Angie's LIST Guide to
Lawn care

Maintenance is vitally important to proper lawn care. This includes proper mowing but also includes watering and fertilizing. Watering the grass is especially important in dry climates where there may be several weeks without rain. This allows the grass to maintain a proper growth rate and reduces the risk of grass killing diseases.

Fertilizing is worthwhile in any climate but a necessity when the soil lacks nutrients. The most important ingredient in fertilizer is nitrogen which is vital for the continued growth of thick and healthy grass that can spring back into shape after being crushed by something that has run over it. Higher nitrogen is essential for maintaining grass that is already established.

Overuse of chemicals: Pesticides can be essential to preventing infestations and disease but should be used with great caution. Some pesticides are very harsh on a lawn and can cause as much new damage as it prevents in old damage. All pesticides should be checked for natural ingredients which should take preference over harsher chemical based pesticides.

Lawn abuse is common, especially among families with pets. Everyone wants to enjoy their lawn but must be careful not to put too much pressure on the grass to stay healthy and get constantly trampled. Pets also cause issues because their urine actually burns the grass and can cause yellow discoloration.

Disease prevention:Even if every step above is followed, some lawns will manage to get diseased. Brown patch disease is treated the same way it is prevented, with proper watering. It can also be treated by reducing the amount of nitrogen in the ground. There are many diseases that can affect a lawn including fairy rings, red thatch, and dollar spots. Most can be treated by returning to proper maintenance habits but if the disease is not resolved after a week of proper maintenance, it may be necessary to call in a professional.

You don't necessarily need to own all of these -- for example, a rototiller can be rented when needed -- but here's a primer on each tool and its uses.

LAWN MOWERS -
Types: Manual reel, gas push, electric push, riding, lawn tractor, zero radius and robotic
Purpose: Used to cut grass. Lawn tractors can be utilized as a multipurpose vehicle for hauling, plowing and other outdoor lawn and gardening tasks, as well.
Maintenance: The blades on all lawn mower models must be sharpened to provide desired results and even cutting services. All mowers except for the manual reel require regular oil changes and tune-ups to ensure the engine is properly functioning.

EDGERS -
Types: Electric, gas powered
Purpose: Cuts a trench along walkways, driveways, around flower beds and other landscaping, giving the lawn a more pedicured look.
Maintenance: The motors on these pieces of equipment require regular tune-ups to ensure that they are well lubricated and operational.

WEEDEATERS -
Type: Electric, battery-powered and gasoline
Purpose: Removes grass and weeds in areas that are hard to reach with the lawn mower. These areas include around trees, under bushes and against buildings and walkways.
Maintenance: The strings on weed eaters need to be changed or refilled. Spark plugs must be checked. Most models require you to oil the motors properly, as well as the rotating mechanism for the string at the bottom.

LEAF BLOWERS -
Types: Gas, electric
Purpose: Provides an easier method of removing leaves and other light-weight debris from the lawn for easier clean-up. It can also be used to blow water from paved areas, rain gutters and snow from driveways.
Maintenance: Electric leaf blowers require minimal engine maintenance for tune-ups. Gas powered leaf blowers require regular tune-ups and maintenance to keep up with the demands of a two and four cycle engine.

AERATORS -
Types: Core/plug, spike, gas-powered and manual
Purpose: Used to control the law thatch and reduce soil compaction so that water and nutrients can reach the roots of the grass and other vegetation within the yard.
Maintenance: When you are finished using the aerator, the spikes should be rinsed off with a garden hose and allowed to dry thoroughly if storing in a dark area. This will help to prevent rusting. Gas powered aerators will need seasonal tune-ups performed. If used often, inspections on oil, spark plugs and other components of the engine should be inspected.

FERTILIZER SPREADERS -
Types: Rotary, drop and sprayer
Purpose: Used to evenly distribute fertilizer over lawn and gardening surfaces.
Maintenance: When you have finished using the fertilizer spreader you will want to spray the holding compartment out with a garden hose. It is important to ensure that excess fertilizer is not left stored with the equipment, as this can cause explosion hazards. Make sure sprayer model spreaders are not clogged by flushing clean water through the nozzles

RAKES -
Types: Various shapes for different tasks.
Purpose: Used to remove leaves and debris from the lawn, under bushes, in flower beds and other areas where debris may gather
Maintenance: Spray the rake with a garden hose when you have finished using it and before storing it. If the forks for the rake are connected to the handle with a screw or rivet, you will want to inspect this prior to using it.

SHOVELS -
Type: Various shapes and sizes for different tasks.
Purpose: To remove soil, grass and other materials.
Maintenance: Spray the shovel or spade with a garden hose after using it. If the head of the shovel or spade is connected to the handle with a rivet or screw, inspect this before using the tool.

PRUNERS -
Type: Manual, gas, electric
Purpose: Used to remove dead or undesired limbs, leaves and branches from bushes, trees, flowers and other plants around the yard for a more manicured look.
Maintenance: Remove dirt and debris from the blades when not in use and prior to storing to prevent rusting or damage. Blades must be sharpened periodically for desired results.

GRUBBING HOE -
Type: Manual
Purpose: Acts as an aerator between dirt pathways and in between landscaped areas or vegetation.
Maintenance: Spray the blade of the grubbing hoe with a garden hose to remove dirt and debris. The blade must be periodically sharpened.

GRASS SHEARS -
Type: Manual
Purpose: To trim hard to reach grass patches, dead leaves and small branches from bushes and flowers.
Maintenance: Blades need to be periodically sharpened.

ROTOTILLER -
Type: Manual, gas, electric
Purpose: Similar to an aerator, except that the rototiller is able to work through harder surfaces and in a larger patterned area. Rototillers are generally used in gardening areas and flower beds at the beginning of planting season.
Maintenance: Blades should be sprayed off with a gardening hose to remove excessive dirt and debris. Blades often need to be sharpened. Tune-ups must be performed on the motors to ensure they are operating properly.

Native plants: When using plants that naturally grow in your area, you will find that they are usually drought resistant and give a variation in appearance from grass. Moreover, native plants are easily integrated with landscaping projects. Clover and moss are among the variety of plants used to cover lawns.

Artificial turf: Made of recycled materials including used tires, artificial lawns require no water, fertilization, weed killer or mowing. This choice is good for places where plant growth can be difficult.

Stone: Stone or gravel provides the owner with a variety of colors and sizes. Planning and intense labor is needed to establish the stone lawn, but once in place, it just needs to be hosed down, and sprayed with weed killer on occasion. If you live in an area where grass won't grow or don't have it in your existing landscape, consider using pea gravel as a pet-friendly surface. A small, loose, rounded, pebbly stone, pea gravel can be raked easily to remove pet and plant debris. It makes good paths, and is a reasonable, dust-reducing mulch. When choosing gravel, keep your pet's paws in mind. Smaller gravel can get stuck in between larger paws, which leads to it being tracked inside. Pea gravel also gets hot in direct sunlight, so it might be best for shaded areas.

Cedar bark mulch: Mulch is a good alternative for homes needing a grass alternative, as it also comes in a variety of sizes and does not heat up as gravel does.