com, that can help you save money this season:

* Mow the right way. Don't cut your lawn too short. Instead, let it grow a little longer so you won't mow quite as often. This is healthy for the lawn and will save on gas and wear and tear on your mower. When you do mow, cut only one-third the length of the lawn.

* Fertilize when it will do the most good. Fertilizer can be expensive, especially if you have a large yard. If you don't want to part with the money to fertilize as often as recommended for your area, at least fertilize once - when it will do the most good. This means when the grass is actively growing.

* Maintain your equipment. For your mower, do preventive maintenance once a year. Change the oil, clean or replace the spark plug, and change the filters. Use a fuel preservative so the gasoline won't go stale, which it does in about 30 days. Thirty minutes of maintenance can save you hundreds of dollars in repair bills.

* Make your own compost. This costs nothing but a little time, as opposed to purchasing bags of compost at the garden center. It's easy. Start a pile that includes most leftovers from your meals (excluding proteins). Add coffee grounds, egg shells, vegetable peels and yard waste such as leaves and grass clippings. Keep it damp and stir it occasionally and you will have nutrient-rich compost in a few months.

* Let nature water your lawn. Your lawn needs about one inch of water a week to be green and thrive. But if water is costly where you live, let nature handle irrigation. If too little rain falls, your lawn may go dormant, but unless you are in a drought situation, it will green up again when the rain falls.

For more free tips on how to create a healthy lawn and landscape, visit the Yard Doctor online at www.yarddoctor.com. The Yard Doctor is part of the Briggs & Stratton Yard Smarts program, created to help homeowners achieve the yard they really want to have by providing knowledge and inspiration on lawn and yard care.

"Just because you're pinching pennies on caring for your lawn doesn't mean you have to settle for anything but a beautiful yard," stresses Rogers.