Susan’s Gardening Tips

Grasshopper chomping on grass

Quick… what pest controls should you use?  Wait! Not all bugs are bad… some actually contribute to lawn health. Only a few will actually damage your grassy corner of the world. 

Accept the fact that not all bugs are bad guys. Sure, we probably swat at them all. In reality, some insects are known as “biological insects”… they can act as exterminators against others. Some can even help control your lawn’s thatch level, and save you lots of time and energy… and money. Heck, a lot of them are gourmet meals to a lot of insect-eating birds.

If you see dead, brown patches in your lawn, then you probably have “bad” bugs. The first thing you need to do is figure out exactly what you are up against.  Read the rest of this entry

 Before mowing your lawn this year, watch this video for some excellent safety tips. Lawn care novices should definitely watch it… actually, everyone should. 

 This goes triple for kids! 

(click here if the video isn’t visible)

Happy gardening… Susan Nelson Hopkins 

 Here’s what Organic Lawn Care Techniques has to say… 

Adding an organic compost to soil achieves the optimum soil texture, because it adds nutrients in a natural, easy-to-absorb state… with several bonuses:

• Increases the soil’s organic content, hence it’s water-holding capacity;
• Improves the soil’s physical structure, allowing more air to get to the roots;
• Increases bacterial and beneficial fungal activity, making nutrients more available to grass roots;
• Organically derived plant nutrients are less likely to contribute to water pollution because they are very slow to leach from the soil. 

But here’s the “super” bonus… the response to this enriched soil is a deeper, stronger root structure that withstands drought and disease!

Happy gardening… Susan Nelson Hopkins
Check out all the lawn articles and videos at
Susan’s Lawn Gardens,
and the garden articles at all of
Susan’s Gardens

So, you want a green lawn… without being its slave?

Well, you absolutely can, just by using four K.I.S.S.S. lawn care tips. First, you need to answer one question… 

Do you need to revive, replace, or plant your lawn? 

Let’s profile your lawn: 

Revive… If your lawn has only a few brown or dead patches, and the color is fairly Ok, then count yourself very fortunate. Reviving lawns can be much less expensive then the alternatives. Results aren’t immediate, but they’re a sure thing. 

Replace… If your lawn is more here and there than everywhere, replacing it may be the way to go. This involves quite a bit of physical labor, so consider researching local labor sources.

Plant… If your yard is dirt and more dirt, it can be a very good thing. You’re starting with a clean (well, a dirty) slate. 

 Regardless of which of the above profiles matches your lawn, there’s still the consideration of HOW you will revive, replace, or plant your lawn. Here are the two common choices:   Read the rest of this entry

 Correct some typical lawn maintenance habits.

There’s nothing like saving money WHILE being “green”! What a great “win-win” goal. Start this year, and see just how easy it is… 

• Water your lawn correctly… Watering early in the morning provides grass roots plenty of time to breathe, plus it discourages fungal growth caused by dampness. Here’s the good part: Lawns that receive just 1″ of accumulated water per week will develop deep, strong roots… enabling them to survive most diseases and droughts. (here’s how to measure)

• Mow your lawn correctly… Setting the mowing height to 2.5″ to 3.5″ will actually help your lawn discourage weed growth and develop a healthy root system. And, longer grass is actually cooler underfoot… always nice for your bare feet. 

Those of you enduring a lingering winter in the North (and our Southern Hemisphere “cousins”)… take heart. It can’t last forever! Those of us fortunate enough to be enjoying balmy weather offer you our sympathies and wishes for a welcoming Spring… soon.

Happy gardening… Susan Nelson Hopkins
Check out all the lawn articles and videos at
Susan’s Lawn Gardens,
and the garden articles at all of
Susan’s Gardens

 So, just when is the first day of Spring this year?

• According to wiki.answers.com… “Spring comes in between the 19th to the 21st of March and at different times. It changes on a yearly bases because the first official day of spring is the (Spring) Vernal EQUINOX. This is when The Sun is directly above the equator. It rises Rises due East and sets due West and does not do so on the exact same day every year due to the calendar is not exactly 365 days every single year. In 2009, spring will arrive on March 20th, as stated above and the Sun will be above the equator, crossing to the northern hemisphere at 11:47pm (ish)”

Since the first month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere will be here before we know it, we better get ready! 

It’s never too early to prepare your power equipment for duty, and to clean your gardening tools. 

• Lawn mower and edger…Clean off all the dirt and grass grunge. Change the oil (or recharge the battery). Sharpen the blades. Don’t forget to make sure all the bolts are good and tight. If you can’t service your lawn mower yourself, call a local garden center or check the yellow pages.
• String trimmer… Wipe off the dirt. Inspect the cord (or recharge the battery). Stock up on string cartridges.
• Hand tools… Clean off the dirt. Smooth any rough edges on wooden handles with sandpaper, and seal the wood with linseed oil. Sharpen hoes, shovels, trowels, and clippers. Files work well on single edges, a whetstone is good for pruning shears, and carbon wheels are better for small tools. Next, apply a thin oil to all the metal parts. 

Even if it’s the middle of the winter in your area, this chore can be done inside your garage or tool shed. Let’s get busy…

Happy gardening… Susan Nelson Hopkins
Check out all the lawn articles and videos at
Susan’s Lawn Gardens,
and the garden articles at all of
Susan’s Gardens