Is your lawn the bad side of gardening, endlessly sucking in your time, energy, and money? You fertilize, mow, water, mow, spread pesticides, mow and mow some more? Well, it doesn't have to be that way.
A lawn is a complex community of plants, insects and microorganisms, and the more we understand it, the easier it will be to successfully maintain. Organic lawn care is labor-intensive, but at least we aren't working against ourselves and the environment with toxic chemicals. And actually, maintaining a lawn organically isn't difficult; with proper planting and care, nearly anyone can successfully grow a healthy, green lawn.
LAWN MAINTENANCE
Whether your lawn is large or small, it needs regular maintenance to look its best. Weekly mowing during the growing season takes up the most time, but the lawn also needs frequent feeding, dethatching and other care to stay green and healthy.
MOWING: Sharpen your mower blade at the start of each season to ensure that the grass blades are cut rather than torn. To keep grass healthy and vigorous, remove only 1/3 of the top growth each time you mow. The optimal mowing height depends on the variety of grass, but in general, the higher you cut your grass, the deeper its roots will develop, strengthening its resistance to heat and drought.
Low grasses, such as zoysia and Bermudagrass, should be cut no shorter than 1 inch; preferably 1½ inches. Cut taller-growing grasses, such as tall fescue and bluegrass, no shorter than 2 inches; 2½ to even 3 inches is better.
Mow high during summer droughts. Set the highest setting on your mower blade if the grass is really tall. Reduce the blade height for the following two mowings until you are cutting at the standard height.
Denne historien er fra May - June 2023-utgaven av Hobby Farms.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra May - June 2023-utgaven av Hobby Farms.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The RISE of Opportunist WEEDS
Be prepared to see increasing changes in weeds we fight, such as poison hemlock and poison ivy, and in the crops we grow.
LIVESTOCK Health
Prepare yourself for how to spot symptoms of illness in your farm animals so that you can get them help before it's too late.
CUT FLOWER Farming
If you're considering growing flowers for sale, brush up on these five key things to know before diving in.
WINTER Survival
Keep your land, animals and yourself in good shape this winter with this helpful advice.
COVERAGE CONCERNS
Avoid common insurance mistakes for rural and hobby farm businesses.
FARMER'S GUIDE Berries
Set the stage for tasty strawberries, blueberries and brambles with these soil-boosting garden tips.
Preconditioning CALVES
Follow our step-by-step guide to get more money for your calves.
Soil Conservation
Often, outside of having a specific problem that needs to be addressed, soil conservation isn't something every farmer readily thinks about. Yet conserving the soil should be at or near the top of every farmer owner or manager's list of concerns because absent the prevention of soil erosion, we have the opportunity for another dust bowl.
Year-Round Lettuce & Salad Mixes
It's easy to think of salad greens as just a spring- or fall-garden crop, but it's possible to enjoy freshly harvested lettuces, mustards and more from your own garden year-round.
Barn Improvements
Days are never long enough for a farmer. From dawn to well into the night, tasks arise that often require immediate action. Having to search for tools or equipment is an enormous time waster and incredibly frustrating when you can't find what you need, especially when you know you have it.
