Table Of Content•
The Complete Guide to a
How to Plant, Maintain & Improve Your Yard & Lawn
by Chris Peterson
Creative Publishing
international
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
www.creativepub.com
(j
Copyright © 2011 PresidenUCEO: Ken Fund
Creative Publishing international, Inc.
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300 Home Improvement Group
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401
1-800-328-0590 Publisher: Bryan Trandem
www.creativepub.com Senior Editor: Mark Johanson
All rights reserved Managing Editor: Tracy Stanley
Printed in U.S.A. Creative Director: Michele Lanci-Altomare
Senior Design Manager: Jon Simpson, Brad Springer, James Kegley
10987654321
Lead Photographer: Joel Schnell
Digital ISBN-13: 978-1-61060-189-4
Shop Manager: James Parmeter
Softcover edition: 978-1-58923-600-4
Production Manager: Laura Hokkanen, Linda Halls
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-publication Data
Author: Chris Peterson
The complete guide to a better lawn: how to plant, maintain &
Page Layout Artist: Danielle Smith
improve your yard & lawn / created by the editors of Creative
Technical Editor: David Griffin
Publishing international, Inc., in cooperation with Black & Decker.
Shop Help: Charles Boldt
p. cm.
Prooreader: Drew Siqveland
At head of title: Branded by Black & Decker.
Editoriailntern: John Buckeye
Summary: "An up-to-date, environmentally responsible approach
to lawn care with mainstream appeal. An ideal reference for busy
homeowners who want better grass quickly and easily"--Provided
by publisher.
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-58923-600-4 (soft cover)
ISBN-10: 1-58923-600-9 (soft cover)
1. Lawns. I. Creative Publishing International. II. Black & Decker
Corporation (Towson, Md.) III. Title: How to plant, maintain &
improve your yard & lawn.
SB433.C662011
635.9'647--dc22
2010050832
The Complete Guide to a Better Lawn
Created by: The Editors of Creative Publishing international, Inc., in cooperation with Black & Decker.
Black & Decker@is a trademark ofThe Black & Decker corporation and is used under license.
NOTICE TO READERS
For safety, use caution, care, and good judgment when following the procedures described in this book. The publisher
and Black & Decker cannot assume responsibility for any damage to property or injury to persons as a result of misuse
of the information provided.
The techniques shown in this book are general techniques for various applications. In some instances, additional
techniques not shown in this book may be required. Always follow manufacturers' instructions included with products,
since deviating from the directions may void warranties. The projects in this book vary widely as to skill levels required:
some may not be appropriate for all do-it-yourselfers, and some may require professional help.
Consult your local building department for information on building permits, codes, and other laws as they apply to
your project.
Contents
The Complete Guide to a
Better Lawn
Introduction . ......... . ..... . .......... . 6
Gallery of Beautiful Lawns ................ 8
Evaluating Your Lawn .. . .... . ........... 24
understanding Your Soil. . ........ ... . . .. .. .. . ... ...... 26
Lawn Soil Types ......... ...... ............ . .. .... ... 27
Soil Nutrients .. .. .. . . .... . .. .. .. . . . . .. .. .. . .. .. . . ... 28
Testing Your Soil .. .. . . ......... .. ...... .. ...... . ..... 30
Knowing Your Lawn . . ... ....... ......... .. .. . ..... ... 32
Geography, Climate & Grass Choice ... . . .. .. .. . ... .... . . 34
Cool-Season Grasses . ... ....... .......... . . . . ...... .. 36
Warm-Season Grasses . ..... . . .. .. ... . . ... . . ...... .. . . 38
Inspecting Your Lawn . . .. .. . . . ... ... . . .. .. .. . ... . .. ... 40
Your Lawn-Care Plan .... ........ ........... . . ...... . . 42
Scheduling Lawn Care . . .. .. . .. ... .. . . . ... . . . ... ... . . . 43
Renewing an Older Lawn ................ 46
Renew or Replace? ...... ...... ............ . .. .... ... 48
Dealing With Thatch . . . . .. .. . .. ... .. . . . ... . . . ... ... . . . 50
Dethatching Your Lawn . . ..... . ... ..... ... . ... ..... .. . 51
Aerating Your Lawn . . . .. .. . . ... .... . . .. .. .. . ..... .... 54
Leveling the Lawn Surface . .. . ... .... . . .. .. .. . ..... .... 56
Contents
(Cont.)
Repairing Bare Spots ..... .. .. . . . .. ........ .. .... .. .. . 58
Overseeding .. .... .... . ... .. . . . . ........ ....... .. . .. 62
Planting a New Lawn ........ . .......... . 64
New Lawn Options . . ..... .. .. . . . .. ...... . . .. .... .. .. . 66
Selecting Sod ... .. . .......... . .. ....... ........ .. ... 67
Selecting Grass Seed . . . .. .. .. . . .. .. . .. .. . . . ..... .. .. . 68
Selecting Lawn Plugs ....... .. ........... .. ...... .. ... 69
Removing an Old Lawn . . ... . . .. . ........ ........ . ... . 70
Preparing Your Soil . . ..... .. . . . . . .. ... ... .. .. .... . . .. . 72
Adding Topsoil . . .. ........... . . ........ .......... ... 74
Amending Soil With Compost .. ...... . ............ .. ... 75
Natural Soil Amendments . .. .. . . . .. . .. . .. . . .. .... .. .. . 76
Maintaining Proper Soil pH ..... . . ........ . . .... ..... .. 77
Grading for Proper Drainage .. . ..... ........ ... . ... . ... 78
Laying Sod .. ... .... . ..... . ..... ..... .... . ..... . .... 80
Planting a Lawn From Seed .. .. ..... .. .... .. ...... .. ... 86
Maintaining Your Lawn . . .... . ........... 90
Feeding Your Lawn .. ..... . ...... ....... . .. .. . . . ... . .. 94
Mowing Fundamentals . ..... . ... .. ........ .. ..... . .. 108
Mowing the Lawn . . .. .... .. .. . . . .. . . . . .. .... .... .. .. 120
Trimming & Edging .. . . .. ......... .. . . .. .. .. . . .. ..... 126
Water & Your Lawn .. . . .. ....... . . ... . ... . . . . . . ...... 138
Winterizing the Lawn ................... . ......... . .. 156
THE LAWN PROBLEM-SOLVER GUIDE . ...... 158
Solving Lawn Problems . ..... . .......... 160
Fighting Weeds .... . . . .. .......... .... . . . . .. . . ... ... 162
Defeating Harmful Insects & Pests ... . .... . ... . .. ... . .. 176
Dealing With Lawn Diseases .............. . ....... . ... 188
Improving Site Conditions ... ...... ..... . . . . . . . .. ... .. 194
Installing a French Drain . ................ . . ....... . .. 202
Creating a Drainage Swale . .. . .. .... .. .. .... . ... ... . .. 204
Adding a Mowing Strip ... . . ... .. .... .... . ..... ... .... 208
Artificial Lawns ... .. . . ... .. .... .. ...... .. ...... ... .. 210
APPENDIX:
Lawncare Equipment User's Guide . ....... 216
Resources . .. ... . . . . . . . ... . . ... .. . . . . . 218
Conversions . .... . ......... . .......... 219
Photo Credits . .. . ......... . . .. ... . .... 220
Index .... . ................ . ......... 221
I
Introduction
Few things make a home look as spectacular as a lush, manicured, emerald green lawn. Aside from making
your neighbors green with envy, a fabulous lawn is also the grand, comfortable stage for many of life's most
treasured moments, from summer birthday parties, to a lazy neighborhood cookout, to junior's first game of catch
with dad. But just as a gorgeous lawn enhances your home, one that has some obvious shortcomings will detract
from the look of a house-and the neighborhood in general. A weed-strewn, scraggly, patchy lawn or a sickly plot
of grass can bring down the value of the home it's connected to, and it makes outdoor activities less enjoyable.
There's simply no reason to put up with a less-than-wonderfullawn. Dense, healthy turf doesn't materialize
by accident. It's the result of timely feeding, watering, and regular maintenance. Conscientious lawn care not only
creates a luxurious carpet of grass, it is also your first and easiest line of defense against weeds, insects, disease
and other lawn problems. Preventing them from occurring is always easier than dealing with them after they rear
their ugly heads.
That's why we've laid out all the basics of lawn maintenance in this book, including exactly what you need
to do to keep your lawn healthy, and when you need to do it.
Of course even the most meticulously tended lawns occasionally have an outbreak of weeds, a problem
with grubs, or even a small patch of dollar spot fungus. After all, you can't entirely control nature. So we've also
included a comprehensive "Lawn Problem-Solving Guide" in this book, ensuring that you always have the right
solution for whatever problem crops up.
Keeping ahead of lawn problems and on top of your lawn's needs entails just a little diligence and the right
knowledge and advice. It's not hard. You provide the watchful eye and few hours on weekends, and these pages
will serve up the information you need to create a verdant, rich green lawn that you and your family can enjoy
with pride.
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