The first step is identifying the weeds you have in your lawn. Use this handy weed identification guide to sort out what’s cropping up in your yard. Dandelions and Creeping Charlie are pretty common in our area and we’re regularly pulling them out from the lawn. Creeping Charlie requires a bit a sleuthing to find the begin of it’s trailing vine. Once you’ve got it, pulling it out by the root is incredibly satisfying.

Be careful when you’re pulling up Dandelions. If you leave part of the root in the ground, it will just send up more plants. One of the tricks to pulling Dandelions out is getting a good grip on the base of the plant then turning counter-clockwise while you pull - almost like unscrewing a screw.

Organic weed-control is a long-term solution.  Follow some of these simple steps to organic weed control and you’ll have a beautiful, weed-free lawn in no time.

Most household lawns are not large enough to attract so many pests that a serious problem will result, but nonetheless, they can be a nuisance and cause some minor damage to your grassy nook. Insects are not very easy to spot, as some are so small they are naked to the eye, however, they can be identified by dead, brown patches of grass. Telltale signs of moles and gophers are a little more obvious- dirt hills on the top of your lawn, and beneath them, tunnels and holes. Once you identify that you have pests, you then need to decide the best way for you to take care of the problem.

The first option is to call an expert. Use your local directory or a referral from someone you know that had a similar problem. But if you are like most people today, you may want to do it yourself. And, if you are a DIYer, the first thing you need to do is size up your situation, and what you are up against. Let’s look at insects first.

When dealing with insects, the first thing you must realize is that not all insects are bad guys. Sure, we probably would swat at them all, but in reality, some insects can actually act as exterminators against others. Other insects can actually help control your thatch level. There are two types of insects when it comes to the ones who invade your lawn: above and below ground insects. Above ground insects usually feed on your grass, and can be seen fairly easy. Some examples of these can be chinch bugs, green bugs and armyworms. The below ground insects are just that, they feed on your lawn through the root system, which means they are the most destructive of the two. They are also the most difficult to identify since they are not easily seen. These can include grubs, beetle larvae and billbugs. There are literally thousands of species of insects, far too many to list here. You could borrow a book on insects from your local library, or check out some entomology websites to learn more about what roles and functions they have. After all, you don’t want to kill off any allies!

There are five basic types of treatment for anthills and other insects: chemical insecticides, biological insecticides, botanical insecticides, insecticide soaps and predatory insects (remember- some are your friend!). There may also be specific types for specific insects. Weigh each option and choose which one fits your needs the best.

Moles and gophers are two of the most common animal pests, and due to striking similarities they are often confused. Both animals build tunnels under your lawns, but that does not mean they are the same. These two have many things that set them apart from one another. Moles are smaller than gophers, and have pointed snouts and large front claws. They do not feed on your lawn, but the insects that dwell within. Sounds like they are helping you with the insects? Maybe, but the moles’ tunnels leave mounds of dirt on the ground above, and their shallow tunnels cause uneven ground. Gophers, the largest of the pesky pair, have buckteeth and small ears. These creatures love to dine on your grass and plant roots. Gophers also leave mounds of dirt, but they do far more damage underground, causing sinkholes. While your green may not encompass as many acres of the turf in the movie Caddyshack, they can cause just as much recurring trouble. Getting rids of gophers and moles leads to one grand solution- killing them. There are also more conventional methods, such as traps.

The best way to deal with pests though is to perhaps not have them at all. This can be achieved by taking preventative measures in your lawn. But of course, nature has a mind of its own!

1. Mow your lawn regularly
Mowing your lawn properly and regularly is very efficient in controlling lawn weeds. You should try to mow your lawn at about three inches. It helps in controlling lawn weeds and also allows your grass to grow thicker. And when it comes to mowing, you should always use fresh blades or sharpened blades. Blunt blades would uproot the grass and that is the last thing you want for your lawn.

2. Eliminate as many weak spots in your lawn as possible
As stated earlier, all the weak spots of your lawn are the most susceptible to weeds. The areas adjacent to the pavement and other frequent used areas are the most vulnerable to lawn weeds. Most of the times lawn weeds take root in these areas and it would spread to other parts of the lawn. Thus you must be conscious of it and take corrective measures in controlling lawn weeds in these areas.

3. Reduce the Compaction of the Soil
Most of people think that just uprooting the weeds at the root level would solve the problem of weeds but it is not so. Many lawn experts believe that if the soil remains compact, it would become the breeding ground of weeds again. You would have to reduce the compaction of the soil and re-seed the area.

4. Grow excess grass
There are some types of weeds which are easy to control but there are some obstinate ones. And for them you would have to take some extra care. One of the best ways of controlling lawn weeds is by stuffing that patch with excess of grass. Grass would fight the weeds for space and that would help in controlling lawn weeds to some extent.

5. Use of herbicides or weed killers
Herbicides prove very effective in fighting weeds and can eliminate any kind of weeds. On the basis of their application, herbicides are of three kinds. The first one is pre-emergent which are applied to the lawn before weeds have actually taken hold of your lawn. It works best on crabgrass. The second type of herbicides is the post-emergent herbicides which are used for weeds that already taken hold in your lawn. It works best on perennial broad leaf weeds. And the third one is the non-selective herbicides. This type of herbicide kill plants indiscriminately including healthy plants and grass. Thus, extra care need to be taken when using it.

Controlling lawn weeds is an on going process and should not be slacken for any reason. Effective control lawn weeds will ensure that your lawn is always the envy of your neighbors.

1. Be familiar with your mower

Be sure the read the mower owner manual before you do anything with it. Make yourself familiar with the mower’s safety features as well as the proper way to operate it safely. Do not attempt to disconnect or disengage any safety features. Check that all the nuts and bolts are well tightened.

2. Check the lawn before you mow

Look out for small debris such as stones or broken glasses in your lawn. These little things can turn into lethal missiles when you hit them with your lawn mower.

3. No pets and children around you during mowing

Make sure there are no young children or pets around when you mow. You never know what object will go flying around and hit them. Also, young children and pets have strong curiosity and may go near the mower to check it out. Thus you have to be double sure they are not in the vicinity when you mow.

4. Take extra care when topping up the fuel

Never top up the fuel of a mower when its engine is still running. You should switch off the mower and wait at least ten minutes for the engine to cool down before refueling. Avoid refueling on the lawn itself as any fuel spillover can kill the lawn grasses. If there is a spillover, quickly clean it up with a rag. After the clean up, make sure the gasoline soaked rag is properly disposed as it is a fire hazard.

5. Never leave the mower running unattended

Always turn off the mower when you need to go for toilet break, answer a phone call or doing repair work on the mower. It should also be turn off when crossing non-grass areas to prevent damage to the mower. Another reason is that you want to avoid turning gravels into flying bullets.

6. Exercise cautions when mowing on slopes

A mover can flip over or go out of control when working on a steep slope. You should mow across the slope and not in an up-and-down fashion.

7. Wear proper clothing

In most cases, long pants and heavy shoes are most suitable for mowing as they provide good protection from flying debris. However, avoid loose clothing that may get caught in the blades.

This list is not exhaustive but they will serve as a good starting point. Remember that safety should always be a top priority when working with equipment such as a lawn mower

Many people feel that taking care of their lawn is a big chore. However, a well-maintained lawn adds a lot to the aesthetic value of your house. Instead of looking at lawn care as a chore, you should look at it as a hobby. A change in mindset is the first step towards a pleasant lawn care experience. Here are a few simple tips that can keep your lawn green and beautiful.

1. Water your lawn deeply and thoroughly every week. A six to twelve inch deep watering is usually sufficient. To check if your lawn is properly watered, walk over it and see if your footprints remain on it. This is almost a sure sign of under-watering. Similarly, bluish tint and slow growth also mark under-watering.

2. Proper fertilization is a must. You need to have a good fertilization schedule. This would ensure strong and healthy grass growth. Generally, the amount of fertilizer will depend on your specific lawn but on average, four pounds of fertilizer is needed per thousand feet. It is recommend that you use slow release fertilizer to ensure optimal absorption by the grass.

3. When it comes to the percentage of ingredients in the fertilizers, it would also depend on the condition of your lawn. In general, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash should be 2:1:1 in the spring season. When it is the time of fall, you can use 1:2:2. That would help your plants grow healthy roots during winter.

4. Mowing is essential but equally important is that you should let the clippings remain on the lawn. It has great nutrient value which adds humus to your lawn soil. Mowing should be done every five days during the rainy season and every ten to fifteen days during summer.

5. You should remain proactive about control pests and weeds. It is not a wise to wait til there are more prominent signs of pests and weeds. By then, it would be very costly and difficult to bring the situation under control. Put up a schedule to apply a suitable dose of pesticide and herbicide. Do not over do the application as it can damage your lawn.

6. The blade of the mower must be sharp or new. If you use dull blades to mow, it would tear the grass. It is essential that if you don’t use new blades, you should at least sharpen your blades every month. If your mower hit into hard objects like stones, you would need to sharpen your blade more frequently.

7. When you mow, you should cut grass diagonally with alternating directions each time. This will prevent your lawn to have a striped look and it also enables a thorough mowing of the grass. The lawn will look more even and pleasant. Make sure you have a mower that you could handle and manipulate comfortably. You should be able to adjust its height as per the requirement.

While this list of tips are not exhaustive, it will certainly goes a long way to help you keep your lawn clean and green!

When it comes to types of lawn care services, you have to take into account the various methods used by them and their relative merits and demerits. One of the most fundamental and important points to consider is the use of quality fertilizers. Most of the experts in this field would advise you to use slow-release or controlled-release nitrogenous fertilizers. These type of fertilizers comes in both liquid and dry forms. You should check with your lawn care services providers to make sure they use slow release fertilizers because some tend to skip it owing of its high cost.

Some types of lawn care services offer you pre-emergence crabgrass herbicide application in the spring and broadleaf weed herbicides in the end spring or fall. However, this step is only necessary if there is clear indication of pests and weeds. It is not something to be done routinely. When it comes to disease control, the same rule applies. You should not go for disease control as a routine exercise. It should only be used when you have an outbreak at your hands.

Lawn care services providers cannot go about applying pesticides and insecticides as and when they like because they require a license to do so. In addition to that, some types of lawn care services providers might not provide you with seeding, thatch control and mowing. If you absolutely need it, you would need to check it out with your type of lawn care services providers.

Different lawn care services providers specialize in different areas and as such you should do a thorough research into it before making a decision. If you are not satisfied with the ill effects of the traditional methods of lawn care services, you can always opt for alternative lawn care services. One of the most popular alternative lawn care services is the organic lawn care services.

So, take your time to do your research thoroughly and you should be able to find one that can meet you need.

1. Set the spreader to correspond to the amount of fertilizers.

You have to decide the amount of fertilizers you are going to apply and then set the spreader to correspond to this amount. Instructions should be available in the spreader manual.

2. Fill up the spreader on a hard surface.

Placed the spreader on a hard ground such as a driveway and fill it up with fertilizers. Sweep up any spillover to prevent wastage.

3. Spread the fertilizers over the edge of the lawn first.

Start fertilizing from the edge first. Move the spreader from one edge to the other at your normal walking speed. You should move the spreader in a back and forth manner. If you have an irregular lawn, go round the edge in one direction (clockwise or anti-clockwise if fine)

To avoid missing strips, try to overlap the path of the wheels if you are using a drop spreader. For broadcast spreader, a little overlapping at the edge of the path will do fine.

Turn off the spreader whenever you reach the end of the strip, comes to stop or are turning around. This will help prevent uneven application.

After fertilizing, make sure to water your lawn thoroughly. Watering at this stage will push the nutrients into the soil where the roots can use them and they will not be washed away in heavy rains. In addition, watering will remove the fertilizers off the leave, which can cause burning.

When you finish applying the fertilizers, make sure to clean the spreader with a hose. The spreader will slowly corrode if you skip the cleaning step. You can do the washing of the spreader on the lawn and leave it there to dry.

Fertilizing your lawn with a spreader require some practice. Over time, you will find that it is quite an easy task to fertilizers you lawn efficiently and effectively.

Dog urine contains high concentration of nitrogen. This high concentration of urine causes burnt patches in the lawn. While nitrogen is actually a key ingredient of fertilizers and a growth stimulant but excess of it can backfire. If nitrogen given to the lawn is not spread throughout and is concentrated in a single spot, it can cause dead spots in the lawn. What is interesting to note here is that you might find good grass growth in the areas just to the burnt spot. That is because of nitrogen that seeps to the area.

As for the extent of damage, it would surely depend on the amount of urine being discharged and that in turn would depend on the size of the dog. So, the bigger the dog you have, the bigger the burnt spots in your lawn you might be facing. Let us look at some of the steps that you can take to rectify the problem.

The very first thing that you should do is to train your dog. It should be trained to urinate in certain areas. You can easily specify some spot of your lawn as “urinating spot” and to let your dog understand it, you should try moving its faeces to that certain spot or you might also try pouring its urine to that “urinating spot.” It would allow your dog to recognize the spot with that particular odor.

You can also plant more urine-resistant grass. Fescues and Perennial Ryegrass are considered the most urine-resistant grasses. Other popular grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass and Bermuda are not urine-resistant. So, if you want to have one or more dogs in your house as well as a beautiful lawn, you would have to replant the lawn with more urine-resistant grass.

One of the best ways of preventing urine burns is by diluting its effect with water. Soak the area with water. It would leach the excess nitrogen and would also allow the nitrogen to get diluted and spread through a larger area. You would have to water the spot at least thrice within the first nine to ten hours of discharge of urine. It might actually prove beneficial for your lawn because of the nitrogen it gets.