DIY Northeast Organic Lawn Care

Fiskars Telescoping Pruning Stik Review

2011-05-30T19:11:00.002-04:00

It is important to prune trees every year or so. Pruning trees regularly helps improve the trees health and maintains its shape and size as well as providing safety benefits.

I used to use a Fiskars 9301 Power-Lever 14-Foot Tree Pruner but it somehow got misplaced and I decided to purchase a Fiskars 9240-6935 Telescoping Pruning Stik to replace it. I wanted to stay with Fiskars because their tools have always held up well and they have a good reputation.

Both tools include a bypass pruner as well as a detachable 15" saw blade for cutting larger branches and telescope to reach higher branches but there are some features of the Pruning Stik that won me over.
I don't have a lot of trees, one large maple, and some smaller trees for privacy and decoration including arborvitae, hemlocks and cypress.

The smaller trees weren't a big problem. I'm tall so I was able to prune them effectively with a hand pruner and a 32" bypass lopper. The taller ones were close to the house and I was able to use a ladder to reach the tops.

The tall maple tree was more of a problem. Before I had the tree pruner I would just reach up and grab branches and use the pruner or lopper to trim the lower branches that were too low above sidewalks, pahways and the driveway. It was easier with two people as one could use a garden hoe to lower some branches and the other could prune them.

This wasn't ideal. I couldn't give the tree a good pruning to deal with problems higher up such as dead branches, limbs that rubbed against each other, branches that got too close to the house and allowed squirrels on the roof or to be able to open up the tree to allow more sunlight on the lawn to help it grow.

The Fiskars 9301 Power-Lever 14-Foot Tree Pruner allowed me to address those issues. It was a very good pruner with good reach. The saw blade was very sharp as were the bypass cutters.

I decided to replace it with the Fiskars 12' Telescoping Pruning Stik because I didn't need the extra reach and the Pruning Stik offers some unique features that I thought would make it easier to use. After having the opportunity to use the Pruning Stik a few times I'm very happy I chose to purchase it.

Both the Pruning Stik are Tree Pruner are fairly light, which makes them easy to handle, yet very stiff and durable. They both offer bypass cutters for small branches (1 1/8" for the Tree Pruner and 1 1/4" for the Pruning Stick) and a 15" detachable saw blade for larger limbs.

Even with the Pruning Stick and Tree Pruner fully extended they were very easy to handle.

The big advantages of the Pruning Stick for me were the rotating cutting head and the ergonomic handle instead of the rope.

Rotating Cutting Head

On the Tree Pruner the bypass cutter is in a fixed position. You hook it over the branch you want to prune then pull the rope. The saw blade is removable but can be left on while using the bypass pruners.

The Pruning Stik also has a removable saw blade but the instructions state that you should not use the bypass pruner with the saw blade attached.

The pruning head rotates 240 degrees. Simple unlock the head using a plastic lever, rotate the head to the angle you desire and lock the head using the lever. It's very simple.

I find coming under a branch and pruning it easier for me and being able to change the angle of the head made it a lot easier to get to branches growing in different directions. It was especially helpful for branches that were growing straight up from the main branch.

I use the bypass cutters more than the saw so I don't mind having to take a few seconds to screw on the saw blade using the wing nut if I need it.

The angle of the saw blade on the Pruning Stik also can be adjusted to a few different positions by simply unscrewing the wing nut and repositioning the bolt into a different hole on the saw blade holder then re attaching the wing nut.

There's a decent bit of adjustment available. I didn't use the saw much on the Tree Pruner and can't remember if there was any adjustment available on it.

Ropeless Ergonomic Handle

The biggest benefit of the Pruning Stik is the ropeless design. Sometimes between getting the pruner where I want it and sweating hands in the heat I accidentally let go of the rope and it swings out of reach. With the Pruning Stick that's not a problem.

There's an orange handle that you pull, which in turn pulls a strap which pulls a chain which moves the cutting head.

The handle is in a good location that allows you to have good control of the pruner by keeping both hands on the pole as opposed the a rope based design like the Tree Pruner.

There's also an orange ball at the bottom of the Pruning Stik that engages the bypass blade in case you are reaching a high branch that puts the main handle out of reach. Simply pull the orange ball to cut with the bypass pruner.

This was a little more difficult for me to use. I didn't have to go too high but I did use this feature a few times. By steading the Pruning Stick on the branch I was cutting, the light weight of the tool made it easy to keep in place with one hand while the other pulled the orange ball.

When you pull on the orange ball, the orange handle slides down as well so I was also able to pull on the orange ball to bring the regular handle down enough where I could reach it and continue the cut with both hands on the Pruning Stick.

Conclussion

The Fiskars 9240-6935 Telescoping Pruning Stik is a great tool for the homeowner that wants to maintain the trees on their property. It's light and strong which makes it easy to use and it comes with a lifetime warranty. I found it very easy to use and faster than my old Tree Pruner.

The adjustable head made it easier to get to some branches that I previously couldn't get at. The telescoping action is very easy. Just flip a lever, pull out the top and then flip the lever to tighten.

Even fully extended it was easy to use and the cutting blades were very sharp. It required very little effort to cut even 1" diameter branches.

If you have any trees on your property having this pruning stick will make it easier to keep your trees maintained and costs much less than having a professional prune a single tree in my area.

I purchased mine from Amazon because it had the lowest price at the time. It's a little more than the Tree Pruner but well worth the price in my opinion because it makes tree pruning easier.

Screw it! I'm composting!

2009-11-06T21:13:00.003-05:00

At least I hope I am. Because I started my fall lawn overseeding project late I ran into a problem. Leaves on an overseeded lawn. Normally I would just mulch mow leaves into the lawn but with the seedlings still small and fragile, they can't handle the mowing and leaving the leaves on the lawn would block the sunlight and air they need. After worrying about the grass seed germinating it finally started coming in.

I used my blower to concentrate the leaves in areas where I could rake without stepping on the lawn too much. I was careful to not disturb the soil and seedlings, just lightly comb the rake through the grass to remove the leaves. After seeing all the bags of leaves I had, it seemed like such a waste to put them out on the curb when they could be turned into a great soil ammendment for next year.

So I decided to learn about composting and determine what the best composter for me would be.

Maybe I shouldn't act like I'm completely new to composting, just using a different method. In previous years fall leaves get spread on the lawn, along with other plant debris from the vegetable garden, mowed to shreds, bagged and then spread over the garden beds as mulch along with grass clippings. This is the sheet composting method. By the next planting season the decomposed material is tilled into the soil. Even after doing that and mulching leaves into the lawn I still wound up putting a few bags to the curb. This year I decided to buy a bin and try hot composting. Because of the problems with tomato blight this year I figured the hot composting method might also help next years crop.

I previously commented on a compost bins review video I stumbled on which found that the best composters are the bin composters. The tumbler types didn't contain as much material or get as hot as the bins. While they may be prettier and easier to turn, I decided they just weren't worth the money for me.

The compost bin I decided on was the Geobin Composting System from Presto. It is similar to the Presto bin composter featured in the video review which performed the best. Amazon had the best price I could find and I received my order 2 days after placing it and using the free shipping option. Two days is a lot quicker than it would take my procrastinating butt to go out and find one locally.

Price was a big factor. I didn't want to spend a lot and for less than $40 and free shipping the GeoBin composter looked very appealing. It will pay for itself after two batches compared to buying bagged compost. I was considering just piling everything up but I liked the idea of having everything contained.

Size was another issue. I don't have a lot of space and the GeoBin composter only takes up a maximum 4' diameter space. It is also adjustable in size. Presto recommends a size of 3' to 3.5' in diameter. I think I'll only be using it in the fall so being able to hose it off, roll it up and stick it on a shelf in the garage in the spring is just perfect for me. Another option might be to just reduce the size substantially and have a smaller bin in the spring/summer. It's a very versatile bin!

There were quite a few negative reviews on the GeoBin Composting System. Most of them were about the stakes breaking and not being long enough. Based on the reviews and the pictures, it seems they might have addressed at least part of the problem. The stakes I received are definately not the same seen in the picture with the yellow tabs that people were complaining about. What came in the box are what look to be normal green garden stakes. They don't dig in deep into the ground but the weight of the materials inside should keep it from blowing over, especially if assembled in it's widest setting. If it's really an issue, longer garden stakes can be purchased seperately at most garden centers for a couple of bucks each. You also probably already have a few stakes you aren't using over the winter like I do.

The bin sides are made of a very thick plastic sheet that seems like it will last a long time. The issues people had with the stakes seem like they can easily be resolved so I didn't hesitate to make the purchase.

The one drawback I can think of is that it doesn't seem quite sturdy enough to use the sides to leverage a pitchfork or other tool when you turn the compost. Something like a Yard Butler Compost Aerator seems like a good tool to have to help aerate the compost in the bin. I'll see how it goes without one and buy one if I think I need it.

Assembling the GeoBin is pretty straight forward but the instructions could have been a little more detailed. So here's some tips in assembling the GeoBin Composting System that might help.

The bin comes rolled up and the plastic wants to keep that shape. When you first take it out of the box it may not want to cooperate. If it was earlier in the year I would unroll it on the patio on a sunny day to help it relax but the waather wasn't cooperating so I just unrolled it in a hallway for a few hours. This made it much easier to work with.

The GeoBin Composter comes with 6 bolts. They should be used 3 on each end. Think of a double breasted jacket. The nuts only need to be hand tightened. If you tighten them too much you might wind up breaking the plastic washers or stripping the threads on the plastic bolts.

Once it was assembled and staked into a corner of the backyard I didn't find it as offensive as I thought I would. It actually looks a bit sleek compared to other options such as chicken wire. Just make sure you line up the bolts properly so the sides stand straight and that the ground underneath is fairly flat.

Within a short period of time I was ready to start filling it up.

To help the material compost faster I shreaded up the leaves. Since I couldn't use the mower because of the new grass seed I remembered seeing a commercial leaf shreader that had a head like a string trimmer so I just used my Black & Decker NST2018 Cordless String Trimmer With Two Batteries. I would take some leaves out of one bag and place them in an empty bag then stick the string trimmer in like a giant stick blender. It worked out pretty well. After shreadding, the volume was a lot less than before. After the second bag I realized I could just dump the bag into the GeoBin and shred them in there. The larger surface area meant less reaching and pulling up which made it go faster.

Right now the bin is filled mostly with leaves and thatch that I pulled out when overseeding and some plants from the garden. Once the lawn can be mowed I'll add grass clippings and the rest of the plant debris that I'll shred with the mower. In addition I'll be adding used coffee grounds from my own coffee maker and ones I pick up at Starbucks, vegetal and fruit peels, etc. I'm going to need a lot of "greens" to add nitrogen to make sure the pile heats up. Just in case I threw in a bit of liquid organic fertilizer to get get things started.

Reconditioned Black & Decker Edger LE750R On Sale

2009-10-16T18:00:00.005-04:00

I just noticed that the Reconditioned version of the Black & Decker Edger LE750 (LE750R) Edge Hog Landscape Edger is on sale at a big discount and wanted to share that information.

This is my first season with the Edge Hog Electric Lawn Edger and I have been very happy with it. I purchased mine reconditioned as well. You can read my Black & Decker LE750 Edge Hog Review which I posted back in July.

It is currently on sale for $59.99. The item new sells for $109.99 and the normal refurbished price is $89.99. Shipping charges are very low.

Click on the following link or picture for more details. Hurry, this offer seems to be on current stock so get it while you can! You will love it if you're used to just using a string trimmer for edging. Especially if you're using a cordless string trimmer.

I use the Black and Decker Edge Hog as well as a Cordless Black and Decker String trimmer and I couldn't recommend the combination more. I was considering the Worx GT Trimmer/Edger but having a steel blade cutting edges goes so much faster and makes a cleaner edge.


Black & Decker BDKRLE750R Factory-Reconditioned EDGEHOG 2-in-1 Landscape Edger	Black & Decker BDKNCST1100 12V Cordless 9-in Trimmer Edger

For comparison, you may check out the prices on Amazon below (CPO also sells through Amazon).

Organic Starter Fertilizer

2009-10-15T06:19:00.002-04:00

For a long time, there was no manufacturer selling an organic starter fertilizer product and to be honest, not many people cared. The only benefit of having something marketted as an organic starter fertilizer is to help those that are transitioning from synthetic fertilizers that are accustomed to grabbing something with that label when it's time to seed. In this post I'll discuss the one new product that's labelled as an organic starter fertilizer and the role of starter fertilizers in organic lawn care.

What is a Starter Fertilizer

In the synthetic fertilizer world, anything labeled starter fertilizer has one unique characteristic. It contains a higher proportion of phosphorous than the other fertilizers. Phosphorous is the middle number in the NPK guaranteed analysis on the bag of fertilizer. A starter fertilizer might have a guaranteed analysis of 11-23-10 where another fertilizer from the same like would have an analysis of 26-1-12.

Why is Phosphorous Important When Seeding Lawns?

Phosphorous is an important nutrient for your lawn. Phosphorous is important for plant cell division and aids in root development. When soil is low in phosphorous the grass will not grow roots as deep as it would if there phosphorous levels were adequate.
Getting your new seedlings to grow and establish strong roots is exactly what you want which is why there is such an emphasis on starter fertilizers high in phosphorous.
An individual grass seed actually contains all the nutrients it needs to get started. Other than water, it doesn't need anything to go from seed to plant. The nutrients stored in the seed get depleted quickly and by the time the roots are forming it will need to get nurtrients, including phosphorous from the soil. If it doesn't find enough it will slow or halt it's development.

Why Are There No Organic Starter Fertilizers?

So if starter fertilizers seem to be so important in the synthetic fertilizer world, why has there been little development in the organic lawn care industry or demand from consumers until recently?
It's pretty simple actually. Organic lawn care isn't just about buying something that's not synthetic. It's also about maintaining a healthy soil. Once you have a healthy soil, you'll have a healthy lawn and adding phosphorous may not be necessary.

Phosphorous isn't used up as quickly as something like nitrogen. It also binds to the soil and doesn't leach out as much as nitrogen does so a little phosphorous can go a long way. Excess phosphorous serves no purpose, unlike excess nitrogen that will darken the grass and cause it to grow faster.

If your soil already contains and adequate amount of phosphorous, there is absolutely no reason to add any. The best way to find out what nutrients your soil needs is to send a soil sample to your local university cooperative extension office for analysis. Many people will find that they have adequate or even excess phosphorous levels in their soil. Unless your soil test indicates that you need to add phosphorous then
Many organic lawn fertilizers are also already high in phosphorous compared to synthetic fertilizers. For example, Ringer Lawn Restore, which is a popular organic lawn fertilizer, has a guaranteed analysis of 10-2-6. Compared to the synthetic fertilizer mentioned above, that's more than 5x the amount of phosphorous by weight in relation to nitrogen. If you've been following an organic lawn fertilizer program chances are you don't have a phosphorous deficient soil.
There are also some environmental concerns regarding phosphorous, especially if you live near any body of water. Your local municipality may have also banned or restricted the use of phosphorous containing fertilizers. From what I've read, phosphorous doesn't seem to be so bad if used properly. Once it's applied and watered in it doesn't leach out much unless there is a large excess in the soil.

Organic Phosphorous Soil Ammendments

Not every soil is perfect and many people do need to add phosphorous to their soil after consulting their soil test results. There are very few organic soil ammendments that are high in phosphorous. The most readily available high phosphorous organic soil ammendment is bone meal. It's one of the more expensive soil amendments but as stated previously, it's not necessary to apply as often. Espoma Bone Meal (pictured right has a guaranteed analysis of 4-12-0 which means it's 4% nitrogen by weight, 12% phosphorous and contains no potassium. If your soil test indicates you need to add 1 lb of phosphourous per 1,000 sq ft to your lawn, you would need to apply about 9lbs of Espoma Bone Meal per 1,000 sq ft to reach the achieve the appropriate level of phosphorous.

Finally An Organic Starter Fertilizer

I recently noticed that the Espoma Company has 2 organic starter fertilizers, Pro Granular Bio-Tone Starter and Pro Granular Bio-Tone Starter Plus. They are essentially the same except the Plus version contains endo and ecto mycorrhizae fungi, which I'll discuss further down.

The NPK of Bio-Tone Starter is 4-3-3. While not as high a concentration of phosphorous, it has a higher percentage of phosphorous than most other organic lawn foods. The full guaranteed analysis lists:

0.6% Water Soluble Nitrogen (N)
3.4% Water Insoluble Nitrogen
3.0% Available phosphate (P2O5)
3.0% Soluble Potash (K2O)
4.0% Calcium (Ca)
1.0% Total Magnesium (Mg)
0.6% Water soluble Magnesium (Mg)
2.0% Sulfer

These nutrients are derived from feather meal, dehydrated manure, bone meal, alfalfa meal, greensand, humates, crab meal, cocoa meal, and sulfate of potash magnesia.

In addition, they contain the following 15 strains of bacteria which are beneficial to your soil and plants:

Bacillus subtilis: fights fungus and is the main component of Seranade Garden Disease Control, an organic garden disease spray. According to Serenade it controls bacterial spot, powdery mildew, rust, gray mold, leaf blight, scab and more.
Paenibacillus polymyxa: is a bacteria that colonizes in the root zone and promotes plant growth and helps fix nitrogen.
Bacillus licheniformis: Another fungus fighting bacteria and helps cycle nutrients in the soil.
Pseudomonas alcaligenes: A bacteria used in bioremediation because it can degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon which is found fossil fuels.
Bacillus megaterium: Used in bioremediation of soil.
Pseudomonas chlororaphis: An anti fungal bacteria.
Bacillus marinus: I believe it helps break down organic matter into nutrients plants can use.
Pseudomonas putida: Used to degrade organic matter and in bioremediation.
Bacillus coagulans: Secretes acids which help phosphorous soluble and more readily availible to plants.
Acidovorax facilis: I think helps fix nitrogen.
Bacillus thuringiensis: A bacterial pesticide.
Arthrobacter agilis
Bacillus pumilis: Helps decompose organic matter.
Rhodococcus rhodochorus: I think is used in bioremediation.
Bacillus lentimorbus: Similar to Bacillus popilliae which is used in Milky Spore Disease type products which help control grubs.

I'm not a microbiologist but I have been looking into some of these bacteria are found in some of the Organica products products I use regularly

Bio-Tone Start Plus also contains endo and ecto mycorrhizae. These are fungi which attach to the roots of plants which helps increase the root mass. They help the plant get water and nutrients for the soil.

Even though I decided to get Bio-Tone Start Plus instead of the regular Bio-Tone Starter fertilizer, I'm not completely sold on the benefits of mycorrizae especially in the context of this organic starter fertilizer.

From what I read, when the plant needs the help of mycorrizae it secretes carbohydrates from its roots. These carbohydrates attract and feed the mycorrizae. If the plant is growing in a soil that already has adequate phosphorous levels, it will grow large, deep roots on its own and not need the help of the mycorrizae. Since the starter fertilizer is already high in phosphorous.

These microorganisms should already be in your soil and some people feel adding them is a waste of money. I think that they are beneficial, especially when it comes to soil that has been previously treated with synthetic fertilizers. I have personally seen good results with microbial containing products such as Organic Plant Growth Activator Plus which I now apply regularly to help prevent lawn disease.

Bio-Tone Starter Fertilizer seems like a good product to use when you're laying down new sod or seed. It can also be used for transplants and other areas of your garden. This is an interesting account of Jesse Eldrid that used Bio-Tone Starter to help boost his Amaranth plant's growth so he can acheive the world record height.

The smell isn't too bad, it smells a lot like ORGANICA BIO-MATRIX which is my favorite organic liquid fertilizer. The smell goes away in a couple of days.

There are no spreader settings on the bag or on Espoma's website. I just did what I usually do. I know the approximate square footage of each area of my lawn so I just determine how many lbs I need to apply to each area, set my spreader to a medium setting and make multiple passes until it's done. After the first pass I see how much is left in the hopper and adjust the spreader up or down accordingly. With organic fertilizers you don't have to worry about burning the lawn. Making multiple passes also helps insure even coverage. I start going north to south, then east to west. The bag has a couple of holes that act as a handle which I found convenient. Other big bags of Espoma products have the same built in handle. After spreading the fertilizer it's important to water it in.

The best time to apply Bio-Tone Starter Fertilizer is 2 weeks prior to seeding or sodding because organic fertilizers need to be broken down by the soil microorganisms before their nutrients are readily available to plants.

Before deciding to use Espoma Bio-Tone Starter I would recommend you do a soil test and see if you need that much phosphorous. If you don't, but you still need to add nitrogen and would like to add the bacteria found in Bio-Tone Starter you can use Espoma 30LB 7-2-2 Lawn Food which contains less phosphorous and all the microbials in Bio-Tone Starter, except for the mycorrizae in Bio-Tone Start Plus.

Waiting for Grass To Grow

2009-10-14T20:43:00.006-04:00

This is the tough part. I've completed my fall lawn overseeding project and have been watering it regularly. Now it's a waiting game to see if I did enough things right to have a great looking lawn.

It is agonizing. When I used to wake up in the morning and look outside my bedroom window I would smile because I had the nicest lawn I could see from that vantage but now it's the worst. Dethatching, pulling weeds and mowing the lawn very low in preperation for overseeding has really left the lawn looking terrible. My lawn has never looked as good as it did this past seson and now there's this sinking feeling that I might have been better off leaving things the way they were.

I have a couple of things going against me. I started later than I wanted. Because of other circumstances I overseeded a few weeks later than I would have liked. The primary areas were overseeded with Jonathan Green Sod Maker Kentucky Blue Grass Seed Mix which takes about 6 weeks to germinate. The weather has been quite unusual this year and I was expecting the warmer days to continue for a while, unfortunately that's not the case. These past few days, and for the next few, the temperature is going to be quite low.

Luckily it's going to warm up again for a bit and hopefully stay that way until the seeds have germinated. Soil temperature also tends to be warmer than air temperature so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I was also planning on topdressing with compost but time and cost became a factor. It really sucks when you don't need enough to have it trucked in and buying that many bags of compost is expensive and would require multiple trips or renting a truck.

I shouldn't expect to see results so soon but until I start to see small new shoots of grass sprouting up I'm going to be anxious. In a short while I should start seeing little green hairs popping up in the shady areas where I used a shade mix that germinates faster and then a while after that start seeing the same in the areas that were overseeded with KBG. Worse case, a good portion of the seeds survive the winter and start to germinate in the spring if they don't germinate now. I didn't completely kill the existing lawn and it will start to recover from the very low mowing soon too.

Maintaining a healthy lawn is very difficult these days where we point, click and expect to see instant results. I had similar fears last spring when I aerated and overseeded and things turned out fine. That should be the case again but waiting for grass to grow is frustrating.

How To Store Organic Fertilizer

2009-10-13T16:24:00.011-04:00

One of the nice things about using organic lawn fertilizers is that their safe and natural. Many of the ingredients are used in animal feed. If you're storing your organic fertilizer in your garage or shed you might be concerned about your pets or the local wildlife (mice, rats, squirels, racoons, skunks, deer, bears) sniffing it out and breaking through the bag. It is also important to keep the organic fertilizer dry so that it doesn't spoil.

The best and most affordable items I've found for storing dry organic fertilizers are the Iris Pet Food Containers. It makes sense since these fertilizers are essentially pet food. The Iris pet food storage containers are durable and airtight. They'll keep the fertilizer fresh and prevent any animals from smelling the "food" and getting in to it. Use the link above to order from Amazon which has the best prices I've seen and free shipping on most of the sizes you would need. It also looks like Iris products are made in the USA.

They also makes storing the products easier and neater. You can stack them and unstack them quickly. You should label the containers so next application you know what's inside or you can just throw the whole bag inside the container which will make it obvious what the contents are.

If you're like me and you buy fertilizer for the entire season all at once, or sometimes have products that will last more than one season and need to be stored you will appreciate having the Iris pet food containers. The only difficult decision is which size you'll need. Organic fertilizer and ammendments are sold in lbs and these containers are sized in quarts.

What I have discovered that 1 lb of organic fertilizer is roughly 3 cups. It's not exact but it's close enough for most organic soil ammendments that with a little room for error should help us make the right size decision. The container doesn't need to be filled to the top to keep the fertilizer from spoiling.

For your convenience, below is a table listing Iris pet food containers and the amoung of organic fertilzer or soil ammendments they should be able to hold.

Size (qts)	Holds (lbs)	Comments
8 qts	9 lbs	Good for storing one or two bags of the Espoma Organic Tones small bags
12 qts	14 lbs	Good for storing left over fertilizer or amendments from larger bags or 3-4 of the Espoma Organic Tones small bags
15 qts	17 lbs	Good for left over fertilizer for large bags or mixing multiple small 4-5 lb bags.
21 qts	25 lbs	Good size for holding common 25 lb bags of organic fertilizer or ammendments. Not quite easy to just throw an entire unoppened bag in it but you can empty out the bag in this container.
28 qts	32 lbs	Has wheels to make it easy to move around. You can throw an entire 25 lb bag in this, bag and all or half of a 50 or 60lb bag.
30 qts	35 lbs	Also good for storing whole 25lb bags or 30 lb bags as well as left over fertilizer from larger bags.
46 qts	51 lbs	Good for storing 2 25 lb bags or one 50lb bag emptied.
55 qts	62 lbs	Good for storing large 50-60lb bags of organic fertilizer or amendments or 2 25lb bags.
60 qts	68 lbs	Good for storing large 50-60lb bags of organic fertilizer or amendments or 2 25lb bags.
67 qts	76 lbs	This is the largest size they have, good for storing large bags of fertilizer or a couple of smaller bags.

They have different lid colors and you can choose to get them all to match or use the different colors to help identifiy different organic ammendments. There is a price difference between colors so I just went with the cheapest ones.

Iris also makes a 2 cup scoop to help empty the containers into your spreader. It also has free shipping from amazon so if you order a container add the scoop for 2 bucks more, it will be well worth it.

If you want to be super neat and organized, Brother makes and affordable label maker that will help you identify what you have in each container.

Hope you found this information useful and that it makes it easier for you to use organic products on your lawn. One of the difficulties in using organic fertilizers and ammendments is you can't always find what you want locally. So you either order it online or have to drive quite a ways. To save money on gas and shipping I tend to buy more than I need. I also don't have a huge lawn so in some cases one 50lb bag might be good for 3 or more applications and I need to be able to safely store what was left over.

Fall Lawn Overseeding

2009-10-06T15:20:00.005-04:00

Over the past few years I've been overseeding my lawn with better quality grass seed to improve the appearance and disease resistance of my lawn. Along with proper mowing, watering and a good organic lawn fertilizer program I have seen big improvements in my home lawn. I just completed overseeding my lawn for the fall and hopefully it will be the last time I need to do so for a while.

I got off to a late start but the soil temperature is still above 65 degrees which is very important. Normally I would have liked to start around early to middle September.

I've found a couple of seeds that I'm very happy with and decided to stick with, both are from Jonathan Green & Sons, Inc. They also contain no weed seeds or at least less than similar mixes from Scotts and have good germination rates in my lawn. I have one small area that receives very little direct sunlight which I have been using Jonathan Green's Dense Shade mix with good results. It contains the following varieties of seeds

39.25% Eugene Creeping Red Fescue
14.75% Hood Chewings Fescue
14.75% Carmen Chewings Fescue
9.83% Frontier Perennial Ryegrass
9.82% Darkstar Perennial Ryegrass
9.82% Blue Sapphire Kentucky Bluegrass
1.71% Inert Matter
0.04% Other Crop Seed
0.03% Weed Seed

For the sunny areas I used Jonathan Green's Sod Maker Kentucky Bluegrass mixture. This is their highest quality bluegrass mix and from searching around it appears that a number of sod farmers use it. It was a toss up between Sod Maker and Galaxy Kentucky Bluegrass Blend 10lb Sack but since I got a late start this fall I decided to go with Sod Maker because I've used it in the past with good results and it was available at my local garden center. Pound for pound the Galaxy blend is a little cheaper. The Sod Maker label lists the following grass seed cultivars:

39.40% Deepblue Kentucky Bluegrass
29.55% Blue Sapphire Kentucky Bluegrass
19.70% Blue-Tastic Kentucky Bluegrass
9.83% Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass
1.52% Inert Matter
0.00% Other Crop Seed
0.00% Weed Seed

Preperation

Before spreading the seed there was a bit of work to get the lawn ready. After edging with my Black and Decker Edge Hog I dropped the deck of my mower down to the second lowest setting possible and mowed the lawn collecting the grass clippings. This was a drastic reduction in height. The reason was to give the new grass plenty of light once they start to germinate. Cutting the grass so much would also stunt the existing grass' growth which would give the slow growing Kentucky bluegrass seed some time to establish without having to compete with the existing grass as much.

After mowing the lawn I used my thatch rake. I didn't have a lot of thatch build up but it is important to have good seed to soil contact and dethatching helps in that matter. There were also some areas where I had to use the thatch rake to remove ground ivy and clover. The thatch rake took care of it quickly and easily. The thatch rake is adjustable and I tilted the head back to make deeper cuts in the soil. Not only was I dethatching and removing ground ivy and dutch white clover but I was loosening and cultivating the soil which would help the seeds germinate.

The thatch rake also makes it easier to spot some weeds such as crabgrass that you might other wise miss. As I went along with the thatch rake, I kept my Weed Hound handy to pull out any weeds I found. Sometimes I could just pull them out by hand since the thatch rake had loosened the soil so much. I also pulled out some of the tall fescue that has grown in one portion of the lawn but I don't think I got it all.

Seeding and Spreader Settings

I use a Scott's Accugreen Drop Spreader. Jonathan Green has appropriate spreader settings for Scotts Rotary and Drop Spreaders on their website. They have rates for overseeding and for seeding a new lawn. Since I exposed a lot of bare area with the thatch rake and low mowing I decided to use the new lawn setting, in fact I went even heavier with the grass seed. Birds will wind up eating some and some won't germinate so I didn't mind adding a little extra seed just in case.

I set my spreder to a little more than half the new seeding rate for the seed I was using then made two passes over the lawn, one north to south, the other east to west. After that I went over some of the bare spots a few more times. This ensured I got even coverage at a rate slightly higher than the normal seeding rate.

After Seeding

Once the seed was down I used the back of a regular leaf rake to help work the seeds into the soil. Then it was time for a good watering to soak the seeds and soil. After which I mixed up a batch of Organica Plant Growth Activator Plus in my Orth Dial-N-Spray hose end sprayer and applied it to the newly seeded lawn. Organica's Plant Growth Activator contains a number of beneficial microbes as well as other ingredients that I found seem to help when seeding. It's something I apply every month throughout my garden on everything.

It's a good idea to apply a fertilizer at the same time and lime if you need to adjust your soil's pH. My soil pH is finally in a good range but I just ordered some Espoma Bio-Tone Start Plus to apply to the lawn. In addition to being a 4-3-3 organic fertilizer it contains many important microorganisms including mycorrhizae which are fungi that colonize on plant roots which help them absorb water and nutrients. It is applied at 25lbs per 1,000 sq ft of lawn.

Top Dressing

The next step would be to add a 1/4" layer of a good, screend compost over the lawn. That's about 1 cubic yard per 1,000 sq ft. This will help cover the seeds, keep them moist and provide nutrients. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be doing it this year because of time and cost considerations. I don't have a large enough property that I can get bulk compost delivered cheap and buying bags of compost would be expensive. I might change my mind if I can get some extra time and set aside the extra money.

Watering

Keeping the seeds moist is crucial. If the seeds dry out they won't germinate even if you water them the next day. Up until the seeds begin to germinate, the first 4 weeks or so, I will be watering for 10 minutes 3 times a day at 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM and 4:30 PM. After the first 4 weeks I'll cut back to 2 times a day at 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM and slowly work my way back down to a normal lawn watering schedule. This time of year in this area there should be quite a bit of rain and in between I'll be using my hose end sprinklers and timers.

Fertilizing

In addition to the starter fertilizer, I'll be applying an organic fertilizer once the lawn has established to provide it with food that it can store up over the winter so that come spring time, the lawn is thick and healthy.

The New Weed Hound Elite Size Does Matter

2009-10-06T12:33:00.004-04:00

I preffer to use manual lawn and garden tools whenever I can. Especially when it's a tool that doesn't get used frequently. Not worrying about oiling, gassing, tuning, the amount of space it takes up and how much it costs are some of the benefits.

One drawback however is that I'm fairly tall and a lot of tools seem to be designed for people shorter than me. While I actually enjoy the exersize I get, sometimes my back tires out before the rest of my body. That little bit of extra bending I might have to do can really slow me down.

Ames True Temper, who recently bought Hound Dog Products, have released a new version of the popular Weed Hound called the Weed Hound Elite. One of the big differences is the new Weed Hound Elite is now 3" taller. Those extra 3 inches make it more comfortable to use by reducing the amount I have to bend over when using the Weed Hound Elite.

Another new and noticable feature is the lack of a plunger on the top. To release the weed after pulling it with the new Weed Hound Elite, you use the slide handle on the shaft. This gives you a little better control of the Weed Hound if you're trying to eject the weed in a small pail or bag but I feel the old plunger was easier to use, especially if you really needed to apply a lot of force to eject the weed.

Other new features include a non skid rubber cover on the step plate and a foam rubber grip on the handle. Both of which make the new Weed Hound Elite easier and more comfortable to use.

The new Weed Hound Elite works in a similar way to the old Weed Hound. Just position the prongs centered over the weed, step down on the foot step to drive it into the soil, twist and pull.

The new Weed Hound Elite also features a twisting action in the prongs. This reduces the size of the divot when pulling weeds. This is great for weeds with a tap root such as dandelions but may leave some of the root behind for weeds that have a fiborous root system such as crabgrass and tall fescue.

For that reason you may want to stick with the older model Weed Hound if the extra height isn't as important to you, it's also $5 cheaper. In local stores you're likely to only find the newer Weed Hound Elite but you can still get the older Weed Hound from Amazon and it includes free super saver shipping.


Old Weed Hound	New Weed Hound Elite

Black & Decker LE750 Edge Hog Review

2009-07-12T06:16:00.007-04:00

If you read this in time, this edger is on Sale reconditioned. Click the following link for more info on the reconditioned Black & Decker LE750R Edge Hog Electric Landscape Edger.

I previously discussed the differences between string trimmers vs edgers and some of the various options I was considering in terms of lawn edgers. In the past I was able to borrow an edger a few times a year but now I needed to get my own edger.

I finally decided on the Black & Decker LE750 Edge Hog 2-1/4 HP Electric Landscape Edger because I didn't want to deal with gas and I have less than 200' of edging to do.

The Hound Dog Steppin' Edger #HDP6-4 was a close second. I have other Hound Dog products that I'm happy with and I like to use manual tools whenever I can. They're cordless, very quiet and using them burns a few calories. I ultimately decided on a powered lawn edger to speed things up.

Since my last post I also found the Factory-Reconditioned Homelite 12 Amp Lawn Edger ZR45100 which is the only other electric grass edger I have seen besides the Electric Mantis Tiller/Cultivator with Border Edger. While I like factory reconditioned tools, sometimes I even prefer them because I know they've been individually tested, something about the reconditioned Homelite edger didn't sit well with me. After seeing info on the product I looked on the Homelite website and couldn't find info on the product. It appears to be discontinued. I couldn't find any place selling it new either.

Buying reconditioned for a popular product is one thing, a reconditioned tool that has been discontinued turns me off because I think they had so many problems they wound up dropping it and are now trying to make some money selling off what they have left.

The Black and Decker Edge Hog also looks like it has more adjustments for depth which will make it better for trenching. Homelite products in general don't seem to get good reviews either.

I really wanted the Electric Mantis Tiller with Edger but didn't want to spend that much and don't plan on using the tiller often enough to justify the cost.

So I went with the Black and Decker Electric Edger. To save some money I purchased a refurbished Black and Decker Edge Hog from CPO.com's Black and Decker refurbished store. I've been waiting to use it and share my experiences but with all the rain the soil has been too moist to edge. It's really been driving me crazy because it's hard not using a new toy and my lawn had an overgrown edge since it's been a while that I had access to an edger. In some places the lawn was growing a good 3-4" onto the concrete.

I've used it 2 1/2 times so far. The first 1/2 time was when I first bought it. It had been raining constantly and the first break in the weather I rolled it out. While a gas powered edger would have been able to go through the overgrown edge and damp soil, the Edge Hog had problems. It was very slow going and pulling up the cut edge was difficult so I gave up. The moist clay soil also wound up clogging the blade and I had to spend some time cleaning it out. Cleaning it was very easy because the blade cavity opens up. Just turn the red plastic knob on the side of the edger, towards the front, and the door opens to give you access to clean out mud or replace the blade.

A little while longer, after 4 sunny days without rain I had a much easier time. The Edge Hog cut through the edge without problem and the cut edge pulled up easily in nice long strips. It even handled curved walkways without a problem. I had to go very slow in some areas and even pull back and forth a few times where it was a little tough. The edger has a decent amount of power but it's not a monster and you can't just force it through. You need to take it slow when it's bogging down so you don't burn out the electric motor or wear down the motor brushes. You'll hear it when the motor is working too hard and you should slow down.

The Black and Decker Edge Hog has a curb guard, which is a piece of metal that rides along the edge of the hard surface to make sure you're following the hardscape to get a clean edge. This edge guard pulls up when you want to edge along a flower bed or use the edger to make a shallow trench. I still wound up seeing sparks which indicates the blade was hitting the concrete but this only happened when I was first inserting the blade or coming to a corner. It's important to try and keep the blade from hitting a hard surface. Hitting concrete will wear the blade down faster, hitting asphalt could tear up the driveway.

Along with the wheeled base, the edge guard makes the edger very easy to use. It left a clean edge except in the first bit I tried. That was mostly my fault because I missed the edge by an inch because of how overgrown it was. After a couple of weeks the grass filled in and it looks fine now.

Blade depth is up to 1.5" deep and the adjustment is very easy to make without any tools. A cord holder prevents the plug from accidentally being pulled out and with a little care it's easy to make sure the cord isn't in the path of the edger.

This not quiet but it's not loud either. Definitely quieter than a gas powered edger. It is also very light and easy to handle.

The next time I used it went a lot smoother. The electric lawn edger rode along quickly and there was no bending over to pull out the cut edge. It didn't bog down anywhere either. It does blow out a bit of dirt and you should be careful not to have anyone stand in front of it in case it hits a pebble or some other hard object that might get kicked up. Safety glasses should be worn to guard against any flying debris.

After edging, mowing and trimming, a pass with the blower cleaned up all the grass clippings and dirt from the edge, leaving a nice, clean, deep line.

Now that the edge has been established, I plan to only use the edger once or twice a month, every 2-4 mowings, if that much. In between I'll use my Black & Decker NST2018 18-Volt Cordless Electric 12-Inch Grass Hog String Trimmer to maintain the edge. The two make a very good combo in my opinion.

The string trimmer isn't very powerful but works well to touch up an edge. Being battery operated makes it less of a chore to use than a corded electric trimmer.

Overall I'm very happy with the Black and Decker Edge Hog. It works better than I thought it would and heavy duty replacement blades are affordable. It doesn't have the same performance as a gas powered edger but taking it slow when the edging is thick is a reasonable compromise for the amount of money saved.

How To Build A Raised Garden Bed

2009-07-08T05:50:00.001-04:00

Raised bed gardens don't exactly have much to do with lawn care but one thing that can help your lawn look better is to have it be part of a nice landscape plan.

This post isn't an instruction on how to build a particular type of raised garden bed. It is the information you need to know to be able to build any size or type of raised garden to suit your needs.

Why Build a Raised Bed Garden?

A raised garden looks nicer and makes your landscape look a little more organized and can take up less space, leaving more room to grow grass. If you don't mulch your beds weeds can grow and then spread into your lawn. Vegetable gardens in particular don't always get mulched and can become a great place for weeds to take root.

If you have a hard time growing certain plants or vegetables, a raised bed allows you to add any type of growing soil you'd like avoiding the hard work of trying to remove or improve the existing soil.

A good book on growing vegetables and other edibles in raised beds that is great for small backyards is the All New Square Foot Gardening.

Why Build When You Can Buy?

Most people use raised beds for their vegetable gardens. Besides being able to grow your own organic vegetables, one of the big benefits of vegetable gardening is saving money. Unfortunately, even simple raised beds are quite expensive, costing $150-$200 or more including shipping.

With a few simple tools and some lumber you can buy locally, you can make your own for a lot less. A raised bed is just a 4 sided box and very easy to construct. A little time, a drill, some screws and a saw is basically all you need. You can even do without the saw if your lumber yard will cut the pieces to the size you need. Helps it fit in the car too.

Maybe you don't want to build your own. You don't have the tools or the time I did manage to find an affordable raised garden bed. The Suncast RB448 Raised Garden Kit is only $50 and includes Free Shipping from Amazon. The bed is made of plastic and easy to assemble. It is 4' x 4' and 6" high. You can stack them to make a higher bed and even arrange multiple kits into different shapes. You can still make your own cheaper out of wood but the Suncast Raised Garden Kit is made out of steel corners and plastic sides which will not rot or be attacked by insects. If you want to reduce the size you can cut down the side pieces.

What To Build Your Raised Beds With?

You can use many different things to build your raised beds, bricks, pavers, concrete blocks, poured concrete, plastic or wood.

Bricks, pavers, concrete blocks and poured concrete are more expensive and labor intensive. If you have access to free material it may be worth it but I'm focusing this post on dimensional lumber since it's what most people will choose to use.

When it comes to lumber, there are a few options. You can use regular construction lumber (spruce, douglas fir, pine), cedar, composite or plastic lumber. Do not use pressure treated lumber. The old chemicals they used to use in pressure treated lumber help it resist rot and insects so that it would last longer outdoors but the substances could leach out into the soil. The new pressure treated lumber is safer but there are still concerns. You also don't want to use PVC boards as the chemicals in that may leach out over time.
Spruce, douglas fir, pine are not resistant to rot and insects but are the most affordable option. They may only last 2 years or so before they start to decay. Treating them with a safe, non-toxic sealer such as boiled linseed oil will help them last a little longer.

Cedar is the best natural wood choice for raised beds because it weathers well and is naturally resistant to rot and insects. A cedar raised bed could last 10-20 years. More if treated with llinseed oil. It weathers to a nice gray color but you can also paint or stain the outside to get a different effect. Some think cedar is too expensive to use in a raised garden and prefer to use cheaper lumber. That isn't the case. Cedar, like most wood, comes in different grades. High grade cedar used for furniture is expensive but there is lower grade cedar (knotty or construction grade) that is a very affordable option and will save you from having to rebuild your beds every couple of years or so. You might need to go to a good lumber yard to find it but it is available in many parts of the country. Lumber yards that provide fencing material should have it.

Composite lumber is wood particles mixed with a plastic resin. They last a very long time but are going to be more than cedar. Composite boards don't need to be sealed, are made from a lot of waste material and can be found at any of the big home improvement stores such as Home Depot and Lowes.

Plastic lumber is often made from HDPE (high density polyethylene. Recycled HDPE is made from recycled milk jugs. It is a safe material to use, a bit expensive but will last a long time. The problem is that it's not as easy to find and since it's heavy, shipping is not cheap. Stick with products made from polyethylene (HDPE) and not polystyrene or PVC as polyethylene is safer.

Lumber Dimensions

When you plan out your raised bed, you need to be familiar with the common types and sizes of lumber. It can be a bit confusing because the name does not tell you the exact size. For example, a 2x4 (two by four) is not 2" by 4" it's actually 1.5" x 3.5". It's important to know the sizes of the different types of lumber available because you don't want to make any lengthwise cuts. It is difficult unless you have a table saw. Restricting yourself to cutting for length will make things much easier.

If the lumber is labeled "rough sawn" it may be truer to size. It doesn't hurt to bring a tape measure to make sure you're getting what you think you are.

Below is a table of common lumber sizes you would likely use in your raised bed garden:

Nominal Size	Actual Size
1 x 2	3/4" x 1 1/2"
1 x 3	3/4" x 2-1/2"
1 x 4	3/4" x 3-1/2"
1 x 6	3/4" x 5-1/2"
1 x 8	3/4" x 7-1/4"
1 x 10	3/4" x 9-1/4"
1 x 12	3/4" x 11-1/4"
5/4 x 4	1" x 3-1/2"
5/4 x 6	1" x 5-1/2"
5/4 x 8	1" x 7-1/4"
5/4 x 10	1" x 9-1/4"
5/4 x 12	1" x 11-1/4"
2 x 3	1-1/2" x 2-1/2"
2 x 4	1-1/2" x 3-1/2"
2 x 6	1-1/2" x 5-1/2"
2 x 8	1-1/2" x 7-1/4"
2 x 10	1-1/2" x 9-1/4"
2 x 12	1-1/2" x 11-1/4"
4 x 4	3-1/2" x 3-1/2"

What Size Wood?

First, lets discuss thickness, the smaller number. 1x Lumber is only 3/4" of an inch thick and probably not the best choice, especially if you are planning a long or very deep raised garden. 5/4 lumber is 1" thick and should do well up to around 10" deep if the sections are 4' long or less. 2x lumber is the best choice because it will be stronger and even if it starts to rot it will last longer. 2x will be more expensive and I would recommend it if you're on a tight budget unless you're using composite lumber. 5/4 should be fine in composite and should be much cheaper than 2x composite lumber. 5/4x6 lumber is commonly used for deck boards and should be easy to find.

The next issue is the desired raised garden depth. If you want a 6" deep garden you can use 2x6 for the sides which will give you a 5 1/2" depth. You can also add a 1x3 or 1x4 laying on it's side like a picture frame around the top which will give you a total depth of 6 1/4". You can also stack two 2x4's which will give you 7" or a single 2x8 which will give you a depth of 7 1/4". If you want a 9" depth you can go for a 2x6 on top of a 2x4 or a 2x10.

For aesthetic reasons you might want to try and stick to the same size boards or come up with a pleasant combination. You also don't have to worry about getting it exactly the depth you want. You can have the soil come up level with the top of the bed or 3/4-1" below it.

How Deep Should a Raised Bed Be?

According to Mel Bartholomew, the author of Square Foot Gardens, 6" is enough for most plants if potted in a good growing medium. Plants only grow as much roots as they need. Mel recommends a mixture of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 vermiculite. This combination will give you growing soil high in organic matter, full of nutrients and with good water retention. This will make it easier for the plants to get available nutrients and won't need to dig very deep roots to try and find what they need.

Some root vegetables will need deeper soil but you don't need to make all your beds the height to accommodate one or two crops. You can just create a section that's higher in a bigger bed as shown in the illustration. This way you'll not only save money on lumber but you'll also save on the material you use to fill the bed.

You can make these tiers any size you want and they don't have to be the entire width of the box.

How Big Should the Raised Bed Be?

That's going to be a matter of preference and how big your hard is. One good recommendation is to have one side not be longer than 4' if you can access it from both sides. That makes it easy for you to reach into the garden from either side without walking on it and compressing the soil. If you are placing the bed where you can only access it from one side, then keep it to 2' so you can get to everything for maintenance.

You can make it as long as you want but for vegetable gardens, it's nice to have multiple beds with 2-3' of space in between them to make it easy to access each bed from different sides. If you're following the Square Foot Gardening method outlined in the book, you will want to keep your beds in whole feet. So 2x2', 2x3', 3x3', 3x4', 4x4', 4x6', 4x8' etc would be good sizes but don't worry about deviating a little bit to fit your space properly.

Raised Garden Styles

What you want your raised garden bed to look like is a personal choice. Below are three basic styles you can choose from They are all relatively simple to build.

Plain Raised Garden Bed

The plain style raised bed is a simple 4 sided box. This is a very simple box to build consisting of only 4 pieces of wood that are screwed together.

If you want a square box, keep in mind that not all of the pieces are going to be the same size. The front and back will be larger than the two side pieces.

For example, if you wanted to build a 4x4' raised garden box out of 2x8 lumber, so that the interior of the box is 4' x 4', the front and back pieces would be 51" long and the side pieces would be 45". As you can see from the photos, we're just making butt joints which means to have a perfectly square box, we have to account for the thickness of the material.

If we were making the same sized box out of 1x6 lumber, we would need 2 49.5" pieces and 2 46.5" pieces. Basically double the thickness of the material and add it to the interior size you are looking for for the long pieces or subtract it for the shorter pieces.

Lipped Raised Garden Bed

The lipped raised garden bed is just a plain raised garden box with a frame around it. The frame is composted of a thinner stock of lumber that is mounted on it's side.
Cutting the corners on a 45 degree angle will give you a nicer look than putting the pieces together. To do this you can use a compound miter saw but for a few cuts, a miter box and saw will do fine. Click on the photo on the right for more details. Amazon has one for around $12 with free shipping. It will help you cut perfect 90 and 45 degree corners. The 90 degree setting will help you get nice clean cuts for your butt joints as well only fit 2x4 lumber or smaller.

In addition to a powered compound miter saw I also own a manual one which I still use frequently. It's very easy to use and you don't need to worry about power.

All 4 pieces should be the same size but make sure to measure the exact length on the inside of the box from one corner to an adjacent one. In our 4x4' example, using 1x3 lumber for the lip. The piece will be 48" on one side and 53" on the other if every thing was perfect.

Post Style Raised Garden Bed

The post style raised garden bed is my favorite because I find it more interesting because it has some varying height and thickness. It's going to be a little more expensive to build and take a little more effort but not much more. One other thing to consider is that the post style bed is that the outside size is going to be about 5" wider than a plain style bed. One benefit is that it looks nice attaching multiple short pieces in a long bed, for example a 4x12' bed with 4 posts along the 12' side, 2 on the corners, 2 spaced equally in the middle.
It's comprised of 4 4x4 posts that are cut 2" higher than the 2x side pieces. If you were using 2x8 lumber for the sides, you would cut your posts to be 9.25" high. The 2x sides are attached to the middle of the 4x4 posts so there is 1" of 4x4 on either side of the 2x.

All 4 side pieces will be the same if you're making a square bed. In our 4x4' example we would need 4 46" long pieces of 2x for the sides.

I like to take a 1" spade bit and drill a 2" deep hole in the center of each 4x4 post. This gives you a hole where you can slide 1/2" PVC pipe to build a frame for a cold frame or netting. To keep water from collecting in the hole when you're not using the PVC pipe frame, slide a decorative post cap on top, such as the ones shown below. You can even try solar powered post cap lights.

Determining How Much Wood You Need

This is where some people get into trouble. The first thing you should do is make a drawing of your raised bed.

Step 1 - First draw a rectangle of the top view of the size you'd like the inside of your bed to be. Noting the length and width of the bed. It doesn't have to be to scale but you can use graph paper if you have it to make it more precise if you want.

Step 2 - Draw the top view of the peices of wood you will need around the first rectangle. You can see an example for the plain bed and the post style bed below. The lipped bed is the same as the plain bed.

Now we can visualize exactly how long each side peice needs to be.
In the case of the plain bed:

Front/Back length = Length + (2 x thickness of board) Sides length = Width - (2 x thickness of board)
For the post style bed:

Front/Back length = Length - ( (Width of Post) - (thickness of board) / 2) Sides Length = Width - ( (Width of Post) - (thickness of board) / 2) Height of post = 2" + width of side boards.

Once you know how many boards you need and how long each is, you can figure out how many peices of lumber you need to buy. Also keep in mind you will lose about 1/8" per cut due to the width of the blade.

Lengths of lumber usually come in 8', 10', 12' and 16' but you should ask your lumber yard what they carry.
Let's use our 4'x4' example again. We'll make a plain bed using 2x8 cedar. We know we need 2 51" peices and 2 45" pieces. 51 + 45 is 96 which is 8'. We can purchase 2 8' lengths of 2x8 cedar. We're going to be off by an 1/8" due to the saw cut but that's not enough to justify the cost of an extra board. Below you can see the cut diagram showing how each board will be cut to get the peices we need.

If you have a power miter saw you can make nice straight cuts or you can use a circular saw. If you take it slow you can get straight cuts with a hand saw or you can ask your lumber yard to make the cuts for you. There is sometimes a fee for this. Usually around $1 per cut. Sometimes these are called "convenience cuts" which means they may not be exact. They are cuts to make it easier to fit in your car but if you get someone good making the cuts they'll be very good. If they don't charge per cut and the person doing the cutting does a good job of measuring and cutting feel free to tip.

How to Attach The Pieces

One way is to use 3" deck screws into the face of one peice through the side of the other. You want to use deck or stainless steel screws because they won't rust outside. You should predrill holes for the screws to keep the wood from splitting.

It's easier if you have someone helping you so you can keep the peices square or you can use a corner clamp like the Kreg KHC-90DCC 90-degree Corner Clamp pictured right.

Instead of screwing directly into the boards you can make pocket holes which will be less noticable. I bought a Kreg MKJKIT Mini Kreg Jig Kit to build some cabinets and I have found many uses for it. In fact I try and come up with uses for it. It makes a very strong, concealed joint. Pocket holes with the Kreg Mini Jig are very easy but you do have to take some time to align it properly. If you plan on using it often you may want to consider one of the other Kreg Pocket Hole Jig Systems which are faster to align. You'll also need a clamp to hold the jig to the wood, a 12" Irwin Quick Clamp will work fine.

Kreg also makes their own screws for use with their pocket holes and I've never used anything but their screws. Kreg makes weather resistant Blue-Kote screws. You'll need different sized screws depending on the thickness of the side peices you use. Use these links for the appropriate screws if you plan on using 1x and 5/4 or 2x lumber for the sides of your raised bed.

Kreg also makes plugs to fill in the holes and give you a finished look. The plugs are available in different species of wood, including cedar, as well as plastic.

Painting/Sealing Your Raised Garden Bed

Untreated wood will deteriorate faster outdoors than untreated wood. If you'd like you can use pure boiled linseed oil or 100% Pure Tung Oil. Linseed oil is made from flax seed and is non-toxic. It is not a UV inhibitor so it will not prevent your wood from changing color as it ages.

Another option if you'd like to give your beds some color is to use Milk Paint on the outside of the boxes. Lifetime Wood Treatment also claims to be a non-toxic wood preservative but I haven't been able to determine its ingredients.

Installing Your Raised Garden Bed

Installing your newly built raised garden bed is simple. Just pick an area, dig out any grass and place your bed frame on the soil. Use a level to make sure it's level.

To help secure the bed, screw in 2 screw eyes with an inside diameter greater than 5/16" into each post. One towards the bottom and one in the middle and rive a landscape spikethrough the screw eyes and into the ground. The weight of the beds and growing medium will do most of the work keeping it in place.

What Is Organic Lawn Care?

2009-07-04T07:36:00.003-04:00

So I've been talking about organic lawn care quite a bit but never really discussed what organic lawn care means.

There is no official definition of organic lawn care so what it means will vary from person to person and some organic lawn care companies may not truly be organic by certain definitions. There are some standards that apply to organic production of crops and livestock such as the USDA National Organic Program, the Organic Consumers Association watchdog group and the Organic Materials Review Institute, a non-profit organization that approves products that may be used in certified organic production as per the USDA NOP. These programs and organizations focus on the production of organic fruits and vegetables, not lawn care specifically.

In this post I'll discuss some of the different meanings of organic lawn care and my own personal philosophy behind organic lawn care.

Sustainable Lawn Care

For some, organic lawn care means sustainable lawn care. Most home lawns are maintained for aesthetic reasons. They do have benefits such as being cheaper and nicer than paving the whole yard, they keep your property from becoming a muddy mess if you just had dirt, it helps clean the air better than trees and the air above grass can be up to 30 degrees cooler than over a paved area. But mostly, it's planted because it looks nice and we try and keep it looking nice.

Sustainability means managing your lawn in a way that helps it thrive on it's own without the need for much external inputs, such as fertilizer. Anything you do apply to your lawn should not be destructive to another ecosystem.

Grasscycling, compost (especially compost you make yourself from your own yard waste) and compost teas are major parts of sustainable lawn care, as are other waste stream items such as composted manure and biosolids.

Biosolids are not considered organic by some, including the OMRI and the USDA NOP. Biosolids, also known as sewage sludge, is processed waste from the sewer system. You know, the stuff you flush down your toilet. While many people use products such as Milorganite®, including some companies that advertise an organic lawn care service, there is not enough evidence to claim biosolids are organic in my opinion.

Safe/Natural Lawn Care

Some people are more concerned with the safety of the products they apply to their lawns and choose to only use products that come from nature. Others go so far as to only apply products that are safe to eat.
The use of synthetic fertilizers (sometimes derived from petroleum) and especially pesticides which include herbicides (weed killers), insecticides and fungicides (to control lawn disease) can pose a risk to human health. Especially if they are not used properly. These synthetic lawn care products can be a concern if you have children or pets that play on your lawn or if you like the feel of cool morning dew between your toes. Some of these products take a while to break down and can be absorbed through the skin. Why take the risk when you can use safer products?

Sometimes what's safe to eat and what's natural are not the same as in the case of feed grade urea which is synthetic but safe for animals to eat. There is no major difference between natural and synthetic urea. There are also biological controls such as beneficial bacteria, fungi, nematodes and insects that you can use but wouldn't necessarily want to put in your mouth.

A natural approach to lawn care may not necessarily be sustainable but the use of animal feed (corn meal, alfalfa, soybean meal and other animal feeds), biological controls, beneficial microbes, etc gives people a nice lawn and peace of mind.

My Approach To Organic Lawn Care

For me, organic lawn care is a combination of the two. My primary concern is a nice healthy lawn using safe and natural products and I like the idea of sustainability but I don't obsess over it. The companies I purchase products from are well recognized in the organic industry and I rely on them to keep sustainability in mind when creating their products. Safety is my primary concern and I can achieve that through the use of animal feed, beneficial microbes, and other natural products or products that are otherwise considered safe.

Through good mowing techniques, proper lawn watering, aeration, dethatching and overseeding when needed, occasionally adding compost to further increase organic matter I hope to reduce the amount of organic lawn fertilizers and other amendments I use over time. Though I don't mind using a little extra organic fertilizers to try and get the nicest looking lawn in my neighborhood.

In addition to having to add less to my lawn, I expect that the lawn will need less work in general as the soil improves.

So what does organic lawn care mean to you?

Aerating vs Dethatching When Overseeding

2009-06-30T06:31:00.003-04:00

Good seed to soil contact is about as important as watering grass seed to get good germination rates when overseeding. Core aerating and dethatching are both recommended practices when you plant to overseed. But is it better to aerate or dethatch when overseeding?

I've done both in the past and in my opinion, dethatching will give you better results. This post contains my recommendations for dethatching and overseeding.

Core aeration will help if you have compacted soil and will get more water and nutrients down into the soil to help encourage deeper root growth. But it doesn't expose much soil. A rate of 16 holes per square foot is a normal aeration rate. The holes are only 1/2" in diameter and at that rate you're only creating holes in about 2% of the lawn. If you leave the plugs on top of the lawn instead of raking them up, you'll get a little bit of soil exposed there too but it's not a great place to germinate seeds. It only increases the percent of exposed soil slightly sits on top of a layer of thatch and dry out quickly.

When the grass seeds start to germinate in the holes, there is also the possibility that they get choked off when the soil starts to fill in.

Dethatching on the other hand will expose more soil by removing the thatch layer. The tines of the dethatcher also cultivate the soil giving it a nice tilth which will help the seeds embed in the soil rather than just lay on top. This is similar to raking your vegetable garden to loosen the soil before planting seeds.

The dethather also helps groom the grass roots close to the surface. This will give the new roots more room to grow.

Another benefit is that using the thatch rake helps me find crab grass and other prostrate grassy weeds. Because of the prostrate growth, the stems/blades are longer than grass. When I rake them the longer blades are easier to spot. It's hard to describe but you'll know it when you see it. When you come across these weeds, just keep your Weed Hound and remove it.

Dethatchers

I don't have a very large lawn area and I also prefer whenever I can to manual tools like the thatch rake pictured right. Being "green" seems to go hand in hand with organic gardening and lawn care but that's not the reason I do it. I just think it's good cardiovascular exercise. It also works out your arms, back chest, legs and core. Sometimes when I'm dethatching I'll count each stroke (in my head so people don't think I have OCD) and then switch hand positions on the rake every couple of dozen strokes but usually I lose track if I have to stop to pull a weed and just try and switch as evenly as I can.

Otherwise you can rent a dethatcher, sometimes called a power rake, buy a Dethatcher Attachment if you have a Mantis Tiller or a tow behind dethatcher if you have a riding mower.

Overseeding

Once the dethatching is done, remove the thatch and place it in your compost pile if you have one. Then spread a good quality grass seed. Galaxy Kentucky Bluegrass Blend is a good choice for many sunny areas here in the northeast. If you have shady areas review my shade grass seed recommendations.

After the seed is down a topdressing of 1 yard of compost for every 1,000 sq ft is recommended. It will help keep the seeds moist, provide nutrients... just improve germination in general. The compost will also add organic matter to the soil. In between seeding and topdressing you can go over the seed with the back of a rake, use a roller or find some other method to help get the seed down into the soil. I don't have a roller, I'm not sure a rake works that well when overseeding so I just water the lawn for a few minutes to wash the seed down into the soil. Then water it in again after applying the compost.

If you have really fine compost that doesn't have a high moisture content, you can sometimes spread it with your spreader. If that's not working out I like to just grab a small bucket full and sprinkle it over the lawn. It's slower than pushing it around with a rake but it won't disturb the seed as much either.

This should give you very good results so you can fill in thin or bare areas in your lawn.

Use Rain Gauges To Save Water

2009-06-29T06:12:00.002-04:00

A rain gauge is a device you place in your garden to see how much rain has fallen on your landscape in a given period of time. There are simple rain catchers as well as wireless electronic versions.

They help you accurately determine how much rain has fallen on your property which will help you save water. If you followed my advice on how to water your lawn, you already know how much water your lawn needs. A rain gauge will tell you how much rain fall you had so you can adjust your watering cycle so you can subtract the amount of time necessary to account for natural rain fall.

You should empty your rain gauge every time you water your lawn or weekly, whichever comes first.
Below are some of the nicer rain gauges I have seen that also have free shipping:

One should be enough if you just want to measure rainfall, but if you're putting them in the path of your sprinklers one per zone would be better. If you have an area that gets less water, for instance under a group of trees, you might want a separate rain gauge there as well.

If you like to electronic toys and don't want to bend over regularly to check or empty rain gauges, there are electronic weather stations that will allow you to check how much rain you had. There's the Honeywell TC150 Wireless Rain Gauge but Oregon Scientific seems to be the leader in home weather stations and I'd probably go with them. I've had one of there weather stations in the past and was very happy with it. Unfortunately it was damaged during a move because it wasn't packed well.

I'm trying to be frugal but I do love toys so it's just a matter of time until I break down and buy a Oregon Scientific RGR126 Range Rain Gauge.

Make Your Own Soil Sampler

2009-06-26T06:07:00.015-04:00

In quite a few of my posts, including my last one in how to water your lawn, I mentioned a soil probe sometimes called a soil sampler. It's a device used to pull a round section (core) out of your soil for examination.

It can give you a lot of information about your soil and comes in very handy if you need to see how deep your roots are, take samples to send to a lab, see how moist your soil is, etc. The design is pretty simple, just a tube with a cut out on one side. You push it down into the soil, twist it and pull it out. In the opening you can see your soil profile and grass roots. Or dump out the contents and play around with it. Mush it around, feel the texture. Whatever you need to get a good sense of your soil. Pull a few more cores, remove the thatch and grass and send it to the lab to find out even more.

The hole it leaves is very clean and hardly noticeable compared to sticking a shovel in the ground. Once you have one, you'll find you use it frequently, especially if you're having problems with your lawn.
A good soil sampler can seem a little expensive to some. Good obscure tools usually are unfortunately. The materials are likely to be chosen to both provide long life and lack and to prevent contamination of the soil and corrosion of the material.

So I started to think of how someone might easily make their own soil sampler. It's a pretty easy design but you'll need to have some tools to make one. You can pick up the materials you need at any hardware store.
Materials Needed:

12-16" of 3/4" copper pipe (stainless is better but harder to find and more expensive)
1 1"x1"x3/4" copper reducing T fitting
around 12" of 1" hardwood dowel for the handle
1 1/4" bolt and nut

Step 1: Cut the copper pipe to length. Around 14" should give you a good depth but if you don't have to go very deep, if you have shallow roots for example, you can make it smaller.

Step 2: Make marks to define the cut area. Make two lines perpendicular to the pipe. One is 3/4" up from the bottom, the other about 1 1/2" - 1 3/4" down from the top. Next draw a guideline parallel with the pipe (straight up and down) connecting to two perpendicular lines. The pipe is cylindrical so it doesn't matter where on the pipe you draw it, just make it fairly straight. This will define the area of the pipe that will be removed so you can see the core.

Step 3: Make the cut. This can be a difficult cut to make and there are a number of ways to do it. Pick the tool you are comfortable using and know will work safely. Cutting metal like this isn't always easy so use your best judgment here. The safest way is to hold the piece of pipe in a bench vise and use a hack saw but it will take some time. Make sure the parallel line (the long one) is facing straight up. This will remove about 1/2 of the pipe where the cut is made. The radius for the corners doesn't really matter, just pick a radius that will work well with the tool you are using. A fatter blade needs a bigger radius.

Step 4: Attach the T fitting to the top of the pipe. If you're using copper you can solder the joint to help hold it in place. Then drill a hole wide enough to accommodate your bolt. Try and center the hole in the area where the pipe and the fitting overlap. The hole should go all the way through both sides of the soil probe. A drill press makes this easier. Once you have the hole, insert the bolt and tighten the nut.

Step 5: Insert the down into the 1" portion of the T to use as a handle.

That's it, it should be pretty easy to use. If you have the parts laying around and the tools and know how to do it, you get something decent. If not, you might be better off just buying one. I'm normally someone that likes to make things when I can, but I'm torn on weather making it yourself will be worth the effort. Click on the pick on the right to see current prices.

Because of the connection and the type of material, this one won't stand up to the same amount of use and stress that a purpose made soil probe but should hold up to occasional use in decent soil.

How To Get Grass To Grow In Shade

2009-06-25T00:09:00.010-04:00

Growing grass in shade can present many problems. Like all plants, grass needs sunlight but shade cast by your home or trees leave some areas without much sunlight. There are also problems associated with lawns in shade that you'll need to keep an eye out for.

Some common problems with shade lawns are poor density, compacted soil, excess moisture and moss.
In this post I'll try and cover some tips to grow grass in shade.

Soil

Since we're already starting with a difficult situation and conditions we can't control, it's a good idea to have a soil test performed by a good lab to see what it is we can control. The right pH and nutrients along with a good amount of organic material will help the grass where it can.

A good lab will also ask for what type of grass you'll be growing and make recommendation on what amendments you'll need to add and in what quantities. Most shady grass types don't require as much nitrogen as other grasses in this area. Typically 2-3 lbs of N per 1,000 square feet. If you're recycling your grass clippings by mulch mowing (which you should) you'll be providing some N so you'll be applying even less fertilizer.

Soil pH is also important and you should add lime as recommended in your soil test. If you're having difficulty growing grass under your trees, some people believe it's because the needles some evergreens drop will alter the pH of the soil since they are acidic and because evergreens prefer acidic soil. Others don't think this actually happens. All I know is if I don't add some lime under my hemlocks every few years, I can't grow grass there.

While you're examining your soil, see how well it drains and determine if it needs aeration. Because shady areas tend to be more moist due to lack of evaporation, compaction seems to be a bigger problem than in sunny parts of the lawn. At least that's been the case for me. Walking on soil when it's wet makes it compact faster than if the soil is dry.

The combination of poor drainage, lack of evaporation, soil compaction and acidic soil (low pH) can lead to moss in your lawn. Aearation will help with drainage and compaction, lime will help raise your pH if necessary.

Grass Seed For Shady Lawns

The next step is to pick the right type of grass seed. Fine fescues tend to perform better in shade than other types of grass. Most fine fescues however are bunch type grasses which means they won't spread and heal like other varieties such as kentucky bluegrass (KBG). Creeping red fescue is the exception. It spreads by rhizomes which are underground stems that run horizontally. At certain points it will root and a new grass plant will form. For this reason, you'll find most shade grass mixes contain some creeping red fescue.
I wind up overseeding very shady areas of my lawn almost every fall and sometimes toss out some seed in spring to help keep the grass thick.

Below are three good shade seed mixes that you can choose. They're in the order of quality based on my own opinion. Highest quality first. Bonny Dunes is not something you'll likely find in your local nursery or Home Depot but you can mail order it by clicking on the photo. The other two are more easy to find in this area. Jonathan Green's Dense Shade mix is a pretty good quality shade seed mix that is available at my local nursery. Scott's Dense Shade mix has also given me good results and Scott's seeds now come coated with Zeba technology which retains moisture. So you can still miss a day of watering and still get good germination. Since shady areas don't dry out as fast, I find that if I throw around any seed when the weather calls for a few days of rain I get good germination rates within a week without watering at all.

Click on each picture for more information.

Tree Pruning

Grass won't survive in complete darkness. Even shade tolerant grass needs at least some direct sun during the day. The more light you give it the better but strive for at least 2 hours of sunlight per day.

If the grass in question is shaded by trees, especially from a deciduous tree, the leaves can create a dense canopy that will prevent light and water from reaching your lawn. In this case you should consider pruning your trees.

Trees need pruning from time to time. It helps them keep a nice shape, provide good air flow and remove dead branches or branches that may otherwise be injuring the tree.

I like the Fiskars Power-Lever 14-Foot Tree Pruner #9301 pictured to the right. (update I bought a new tree pruner. Check out my Fiskars Telescoping Pruning Stik review. Amazon has the cheapest price for this extendable Fiskars tree pruner and free shipping. It's better than the tree pruner that my local nursery carries. It has a pair of loppers that are operated by a pull rope which can cut small branches up to 3/4" in diameter. I try to to use it only for thinner branches though as I find the saw is very sharp and works better. It's a bit awkward at first but you get used to it. I recommend making some practice cuts far away from where you plan to make the final cut until you start to get the hang of it. The 14' extendable pole helps you get high up into the tree.

You can tackle a lot of tree pruning on your own, it's not very difficult. Just be smart, try not to have anything crash down on anything you don't want crushed like your car, your head or your neighbor's dog. If you think you need to do a lot of pruning or that it's too risky for you call an arborist.

You should also read and understand how and when to prune your particular tree. I can't cover all trees in this post but here are the basics. You should search for information on your specific tree.

In general, deciduous trees, trees that drop their leaves in fall, the best time to prune is late winter or early spring before the tree starts developing leaves. Some trees will "bleed" when pruned. This isn't anything to worry about but you may not want sap dripping on your car if you leave it in the driveway.

Evergreen trees are best pruned in late winter but some, like pine, are pruned in June.

Fruit trees should be pruned between February and April. Using the pruner, you can cut off thin branches to open up the tree to let more light in. Just place the branch in between the pruning blades, about an inch outside the main branch past the collar, and pull with steady even pressure on the rope.

For larger branches, you want to use the 3 cut method as illustrated below

Cut 1 should be about 6-12" away from the branch collar and about 1/3 of the way through the branch. This will prevent the bark from peeling off when you make the next cut.

Cut 2 should be about an inch or so away further out than the first cut. Start from the top and saw all the way down. This cut takes off most of the weight so the last cut is cleaner.

Cut 3 starts at the top of the branch collar and angles out all the way down. The angle helps water shed which prevents rot. It's important not to cut the branch collar. The branch collar is an isolation mechanism that prevents insects and disease that might have affected a branch from spreading into the trunk.

You don't need to cover the wound, the branch collar will protect the tree. If any part of the branch was left, it will die off so just concentrate on making one nice clean cut for Cut 3. Remember, making big heavy things fall out of the sky while you're standing underneath them requires attention and concentration. Wear head protection as well as eye protection. Having sawdust get in your eye as you make the last stroke can really suck.

If you have a hard time deciding which branches to cut, here are the guidelines I follow.

dead or diseased branches
branches that may be rubbing up another branch
branches that look unsafe
branches that are growing in an unnatural direction
cut for shape
cut to let light and rain through

1" Of Water Per Week and Other Lawn Watering Myths

2009-06-21T06:53:00.011-04:00

How much should you water your lawn? That's a very common question and one that gets asked frequently and there are some common answers. They may have started out as rules-of-thumb but have been repeated so frequently as to at least verge on the edge of being classified as myths.

So lets go over why you shouldn't go by these suggestions and then cover how you should really water your lawn. Bear with me, it's pretty easy, the only hard part is understanding why you can't let someone else tell you how to water your lawn. There's even a tool to tell you how long you need to water your lawn. The hardest part is probably reading through this, I know I can be a bit long winded. Hopefully it's worth it.

Lawn Watering Myths

One inch of water a week

This is the one I see repeated the most. You want to water established grass deeply and infrequently and 1" of water a week seems like it should accomplish this right? Well yeah, in many cases it does but it's too broad a statement to follow it blindly.

Different types of soils hold different amounts of water for different amounts of time. For instance clay soil will hold water longer than sandy soil and it's not like there are two types of soil. Everyone's soil is different with differing water holding properties.

Different types of grass also need different amounts of water then you have to consider that a lot of thatch build up may be keeping a good bit of water from penetrating deep into the root zone and there are factors that will determine how much water the grass and soil loses. This combination of moisture lost through evaporation and plant transpiration is called evapotranspiration (ET). Evapotranspiration is effected by the weather. Hotter drier weather increases ET. Thatch also plays a role in evapotranspiration. While thatch can soak up water making it necessary to water longer, it also acts as a mulch and reduces evaporation so you don't need to water as often.

Even something you wouldn't think would play a role is the condition of your mower blade. I've said this repeatedly, one of the best things you can do for your lawn on so many different levels is keep a sharp blade. In a paper Mower blade sharpness effects on turf (Steinegger et al. 1983) mowing kentucky bluegrass with a dull blade used 1.3 times less water than mowing it with a sharp blade. That's right less water. The damaged grass wasn't as healthy and wasn't taking in as much water. So don't think you'll save on water with a dull blade, you'll just have bad looking grass all around.

So unless someone knows exactly what type of soil you have, what your weather is like, how much sun your lawn gets, how much thatch you have, how sharp your blade is, what type of grass you have, how deep your roots are, they can't tell you how much water your lawn needs. 1" of water a week could be 2x as much or more or maybe not even half the amount you need.

30 minutes per zone once a week

This one I've seen different variations of where it's X minutes per zone every Y days or something similar. This is poor advice. In addition to all the issues mentioned above in the 1" per water a week discussion, you have the added variables that go along with your sprinkler system. When I've seen this advice given there is no description given of the type of irrigation system the person has. People seem to give advice based on what works for them even though chances are it won't work as well for you.

There are vast differences between sprinkler heads/nozzles, the installation arrangement and the water pressure (PSI) delivered to the heads. All that will determine how much water is actually delivered.
Looking at a typical line of sprinkler nozzles from the same family the precipitation rate can vary from 1.43 in/hr to 2.05 in/hr at the same pressure using the same family of nozzles.

It gets worse when different types of sprinkler heads are used which is common. For example, you might use gear driven sprinklers for large areas and sprayers for smaller areas. Different zones could have different precipitation rates that could be 0.4 in/hr to over 2 in/hr. For one person 30 minutes of watering might mean 1/4" of water, for another it might mean 1/2".

How much and how often to water your lawn

So I've ranted about myths, evapotranspiration, given you some numbers about precipitation rates of sprinkler heads you may not be familiar with and you might be thinking that I'm going to give you some advice that's too hard to understand or to difficult to implement. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The best advice I've ever heard regarding lawn watering came from Roger Cook in an episode (probably many episodes) of This Old House or Ask This Old House. Water your lawn as much as it needs when it needs it! Simple huh? OK that didn't clear things up, Roger went further to indicate you need to water down to the root zone and then water it when the lawn shows signs of drought stress and I'll expand on some of the things he said with what I've learned to help you figure out how to water your lawn.

How long should I water my lawn?

As Roger Cook explained, you need to water down to the root zone. This should be pretty obvious. Plants absorb water through their roots so having the soil around the roots moist is important. Watering below the root zone is just wasting water.

These are the steps to determine how much water your lawn needs. It's best to run this test after a few days without rain and no rain scheduled for the next day either.

Depth to root Zone:
Depth of Moist Soil:
	?	minutes

Step 1 - Determine root zone depth: You need to know how deep your roots go. You can take a square spade and make a U-shape cut in your lawn then pull it back and see how far down the roots extend. An easier way is to use a soil probe (aka soil sampler) as pictured to the right (click picture for more details.) A soil probe saves a lot of time especially if you have multiple sprinkler zones. It also comes in handy when you're taking soil samples to send in for a soil test and doesn't affect a large area of your lawn.

You can also see the profile of your soil to determine how much thatch you have. The one pictured to the right takes 12" deep cores. It's not much more expensive than smaller soil probes that only go down to 6" which isn't deep enough for most lawns. If you're willing to spend a little more this soil sampler is a little longer and looks easier to use.

If you don't have at least 6" of the soil dry at the top wait for it to dry out more before performing the rest of the test.

Step 2 - Water your lawn for 15 minutes: Run your sprinkler system for 15 minutes in each zone. You can program them to all run one after the other. You won't be seeing how far it went right away.
It's a good idea to use some tuna cans or rain gauges to see how many inches of water your sprinklers put out in 15 minutes. You'll use this information along with your rain guages to make adjustments to your sprinkler time so that you don't waste water.

Step 3 - Measure how deep water penetrated 24 hours later: After 24 hours come back and see how deep the water penetrated. To figure out how long to water your lawn divide 15 by the number of inches of moist soil times the root depth of your lawn. For example, if the root depth is 8" and the soil was moistened to 3" deep: 15/3 * 8 = 40 minutes. If your root depth is 12" 15/3 * 12 = 60 minutes.
To make things easier, just enter the values in the form below:
This is how long you need to water your lawn. It doesn't matter what time of year it is, spring, summer or fall. The only time you need to recalculate is if there's a significant change in your root zone depth (if you're lawn is still being established for example or you're moving from a shallow infrequent watering schedule) or there's a significant change in your thatch (dethatching).

How often should I water my lawn?

Well, like Roger Cook said, only water it when it needs it and he says you can tell when it needs it when it looks limp and when you walk on it you can see your footsteps because the lawn doesn't spring back. How often this happens depends on the weather, the amount of rain fall and evapotranspiration but when your lawn needs water you'll see it.

You don't need to keep your soil moist throughout the root zone. In fact it's better to let the top dry out. This will minimize chances of diseases forming as well as dry out shallow rooted weeds and prevent new weed seeds from germinating. You don't want your grass to completely dry out, but it's good for it to get a little thirsty. Water it when about 30-40% of the lawn starts to show signs of drought stress.

If it's been a while, there hasn't been any rain but you're not sure, take a peek at the soil and see if the root zone is moist. It doesn't have to be completely wet but if it's totally dry you obviously need to water.
You can also view this post that contains a tool from the Northeast Regional Climate Center that will use rain fall and temperature to help tell you when you should water your lawn.

What if you're watering by hand?

If you're watering by hand using a hose and sprayer, you're not going to have the consistency that someone with a sprinkler system does but you can still apply the same principles and try to water your lawn as evenly as you can.

If you are interested you can put together some simple lawn sprinkler systems yourself and use an automated sprinkler timer that connects to your hose for less than $100. Use the link for more information.

How To Take Great Lawn Photos

2009-06-17T18:37:00.011-04:00

So you've worked hard getting your lawn to look great and you want to show it off on the various organic lawn care forums that have helped you get to where you are.

You walk outside, digital camera in hand and ear to ear grin as you snap pictures of your luscious green lawn. As you're downloading the photos from your camera so you can upload them for posting you start scratching your head. What happened to your nice green lawn? Where's the dark green color? Someone must have secretly swapped out your memory card and replaced the photos you took with a lawn that looks yellow and old. That's clearly not your lawn!

Don't worry, your lawn is fine, you're pictures are not but with a few simple tips and one relatively inexpensive piece of equipment you can have your lawn as good as it does in pictures as it does in real life. Having a camera where you can control the exposure settings and the ability to add a filter is recommended but you can still get better results just by taking photos at the right time.

The photo at the top of this post shows the same section of lawn taken on the same day. The right side looks more like what the lawn actually looks like the left side is what the camera thought the lawn looked like.

Even, Diffuse Lighting

There are some fundamental differences between how your eyes and brain works and how a digital or film camera works. One of the most important is dynamic range and exposure adjustment. If you're looking at a sun lit scene your eyes can see the brightly lit areas of lawn and even some critter lurking in the shadows of a shrub. That's because your eyes have a wider dynamic range and can quickly make adjustments. A camera has a much narrower dynamic range and needs to make a compromise in regards to exposure. If you take a picture of a sunny area with cast shadows you can get the sunlit area with the correct exposure and the shadows will be very dark, you can get the shadow areas to look right but the sunny areas will be washed out and too light but in most cases the automatic exposure in your cameras brain gives you a photo where the sunlit areas are too light and the shadow areas are too dark.

Here's an example, what's the correct color and shade of the grass? Is it the shadow side? Is it the bright side? Is it those blades of grass that look white? Is it something in between? Is it none of the colors we see?

To counteract this, you wan to take photos of your lawn with an even, diffuse light. If you've ever had a family portrait or seen a professional photo shoot, you'll notice that photographers use umbrellas, softboxes and other devices. These devices turn the relatively small flash light source into a larger light source. Large light sources produce a light that creates softer shadows and is more diffuse and provides more even coverage.

Now you don't have to go out and buy expensive photo studio lighting equipment. The best light source you can use to take photos of your lawn and garden is the sun, the best softbox you can use are clouds.
Take your photos on an a bright overcast day when there are no hot spots or strong shadows. You'll see a big difference right away. And DON'T USE FLASH!

Proper Exposure

Hand in hand with dynamic range is proper exposure. A nice even light will give you a dynamic range that will work well with your camer and the proper exposure will make sure everything in that range will appear appropriately. If your exposure is off your grass might look too dark or too light.

Automatic exposure systems have gotten better over the years but they still function on the basic principle of metering to 18% grey. Software in the camera may help get a better exposure but if you understand the metering it will help you get the best exposure you can.

Point your camera at a white wall so it fills the entire frame with nothing else in it and the photo will look grey. Point it at a black wall and the photo will look grey. Point it at a scene that consists mostly of your green lawn and it will look gr... ok not gray but probably not the right shade of green.

If you have a have a good light meter, you can use that to get the correct exposure, but you probably don't want that expense just to take pics of your lawn. Another more affordable option is to use a Kodak Gray Card.
To use a photo gray card, you'll need to be able to adjust the metering of your camera manually. What you do is place the gray card on your lawn so the card is in the same nice even light that the lawn is, then you zoom in so only the card is in the frame and see what the camera says the aperture and shutter speed is for the correct exposure. Turn off automatic exposure and set your camera to those settings. Then step back frame your photo and take the shot. Your photo should look very close to what you think it should look like.

Your camera may have some other method for locking in exposure so check with your owner's manual. If your camera has color balance controls you can use the grey card for that as well or just handle that in software.

Reduce Glare and Reflections

Another reason your lawn might look washed out in photos is because of glare and reflections. Think of looking at the surface of a lake or pond. It glistens and shimmers because the sunlight is reflecting off of it. Water isn't the only thing that reflects light, most objects do to some degree including grass, especially when it is wet. You won't see your face in the reflection but that extra amount of glare can throw off the color in the photo, making your lawn look much ligher than you see it.

Just like you can get polarized sunglasses to reduce glare, there are polarized filters for camera lenses. They screw on to the front of your lens and have a front element that rotates. As you're looking through the viewfinder (or lcd screen if you don't have a viewfinder) you rotate the filter to align it properly to eliminate the glare. It should be fairly obvious when you have the circular polarizer in the correct position. Use this link to find a polarized filter for your camera or lens. Your camera lens should have a number on it that tells you the filter size or you can check your owner's manual to see if your camera accepts filters and what size.
If your camera doesn't accept filters, you can just hold one in front of the lens and turn it. Just get one bigger than the actual size of your lens so you don't get your fingers or the rim of the filter in the shot.

Keep in mind that the polarized filter will reduce the amount of light coming into the lens. That will affect your expsoure but as long as you check the exposure against the gray card while the filter is on the lens, you don't need to make any adjustments. Only if you are using a hand held meter do you need to make an adjustment.
A polarized filter is great for a lot of purposes. Have you ever noticed that most of the time the sky in your pictures is white not blue? Or even if it's blue it's not a very nice dark blue like you remember? A porlizer can help you get the blue back in your sky as well.

That's it! From now on you can take great photos that give a more accurate representation of your lawn and garden. By the way, these tips will help you take better photos outdoors in general and are not lawn specific so use them to take pics of your kids, your pets, your cars, your feet, whatever makes you happy.
So to summarize:

Take pictures outdoors without flash when there is a nice soft even light from a bright overcast day. No hotspots or shadows.
Make sure you get the proper exposure, use a grey card.
Use a circular poloarize to reduce glare on grass blades and foliage.

That's all there is to it. You may need to make some adjustments in your editing program if the color balance or levels are off. Here's an example of a good photo of a lawn that still needs some work. Should have seen it a couple of years ago!

If you find these tips useful, feel free to post some links of your lawn and garden.

Get Organic Corn Meal Delivered Every Month

2009-06-15T21:15:00.007-04:00

Corn meal is used by organic gardeners to help fight and prevent lawn diseases caused by fungus. Applying at a rate of 10 lbs per 1,000 square feet every month helps prevent disease, 20lbs to fight an active disease. It is also a very mild fertilizer. Around 1.7-0.7-0.4 NPK. It's not just good for your lawn but also other plants (roses) and vegetables (tomatoes) that are susceptible to disease.

I just found something that I think is worth sharing. It's going to be a little more expensive than buying it from your supermarket, which is already more expensive than buying at a feed store or wholesale food distributor but you get the benefit of having it delivered to your home every month for free!

No excuse to forget it. It comes, you apply! And it's 100% organic so you're not applying genetecally engineered products to your organic lawn.

It's normally about $35 for 24 lbs with free shipping, but if you order a subscription it's only around $30. There is no obigaion. You can discontinue your subscription when you don't need it. You just have to remember to start your subscription in early spring when you start getting your lawn ready to wake up.
Click here to order your free delivery subscription of Organic Corn Meal now.

UPDATE: Also recently found Great River Organic Milling, Organic Specialty Corn Meal, 25-Pound Package which is a better deal Even more so if you subscribe to receive it monthly.

Edging An Overgrown Lawn

2009-06-14T20:06:00.006-04:00

If you haven't edged your lawn where it meets a hard surface like a driveway, it's going to be very tough to get a clean edge. The grass, roots and soil over time will creep onto the hard surface. If you haven't edged for a long time or ever, you might find yourself with an edge that looks like the (crude) illustration below.

What you want is an edge that looks like this:

In a situation like this, a string trimmer won't cut it, you'll need an edger as I discussed in my trimmer vs edger post. But that's just going to make things easier, it's not going to make it easy.

The edger is going to cut the grass and roots and define an edge. It's not a magical tool that will get rid of the grass and soil on the cut side. You're going to have to get out the cut side somehow. Sometimes you can pull it out, that may not always work and sometimes a hoe will work, sometimes you'll have to try both. Going around the edge from the outside with the trimmer in the trimming position will help loosen it. You want to cut on top of the hard surface in between the concrete and the overgrowth. It will make things easier if the soil is dry, so don't try edging for a few days after it's rained.

That's not even the biggest problem which is... How do you find the edge? You can't see it. You know it's there somewhere. An edger like the Black and Decker Electric Edger (click photo for more details) has an edge guide that will ride along the side of the hard surface so you can make sure you create a tight edge, but where do you even start?

There are a number of ways you can find your edge so you can start using your edger.

Poke your finger in to see where the hard surface ends.
Use a square spade to start defining the edge.
Try kicking it with the side of your foot.
Use a string trimmer in the trimming position (parallel with the ground) to eat away at a 1-2' area so you can see the edge and get the edger in. It's a waste of string gas or battery power to try and do the whole edge this way.
Use a hoe parallel to the edge to chip away at a bit of the overgrown area.

After you've gone through with your edger you need to clean up as described above. If your soil is dry you can use a blower to blow the debris back into the lawn where it will break down. If it's not that dry, leave it out in the sun for a bit until it dries out then blow it or sweep it.

And remember, it's important to follow the safety guidelines outlined in your owners manual when using these tools. Safety glasses are very important because these tools will kick up dirt, stones and anything else they find. For years now, manufacturers have been making cool looking safety glasses that look like sunglasses so you don't have to worry about looking dorky.

String Trimmer vs Edger

2009-06-11T06:28:00.004-04:00

You know the old adage, use the right tool for the right job. Well that definitely applies here. Just like it's possible to drive a nail into wood with a pipe wrench, a hammer does a faster better job of it.

Many people buy a string trimmer and use it as an edger to maintain a nice crisp edge where their lawn meets a sidewalk, driveway or path. Many trimmers can even be repositioned to make it easier to edge or may even be called a trimmer/edger but in reality, a string trimmer is usually good at maintaining an edge but a dedicated edger will do a better job.

The Worx GT Cordless String Trimmer/Edger is a perfect example. It has a set of wheels to make it handle like a stick edger, but that little .065 trimmer line and an 18V battery won't cut it on lawns that haven't been edged in a long time.

I have been reading reviews of the Worx GT Trimmer for a long time because it looks like such a great concept but the reviews weren't all that great. When I saw the infomercials and videos online from Worx, I noticed that the lawn edges they were using the tool on were already pretty clean. They just needed touch up. In the end I decided to get an 12" 18V Black & Decker GrassHog Trimmer Edger because there are some other cordless Black and Decker tools I'd like to get, I'm more familiar with the Black and Decker brand, it had a lot of good reviews and it came with two batteries! I saved a lot by getting a factory reconditioned trimmer. They are sometimes available from CPO Outlet with free shipping. The model number for a new trimmer is NST2018 and a reconditioned one is NST2018R. I'll do a full review after some more time with it, but I'm pretty happy with it so far.

A good plug in or gas powered string trimmer will have more power, but to get a nice clean edge you'll need a bit of practice and a steady hand. Trimmers are great for what they are meant for, trimming around areas where the lawn mower can't get to. Edgers do a much better job of what they are meant for, edging.
A decent gas or electric powered edger isn't that expensive and it will give you a nicer edge in less time with less work. Instead of using a thin piece of string, an edger has a metal blade that cuts through the grass, weeds and dirt to create a professional edge in your lawn. They have wheels and guides to help you make a straight edge. There are even some manual edgers if you don't want to mess with gas, oil, extension cords or cordless batteries.

Since edgers are primarily designed to be cutting vertically, they seem to also be better at keeping rocks and debris from kicking up and breaking a window or worse, hitting someone. They can be used where the lawn meets a hard surface such as a driveway, sidewalk or path as well as around flower and vegetable beds. They even cut deep enough that you can use them to create a trench to run low voltage landscape lighting.
You may be thinking "Great! One more tool I have to drag around the yard." It's not so bad since you don't necessarily have to edge every time and when you do use an edger and it cuts through tough edges faster than a string trimmer. In between, if you decide to use your string trimmer as an edger, you'll find it goes easier after you've established your edge with the edger.

If you don't want to buy another expensive tool, you can always get a manual edger to get you started each year or rent or borrow one. I've been lucky enough to borrow an edger in the past but I'm looking into getting my own.

There are three basic types of edgers mechanical, stick edgers and walk behind edgers. Mechanical edgers are human powered, stick edgers are a quick way to get a nice edge with a small tool. Walk behind edgers are heavy duty pieces of equipment that can get you through some really overgrown areas.

Electric Lawn Edgers

There are only two options in electric edgers that I would consider. The first is the Black & Decker LE750 2 1/4 HP Edge Hog.

The Edge Hog looks to have enough power and is easy to use. The price is very good and it has many good reviews. It has an adjustable depth to allow you to control how deep you want your edge, or to use it as a shallow trencher for things like landscape lighting wires. It's pretty light and has a brake on the blade so that the blade stops spinning when you let go of the trigger.

The other electric edger I would consider is the Mantis Electric Tiller which comes with an edging attachment.
While it's more expensive than the Black and Decker Edge Hog, you can get a number of attachments for it which makes it more versatile. One tempting attachment is the dethatcher attachment which allows you to use the Mantis Tiller as power rake. And there's the obvious tilling and cultivating which can be handy in the vegetable garden and when planting new beds or a complete lawn renovation.

The Mantis Tiller is also available in 2 cycle and 4 cycle gas versions.

Gas Powered Edgers

Gas edgers are a bit more powerful than their electric counterparts. If you need to reach more than 100' away from an outlet, they're you're only powered option. You trade off the hassle of an extension cord for the hassle of maintaining a gas engine. You have two main options with a gas powered edger. A stick edger, or a walk behind edger.

Stick Edgers

A stick edger is a lightweight edger that is about the size of a gas powered string trimmer. Unlike a string trimmer, it has a metal cutting blade instead of plastic string, the cutting direction is vertical and it has a wheel to make it easier to guide.
Using a stick edger is going to give you a straighter line than most people can get with a string trimmer in the edging position. You'll also get the job done faster. It will also through some tougher edges that haven't been maintained in a long time.

If you already have a gas powered string trimmer, you may be able to find an edger attachment that will allow you to use your string trimmer as an edger.

Walk Behind Edger

A gas powered walk behind edger will give you more power than a stick edger. If you have a lot of edging to do this might be the edger for you.

Walk behind edgers generally dig deeper. Instead of just one wheel to help stabilize the unit like a stick edger, it fully rests on it's wheel base allowing for a more precise depth throughout the cut.

If you have the space for it and a lot of edging or trenching to do, this will make your life easier.

Manual Lawn Edger

Before gas and electric powered edgers, there were manual tools that would create a clean line along your lawn. You could use a plain square spade to or a rotary edger pictured right. The rotary edger can be a bit difficult to use but it works and you can still by one today.

A more recent manual edger is the Steppin' Edger (HDP6-4) from Hound Dog, the makers of the popular Weed Hound and Turf Hound.

The Steppin' Edger cuts a clean edge in your lawn. As the name implies, you simply step on it to force the cutting blade down and working your way all along the edge. I tried one out and was very impressed. It can get through some very overgrown edges, leaving a clean line. It's not difficult to use and very affordable.

For about $30 including shipping you get a great edger that never needs gas, recharging or an extension cord. You don't have to worry about any rocks or other debris being flying around dangerously. You don't need to wear protective eyewear and you don't make any noise! Here's a video of the Steppin' Edger in action:

Whichever edger you decide to get, I'm sure you'll be happy with the time you save and the quality of the results compared to a string trigger.

Update

I decided on an edger and you can read my Black & Decker LE750 Edge Hog Edger review.

Where To Buy Cornmeal in Bulk

2009-06-10T06:24:00.006-04:00

Regular old yellow cornmeal is used by many organic gardeners both as a fertilizer and to control and treat diseases in lawns and plants. You can spread it over your lawn and water it in or apply it to the soil around plants such as roses or tomatoes to prevent and treat disease.

There have been some university studies that show it's effect. The application rate is 10-20 lbs per 1,000 square feet every three to four weeks to help prevent disease and 20 lbs per 1,000 square feet if there is an active lawn disease. You should start seeing results within 3 weeks.

Cornmeal treats lawn disease because it becomes a host for trichoderma. Trichoderma is a fungus prevalent in many soils and many strains act as a fungicide.

As a fertilizer it is very mild having an NPK rating of around 1.7-0.7-0.4. At 10 and 20 lbs per 1,000 square feet that turns out to be 0.17 and 0.34 lbs of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet which is very light for a fertilizer but you can apply it frequently without burning your lawn. For many, the disease control is the main reason to use cornmeal, the fertilization is a bonus.

Finding enough cornmeal for your lawn can be a challenge but here are some ideas of where you can look to find large bags of cornmeal if you don't live near a feed store.

You can buy small 32oz packages of whole cornmeal at your local supermarket but it is much cheaper to buy it in bulk 25lb or 50lb bags. Many people will go to a feed store to purchase it, but what about those of us that don't have a local feed store?

Well, the good news is that cornmeal isn't just for animals, humans eat it too and many food distributors provide it to restaurants in bulk. Many pizzerias use cornmeal as ball bearings so that pizzas slide easily in the oven. If you know someone that has a restaurant you can ask them to get you an extra bag for your lawn or you can try asking your local pizza place if they have any extra they would be willing to sell or if they can order you some.

You may even be able to find soybean meal which is a more effective organic fertilizer with an NPK of 7-0.5-2.3.

If that still doesn't work for you, how about getting organic corn meal delivered automatically every month or two?

Mowing Tips For A Healthy Lawn

2009-06-09T07:14:00.005-04:00

Following these tips will help keep your grass looking it's best. This isn't about creating an even surface or making perfect stripes in your lawn. It's about keep your lawn thick, green and free of weeds and disease.

Every little thing you do to your lawn can have a tremendous impact on the appearance of your lawn. Mowing is no exception and sometimes poor mowing can really hurt your curb appeal.

The following tips are easy to implement and will improve the look and health of your lawn.

Proper Mowing Height

Grass is just like any other plant in that it needs sunlight to create food through photosynthesis. It is the green blade of grass where photosynthesis occurs. The longer the blade, the more area available for photosynthesis. Tall grass also help shade the soil to keep it from drying out too fast and blocks sunlight from shorter weeds that have recently germinated.

Cool season grasses that are the norm in the this region can be mowed high, around 2.5" but you can usually go higher with good results as long as the grass gets enough water. Generally, higher is better so feel free to try setting your mower to the highest setting it can go.

Also keep in mind that many mowers come with the wheels set at the lowest setting to make them more compact for packaging. Don't just assume it's factory set at that height for any other reason. Your owner's manual should have told you this and with a piece of equipment that is powered by explosions and spins a heavy metal blade thousands of times per minute, it's a good idea to read the manual.

Don't let grass get too long

Have you ever let your grass grow too long? Maybe you were on vacation, there was a lot of rain or you applied too much fertilizer. Except for the length and lack of uniformity in height, the grass looks lush with a nice green color. When you're done mowing it looks dull and has brown patches.

Part of the reason is that when the grass grows tall, sunlight doesn't get to the bottom of the blade. The grass plant will concentrate it's photosynthesis efforts on the upper part of the blade where it does get sun. No photosynthesis, no green. When you cut off the grass you'll be cutting down into that area, exposing the hay colored parts of the grass.

When the grass grows too high, it also reduces air circulation near the ground. The moisture and poor air circulation creates an environment where lawn diseases (fungus) can thrive. Your soil likely contains the fungus but as long as it's healthy, it can usually resist it. When conditions are ideal, the disease can overtake the lawn.

The recommendation is to never cut more than 1/3 of the height of the grass in any one mowing. You accomplish this by mowing frequently. If you keep your lawn at 3" you should cut it when it gets to 4.5".

Don't mow wet grass and don't water grass for 24 hours after mowing

There are a number of reasons why you shouldn't mow your grass when it's wet. The grass grass will clump more when the blades are wet and it will also put more strain on your mower. Walking on wet soil will also compact it.

Mowing your lawn also injures the grass. If you're using a reel mower that cuts the grass cleaner the damage to the tips of your grass will be less but most people use a rotary mower. The tip takes about a day to heal and until then is more susceptible to disease. Many lawn disease travel through water so it's best to keep the lawn dry until it heals.

Mow in different directions

When you expose grass to the same force each time, it will start to lean in the direction of that force. You can see this effect in striped lawns. Stripes are achieved by using a roller to push the grass down in one direction and then the other direction on the next row. You'll notice that even if you don't use a roller, you'll still have stripes because grass doesn't recover that fast from that type of force. Normal mowing provides enough force to cause grass to lean even with out a roller. You may even see swirl patterns.

To counteract this, you should mow your lawn in different directions each time you mow. Go north to south and the next mowing go east to west. You should also try to alternate where you start. So if you start in one corner going north, try to mow that area so that line gets mowed going south.

Some people even mow both north to south and east to west each mowing.

Sharp blade

A sharp mower blade leaves a nice clean edge while a dull blade tears the tip of the grass. Don't just assume that your blade is sharp because it cuts grass. Most anything spinning at 3,500 RPM will cut grass. Occasionally look at your grass to see if the tips are brown, torn, split or show any other signs of damage that indicate your blade isn't sharp enough.

When the tips of the grass are damaged they take longer to heal and are more susceptible to disease. The damaged tips also dry out the grass faster requiring more water.

Keeping your mower blade sharp is one of the best things you can do for your lawn. Many people neglect this. I have to admit that before I started learning about proper lawn care my mower blade hadn't been sharpened for years.

You can bring your mower in for service, remove the blade and bring it to get sharpened or you can learn to sharpen it yourself. When removing your blade, or sharpening it in place, make sure to follow the safety procedures in your owner's manual.

How to sharpen your lawn mower blade

There are a number of tools you can use to sharpen a lawn mower blade yourself. The important things to keep in mind are to get the correct angle and make sure the blade is balanced. If your mower blade isn't balanced it will wobble and can damage your mower. You don't want your blade to be razor sharp. A thin edge isn't necessary and will dull faster.

You can use a bench grinder to sharpen your mower blade. Bench grinders make quick work of sharpening your mower blade. They are easy to use but with any power tool, make sure to read, understand and follow the safety instructions provided with your manual.

Factory Reconditioned bench grinders, like the one pictured to the left, are very affordable and can be used for other purposes. I've always had good luck with factory reconditioned power tools. They are great for DIY'ers that want quality tools at an affordable price. You can also check out other reconditioned tools from CPO by clicking on these links:

If you don't have or want to purchase a bench grinder, there is a very effective tool that you can use on a power drill. It comes with a sharpener and a balancer. After you remove the spark plug and do whatever else your mower needs to make it safe to mess around underneath the mower deck, you can use a board to keep your mower blade from turning and use the sharpener to touch up your blade without removing it.

It has a guide to get the right angle but you still need to pay attention to keep it aligned.

Another option if you have a Dremel is to use the lawn mower sharpening attachment. If you have a thick blade you might have trouble getting it in and it can be slow gowing. I've sharpened a blade with a Dremel without the attachment but it can be difficult to get the right angle. I used the Dremel to get the blade close and then followed up with a flat file.

Last year I purchased a Gator Mulching Blade to replace the stock mower blade which wasn't a mulching blade. The Gator blades get very good reviews and seem to be used by a number of professionals. The main reason I chose a Gator mulcher was the reports I've seen that indicate the blade needs to be sharpened less frequently because it uses a harder steel than most OEM blades.

The following video is the best I found to teach you how to sharpen your lawn mower blade. Don't know if I'm too crazy about spreading used motor oil on your mower deck though.

Is Compost Enough For My Lawn?

2009-06-03T06:05:00.003-04:00

Some organic lawn care proponents and even some organic lawn service companies feel that all your lawn needs is compost and compost tea. Are they right?

I don't think anyone that is into organic gardening or organic lawn care dismiss the benefits of compost but is only using compost enough to get the best lawn you can? Well I'm not an expert on compost who has performed decades of research on compost but Abigail A. Maynard, PhD. of the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station is.

In 2000 Dr Maynard published a bulletin titled "Compost: The Process and Research" which is something everyone should read that wants to compost at home. It will tell you practically everything you need to know about making compost, leaf mold and using composted manure and municipal solid waste (stuff like Milorganite.)

The research was on vegetable gardens and crops which is not the same as topdressing your lawn with compost, however it is still important to read and I'll address some of the applications to turf along with links to other research specifically related to applying compost to lawns. The summary of Dr. Maynard's bulletin is below.

Using compost in the garden has many benefits. For most vegetables and cut flowers, recent research at The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has shown that fertilizer can often be eliminated when the soil is amended annually with 1 inch of leaf compost. However, optimum yields are obtained when leaf compost and some inorganic fertilizer are used, usually half the normal rate, and after 2 or 3 years of consecutive compost amendments. Optimum yields can also be achieved using compost and organic fertilizers but they are generally less effective, especially on sandy soils. For vegetables that demand higher amounts of nitrogen, a cover crop incorporated into the soil in addition to the leaf compost amendment may be necessary for optimum yields. Compost is most effective when applied in the spring before planting. For optimum results, leaf compost may be applied every year, especially in sandy soils, and can also be safely applied at higher rates if compost is available.

When using a manure based compost with a higher nitrogen content, application may be limited to 1-inch in three consecutive years to avoid nitrate leaching. Yields will not decrease if no compost is applied every fourth year. Application rates of greater than 1-inch with a manure based compost is not necessary and may cause excess nitrate to leach to the underlying ground water, especially in sandy soils.

As compost increases the water holding capacity of the soil, compost-amended soils take longer to warm in the spring. If the spring is cool and wet, early crops, such as peas and radishes, can have reduced yields on compost-amended soils because germination is delayed and the seeds eventually rot. Plant density can be improved by either treating the seeds with a fungicide or seeding at a heavier rate to compensate for seeds that rot.

Undecomposed leaves can also be used as a soil amendment. While there is usually no significant improvement in yields as compared to compost applications, there are virtually no detriments to soil or plants if undecomposed leaves are applied the previous fall. An application of 100% oak leaves or 100% maple leaves shows no adverse effects to soil or plants. A beneficial effect occurs as organic matter of the soil increases slowly if yearly applications occur.

Two inches of compost applied as a mulch are effective for weed control. While not completely eliminated, weeds will be reduced to numbers that can easily be controlled by hand. Control, however, is limited to 1 year.

So in Dr. Maynard's research, she found that adding compost can be used to replace fertilizer but you'll get better results if you still apply fertilizer, even organic fertilizer in addition to compost. Also, you have to keep in mind that they were applying 1" of compost and tilling it into the soil. That's very different than the 1/4" to 1/3" of compost that is used to topdress lawns.

There is a reference in this feasibility study that mentions compost can be used to reduce fertilizer input in turf down to 30% but I can't find the reference. It seems to be from an interview and not directly from a study. Other research I have read indicates that golf courses topdressed monthly with compost can reduce lawn diseases.

Much of the compost in many areas is generated as the result of landfill restrictions on yard waste, mainly fall leaves. Municipalities are either required, or in some cases prefer to collect leaves and recycle them into compost rather than pay to send them to a landfill. Leaf compost is not very effective as a fertilizer. Composted manure provides extra nutrient value but may not be readily available.

One benefit of compost is the introduction or greater colonization of mycorrhizae which are a fungus that attach to the roots of plants, including grass, which helps them absorb available nutrients. You still need to have the nutrients in the soil and using just compost may not be enough.

My opinion after doing reviewing some of the available research is that compost is a great amendment to your lawn but unless you topdress multiple times a year and mulch your grass clippings back into the lawn you will still need to supplement with fertilizers, preferably organic. Even if your grass looks good with just compost and compost teas, it will likely look even better with the addition of supplemental organic fertilizer.

There are some drawbacks to compost topdressing as well. First, it can be expensive. You'll need 1 cubic yard of compost to topdress 1,000 sq ft of lawn to a depth of 1/3". Most people will need to have the compost delivered which can run around $50 per cubic yard. Many bulk compost dealers also have minimums for delivery. You can rent a pick up for the day but that will also run you about $50. You can make your own compost inexpensively but most people don't have the space or material to make the amount of compost they'll need.

Spreading compost is also not as easy as spreading fertilizer. Most DIY'ers dump their compost in piles then use a rake to spread it around. Commercial lawn care services use expensive topdressers to quickly and consistently apply compost. Something like the Spyker model 288 Spreader could be used if the compost is fine enough. This might require you to screen it yourself if you can't find good screened compost. The compost should also not be too wet. You'll probably need to refill the hopper about a dozen times to cover 1,000 sq ft. It's a good commercial grade spreader that you can use for spreading other materials. It is commercial grade and will last a long time but it is very expensive compared to the spreaders most homeowners use.

Top dressing with compost can also be messy and can be tracked into your home easily until it starts to work in and gets consumed by your microherd. It can also leave the lawn looking dirty until it's watered in or brushed clean. Composted manure that hasn't fully decomposed can smell.

The studies also seem to indicate that you can't just go from a synthetic lawn care program to just using compost. It may take a few years for your soil to adjust. Even if you didn't do anything to your lawn in the past, the effects of using only compost may take years to see fully.

Topdressing with compost once or twice a year will help your lawn in many ways. but in many cases it doesn't seem like it will be enough or practical.

The Best Composter Is The Cheapest!

2009-06-02T18:51:00.006-04:00

Yup, that's right! Those fancy compost tumblers that can cost hundreds of dollars didn't perform as well as a simple and affordable $40 composter according to a test of some popular home composters I found on youtube. (Video below). It got the hottest out of all the composters tested, likely due to it's better air circulation.

The GeoBin Composting System is a simple to use composter from Presto Products. It's not exactly what was shown in the video but made from the same company. Seems like an updated design. It's 3' tall and you can adjust the diameter up to 4' but it's recommended to keep the diameter between 3-3.5'. It consists of a mesh plastic perimeter and stakes to hold it in place. It's very similar to the homemade chicken wire and garden stake composters except it's a little smaller mesh. This still provides good air circulation but restricts a lot of the sunlight from hitting the material which can lead to weed germination if there are any weed seeds in the mix. This can be a problem with chicken wire compost bins. You also don't have to worry about the metal rusting or bending.

There is no bottom on the composting bin so your material will come in direct contact with the soil which will help microbes and even worms get in to speed up composting. When you aren't using it, you roll it up for easy storage.

The GeoBin composter is sold at home centers but it is currently cheaper to buy it from Amazon since the product qualifies for Free Super Saver Shipping. Since the sides of the composter roll up, it comes in a nice small package.

There are plastic poultry fence products you can purchase to make something similar. A 3' x 25' roll should be enough to make 2 compost bins. You'll also need some stakes to hold it in place. These 4' garden stakes are made of steel with a plastic coating. You should be able to drive them in pretty far to keep your bins in place. They come in an affordable pack of 20 so you should have some left over after making your compost bins.

One of the complaints of the GeoBin was that the stakes weren't quite long enough and they didn't hold on to the ground well. If your GeoBin falls over or moves easily, I think you can use these 10" tent stakes to grip onto the GeoBin mesh or maybe some garden staples which are cheaper but not as long. Drive them into the ground to help keep them from moving or blowing over in a strong wind. There are 10 in a pack. The included stakes can be used mainly to hold the sides up.

Since this isn't a compost tumbler, you're going to have to find another way to stir up the compost to help aerate it. They make a tool for that. It's called a compost turner or compost aerator.

The compost aerator has two wings that fold up as you push it down into the compost. As you pull it up, the wings spread out again to help you mix up your compost. Since the compost is already getting plenty of air through the design of the GeoBin composter, you only have to turn it every few weeks.

Another good product to have is a compost accelerator such as Ringer Compost Plus to help speed things along. This is an important component if you're new to organic lawn care and might have killed a lot of the necessary microbes by using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in your garden. After you have a good batch of compost, you can use some to start your next batch without using an additive to your compost. There are opinions that this may not be necessary. My opinion is that a few bucks to make sure you have the right microorganisms in your first batch of compost seems like a good idea.

It seems like everyone is jumping on this "go green" bandwangon to try and make money with fancy equipment and compelling marketing. The reality is that people have been making and using compost before there were expensive compost tumblers.

What was odd was that the open compost bins got hotter than the enclosed compost tumblers. With them being open and getting more air you would think the opposite would be true but the heat comes from the microbial activity in the compost. Without sufficient air, you won't get good microbial activity.

Removing Ground Ivy From Lawns

2009-06-02T09:12:00.013-04:00

Ground Ivy, also known as creeping charlie can be a terrible nuisance in a lawn and it is difficult to remove ground ivy from your lawn.

There are two ways to kill ground ivy organically. Use a solution of borax on it, or manually remove it.

Borax can be found in the laundry aisle of many supermarkets under the brand name 20 Mule Team Borax. Borax is an element so it doesn't break down further. Borax can also harm other plants including your grass, as well as your pets.

A recipe for a borax solution to control ground ivy on bluegrass can be found here, but I do not recommend using borax. Instead, you should work on manually removing and preventing ground ivy from your lawn.

Growing a good, thick, long turf will help prevent ground ivy, as well as many other weeds, by choking them out. But even if you have a nice thick lawn, you might still get ground ivy. Where I usually see ground ivy is around the edges of the lawn near planting beds or vegetable gardens. The ground ivy seems to start on the bare soil and then works its way into the lawn. For that reason, it's important to have a good lawn edging installed and use a good landscape edging and keep 3" of mulch on your beds to prevent weeds.

The best lawn edging I have seen is Black Diamond Edging. It is 5.5" tall and thicker than most other lawn edging. It also comes with 4 metal stakes. The height and the stakes help prevent it from heaving up due to frost. From what I understand this is the edging that good professional landscapers use. That's very important here in the north east where we get some pretty cold winters. Installed properly this edging should last a long time without lifting and keep your grass out of your beds and the weeds out of your lawn.

It is not that much more expensive than the edging you can find in your local box store and you get a better edging that will last longer. A lot of edging doesn't come with stakes or comes with plastic anchors. I don't know why, but the stakes for landscape edging, even the plastic ones are pretty expensive. Plastic ones are about a dollar a stake, metal ones more. Use the link in the picture above. They have the best combination of price and shipping that I've found.

OK, that helps keep the ivy out of your lawn, now lets take about how to remove ground ivy.
Ground ivy is a creeping plant. It has a rhizome that spreads across horizontally and every once in a while flowers and roots form, like vine. (As can be seen in the photo at the top of this post.) This makes it difficult to pull, especially in hard clay soils. If you don't get the vine it will just grow again. This is also true for dutch white clover in your lawn.

Pulling by hand doesn't work too well in the lawn. The roots dig in pretty tough in clay soil. You start by pulling on a few leafs and if you're lucky you can see where the rhizome is and try to pull it up along with the leafs by pulling it parallel to the ground and shaking it to loosen but most of the time, it's just going to break and you'll have a hard time finding it again. That method is also time consuming.

A better way is to use a dethatching rake. It will help pull out he entire plant, rhizome and all. The Ames True Temper thatch rake seems to be the best. Ames has made garden tools for a long time and has a quality reputation. My local home improvement centers carried different brands that were more expensive. Use the link on the left to get it from Amazon. They have the best price I've seen and free shipping.

You'll want work the area with the thatch rake from different directions to make sure you get all parts of the ground ivy pulled up. As you start working the area you'll get a sense which way the vine is growing and you want to try to attack it perpendicular to it's growth. Use the straight tines on the rake. The bent looking tines are used for cultivating soil which can be used if you need to reseed some bare patches.

You could use a dethatcher or power rake but with a thatch rake you have a bit more control and finesse that you don't get with a power rake. This is important because if you leave bits of roots or vine the ground ivy will re-establish. You can even make it worse.

When you're done, make sure to rake up all the debris so that the ground ivy doesn't re-establish itself.
The best time to dethatch your lawn and to remove ground ivy is in the fall (August-September) so you can overseed at the same time. By filling in your lawn and keeping it healthy with a good organic fertilizer program you can help croud out weeds including creeping charlie.

The thatch rake is also obviously good for dethatching your lawn. Not as fast or as easy as renting a power rake, but if you don't have a huge lawn, using a thatch rake will give you a good little workout.
So there you go, a chemical free, organic way to remove ground ivy and white clover!