Clear Answers for Common Questions

There are a number of different reasons that the grass in a lawn may die, and it can be frustratingly difficult to determine the cause. While a number of diseases can kill a lawn, it's often best to consider non-disease causes first. Your grass might be getting too ...

Brown spots can appear on a lawn for a number of reasons. Fortunately, most of the time, these spots are easily correctable. One potential cause of brown spots is unsharpened mower blades. This is because they have a tendency to shred only the tips of the grass blades, causing them ...

Planting sod is a way to create an expanse of lush green lawn in a very short period of time. Sod is living grass which comes in large strips that are designed to be unrolled over specially prepared ground. The grass will take root and grow like a normal lawn ...

If your lawn has brown spots, has bare spots or is thinning, it might be time to reseed it to achieve a lusher, healthier lawn. Reseeding does take some preparation and planning, but can it improve your home's curb appeal, its value and even your relationships with your neighbors ...

When it comes to developing a great lawn, grass seed and sod are both equally viable options, though each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Choosing between the two depends largely on a few factors, not the least of which is budget as sod is by far the more expensive ...

Organic lawn fertilizer provides a natural way to seasonally fortify the nutrients of a lawn's soil. Not only does organic lawn fertilizer provide vitamins and minerals that the lawn uses to stay lush and green, it increases the ability of the soil to hold moisture and dissuades insects and ...

Crabgrass is a type of annual grass that appears in the warm season. It is native to Europe, although it has colonized much of North America as well, to the dismay of many gardeners. The stubborn rooting grass can be difficult to eradicate when it colonizes, and it tends to ...

Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is a grass native to the African Savannah. It survives well in dry conditions, though the top may die off in droughts. Since it spreads easily, it is a good grass choice for dry areas where it can be watered. This grass is best grown in ...

Sod is mature lawn that has been carefully and professionally cultivated; cut into thick squares or rolls with the underlying soil and roots, and shipped to a nursery or job site to be laid down for an "instant new lawn." Once sod has been cut it is best to plant ...

A perfect lawn is a prized possession of homeowners everywhere. But no matter how much time one may spend caring for it, there will inevitably be a bare spot on the lawn. Although the frustrated homeowner may be tempted to pave it over and paint it green, there's no ...

There are a number of alternatives to grass for the lawn and garden, and many of them are probably available at your local garden store. It is well worth considering these alternatives, as many are far easier to care for than grass, in addition to being more environmentally friendly. This ...

Synthetic grass is an artificial surface designed to resemble natural grass. Although it is meant to have a natural appearance, it is manufactured using solely synthetic materials. It also tends to be harder than natural grass. Traditionally, synthetic grass has been used in sports arenas where natural grass is difficult ...

When choosing the best grass for a lawn, it is important to first determine how much sun it will receive. It is best to select a species that is well suited for the area in which it will be grown, rather than trying to force it to grow in an ...

Lawn moles are animals that live underground. They are about the same size as a chipmunk. They are typically six to eight inches long (about 15 to 20 cm) and weigh only three to six ounces (about 85 to 170 grams). Usually, the first signs of moles are the tiny ...

For most homeowners, a very important aspect of buying a lawn mower is ease of use. Is the lawn mower you have in mind self-propelled? Does it come with a catcher, or can one be added? Is it easy to start? These are all good questions to ask yourself ...

An automatic lawn mower roams about the yard cutting the grass, giving you the opportunity to have some fun on the weekend. Also referred to as a robotic mower, it runs on a battery-powered electric motor and resembles a low-profile, compact canister vacuum cleaner, minus the cumbersome hoses ...

Lawn mowers come in a variety of types and price ranges. Though there are two basic types of machines — push mowers and riding mowers — they still vary in size, design, and engineering. There are also differences in the way the various ones cut your grass. Push mowers are ...

If you have an average size lawn or significant acreage, riding lawn mowers can make your mowing job easier. Unlike a typical walk behind or push mower, riding lawn mowers have a seat for the operator to ride on and a more powerful engine to mow a larger area of ...

A robomower is a robotic lawn mowing machine designed to automatically trim grass at a specific day and time. The mowing unit itself uses a rechargeable battery pack to power a set of self-propelling wheels and three mulching blades. High-end models can have the equivalent cutting power of ...

When buying a lawn aerator, you should consider how seriously your lawn needs aeration and how much elbow grease you are prepared to put into the chore. Aeration allows soil exposure to air, which keeps your lawn from looking thin, brown, or matted. Different kinds of lawn aerators span a ...

Homeowners commonly attribute lawn problems to insect problems, insufficient fertilization or even diseases. However, when the top few inches (10 cm) of soil become compacted, nutrients, such as water and air, have a difficult time reaching the roots of the grass lawn. In this case, the grass on the surface ...

A lawn sweeper resembles a simple light-framed push mower with catcher, but rather than reel blades, the axle spins brushes contained in a housing. As the lawn sweeper is pushed over the lawn, the brushes rotate and "comb through" the grass, throwing back clippings, leaves, twigs, small stones and ...

Want to have a great looking and well-trimmed yard, but hate the idea of doing all that edging and cutting manually? The answer to your problem may in the world of zero turn lawn mowers. Zero turn lawn mowers are riding mowers that can literally turn right around, 180 ...

A push lawn vacuum looks very much like a common power lawnmower with larger wheels and a generous enclosed catcher. It is used to vacuum leaves, twigs, small stones, wind-blown trash and other debris from the lawn. The debris is then cut into tiny pieces producing mulch that can ...

Reel and rotary lawn mowers are two basic types of mowers, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. The main difference between the two is the method in which they cut the grass. A reel mower has a cylinder of blades that rotate to push the grass up as it ...

Dethatchers are mechanical devices that are employed as part of ongoing lawn care. Essentially, the purpose of a dethatcher is to remove sections or thatches of grass from the ground. Dethatching may take place as part of a landscaping renovation, or as a means of removing a type of grass ...

Leaf vacuums are products designed to help with yard work, an especially onerous task in areas of the world where trees lose their leaves. Leaf vacuums have a vacuum chamber and hoses, and can be pushed across the lawn much like a vacuum cleaner inside a home. As the leaf ...

A dethatching rake breaks up and removes thatch manually. Thatch forms an unattractive and interfering layer of dry grass, tangled roots, and dead leaves between soil and fresh grass. The handheld dethatching rake, like an ordinary rake, helps to eliminate thatch and make a lawn ready to absorb fertilizer and ...

A rake is a tool used to gather or loosen material or to grade or level a surface. Most are many-toothed tools applied to such uses as gathering leaves or other plant material, or loosening or smoothing earth or other ground covering. Rakes are used in agriculture and landscaping ...

A sod cutter is a tool which is used to cut sod, as you might imagine from the name. There are a number of situations in which this tool can be useful, and many landscapers keep one on hand. These tools are also stocked in hardware stores, and sometimes they ...

A mulcher is a tool that is used to grind organic material, reducing the volume of natural waste and transforming it into mulch. Household compost, brush, cut grass, leaves, branches and vines are fed through blades producing usable mediums for varying lawn and gardening needs. The mulch can be used ...

A weed whacker is a gardening tool which is designed to quickly and efficiently cut through weeds, shrubs, and overgrowth. You may also hear a weed whacker referred to as a weedeater or a string trimmer. These tools can be very useful to have around, especially for people with a ...

A leaf blower is an engine-powered, hand-held maintenance tool used in lieu of a rake or broom to remove leaves and debris from a lawn or garden by blowing them away. Most often the debris is blown into a pile to be collected, or blown into the gutter ...

The first question you should ask yourself is whether or not you actually want to get rid of lawn moles. Many people are mistaken about the role of moles in the garden, and these small, shy creatures are actually quite beneficial for the garden, although they can make a mess ...

The field of horticulture has to do with designing, planting, and maintaining outdoor spaces with shrubbery, ground cover, and trees. Different horticulture jobs specialize in one stage of this field, such as planning, or in one aspect of the landscape, such as lawn maintenance. There are many horticulture jobs available ...

Many of us have very little free time and need workers who can perform certain duties for us to give us more spare time. Hiring a gardener is just one way to escape some of the chores that keep your spare moments occupied. Exactly what a gardener will do for ...

Herbicides are complicated chemicals and the way they work depends largely on the type being used. There are two primary types of herbicides or weed killers – pre-emergence and post-emergence. Pre-emergence herbicides kill plant life while the seed is germinating, while post-emergence herbicides kill weeds during active ...