What is an aerator? If you are wondering what an aerator is, you are not alone. In fact, there are probably more people who do not know what it is than the number of people who do. Basically, an aerator is a tool that you use to keep your lawn healthy. You use it to turn the soil and create holes in the top portion of soil. This will allow the soil (your lawn) to get the water and air to the grass and plant roots therefore keeping them healthy.

What are some of the functions of an aerator? Aerators can do a lot of things, and are like little multi-taskers. The following are some examples of what they do: 1. Creates holes in soil 2. Separates dead grass tissue from healthy soil 3. Helps oxygen to better reach soil 4. Helps water to better reach water 5. Creates more space for roots to grow

If you live in an urban setting and you do have neighbors nearby then an enclosed compost bin design would be the better option because it will assist to keep bad smells away.

When choosing a wooden compost bin design, be aware that your selection of materials can be important. Keeping these considerations in mind when choosing a compost bin design will help to ensure that you choose the right design for your needs and one that will last you for many years to come. This is because wood that is not treated or resistant to rot will begin to deteriorate at the same time as the materials in your compost. You should always choose either treated lumber or a type of wood that is naturally resistant to rot. In choosing which compost bin design is best for your needs, it is often wise to consider where you live.

For most people, a walk behind mower is all that you need to cut your lawn. This is because most people in North America are cutting lawns that are less than half and acre in size. If you have a larger grass area to cut, then you might look into another type of mower, such as a riding mower, or zero turn mower.

In 2009, Consumer Reports produced the largest ever study on all kinds of lawnmowers. This study reviewed up to 50 of the most common types, sizes and brands of mower. They looked at how well grass was cut, track width, useability and maintenance records from their readership.

Many people have said online that this was the best study ever done on lawnmowers – even though no study or review is perfect; including this one. The biggest complaint was that CR failed to talk about the noise levels of the lawn mowers or which ones meets California’s very strict new emissions requirements.

However, you don’t have to go and read the whole report because it’s all on the web. The key take away is that more money won’t necessarily get you a better mower. Price had very little relationship with quality, grass cutting ability or longevity.

Does your lawn have yellow patches in the summertime? Is it full of weeds like prickly grass, dandelions and onions? Do you have fire ants and look over at your neighbor’s yard dreaming of the day when your yard will took look so green and so fresh? Do you desire to walk with a bare foot across your lawn without worry or stress? Well what you desire is attainable. You too can enjoy a beautiful lawn and garden.

Getting your lawn in good condition will make you feel happy and will make you want to come home, but it will also increase the value of your home by 10 to 15 percent. That is an excellent reason to get your hands dirty this summer! What follows are a few easy things that you can do to get started in your garden. Turning your yard from dry dirt to soft and plentiful grass is a continuous process, but the benefit of it justifies the time and effort.

Soil is the gardener’s bread and butter, much like dough is for the chef. Without good soil all the effort in the world can come to naught, just as poor dough can lay to waste even the most extravagant culinary effort. Soil varies by area into three broad categories, and also varies in quality from area to area. The categories that soil falls into are claylike, sandy and silt. Ideal soil contains a good mixture of the three types, and is called good garden loam. Clay soil possesses the greatest water-holding capability, while sandy soil possesses the least.

Humus is an organic substance that helps bind soils together. It also makes the soil more receptive to water, actively absorbs light from the sun and fertilizes and improves the texture of the soil by pulling beneficial compounds from plants. Humus can be found in organic fertilizers such as manure and compost heaps, and can also be purchased as a stand-alone product.

Like the grass, trees and plants that take root in it, soil is a living thing, composed of millions of organisms. The four key ingredients needed to maintain an optimum soil health are sunlight, water, food and bacterial activity. Save for the sun, the other three elements can all be added to the soil through organic fertilizers.

If you happen to notice small circular black spots, your plant probably has what is known as the Black Spot. The spots have fringed edges, and are a sign of a disease. Artificial sprays may be used to treat the spots, but the affected leaves should be removed from the plant, as remaining leaves will allow the disease to spread to the rest of the plant.

If you notice that the leaves on your rose plants start to curl and turn purple, you should check the leaves and canes for a white powder, as these may be signs of a fungal infection known as powdery mildew. Spread by the wind, it may cause the canes to become stunted or malformed. Treat using Funginex or Benomyl.

Known as rust, this disease is characterized by orange-red blisters that turn black in fall. It can survive the winter and will then attack new sprouts in the spring. Collect and discard leaves that are infected in fall. A Benomyl or Funginex spray every 7-10 days may help.

Annuals

February plantings of larkspur, sweet peas, stock, cornflower and poppies will give good results. Throughout most of this region pansy plants can be transplanted during February and will give color until mid-June. As soon as they are established, mulch with two inches of well-rotted compost or feed with a balanced fertilizer and mulch with a material to prevent undue drying out.

Spring Bulbs

These happy harbingers of spring begin popping through the soil and some of the early ones may flower during the latter part of the month. Keep the soil where these are developing clear of debris, especially winter mulches that have not decayed, and apply lightly a fungicide to prevent disease damage.

Light feeding with liquid food and heavy watering will increase the length of stem and quality of bloom.

Lawns

Top-dressings of lawns or any similar garden planning tasks may be started in the lower part of this region and continued throughout the region next month. This top-dressing design is to correct uneven areas and washes that may have occurred during the winter. Mow the grass short in order to work the soil or compost well into the stolons of the grass.

It’s March and this means that lawns in the Midwest are in need prompt attention. No other element in the development of the home grounds adds so much to their beauty and attractiveness as a good lawn. It is the lawn which carpets the open spaces and gives a proper setting for the house and garden. A good turf prevents erosion in rainy weather and keeps down dust in times of drought. Surely the well-kept lawn is a source of pride and joy to the owner.

A lawn means grass. So far there is no substitute. It may vary from poor to excellent and still be a lawn. Most folks have learned that nature will provide a green cover for the lawn area and are content with that arrangement. About all this kind of lawn needs is an occasional good, close mowing.

Some folks are not so easily pleased. They consider the lawn as a thing of beauty, a green, uniform, well-kept carpet, which plays an important part in the landscape picture. Such a lawn is not possible unless certain definite rules are followed.

Many northern lawns suffered a setback over the past year. Excessive heat and drought were followed by torrential rains that tore at the slim grass covering and washed out valuable soil. Heavy weed crops following the rains complicated the problem. Delayed fall seedlings were only partly successful and many lawns went into the winter in poor shape.

March is a great time for renovation of established lawns that must be done at the earliest possible moment. Grass seed sprouts better in cool weather. Grass makes its best growth during this time and to get the seeding done early insures later success. If the lawn was worked over last fall and the grass stand is thin, reseed the entire area, using 1/2 pound of seed per 100 square feet. It will not be necessary to dig or plow the area if this was done previously. Just running the teeth of an iron rake through the soil should suffice to provide enough loose soil for the seed.

What fertilizer?

Many individuals are interested in the secrets behind lawn care for creating healthy. Let’s face it, we all want that thick fat, bright green grass that does not contain weeds and is the highlight of the neighborhood. However, most of us don’t know the actual lawn care that is required to do this. This can easily be achieved, but there is a little work involved. First, you must prepare the soil. The best way to start is to test the ground using a soil testing kit.

You want to be certain that the soil has the proper balance as far as PH is concerned. If the balance fails according to the testing kit, then you should consider integrating properly balanced soil as part of your lawn care over the entire surface of your yard. Using a rototiller can assist with this endeavor.

As the new land has been added, you should add a high quality fertilizer to the earth as the next phase of your lawn care. It will make sure that the conditions for growing are ideal. So, high-class grassland seed must be added. After all of this is complete, take your tiller and complete mix up all of the components mutually.