Transcript
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Here's how we're going to maximize
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the look of your medium-maintenance lawn.
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If you want a nice lawn but don't
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want to commit too many hours to lawn care,
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a medium-maintenance lawn could be just your style.
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Here are the tips, tools, and materials you will need.
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The most important steps for success
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are mowing, overseeding, weeding, fertilizing,
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and watering.
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You'll learn the basics, and we'll throw in a few lawn
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maintenance tips that'll save you time and money.
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Mowing technique is important.
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Spring and fall are prime mowing times.
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Mulch mow your lawn all season by making multiple passes.
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The goal of mulch mowing is to chop up grass
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into smaller and smaller pieces that break down quickly.
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As these clippings become smaller,
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they will break down and nourish the roots
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becoming free fertilizer.
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Expert tips, set the blade at about 2 or more inches.
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When mowing in summer, increase the height of mower blades
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to encourage root growth.
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Overseeding.
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Add grass seed to your entire lawn in spring
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or fall using the seed spreader and fill in large bare spots
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by hand or using a lawn patch product.
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In spring, dethatching before overseeding
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will give you the best result. The goal of dethatching
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is to remove dead grasses and stems from the lawn area.
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After overseeding, cover the entire area
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with 1/4 inch deep compost.
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It keeps the seeds where you want them, and make sure
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you keep the seeds moist for a week
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either through the rain or light frequent watering.
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Tips, the best time for fall overseeding
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is around Labor Day weekend because the soil
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is warm and encourages seed germination.
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Be sure to water and avoid walking
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on the newly reseeded area until the grass establishes.
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What if you have a bunch of weeds in your lawn?
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Weeding and overseeding work well together.
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Pull weeds in early spring and then overseed.
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The key idea with weeds is making
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sure they don't go to seed.
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Mow the seed stalks before they flower
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to keep them from spreading, or you can remove weeds
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with a tool or spot spray.
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Avoid weed and feed products that combine
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weed killer and fertilizer.
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Weed and feed products often include more ingredients
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than your lawn needs at any one point in time.
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The best time to apply fertilizer
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is not always the best time to apply herbicide.
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Also, spreading herbicide over the entire lawn
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is often not necessary.
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A few more tips, hand pull weeds in lawns as needed.
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Fertilize your lawn separately from weeding.
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If you choose to use a weed killer,
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use the spot spraying method to kill individual weeds.
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Make sure to follow the label instructions to find out how
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long to wait before reseeding.
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By separating these two products,
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you can apply them at the right time and in the right quantity.
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With lawn chemicals, aim to use only
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what you need to protect water quality.
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Fertilizing.
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Remember to feed your lawn.
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To finish off the lawn maintenance cycle,
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apply a slow-release fertilizer in late fall.
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Sweep up any granules that fall on the pavement.
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A late season fertilizer application
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is the most effective because it jump-starts your grass
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for next season.
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A few more useful tips.
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An additional application of fertilizer in spring
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can be added around Memorial Day to increase your lawn's health.
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Mulch mowing adds about the equivalent of one fertilizer
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application through the course of a year.
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And now to a key ingredient, H2O.
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For medium-care lawns, determine if you
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will water through the summer.
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You can let your lawn go brown during the dry months,
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and it will recover when the rain returns.
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You can help it recover by overseeding and fertilizing
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around Labor Day.
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Another tip, if you choose to water,
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keep in mind that watering during the morning or evening
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helps conserve water.
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But remember if you only do three maintenance activities
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for a medium-maintenance lawn.
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Overseed one or two times per year.
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Fertilize in the fall.
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Keep weeds from setting seed.
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English (United States)
AllFrom What's Your Lawn Style?LawnsKitchen gardens
Whether you dread lawn care or you are a lawn enthusiast, we’ve got free tips for a safe and healthy lawn from turf experts.
Our top tips for success for medium maintenance lawn care:
- In early spring, use an upright weed puller to remove weeds that shade or overgrow the grass when they are small, and soil is soft and avoid weed killers all together.
- Keep grass at about 3 inches and mow frequently in spring.
- Mulch mow: make multiple passes and leave grass bits on the lawn as natural fertilizer.
- If you want, add a slow-release fertilizer in the fall.
- Rake out (dethatch) dead grass and weeds and aerate every few years.
- Consider letting the lawn go brown to conserve water, but this may invite more weeds.
- If you do only one thing besides mowing, overseed by adding grass seed over the entire lawn one or two times a year in spring and fall to outcompete weeds.
What's Your Lawn Style? is a collaborative project with Follow the Water.
