This thin stand of grass is in need of renovation.

An acceptable quality lawn is the goal of many homeowners. With proper establishment and care, this goal can be achieved. Unfortunately, situations may occur that lead to a thin, damaged, or dead lawn in need of repair or renovation.

Determining the cause of the lawn decline is the first step in the lawn renovation process. Many lawn problems originate from poor soil conditions. Heavy clay, compacted soils, and poorly drained soils may be the reason a lawn is doing poorly. These situations can be corrected during renovation. On the other hand, many lawn problems tend to be due to pests, weather conditions, or poor lawn care practices. Perhaps implementing proper mowing, fertilizing, and watering may be all that’s required to achieve acceptable lawn quality.

Once the problem has been identified, the renovation process may begin. Think of renovation as fitting one of three levels: overseeding with little additional work; significant work, but allowing existing grass to remain; or completely removing the existing lawn and starting over. The decision of which level to choose is based on how bad the lawn looks and what caused the problem.

For example, if the lawn is just a little thin, overseeding with a quality lawn seed in late August or early September may be the answer. Use of a slit-seeder, which is a specialized machine that will cut slits into existing grass and then drops seed into those slits, is an ideal way to overseed lawns. Seed may also be broadcast over thin lawn areas, but there needs to be good soil to seed contact. Dethatchers or vertical mowers can also be used to tear out excess debris prior to overseeding. In addition, slit-seeding could be done directly through grass and/or weeds killed with the nonselective herbicide glyphosate. All of these types of overseeding procedures do not require additional soil modification.

When soil problems exist under a lawn, there are ways to address them without tearing up the lawn. Core aerifying is suggested for problems such as thatch and soil compaction. Core aerifying machines will pull up numerous plugs of soil about the diameter of a pencil, making holes into the lawn. Allow the plugs to remain on the soil surface. Aerifying, overseeding, and slit-seeding (breaks up cores) may be an ideal level of renovation for many lawns.

Unfortunately, some lawn problems, such as soil problems of severe compaction, high clay levels, or poor drainage, require starting over. Remove existing grass or rototil it. High populations of perennial weed species may require use of a nonselective herbicide, such as glyphosate. Thoroughly work the soil to a depth of 6 inches. Add amendments such as compost, rotted manure, organic topsoil, peat, etc. Follow proper selection and establishment procedures (refer to fact sheets 1 through 6 of this series) to get the new lawn off to a good start.

The appearance and life of your carpet depends on the care it receives. Proper cleaning helps safeguard your carpet investment by keeping you from having to replace it before its time.
Cleaning your carpet the right way does not have to be difficult. It is important to use the right methods, equipment and cleaning products. Using improper methods, equipment or products can result in faster re-soiling, the reappearance of stains, or more serious damage to your carpet.
Maintaining your carpets starts with prevention. When possible, have people remove their shoes before walking on carpet. Also, use mats at entries to prevent moisture and dirt from getting on the carpet. Then clean and maintain your carpets following these 3 simple steps:
1.Dry Soil Removal: Regular vacuuming is the simplest and most important maintenance activity you can do to keep your carpet in the best possible condition. Ever wonder why worn carpet gets matted down and show visible traffic lanes? It is the abrasive nature of dirt and foot traffic that actually causes permanent damage / fraying of the carpet fibers causing them to loose their resiliency. Remember, vacuum, vacuum, vacuum!!!!
2.Clean Up Spills Fast: The faster you clean up a spill, the less likely it will turn into a permanent stain. When a spill occurs, blot up as much as possible with a white towel. Then, spray plain water through a spray bottle onto the area and blot again. Repeat the process until the towel comes up clean. If you own a wet dry vacuum, use it to pull as much moisture out of the carpet as possible or if possible, rent a good quality carpet extractor.
3.Extraction Deep Cleaning: Use a good quality extractor that applies a cleaning solution and then picks up the soiled solution. Use a cleaning chemical that is safe for stain resistant carpet and is designed for extraction cleaning. Some cleaning products can leave a sticky residue that can attract dirt and cause carpets to get dirty faster after cleaning.

Extraction Cleaning Tips:
Pre-Spray Traffic Lanes: Areas that are heavily trafficked and visibly dirty should be pre-sprayed prior to extracting to give cleaning chemicals more time to loosen up dirt. When extracting these areas, make one pass dispensing the cleaning solution followed by a pass with just the vacuum.
Use proper dilutions: Read the label and follow dilution recommendations. Using more than necessary won’t make your carpets any cleaner.
Use warm-hot tap water in the extractor: Using warm or hot tap water improves cleaning performance.
Allow Carpets Ample Time to Dry: Don’t allow people to walk on carpets until completely dry. To speed drying, promote air flow with a fan.

Following these steps will make your carpets look good and make them last for many years to come.

Lawn Aeration is a process that perforates the soil with small holes that allow water, air, and fertilizer through to get closer to the roots. This enables the roots to grow deeply, producing a healthier more vigorous lawn. Your lawn shows signs of stress and the need for aeration if it doesn’t turn green after fertilizing, or there is a presence of many worn areas throughout your lawn. Lawns only need to be aerated about once a year, and some, if they are only receiving moderate maintenance, need aeration about every two years. If your lawn has a problem with thatch (the composting grass from past mowing), it may be necessary to aerate a couple times a year instead of once as required by most lawns.

Thatch eventually forms a layer that acts as a barrier over the soil. Using a lawn aeration device to break through the thatch is much easier and less drastic than dethatching the entire lawn. An aeration device consists of a special tool that removes plugs from the soil. They’re available in motorized or manual tools, however, unless you’re aerating a small area, the manual tool is not recommended. These can usually be rented from landscaping companies or a tool rental store at a reasonable rate. There are two types of tools that are marketed as lawn aerators. One will simply punch holes in the soil, but will not remove plugs. This will only compact the soil around the holes and the holes will probably fill back in quickly. It’s recommended that you use the type that will actually remove the soil plugs, instead of poking holes in the soil.

An effective tool should produce holes at least three quarters of an inch in diameter and penetrate three inches deep. Also, the plugs should be no more than three inches apart. Aerate on a day that the ground is moist, but not soppy. If you aerate soil that’s too wet, or too dry, the aerating device will not penetrate the soil fully. The plugs that are left behind with aerating can be disposed of a couple ways. The best is probably just leaving them on the surface to dry for a day, and then mowing them to provide a beneficial top layer to your lawn. Other ways of disposing are raking them to break them up after they’re fully dried, or leaving them in your lawn to break down naturally. However, leaving them can make your lawn unsightly for a couple weeks, while the plugs are breaking down.
Article by www.greatlandscapingideas.com

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- joe