Caring For Your Lawn Garden

When people drive up to someone's home, the first thing almost everyone's eye is drawn to is the lawn garden and how well it is being maintained. There is just nothing more beautiful than perfectly manicured lawns. However, if they are not in good shape and are not well maintained, then it can reflect badly on the rest of the landscape design and on the homeowner as well.

Watering the lawn and garden is one of the most important parts of good lawn maintenance. In some parts of the country, there is enough rainfall so that the roots are properly supplied with moisture. But even in what would be considered soggy areas, such as the Pacific Northwest, there are periods or dry weather and no rain. When this happens, it is vital to the survival of the lawns that they be properly watered.

The early sign of your lawn garden having a drought condition is when the grass starts to show some subtle changes in color. At first, you might notice the color shifting from a deep green to a lighter green. As the problem worsens, the grass can start to even take on a straw color and eventually will turn brown if the moisture problem is not corrected.

The best time of day to water a lawn or garden is during the coolest part of the day. This means that turning on the lawn sprinkler early in the morning or in the evening after the sun has set is best. Garden lawn experts also say that the rotary sprinklers provide the best coverage if you don't have a built in sprinkler system for your lawn maintenance.

In most cases, it is best to water your lawn just once a week, unless the weather is extremely hot or dry. When doing your weekly watering, you can place an empty tuna can on the grass and let the water run until it is filled up. This will help you know when you have watered enough to give the deep roots enough moisture without over watering. Watering in this way will also help your lawns develop a deep root system which will also help them survive periods of drought.

Another aspect of lawn and garden maintenance is proper fertilization and weed control. Good basic maintenance techniques will go a long way in keeping the lawns of your home and garden healthy, thriving and with few weeds. Spring is the best time to fertilize lawns as this is when the grass is "waking up" and will need the extra nutrients from the fertilizer to assure healthy growth. The best garden lawn fertilizers will have a combination of nitrogen, phosphates and potash.

In addition to a "spring feeding" of your lawn garden, you can also boost the health and vitality of the grass in your lawns with a second round of fertilization during the summer. This will help assure that your grass is healthy enough to help push out the weeds that might try to take root and you can also use a fertilizer that combines a weed-killer to control these unwanted plants.

No building is complete without some grass, a few plants and some shrubbery to help enhance the quality of the building. The enhanced curb appeal as well as the added value can make the final difference when selling a home or adding to the over all value of the house. Any little bit helps and you do not always need a professional to do the landscaping for you. There is no downside to get some advice from professionals or some knowledge prior to you beginning tearing up your front yard. Some trees, some pleasant green grass, and you will get it down pat before you know it Who knows? Possibly you will decide it as a career that you might be interested in following. Below there are some basic frequently asked questions of landscaping so that you can get some idea of how landscaping is completed and how it might be simpler than you may think.

 

Is it possible to do my own landscaping?

Yes, you can do your own landscaping if you have a little information on how to do it and if set aside the time to do so. You will be getting your hands dirty. Plus you will need to have knowledge of what plants are the best for your terrain. If you are producing man-made structures for instance ponds or decks, you will have to have some carpentry and plumbing skills. You will also need to know how to maintain the pond since one of the last things you need after putting in all that work is to develop a body of water topped off with algae as well as moquito larvae.

 

What credentials should I look for in a good landscaper?

An established landscaper will have a photography album of all the various landscape that he or she has completed. The typically will have a background with an education in landscape architecture or have a great deal of real world education in landscaping. If you want to see an actual landscape that they have designed as well as planted, the landscaper shouldn't balk at demonstrating for you or furnishing for you with the particulars to contact the owner of the property. It is in their best interest to have content and pleased clients.

 

Whats the best way to decide on the kind of plant to use?

The kind of plant you select will be contingent upon on your climate and the amount of water you want to use. It will also depend on the amount of sun that your receives during the day. Some plants thrive in the shade while others will wilt. For those people who live in areas that are prone to drought, they should consider planting plants that are hardy that require small amounts of water and really help to conserve the soil from process of erosion. Many individuals elect to have rock gardens and cactus if they live in desert environments.

 

At what time is the ideal season for planting?

The ideal planting season depends on what variation of plant you want to grow. The best time to plany bulbs is in the fall so that they have time to root. Other plants are more suitable to planting during the spring months. Some plants will not produce flowers or fruits for at least one or two seasons later so you have to prepare for this. Trees will have to work through several years prior to them becoming big enough to furnish enough shade or to produce fruit.

 

Will do this type of landscaping add to the value of my home as well as it's curb appeal?

A great lawn can add tremendous curb appeal and value to your home. It will make the features of your home stand out and if you are looking to sell your home, it is one of the first details that potential buyers will notice. There is nothing quite like a well manicured lawn and carefully trimmed hedges that add immense immediate value to a property.

To find out more head on over to Commercial Landscaping Contractor also Landscape Designer and certainly try Landscape Plants