"Green Lawn Recipe!"
If your existing garden lawn is showing signs of yellowing and sparse growth or over-excessive weeds, you probably are lacking in nitrogen..well, the soil is, not you! Add nitrogen regularly to your lawn, as it disappears from the soil very quickly. Nearly all plants take up nitrogen, and the soil will need replenishing often.  A healthy green lawn will also need potassium and phosphorus. Get a soil analysis done and you will be able to adjust the soil nutrients easily. Apply lime and nitrogen to the soil before you sow your grass seed if possible. For an existing lawn, apply as the manufacturer recommends. As a rough guide, you shouldn't need to add more than one pound of nitrogen to every 1000 square feet of grass.Don't be tempted to add too much nitrogen to get a better colour or density. Too much nitrogen will burn the roots and the grass will perish....your green lawn will turn yellow!
When you buy your grass seed, check for Arm yourself with information and you'll become the local green lawn grower "extra-ordinaire!"Here are a couple of online grass seed suppliers. Work the top 6-8 inches of soil well, and add nutrients as required. Rake over the area and remove any large stones, and EVERY weed you see. Sow the grass seed as per instructions on individual product. Generally, you scatter the seed as evenly as possible, and gently rake over again. The biggest problem now is keeping the birds off.To them, your newly seeded patch looks like a banquet. Net if you can, or put up bird scarers ( old CDs strung together and hung over the area from canes in the ground work well.) Whatever you do, keep those birds away. NB: Use wildlife friendly netting to avoid damaging the birds. Water the seed in and watch it grow into a green lawn!  TurfIf you've got a house full of kids, animals or you just are too strapped for time, you could create a green lawn in a day - but it will cost more. Get a delivery of turf from your local garden centre and borrow a garden roller. Place all turfs and press together so you have no gaps. Water well and roll into shape. Again, when you buy your turf, choose well, and get as much planting information as you can.
For the first couple of years, you may need to feed your grass with nutrients, described above. Grass will need regular watering until well established. If it doesn't rain too much in your area, don't forget to give the grass some water. -This isn't a regular job in the UK - we get plenty of rain! In the autumn, using a grass rake, remove all dead leaves and weeds from your lawn. The rake will scratch the surface of the soil and help to aerate the lawn. CuttingCheck on your variety of grass for the recommended cutting heights. Most grass should be cut regularly - about 3/4 inch to an inch and a half (2-4cms) is normally a good height. The more you cut, the more it grows. A garden lawn is very much like a head of hair..apart from the colour and one or two other things. Keep clean of weeds Cut regularly to remove split ends! Water if needed Condition or fertilize once or twice a year. All the ingredients for a lush green lawn to play on or lay on for years to come! P.S. Do you have lots of clover in your lawn? It's not always a bad thing! Find out more about lawn clover on this page...Lawn Clover Happy Gardening! Grow Your Own Winter Food: A good diet incorporating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a must if you want to stay fit and healthy and keep the bugs at bay during the cold winter months. Growing your own winter food is just one way of ensuring you get the freshest, tastiest produce packed with goodness straight from the garden to the kitchen table. This easy-to-follow self-sufficiency book shows you how to grow your own fruit and vegetables for winter use and includes facts on each fruit, vegetable or herb as well as nutritional value, recipe ideas and storage suggestions.  Grow Your Own Winter Food is perfect for those with limited gardening experience, with gardens big or small who are looking to become more self-sufficient. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Winter Food Grow It, Cook It!: Many crops, including herbs, can be produced in a relatively small space with a little pre-planning and organizing: in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavour of cooking, treating minor ailments, and preventing colds and flu. Your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping. Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. .  This book provides all the information you need to keep your family and friends healthy, fit and enjoying life to the full. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow It, Cook It! Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Grow Your Own Pharmacy Herbs and Spices: Some herbs grow vigorously, some are tender and need special growing conditions, some are annuals, some perennials, some you can grow indoors, all can be grown in pots or directly into the ground. There are also certain spices, such as chillies, that can be grown in temperate climates.  This clear and concise directory of herbs and spices provides all the essential information to help you grow a selection of these flavour-enhancing foods in small or large spaces. Ideas for which herbs and spices go best with which foods also accompany each description, so that you can really enliven your repertoire of recipes. Order it now direct from the publisher... Herbs and Spices Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense is packed full of great ideas and tips. Granny brings traditional home-making up to date with cooking, gardening, needlecrafts and even games to play with the kids...Click on the link below to order your copy.  Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore and preparing nourishing home cooked meals for the family will certainly keep them away from the goodie shelf. Gardening encourages physical exercise and a good healthy dollop of fresh air. And you can get the kids involved too. Before the days of computer games and electronic pets, children used to have fun without rummaging about in the fridge every five minutes. Enjoy a few rainy-day games and crafts of yesteryear with today’s kids. They’ll love it and so will you! Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense Back To Garden Ideas Back to Flower and Garden Tips Homepage Click here to subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - your FREE monthly ezine! http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/greenlawn.html |
