Today, lawns cover a huge area in places such as Australia and the USA. Recently, a NASA-sponsored studyestimated the area that is covered by lawns is about 128,000 square kilometers - that's nearly 32 million acres! This makes them the largest irrigated crop in the entire United States - more than three times that of irrigated corn.
Lawn care is big business. Estimates of the amount of money spent on professional lawn care services do vary, however one survey has put the total at around USD$28.9 billion in 2002, which equates to about USD$1,200 per household, when spread across the 24.7 million households who use these services.
V Jenkins, notes in her book The Lawn: A History of an American Obsession (1994), that the current rage for a chemically dependent lawn arose after the end of World War II, and she argues that "American front lawns are a symbol of man's control of, or superiority over, his environment." Around 50-70 % of U.S. residential water is actually used for landscaping purposes and most of this is used just to water lawns.
Together with trees, lawns have a vital role in the fight against urban heat islanding. Lawns provide oxygen conversion, together with the filtering of air particulatesand aiding erosion control. Lawns also aid air and surface cooling required to offset miles of new asphalt, cement, and rooftops. When compared to just plain bare dirt, lawns may be 20 degrees F cooler on a hot day, and even up to 40 F
Lawn care maintenance, construction and their management of various kinds are the sole focus of much of modern horticulture techniques industry today. The overuse of pesticides and chemical fertilisers have played havoc with our water supply for a long time, and if we are to continue our obsession with lawns, then we must find a way to bring this into a better balance.
Have you always wanted the turf in youir lawn to stay green? But somehow you just havent managed to do this? May be your lack of understanding about essential lawn care tips has been the major roadblock to achieving a healthy looking lawn in your garden. You need to know that the key to a healthy lawn lies in the prevention of weed growth and comprehensive lawn maintenance planning.
You do not need a professional to care for your lawn and ensure that it is always beautiful to look at and perfectly trimmed. But it would be incredibly helpful if you have a lawn care or lawn gardening professional to evaluate your lawn. With a single session, your local expert can outline for you the basic activities and problem areas that you have to attend to.
You can make caring for your lawn easier by purchasing basic or residential lawn care equipment. These could include the following, depending on the type of lawn you have at home and its current condition.
Many first-time lawn owners think that fertilizing is an unnecessary activity and one that only those with meticulous demands from their lawn require. The truth is, your lawn is in need of fertilizing to enjoy proper growth and health.
Fertilizers should be used if soil conditions are not ideal for your lawn. They correct your soil conditions, restoring the ideal balance or optimal pH levels so that your lawn would enjoy continuous and problem-free growth.
There are many types of fertilizers, however, so it is critical to choose something that is suited for the type of lawn you have at home.
You probably hear the words ‘pH level’ all the time and have no idea of what it means. pH levels basically refer to the acidity of your soil. Some grasses thrive in soil with low pH or acidity levels and vice versa. Obviously, you will need to determine which category your lawn falls under.
To start with, you can check the pH level of your soil by using a pH meter. You can easily purchase one from your local gardening store. Even retail giants like Walmart or Ace Hardware are sure to have them. Once you know what your soil’s pH level is, it is time to determine which plants would grow particularly well with those conditions in mind.
Azaleas and blueberries, for example, do well with soil that has pH levels from 5.0 to 5.5. Ornamental grasses and vegetables, however, do better when they are growing in slightly more acidic levels, such as having a pH balance of anywhere between 5.8 - 6.5.
If, however, you have a particular plant or flower in mind and your soil conditions do not agree with it, all is not lost. All you have to do is to adjust the soil condition instead. Your pH kit - which includes your pH meter - will always include instructions on how to adjust the pH balance of your soil and reach optimal acidic levels. Generally speaking, this would mean either increasing or decreasing nutrient intakes of your soil.
This can be done by adding ground agricultural limestone or some other substance that has sufficient lime levels. The amount of lime you will need to use will depend on the type of soil your lawn has. You should also consider other factors like organic matter content, soil texture, and the plants that you want to grow.
Lowering pH levels or increasing acidity - This is something you have to do when you want to grow a fruit or vegetable garden. Generally speaking, gardeners or lawn owners typically add sulphur or aluminium sulphate to their lawn in order to increase acidity level.
A well-maintained lawn decorates your garden and adds value to your home. However, the beauty of the lawn revolves around the greenness of the turf - the better the grass, the more beautiful the lawn. Here are some tips to maintaining a healthy lawn:
Following these essential lawn care and maintenance tips will help you maintain beauty of your garden and protect loveliness of your lawn, making it the envy of your neighbourhood.
Stats on Lawn Care