KBM Landscaping

More Winter Tips For Your Lawn

admin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:16:49 +0000

While most landscaping tips are concerned with tending plants during the growing season, winter landscaping is every bit as important if you want to have a great looking lawn and healthy, vibrant plants. With the arrival of fall and cold weather, it is essential to complete a few projects to keep your landscaping and garden protected through the dormant months. Prepare shrubs, trees, and grass now, and they will return healthy in the spring and will also leave you with a neat, well-tended winter landscape.

Winter Landscapes: Preparing Your Lawn

Although grass appears to stop growing in the fall, the roots are actually growing deeper to prepare for winter. Now is the best time to fertilize and reseed your lawn. Feeding the lawn early in autumn will give the roots a boost before winter arrives. A second feeding in late October will keep it winterized and strong through the freezing weather.

If your lawn has some bare patches, early autumn is a perfect time to sod or reseed. Adding sod gives you an instantly perfect lawn that will be a pleasure when the warm weather returns. To firmly establish new sod, keep it moist for the first week after it is laid. After the first week, it can be watered as needed. Avoid having sod laid in hot, dry weather, as it will be hard for the roots to establish.

Be sure that the sod contains varieties of grass that are indigenous to your region. The sod should not look dry and should be sitting on a pallet no longer than two days. It should not be warm to the touch. You can eliminate a lot of uncertainty by buying sod from a reputable grower.

Winter Landscaping Tips for Pruning Shrubs and Hedges

Pruning is very important to encourage healthy growth in spring. Most pruning should be done after the leaves turn, indicating that the plant is dormant. A good rule of thumb is to prune spring blooming shrubs immediately after flowering and to prune summer blooming shrubs in the dormant season. Pruning late in the growing season will encourage new growth that will be damaged by frost.

When pruning, use caution to make a good cut at a slight angle about 1/4 inch from the branch. You may want to hire a professional gardener to help with this delicate task.

Some shrubs need to be wrapped with burlap to protect them from frost. If you have experienced frost damage in the past, make sure to protect these plants before the temperature dips down. Spread a layer of mulch around the base of the plants to provide insulation for the winter. Wait until spring to fertilize shrubs and trees.

Landscaping Tips for Trees

Like most of the plants in your yard, trees need special care. It is important to keep tree limbs away from power lines and away from the roof of your house. Branches can easily pull down gutters or cause other costly damage if they are hanging over your house.

When planning to prune trees, consult with a professional arborist. He or she will know the best method for your species of trees and the correct time of year for pruning. A professional arborist will also know how to safely remove any troublesome branches without causing damage to the tree. Typically, tree pruning should be done in early autumn or late spring.

Preparing Landscape Fixtures for Winter

Winter landscapes are made up not only of plant-life, but of many other objects, as well. Just like the plants, however, these fixtures often require special care to weather the cold. Walkways and patios can take a beating in cold weather. Shifts in temperature and humidity can cause concrete and brick to heave and settle unevenly. Keeping them free of water build up and debris will reduce the chances of winter damage. If you noticed water or ice accumulation last winter, take steps now to provide proper drainage. This can be as simple as adding a small gravel drainage channel next to a walkway or fixing a gutter that drips onto steps.

Having a professional pool cleaning company winterize your swimming pool is essential. Drain the water and cover the pool to keep out leaves and animals. In winter, it is not uncommon for deer or other wildlife to walk over pool covers, so choose the strongest cover you can afford.

Hot tubs and spas will be a welcome treat in the cool weather. Make sure the heater and pump are functioning properly. If not handled correctly, water could freeze in the pump, pipes, or the hot tub itself, causing irreparable damage.

Jon Nunan is a freelance writer who draws on his experience in construction, ranging from landscaping to log home building, for his articles on home improvement.

14 Winter-Prep Tips for Your Lawn or Garden

admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:51:04 +0000

You might think getting your lawn and garden ready for winter is as simple as Robert Frost’s line to his apple trees: “Good-by, and keep cold.” But not if you want them to be their healthiest come spring. In many parts of the country, now — that is, before it gets too chilly — is prime time to tend to your landscape so it will shine the rest of the year.

Here’s what the experts advise to make your plants the envy of the neighborhood:

1. Feed that lawn! ”Right now, it’s key to work on your lawn,” says Jim Welshans, regional turfgrass educator at Penn State University. In fact, despite what many people might think, autumn, not spring, is perhaps the most vital time in many parts of the country. Welshans explains: “In Pennsylvania we grow cool-season grasses, and during the summer they’re not very active.” Come autumn, however, they revive.

Lawns with these cool-weather grasses — Kentucky bluegrass, fescues, perennial ryegrass — should be fertilized in two waves, say Welshans and others. The first application, from mid to late September in places like Pennsylvania, should be a fertilizer that’s high in nitrogen. The second application, roughly about Thanksgiving but before the ground is frozen, should be a fertilizer that’s high in phosphorus, which will prepare that plant for next year, says Welshans. (Exact timing for all the advice in this story will vary depending on where you live. A good way to determine if you’re giving your lawn what it needs is to get a soil test. It will give you information like soil pH and nutrient levels, and provide recommendations for fertilizer amounts.)

Bob Mugaas, a regional extension educator in horticulture who’s affiliated with the University of Minnesota, recommends modest application of nitrogen during the first couple of weeks in September, and a repeat application around Halloween in the Twin Cities area. If you missed the first window, don’t fret, says Mugaas, but simply make the second application around Halloween. Why not squeeze in two doses in quick succession? “You don’t want to stimulate the tender, succulent growth” as the grass girds for winter, he explains; the late-season application is more for the root system. Another tip: Homeowners can drive over leaves with a lawn mower to create a fine mulch as long as the results don’t blanket the lawn.

2. Repair summer’s damage. Now is a great time to repair a damaged lawn and reseed. If you’re racing the cold, Welshans recommends putting down a perennial ryegrass, which germinates quickly (just four to seven days, versus two to three weeks for bluegrass). Help the seeds take root by top-dressing them with up to one-quarter-inch compost or soil, he says.

3. Don’t put away the hose. Though places such as the Pacific Northwest may begin to get rain with autumn’s onset, in most areas watering shouldn’t end with Labor Day. Generally speaking, says Mugaas, a lawn should get an inch of water every 14 to 21 days. The ground should be moist as it heads toward winter, but not soggy, which could encourage mold.

4. Go easy on the pruning. “Probably the most common thing I see people doing is pruning,” says Ginger Pryor, coordinator of the Pennsylvania Master Gardener program, citing a common mistake. As a general rule, give your loppers and shears the autumn off. Why? Pruning promotes growth, and you don’t want to encourage growth when plants are preparing to go dormant for winter. There are some exceptions, so call your local cooperative extension service if you have doubts about a particular tree.

Now is a good time to cut off dead wood, however, so insects have no place to hide.

5. Don’t tuck in the vegetable garden yet. “There are some great fall vegetables you can plant and still get a harvest,” says Pryor. Many vegetables aren’t affected by a light evening frost, so long as the days still warm up nicely. Greens like lettuce and spinach often can be harvested within 30 days of planting. Got even more time before Jack Frost really settles in? Think about carrots, broccoli or Swiss chard.

6. Cover that plot. To prep your garden for winter, plant a nitrogen-rich cover crop like clover that you can simply turn under come spring, suggests Elaine Anderson, program coordinator for the Washington State University/King County Extension Master Gardener Program. Or, “a lot of people just cover the beds in burlap — keeps the weeds down. That’s fine.”

7. Transplant away! The experts agree: Autumn is a great time to transplant trees and shrubs. “By planting trees in the fall in the South we have a much longer season for the tree roots to get established” while they don’t have “those other stresses” such as heat, explains Shane Harris, a regional extension agent in east-central Alabama who is affiliated with Auburn and Alabama A&M universities. In short, says Harris, the tree benefits because it’s “putting all of its energy into root growth.”

The same is true in other parts of the country. For example, as a general rule of thumb, evergreens should be transplanted in the first half of September in Minnesota’s Twin Cities area, Mugaas advises. “Obviously you can be earlier if you’re a little more north, or later if you’re a little bit to the south,” he says. “Deciduous trees have a little bigger window.”

8. Mulch, Part 1. “We often say the mulch around the tree should look like a doughnut, not a volcano,” says Pryor. Pulling the mulch away from the trunk a bit makes it less of a home and meal for voles, chipmunks and mice during the winter, she says.

9. Making the (flower) beds. Flower beds don’t need a ton of work, but there are some things you can do. “One thing we do recommend for fall is cleaning out perennials — things that have a lot of dieback on them,” says Pryor. In Pennsylvania, for example, there’s a lot of rain in early spring and any dead growth can keep a lot of moisture in the soil, promoting rot in plants like peonies that have heavy root systems. (Other experts disagree about the importance of cleaning up but say it doesn’t hurt, and at least can make a flower bed look tidier.) Pryor recommends leaving ornamental grasses in place because they look beautiful in the winter.

10. Mulch, Part 2. Harris suggests renewing the mulch in flower beds, especially the top two or three inches of plants’ root crowns, because that protects a marginal plant from hard freezes. “That’s where all of your new growth is going to come back,” Harris explains of the crown.

Up north, some homeowners put down hay, which “makes a very good mulch,” says Mugaas. Ask at your garden center for “clean mulching hay” — often made of oat straw or wheat straw — but don’t assume that the name alone guarantees it’s weed-free. Examine the hay for seed heads and other impurities, says Mugaas. Also, hay should be applied only when the ground has gotten very cold.

11. Clean the pond. Ponds, fountains and other water features are hugely popular today — and they, too, need care to survive the winter. Late September is a good time to clean out the pond — in particular, netting out the abundant leaves that, upon decay, build up the nutrients and cause spikes in ammonia levels that are harmful to fish, says Brett Fogle, president and owner of Florida’s MacArthur Water Gardens. If it’s a small pond, you might consider tossing a cover over it from late fall through the winter. Consider using a bacterial additive in the water — microbes that speed the decomposition of leaf scum, fish waste, etc., says Fogle. Also, he says, it’s a good idea to drain your pond by 25%-50% for the winter months.

12. Put your fish on a diet. “The biggest mistake people make is they keep feeding their fish handfuls and handfuls of food” even as their metabolisms are slowing down with the onset of cold weather, says Fogle. That can make them ill, and even kill them. As the temperature hits about 60 degrees, consider switching to a lower-protein, wheat germ food that digests easier, Fogle says. When temps hit 50-55 degrees, you can stop feeding the fish entirely. Don’t worry about them going hungry — their metabolism slows enough so that they don’t need to eat when the water gets that cold or colder, he says. Yet koi and other pond fish will keep eating when they shouldn’t and that can hurt them, Fogle says.

13. Check pond equipment. Autumn is a good time to change out your pond gear. In warmer months, pumps are often used to circulate the water. “It’s actually better for the fish not to run the pump all winter long,” explains Fogle. That’s because the pump disrupts the thermal layers in the water that the fish exploit to keep warm during the winter months, when they settle near the bottom in a hibernationlike state.

Professional Services

14. Think spring. Now is the time to plant bulbs for spring. They’re not very expensive, and they give you something to look forward to. “In our part of the world, our smaller bulbs need to go in now, and the larger bulbs can go in later” — perhaps mid-October or so in Minnesota’s Twin Cities area, says Mugaas. Smaller bulbs include crocus and grape hyacinth. Larger bulbs include tulips and daffodils.

Another tip: “It seems sort of counterintuitive to go shopping for plants right now,” says Anderson, of the King County Master Gardener program. But she suggests buying perennials that are in bloom now, so you know what they’ll look like later. In the Pacific Northwest, that could mean hardy perennials like yarrow and asters. Finally, “It’s also a good time to take stock of what did well and what didn’t,” says Mugaas. Gardeners are inveterate tinkerers. “We never have enough time, and we never have enough room.”

16 Cardinal Rules for Snow Shovelling

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:16:14 +0000

With another winter storm poised to blast the East Coast with a thick blanket of snow, blocking everything from driveways to front doors, you’ll need to free your wheels and sidewalk from the weighty white nuisance. After 42 years of shoveling snow, I’ve learned a few things. With a little practice and some patience, it’s amazing how efficient you can be with equipment no more sophisticated than an ordinary snow shovel. Here are my top 16 tips for how to shovel snow.

1. Stretch first

Don’t be in a hurry to get outside. Stretch thoroughly using the same sorts of moves that runners, mountain bikers and other athletes use. Stretch your hamstrings, stretch your back, and stretch your shoulders. Then dress in removable layers, grab your shovel and resist the urge to fly at the white stuff just to get the job done. Pace yourself. Start slowly and ramp up to speed.

2. Don’t move snow twice

Before you even take your first scoop, decide where you’re going to dump the snow. Drop the first shovelful farther away from where you are standing, then dump remaining snow closer and closer to where you are. That way, the last scoops that you shovel are moved the shortest distance. Don’t block access to snow that needs to be removed by piling it up in a way that will force you to move it twice.

3. Move snow the shortest distance possible

Consider that everything from a driveway to a patio to a walkway is really a rectangle, and rectangles have a center point. Move the snow from the center of the rectangle to the nearest edge.

4. Clear cars first

Brush snow off cars then clear around the cars.

5. Do the foreground then the background

For example, to clear snow from a rectangle, first shovel a strip clear along the perimeter of the rectangle. Then, moving from the center to the edge, push the snow into the cleared area. Next, lift and throw the snow out of the area.

6. Maintain proper posture:

A. Use your leg muscles as much as possible – push snow when you can and use your legs to lift when you can’t push it.

B. Keep your back straight as you move from the squat position to the upright position.

C. Use your shoulder muscles as much as possible.

D. Hold the snow shovel as close to your upper body as possible.

E. Keep one hand close to the shovel blade for better leverage.

F. Don’t twist your upper body as you throw snow.

7. Keep hydrated

Take bottles of water out with you and keep them accessible, either in the car or on the front stoop or somewhere else convenient.

8. Rest frequently

Clearing an area by hand means that you may lift and carry anywhere from hundreds of pounds to tons of snow.

9. Be thorough but not fussy

The sun is relatively strong this time of year. Clear an area, spread de-icer if necessary and then let the sun do the rest. The fact is, any surface color that you expose in shoveling (gray, green, brown or black) will be far less reflective than a thick blanket of snow, and remaining snow will melt more easily from that darker surface.

10. Don’t overdress

You need to stay warm, but if you overdress you’re going to be soaked in sweat in no time. Dress in loose-fitting layers that you can peel off as you heat up.

11. Whenever possible, team up

Shoveling with a friend or neighbor is inherently more enjoyable than shoveling on your own. Plus, it’s quicker to get the job done with two or three sets of hands.

12. Go easy on the de-icer

Once the area is clear, all you need is a thin scattering of de-icer to keep it that way. If you’re scattering by hand, throw the salt, pellets or granules low along the ground so they bounce and roll into a uniform layer.

13. Whenever possible, get a head start

It’s easier to remove snow in thin layers than wait until all the snow is down to have at it. If it looks like your area is going to get dumped on, try to get out there and shovel it in several passes.

14. Maintain your equipment

The front edge of a snow shovel takes a beating. If it’s metal, hammer it straight when it gets bent; if it’s plastic use a utility knife to carve off the burr that forms on its end. Tighten a loose handle by driving a large hex head sheet metal screw through the blade socket and into the handle.

15. Stretch when you’re done

Stretch gently when you’re done and use an ice pack and ibuprofen to take care of inflamed muscles. Rest and remain hydrated.

How to Use a Snow Thrower

In case all that stretching sounds like too much work, here are some tips for using a snow-throwing machine.

1. Test run the machine before the storm.

2. Keep necessary spare parts on hand: drive belts, spark plugs and shear pins.

3. Keep a wire brush, a scrap piece of wood and spray de-icer handy. You may well need any number of tools to keep the machine’s auger and other moving parts cleared of ice and compacted snow. Never clear a clogged auger with the engine running.

4. Don’t forget the newspaper that’s been thrown into the driveway or onto the sidewalk. A frozen newspaper can clog a snow thrower like nobody’s business. If you spot the paper or circular’s outline under the snow when you come home (let’s say) just remember to go out there and pick it up.

5. Keep a can of spray lubricant handy. Moving parts that worked fine in the garage can suddenly get cranky when exposed to cold, wet conditions.

To Do List For Fall Gardening

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:32:42 +0000

October and November are good months to do some gardening and landscaping.

Here are just a few things a gardener could or should be doing.

Lawns

If you have cool-seasoned turf, like fescue or bluegrass, you are about out of time to renovate

or overseed your lawn. However, if this is still on your to-do list, be sure your soil PH is

around 6.0 to 6.5. A soil test from your county extension service can give you this

information, as well as any additional nutrient requirements that might be needed,

along with the appropriate amounts to add to your lawn.

However, these reports can take up to weeks to get back and you may have missed

your window for this season. Go ahead and add seed now if needed. You can add

the required nutrients after you get the report. Keep new grass seed moist.

You may have to water briefly several times each day until germination.

Try to keep fallen leaves off the seeds without disturbing your seeds in the process.

Vegetables

It’s time to clean up the summer garden. Many pest and diseases over–winter in

old plant debris. Get it out of your garden and into the compost pile, as long as it

is not diseased. Otherwise, have it removed from your property.

Hopefully, you’re growing some cool-season crops right now such as broccoli,

spinach and lettuce. Floating row covers do a great job of providing a few degrees

of heat and provide frost protection for those tender young seedlings.

Most cool-season crops can handle cooler temperatures than you might imagine,

and many taste even better after a few light frosts. If you’ve never had a fall

vegetable garden, you’re missing a real treat.

Landscaping

Fall is absolutely the best time of year to plant any tree or shrub.

The soil is still warm enough for roots to actively grow and yet the demand on

foliage growth is waning. Trees and shrubs planted now have months to develop

a healthy root system before the heat of the next year. Be sure to keep your new

plants watered. The drying winds of the cooler weather can quickly dehydrate plants.

Check soil moisture often, and water when needed. For new plantings, provide water

once a week in the absence of rain.

Organic Gardening

Don’t waste those fallen leaves. Rake and dump leaves onto your grass, and run over

the leaves with your lawn mower. This shreds them into small pieces, which then get

raked into your beds. They break down rather quickly and are a very good way to add

organic amendments to your beds. They also pull double-duty, serving as that important

layer of mulch over the winter.

Flower Gardening

Plant those bulbs, or at least store them in a cool, dry place like in the refrigerator.

In cooler climates, plant in October, in southern climates, the best time for bulb

planting is in the middle to late November. Tulips, daffodils, crocus, iris and hyacinths

are all great choices for Spring color. This is also the ideal time to divide perennials

and plant perennial seeds for next spring.

That should keep you bust for the next few weeks. The best part is that next spring,

our efforts will be rewarded with a garden that comes alive, looking better than ever

and due in large part to the work we’re doing now.

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How To Choose The Right Landscaper

admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:56:20 +0000

KBM would like to post the below article since we believe it is mportant that any new customer we take on has done all the proper research before choosing us. We obviously would not advocate this unless we were absolutely confident that if you followed the information given here you woudl select KBM without hesitation. Please read this carefully and take this advice to heart.

A beautiful well-kept landscape adds value to your home as well as your immediate neighbor’s homes. Well designed landscaping, like a newly remodeled kitchen and bathroom, can increase the value of your home dramatically. When it comes to selling your home, your front yard landscape is at the core of what “curb appeal” is all about – it’s the first impression people will have when they see your home.

A landscaping service or landscape contractor can provide a variety of services. Some may just do monthly maintenance, others may do installation of sprinkler systems, walkways and decks, and others may strictly do landscape design or landscape architecture (design/build companies). And many companies provide some combination of these services.

Here are steps that will help you as you move forward in choosing a landscaping service.

Define Your Needs and Your Budget

Are you looking for someone to just help you with the mowing of your lawn and weeding twice a month or are you looking at replacing a cracked walkway or replace your lawn completely? Or are you ready to act on your latest and greatest landscaping inspiration and totally level your existing yard in favor of your new ideas. Know in advance what you want to do, and “why” you want to do it. Also, clearly define your budget. Unless you’re rolling in dough and money is no object, you need to draw a line in the sand and do your absolute best to stick to it. It’s very easy to start a project with a certain figure in mind and have that balloon to an astronomical number as you talk with a designer or professional landscaper. Also find out what method of payment they accept.

Do Some Inspirational Research

If you haven’t already done it, spend some time looking through various landscape design books at your library or purchase some to browse through. Take time to drive around your neighborhood and check out what your neighbors have done in their yards. Look at layouts, color combinations, walkway and driveway patterns, types of trees and flowers, etc. You may think you know exactly what you want but the more you see, the more research you do, the more comfortable you will feel with your final decision moving forward.

Roughly Plan Your Timeline

Once you find a landscaper, they may be busy two weeks out, six weeks out, or six months out. Their schedule needs to coincide with your schedule. If you’re using multiple services, i.e. a designer and an installer, and you’re doing the sub-contracting, there are multiple schedules you will need to juggle.

Ideally, depending on where you live, you want to have the work done outside the rainy season so plan accordingly and give yourself plenty of time. If you’re planting new flower beds and foliage, you may want to find out when the best time of year to plant those items are and consider that in the equation as well. You don’t want to rush things unless it’s imperative, i.e. you need to sell your house within the next couple of months. That decision alone will will play a part in who you select as your landscaper. While everyone wants their projects finished as quickly as possible, patience and careful planning will clearly cause the least amount of stress.

Lastly, find out how many other outside jobs they’ll be working on at the same time they’re doing your job. Ideally, you want them on your job from start to finish but sometimes this can’t be helped. If they juggle too many jobs at once though, you may see them only a couple of days per week and the job could drag on for weeks, or worse…months. Express your concerns to them regarding delays.

Research Landscaping Services

There are many ways to research landscapers…from online directories like this one, to the yellow pages, to asking friends and family. Over 40% of landscapers or services are chosen based on referrals. The second largest piece of research pie is done via the Internet (a close second), with the yellow pages and direct mail a distant third. Wherever you begin, it’s important that you shop around.

Key Factors in Your Research Include…

1. How long has a company been in business?

2. How many employees do they have and how many of them will be working on your job

3. What languages do they speak (very important that you are able to communicate clearly with the lead contractor and/or employees)

4. What services do they provide and what are their specialties

5. Find out their contact information, hours of business and the best time to reach them.

6. What professional affiliations they belong too (i.e. BBB, national or state landscaping associations, etc)

7. Are they licensed. Being certified by the state will mean that the service is accountable to you and operating legally. And it normally implies that the employees have passed tests which prove a higher level of education, professionalism, and quality of work.

8. Are they insured. VERY important. If not insured properly, you could be liable for accidents or injuries during their time on your property. Make sure you check for proof of insurance (make a photo copy if need be). Make sure the company’s name is on the policy, make note of what the policy number is, expiration date, insurance company’s phone number, etc. It is wise to call the insurance company ahead of time and verify that the policy is valid.

9. What guarantees do they have, what specifically is covered and the length of the guarantee.

10. Get at least three references from them. Drive by the locations if at all possible and/or look at photographs of their work. Take notes if necessary. If you feel comfortable, contact the people they did work for and ask questions regarding their overall satisfaction, quality, and if they did what they agreed to do and in a timely manner.

11. Make sure the company provides a written contract with details of your project clearly laid out and prices for each detail. If you can get a detailed graphical layout of the work as well, do so. Also get a quote on changes or possible problems or unseen factors that may arise during the job.

Last But Not Least…

Make sure that you’re there for the majority of the work in process. It’s important that you constantly examine the quality of work, that they’re doing exactly what you asked them to do, and that they are there when they’re scheduled to be there. When the job is completed, make one last walkthrough with the lead contractor, possibly with the contract in hand making sure that the job is completed to your satisfaction.

http://www.landscaping-services.org/how-choose-landscaper.html

Janet Smith

gpotech — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:55:41 +0000

KBM always does a quick and professional job on my lawn. Their staff is always friendly , helpful and very neat. I recommend KBM to all my friends and neighbors.

How To Care For Your New Lawn

admin — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:26:26 +0000

If you want a lush new lawn, you must treat your emerging grass seedlings like newborn babies: Fuss over them. Give them lots of care and attention. And don’t assume they are safely established until seven or eight weeks have passed.

Here are some guidelines for babying your new lawn:

Water Frequently

The most important first step in new lawn care is to keep the newly planted seeds damp at all times–never allow the soil to dry out. Water the new lawn at least two or three times a day or more (depending on the weather) for 30 to 45 minutes each time. Try to water in the cooler parts of the day–morning or evening.

Make the job easier by purchasing extra hoses and oscillating sprinklers. Try not to drag hoses through the new lawn or step on the lawn excessively. Cordon off the areas of new lawn to avoid excessive foot traffic, which can kill new blades emerging in the first three weeks.

Mow Only When Lawn Is Established

When the grass seed has germinated and reaches 3 to 4 inches tall, it is safe to mow. Don’t mow when the grass is wet. Mow to about 2 to 2-1/2 inches high.

Fertilize the soil again four weeks after the seeding. Use a slow-release, non-burning fertilizer or an organic variety. Don’t over-fertilize. Your lawn may need more fertilizer every 4 weeks until it is established.

Your reward for all your new lawn TLC: A mature, lush lawn with minimal weeds and easy upkeep later on.