If your lawn is starting to show signs telling you that it needs fertilization and for a while you have been contemplating applying an organic fertilizer instead of the traditional, synthetic stuff that you are used to, here are some arguments to convince you that going organic is, indeed, an excellent idea:

• Chemical-free safety for your lawn and your household – organic fertilizers are entirely composed of animal and plant matter, such manure, leaves, fruit and vegetable residues that decompose in the ground without leaving behind any toxic build-up;
• Your lawn will use exactly the amount of fertilizer that it needs – while it is difficult to get the optimum quantity of non-organic fertilizers right, organic fertilizer Denver retailers sell do not pose that risk. If you apply too much of your organic matter on the turf, Mother Nature will recycle it over time and will make good use of the extra nourishment;
• Slow release – organic fertilizers take longer to become absorbed and to decompose than synthetic nourishment, therefore the results also last longer and you will not need to reply the fertilizer as often as in the case of synthetic products;
• You can make your own organic fertilizer – all you need is a large bin and some patience. Collect all the organic waste produced in your household, such as fruit and vegetable residues and eggshells, and wait until the waste decomposes and turns to compost.

First Seen on: Why Choose Organic Lawn Fertilizer

Dog urine is among the worst enemies of grass – you might enjoy spending time playing with your dog in the grass, but your four-legged friend’s urine contains too much nitrogen for your turf to endure and might destroy your precious lawn. If you are struggling with grass damaged by dog urine, don’t worry, with some attention and care, you can save your lawn and restore its beauty. Here are some tips for you:

• Remove the damaged grass – burned grass does not come back to life, so you need to remove it;
• Spread limestone on the damaged area and add water – the combination will absorb what your dog has left on the grass and will restore the balance of the soil. Leave the limestone on the burned patch for around a week to let it do its job;
• Apply some fresh soil on the patch and sprinkle grass seeds on it the same way as you would normally spread grass seeds, then water the area gently, paying attention not to wash away the newly sprinkled seeds;
• Keep watering for a couple of weeks and try to keep your dog away from the area;
• Pay attention to your dog’s hydration – your dog’s urine might contain too much nitrogen because he or she is not properly hydrated, so your burned grass might be an indicator that your dog needs to drink more water.

For best results in getting rid of spots in your grass from pet urine use https://www.revive.com/products/dog-spot-treatment.

Originally Posted over here: Tips for Reviving Grass from Dog Urine

The perfect lawn needs not only year-around care and attention – it also needs its owner to develop a lawn care strategy, a detailed schedule that determines exactly how watering, mowing and fertilization will be done. While watering and mowing are activities performed more frequently and lawn owners can tell exactly when their grass needs water or is too long by simply looking at the lawn, determining when to apply fertilizers is more complicated, so here are a few tips for you to make developing that strategy easier and more efficient:

• Get your soil tested – the nutrient content and the pH level of the soil is determined by many factors and it changes all the time. To determine the best fertilizer and the fertilization intervals for your lawn, it is essential to know exactly what your soil is composed of and what type of supplements it needs, so start developing your plan by getting a sample of your soil tested in a lab – most grass varieties need a neutral pH, around 6.5;
• Start lawn care when it is warm enough outside as you will have to deal with how to bring back dead grass from dog urine from the winter months;
• Start the fertilization process with a product that contains nitrogen, potassium salts and phosphorous as well as a pre-emergent herbicide, then continue later with a combination of nutrients and weed preventer;
• Schedule two fertilization sessions, one in spring and one in fall.

First Posted on: Planning Out Your Fertilization Schedule for Green Grass

Lawn care can be very rewarding, but it can also be a frustrating experience if the outcome of your efforts seems to be far from what you expect.

One of the most common mistakes that lawn owners make is to water the lawn when they shouldn’t. Lawn heats up when it is exposed to very harsh sunshine during the day and pouring or sprinkling much colder water on the hot blades of grass will hurt and burn the plants. Watering when the air is very hot is also inefficient, because the hotter the air, the faster the water will evaporate, leaving your grass exposed to dryness and heat.

The best time to water your lawn is early in the morning, before 10 o’clock, when the sun’s heat is still bearable, when the air is still moist and you don’t need to worry about shocking your plants. If you do the watering in that interval, you will be able to apply water on plants that are of approximately the same temperature as the water, you will keep evaporation to the minimum and you will also allow your turf plenty of time to use the water and to become sufficiently dry before the first dewdrops appear in the evening.  Applying an organic lawn care product twice a year or as needed can be helpful too.

First Seen here: Deciding the Best Time to Water Your Lawn

Summer is just around the corner and with it comes heat and drought that can take their toll on your plants if they are too sensitive. However, if you select the right plants and drought tolerant grass, your garden will stay brightly colored and beautifully lush all summer, even when your plants get very little or no water. Here are some of the most attractive, drought-resistant plants:

• Agave – this succulent plant is native to the arid regions of South America and able to withstand dry weather almost endlessly. The plant collects dewdrops and moisture from the air and stores it to use it when water is not available from other sources;
• Bougainvillea – this bushy, brightly colored plant also thrives very well in drought. It grows fast even during prolonged heat and the beauty of its flowers does not seem to be affected by dryness;
• Blanket flower – these garden staples might look fragile, but they are, in fact, extremely hardy plants. They like beds that are permanently exposed to the sun’s rays and they are the perfect choice for experienced and beginner gardeners as well;
• Verbena – this great flower is just as well-known for its medicinal effects as for its unpretentious beauty. It thrives well in hot periods and it can survive extended drought without shedding a petal.

Article Source over here: What Are Drought Resistant Plants

Leaf barriers, also known as gutter guards, are great and simple inventions that get installed on top of or into gutter pipes to prevent leaves, twigs, feathers and other debris from accumulating in the gutters, thus preventing the clogging of gutter pipes and of the downspouts. Besides the obvious benefit of not having to climb up to your gutters after each storm to scrape debris out of them, leaf barriers come with other advantages, too. Here are some issues that can be prevented with leaf barriers:

• The prevention of water damage on the roof, on the walls and in the foundation – gutters have the role of directing water away from the roof and from the walls. If they get clogged, they cannot do their job and water can cause leaks in the roof, it can soak the walls and seep into the foundation, causing extensive damage quite quickly. Gutter guards prevent debris from reaching into the pipes, thus preventing clogging, too;
• The prevention of gutter damage – the debris that accumulates inside unguarded gutters can be heavy, especially if it gets soaked, and might cause gutter sagging. Debris absorbs water and it takes very long to dry, causing rust or damage to appear on the surface of the gutter pipes.  The leaves are better used as compost as the best lawn fertilizer you can find.

First Posted right here: What Are the Advantages Of Leaf Barriers

Thatch is a loose layer between the green part of the grass and the roots, usually composed of intermingled shoots, leaves and stems that have dried out and it starts appearing when the grass produces organic matter faster than it can be decomposed. While many turf owners decide to remove thatch, other consider it useful and keep it where it appears – here is how removing or keeping the thatch from the lawn affects the life of your turf:

• Insulation against wide temperature variations – extreme temperature changes are very harmful for any type of lawn, but thatch can efficiently insulate the soil, maintaining the temperature around the roots stable. However, if the layer of thatch on the grass is too thick and the appearance of brown patches on lawn, it might prevent the access of the sun’s warmth to the grass, so whether or not to keep the thatch on should be decided carefully;
• Fertilizer efficiency – without thatch, the fertilizer that you spread on the lawn might be more efficient;
• Draining – thatch on the lawn might prevent the grass from drying properly after extensive periods of rain. However, it also prevents the lawn from drying too quickly during droughty periods, so thatch can actually keep your lawn alive in certain situations.

First Posted here: Why Do People Thatch Their Yard?

Aphids, also called greenflies or blackflies, even though there are individuals of other colors as well, are small insects that thrive on the sap of plants. They are hardy little creatures that can survive almost any weather, therefore they might appear in every garden. They also multiply very quickly, therefore it is essential to implement proper prevention measures or, if they are already spreading in your garden, to take steps to control and eliminate them. Here are some tips:

• A spray with cold water – in some cases, dislodging the critters from the surface of your plants with a cold shower might be all it takes to get rid of aphids;
• Dusting with flour – plain, white flour causes constipation to the aphids, driving them away or killing them;
• Spray or wipe the leaves of the affected plants with soap water or with soap water mixed with some cayenne pepper. Repeat the process every 2-3 days for a couple of weeks;
• Use insecticides – you can also use special oils and soaps intended for combatting aphids. They are available in garden stores and they are efficient against the aphids without harming the rest of the plant or the environment in any way.  Make sure to apply a good organic fertilizer to your lawn and garden areas from Revive in Colorado after treatment of aphids to support growth of your plants.

Article Source on: Tips for Controlling Aphids on Your Plants

While healthy soil means a different thing for each plant, there are some features that healthy soil composition displays, wherever the land is located, whatever the purpose of usage:

• The ability to retain moisture – all plants need at least a little water and healthy soil is able to retain water for as long as the plant can get a new helping of its favorite nourishment, until the garden gets watered next or until it rains again;
• The right mineral composition – some plants need more nitrogen, others thrive better in environments that don’t get that much nitrogen, but all plants need minerals to be able to stay alive and to grow. You can call your soil healthy if it is able to supply your plants with the right nutrients;
• The presence of organic matter – organic matter is an essential component of healthy soil. It provides the plants with nutrients, it improves the mineral composition and the soil’s ability to retain water and it also prevents compaction;
• The presence of microorganisms – healthy soil is a balanced environment where the right types of fungi, insects and bacteria work to break up the soil and prevent the appearance of harmful microorganisms and pests.  Try fertilizer's such as Https://revive.com/ to enrich your soil.

Article Source right here: What Makes for Healthy Soil

Brown spots are among the most common lawn problems, experienced even by owners who take very good care of their turf. Here are some of the most probable causes:

• Mowing with dull blades – when the grass leaf is not cut with a freshly sharpened blade, the blunt blade tears, rather than cuts the grass, which stresses the plant so much that it cannot recover and dries out, leaving behind dry, brown residues;
• Mowing too low – if the grass is cut too short, the plants dry too quickly, before the next watering can hydrate and nourish them properly. The best height to mow is between 1.5 and 3.7 inches;
• Animal urine – pets like to urinate on the grass. If they return to the same spot too frequently, the nitrogen from the urine might burn your grass, and cause brown spots in grass to appear;
• Compacted soil – the soil in your garden is not of the same quality all over, in some areas it can get more compacted than in others. Grass does not thrive well in compacted soil because it cannot get enough air. Fortunately, the problem is easy to remedy with some aeration;
• The presence of roots – the roots of trees and shrubs are stronger than grass roots and they take away all the moisture from the grass, leaving it to dry out, even if you water it regularly and correctly.

Article Source on: What Causes Brown Spots in Grass?