Improving Your Lawn!
Although many jurisdictions discourage front lawns due to chemicals and water restrictions, some of us still have them.
Front lawns as we know them today, originated in 16th and 17th century Europe. Some of the earliest lawns were around medieval castles in France and Great Britain. Land was kept free of trees so any enemies could easily be seen. Wealthy landowners used sheep then human labor to keep them looking nice.
If you have a lot of weeds, digging them out by hand is not practical. I am not allowed to have sheep in my neighborhood. Paying someone to apply chemicals can cost $500,00 for 4-5 treatments a year. So it is a do it yourself project!
Using a broad spectrum weed killer with fertilizer is one method to improve your lawn. Fertilizers help the lawn by making the grass so dense, weeds cannot grow. It can also promote new root and leaf growth.
To determine the amount of material needed - measure out your yard in length and width. Then multiple length by the width, this will give you square footage. Determine how many bags you'll need by that equation. Read the label to see how many square foot the bag will cover. I need one bag for my front yard.
I used Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed. This product is available at hardware stores or Amazon.
Apply early in the morning when there is still dew on the lawn, or hose the lawn down. You want the grass damp so the chemical will adhere. You also want no rain for 24 hours after application.
I had various weeds in the lawn.
Best natural weed killer!
Spreaders come in either a drop style or broadcast. I use a drop spreader that you can walk behind with a variable control lever. I prefer the drop style as it keeps it off of the sidewalk and drive way a little better. Spreaders are available at hardware stores or Amazon. Wear a mask (N-95) when opening the bag, and pouring the chemicals. I also recommend old shoes and gloves.
Move your pets and children out of the area, prior to starting. I only put chemicals on my front lawn, not in my dog's play area. Keep pets and children off of the lawn until it rains sufficient to not see the chemical particles.
Locate the dial to set the proper amount for the spreader to drop. The bag of fertilizer will tell you the proper setting. This varies according to the type of spreader you are using and the brand/ type of fertilizer. I set the spreader to "5" for a drop spreader .
Wearing a mask, fill the spreader 1/2 the way up. You can always add more. It is hard to pour back into the bag.
Walk behind the spreader, very slightly overlapping the rows. Wash your spreader with a hose, letting the water clean out the chemical. Do this in a safe place away from pets and children.
Then wait.
By day 6 the weeds will be dying! The lawn will start getting greener!
The weeds will continue to die and the lawn will get greener over the coming weeks.
Once the weeds are dead, just a fertilizer may be used. When the lawn reaches a lush state, treatments can be limited to 1-2 times a year.
Enjoyed the project?
Suggested materials:
- Particulate Respirator mask N95, 20-Pack (https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=N-95+mask)
- Scotts Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader (https://www.amazon.com/Scotts-Builder-Classic-Spreader-000-sq/dp/B002ZTK09U/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1524247315&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=scotts+spreader+drop&psc=1)
- Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed (https://www.amazon.com/Scotts-Turf-Builder-Lawn-Food/dp/B00B7EKXKK/ref=sr_1_8?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1524247372&sr=1-8&keywords=scotts+turf+builder+weed+and+feed)
Comments
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Pet51640668 on Jul 08, 2021
Thank you for your post. I appreciate the safety cautions while using this product that you suggested.
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