In dry climates like Arizona, where water conservation is increasingly important, many homeowners are exploring alternatives to traditional lawns. Companies such as RM Artificial Grass Phoenix have seen growing interest in low-maintenance, eco-friendly turf solutions that reduce environmental impact without sacrificing curb appeal.

This takes a lot of effort, and there are many tools and products available to make this easier, but many of these options come with dire environmental effects. Lawns are increasingly understood as an environmental issue on every level, so working to mitigate the environmental impact of your lawn is an essential part of lawn care in the modern world. Let us take a quick look at how to reduce your environmental impact while maintaining a perfect green lawn.

What is the Problem with Lawns?

Lawns have major issues. The largest of these is the lack of biodiversity: a lawn is a large area with pretty much no variety in the plants and insects living there. Technically, most lawns are classified as biodiversity deserts because there are so few creatures living there. That is fixable, though, and we will cover that below.

The other major problem with lawns is their water consumption. The grass is thirsty, and large lawns use a huge amount of water, which is increasingly a problem in states like California, where lawns cause water shortages for surrounding communities.

Fertilization

Commercial fertilizers might make your lawn look great, but they have devastating environmental impacts. Chemicals from fertilizers are washed away into local waterways, where they cause incredibly fast algal growth. The algae use up all the nutrients, and everything else in the water dies. Fish, plants, insects… everything. This leads to waterways in crisis, filled with dead fish.

Fortunately, there are alternatives you can find at bestofmachinery. Most fertilizers focus on adding nitrogen to your lawn, but there are plants that do that all on their own. Simply plant micro clovers among the grass of your lawn, and these will work as a natural fertilizer without any of the issues!

Fortunately, there are alternatives. Most fertilizers focus on adding nitrogen to your lawn, but there are plants that do that all on their own. Simply plant micro clovers among the grass of your lawn, and these will work as a natural fertilizer without any of the issues!

Irrigation

Lawns need water. A lot of water. They are causing major water shortages in states such as California, and this is only getting worse as we come to understand the effects of climate change more. Fortunately, lawns do not need clean drinking water: rainwater is fine. If you set up a rainwater barrel under your gutters, you can collect water to use on your lawn without needing to use the drinking water supplies!

In response to hosepipe restrictions and water shortages, as well as to save money and energy on water usage, many are switching over from traditional lawns to artificial grass alternatives. While there are environmental concerns surrounding modern fake grass solutions, they can often save money in the long run on water usage as they don’t require regular maintenance, and they also remove the need for use of chemicals and pesticides in the garden.

If you’re thinking of switching to an artificial turf in your garden space, you want to make sure that you’re selecting a high-quality, long-lasting range that won’t need to be replaced. UK supplier Grass Warehouse suggest a turf with dense, tightly packed fibres that will bounce back into shape over time, and one that is UV-protected so that it will maintain its colour long-term.

Conclusion

Lawn care does not have to be environmentally disastrous. You just need to put in the time and the energy to look after your lawn with the minimum possible environmental impact. It might not be the easiest option, but it is an important thing to prioritize. Looking after the environment is essential, particularly as the effects of extreme weather events continually get worse and more frequent. If you are going to maintain a large lawn, it is essential that you ensure you look after it responsibly, rather than just dumping pesticides, fertilizers, and drinking water supplies all over it. Social and environmental responsibility is for everyone!

Photos By: Unsplash

The cold weather will be gone before you know it and you’ll soon be back to taking care of lawns and landscapes. With that in mind, now is the time to start marketing your lawn care services, if you have not already. Most people are looking forward to the spring and summer as a time when life may start to resemble normalcy again and people are already thinking about their yards and the work that needs to be done. Getting the word out about your business now and lining up your clients ensures you won’t miss a beat come spring. To make the most of your marketing resources now, keep the following tips in mind.

Reach Out to Past Customers

Now is about the time when your customers are starting to receive seed catalogs and other springtime marketing in the mail, so reaching out to your past customers and reminding them it’s time to schedule lawn care isn’t completely ill-timed. A friendly postcard or email reminding them to get in touch with you helps you maintain top of mind awareness and lock in customers.

Although you may have seen a downturn in business last year, it is important to let your customers know that you are still in business, and ready to help improve their lives. For example, it’s possible that many of your customers who opted to care for their own lawns last year because they were home more realized that they couldn’t achieve the same results. Reaching out with a message that acknowledges the struggles of DIY lawn care, and how you can help, is likely to help you recapture some of the business lost in 2020.

Any communication with your current and former customers should provide an incentive for scheduling service early (such as a discount or a free add on service) and create a sense of urgency. The grass might be buried under the snow right now, but it won’t be for long, so now is the time to act.

Maximize Your Social Media Presence

Customers aren’t just searching Google to find local lawn service providers. They are checking out social media — and looking at what others have to say. Effective marketing requires a robust social media presence. You can use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other platforms to build your brand and engage customers starting now. Try sharing lawn and garden tips, photos, and information that customers can use themselves, and turn your business into a trusted resource for the community.

Highlight Safety

Safety and hygiene are at the top of mind for most people these days and there may be some who are reluctant to hire a lawn service out of concerns related to COVID-19 and social distancing. Your marketing, therefore, should highlight your safety protocols and what your company is doing to keep both customers and your team safe. Inform customers that you follow all CDC recommendations, including wearing facial coverings when required, maintaining social distance, and following hand washing precautions. Now is also a great time to begin using new technology, or expanding how you use technology, to keep customers safe. Consider offering virtual consultations, for instance, FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype, to discuss jobs with customers. Contactless payment options, communicating via text, and other electronic communication tools should be used to limit face-to-face interactions and help your customers feel safer.

Focus on Benefits

After a year of uncertainty, your landscaping company marketing should focus on your reliability, and the quality of your services. Make it clear that customers can count on you, and that you can solve their problems. Remember that many people are busier than ever, wearing multiple hats as they manage their careers, educating their kids, and the stress of the pandemic. Highlighting what you can take off their plates can get their attention and spur them to pick up the phone.

Another benefit to consider highlighting is the improvement to outdoor spaces. Again, with your customers spending more time than ever at home, outdoor spaces have taken on new importance. Show how you can make spaces functional, attractive, and safe for families, both now and once life returns to normal. After all, it’s only a matter of time before we can gather again, and your clients are going to want comfortable, well-maintained spaces to do that in.

2020 required a great deal of creativity and plenty of pivots. Undoubtedly 2021 has some additional surprises in store, but by developing your marketing plan now, and building authentic relationships with your customers, you can bounce back from last year and come back stronger than ever.

Photos By: Pixabay

For a start, you need to mow your lawn regularly in the growing seasons – that’s from the middle of spring until the fall – and if you have a sizeable yard, that can be quite a lot of work. It also needs to be watered if it is to grow, which means constant attention in drier climates. In this article, we’re talking about lawn mowers and what you need to know about them before you buy one, so let’s get started.

Types of Lawnmower 

The lawnmower has been around for a long time and remains an essential tool for any yard, no matter the size. In the early days, they were simple, push-along machines – such models can still be bought today as we are about to see – but now there are far more sophisticated designs available covering a wide range of options. Let’s talk about the main types of lawnmower:

Push Along – this is a design that has hardly changed in decades. A rotating set of blades turns with the wheels as you push the machine along and cuts the grass. These may be simple and lack sophistication but, for anyone with a very small area of grass, they are perhaps the best choice as they are easy to use in small spaces.

Electric/Gas Unpowered – the electric motor or gas motor lawnmower is a must for anyone who has an average-sized yard. With these models, the cutting blade is powered – either a set of horizontal spinning blades or a turbine type – but the mower needs to be pushed by the user in the direction needing to be cut.

Electric/Gas Self-Propelled – same as the above except a more powerful motor also powers the wheels, so all the user has to do is point it in the right directions and steer it, plus operate the brake and clutch for stopping and safety.

Ride-On – used by people with larger lawns, as well as by commercial and municipal operators, the ride-on mower s like a small tractor with cutting blades. These are steered by a conventional steering wheel and have settings including speed and cutting height (also available on the other types) and are the most expensive of all.

If you want to read more about the different types, we recommend you have a look at TraditionalGardening.com for detailed advice and information. Now let’s consider which type is for you.

Choosing the Right Lawnmower 

So, which type of lawnmower should you buy? The answer is the one that is most suitable for your yard, so ask yourself these questions:

• How big is my lawn?
• Is my lawn flat or on a slope?
• What is my budget?

These are the questions to start with that should give you a choice of options. Consider an ordinary suburban front lawn, and let’s call that average size. If you have an average size lawn or smaller, you will find using a push-along mower or an electric model that is not self-propelled may be adequate. However, even if your lawn is of average size, if it has gradients, you need to consider that pushing uphill can be hard work, so a self-propelled model is certainly a good idea. If you have a garden that is larger than average or very large, a self-propelled model is highly recommended. For the largest lawns, a ride-on mower may be the best choice for keeping your lawn in trim in the least possible time. As for the budget, you need to decide what you can spend early in the decision-making process. A good push along mower will cost very little, but when you get into the realms of the self-propelled mowers, you can be looking at several hundred dollars for a good model. Check out the link we gave you and see what you can find out about mowers within your budget.

Keeping Your Lawn Tidy

You may not be aware, but there is, in fact, a right and a wrong way to mow the lawn! It’s all about how short you cut it and how often you do so, and it helps to know when the grass will grow and when it remains dormant. All of these points and more are covered in this guide on how to mow a lawn correctly from the respected Royal Horticultural Society in the UK, and it makes for interesting reading.

Regular mowing not only keeps your grass looking beautiful for longer but also encourages it to grow, so you have lush green grass all year. It also keeps the weeds at bay. Check out lawnmowers in more detail, and you will find one that does the job for you at a price you can afford.

Photos By: Unsplash

You need to get all the necessary information about the type of grass that would be good for the region you’re living in and all the necessary equipment that will help you to keep it in a tip-top condition. These are some of the basic tools you need to take care of your green garden patch throughout the year.

Lawn Mower

To keep your grass blade at the perfect size, it’s important to have a good lawnmower. There is a great variety of these machines so make sure you do your research and buy from the one that will correspond to your needs. For larger areas, you should probably go for a petrol mower while medium and small patches could be easily maintained by an electric or even push along mower. The price of this piece of equipment will vary depending on the power type you choose.

Drop Spreaders

Another piece of equipment that will help you with the maintenance of your garden is a drop spreader. The purpose of this tool is to apply grass seed, fertilizer, and other granular products to your garden and lawn. You will be able to cover the area in a controlled manner and provide your green oasis with the proper nutrients. When it comes to the best drop spreaders on the market, you can buy those that use a push mechanism or those that are pulled behind the utility vehicle. To make an appropriate decision about the type, you need to take into consideration the size of the yard. Due to its even and accurate distribution, there is no risk of spreading too much or too little of lawn care products. Another good thing about this gardening equipment is that it can reach those sections of your garden that are not easily accessible.  

Watering Hose

For your yard to have that lush green color, it’s important to water your lawn regularly. Proper watering practice will strengthen the grass-root making it stronger and healthy, even during the winter months. We don’t need to mention how important this practice is during the summer months when rain happens rarely. However, it’s important not to overdo it. Too much water will produce shallow rooting and make the lawn weaker. You will have to adjust your hosing schedule based on the season as well as the type of grass you planted in your yard. Make sure you get information about the plant that is the most suited for the region you live in. If you choose correctly, you will have to worry less about maintenance. An appropriate grass type will allow you to conserve water and hence have a smaller monthly utility bill.  

If you want to have a healthy and lush grass in your yard, these are some of the basic gardening tools you’ll have to have in your shed. They will help you to take care of it in the best way possible, but make sure you pick those that will fit the size of your lawn.   

Photo By: Dresser Homes

Purchasing a house is one of the most exciting yet daunting decisions that many people face. Choosing the right property is crucial since this is where you will be spending your time with family, gathering with friends, and savoring your time alone. You should also know that owning the perfect home for you and your family comes with specific responsibilities, and that includes keeping your lawn clean. Not everyone is lucky to have an outdoor space within his or her property. A well-kept lawn not only boosts your home’s appearance but also provides you and your family a space to relax and have fun. Aside from increasing the curb appeal of your property, a well-maintained and landscaped lawn has several benefits, such as:

• It provides a safe place to spend the day with family and friends
• It gives you additional privacy by deterring potential intruders
• It helps to reduce glare and absorbs noise pollution
• It acts as a safety barrier for your home
• It provides a cooling effect and improves air quality
• It helps you to contribute towards beautifying your neighborhood
• It provides flood and erosion control

Moreover, taking care of your lawn need not be too complicated. There are easy and practical ways to grow and keep your yard clean and healthy.

Tips on How to Maintain Your Lawn

New homeowners may worry about not being able to care for their lawns correctly or adequately. These practical tips will help you keep your lawn in its best condition, no matter what season it is. 

Photo By: K&D Landscape Management

1. Take Note of the Lawn Landscaping and Maintenance Tasks

As a new homeowner, it can be easy to forget the tasks that need to be done to care for one’s lawn. The best way to remember doing these tasks is to create a to-do list and post on a corkboard. You can also set up reminders using a smartphone calendar app. In general, these are the tasks that you mustn’t forget to do:

• Mowing and watering the lawn
• Removing weeds and unwanted plants
• Aerating and fertilizing the lawn
• Trimming hedges of trees and plants

2. Mow the Lawn Regularly (But Not Too Often)

Avoid removing more than one-third of the grass length. Mowing too often may encourage weeds to grow. So, make sure to leave at least 5 to 7 days in between mowing. There are different kinds of lawn mowers available. Be sure to choose the one that you’re comfortable using.

Photo By: Eldorado Stone

3. Water the Lawn Adequately

There are different ways to hydrate your lawn. You can use a garden hose to water your lawn if the area isn’t too big. However, the most efficient way to water a lawn is by installing a sprinkler system. While it’s pricier, you can be sure that the sprinkler system reaches all the areas of your yard that need watering. It’s best to water the lawn early morning. However, use just enough water (about 1 inch to 1 ½ inch) every 2 to 3 days. Sprinkler and irrigation systems can be programmed to set the watering schedule required to keep your lawn hydrated.

4. Get Rid of Weeds

Weeds steal the nutrients that the grass and plants on your lawn should be getting. It’s, therefore, crucial to remove them before they take over your yard. A walk-behind-trimmer from UrbanOrganicYield.com will help to get rid of thick foliage and stubborn weeds. If your lawn has too much weed growing, you can apply DIY weed treatments from gardening stores or seek professional tradespersons.

Photo By: Lindsey Adams Construction Inc.

5. Call a Reputable Lawn Care Service

Reach out to a reliable service provider near you to help in trimming hedges and trees. They can also add stones and mulch to your lawn to make it more attractive and resistant to weeds. You can also rely on professional tradespeople to aerate and fertilize the yard if you’re not yet confident of doing so yourself. Fertilizing the lawn helps keep the soil rich in essential nutrients. Aerating the lawn helps keep the soil moist and allows the plants to absorb water and fertilizer. There are many things that you, as a new homeowner, can do to keep your lawn pristine and fresh. However, it won’t hurt to seek professional help from a lawn care service provider or a landscaping contractor to ensure that your lawn is healthy.

Takeaway

If you’ve recently bought a home, you should know that there are many areas of the house that require maintenance or upkeep. With proper time management, every new homeowner like you can easily keep a lawn clean and green using the right gardening and landscaping tools. Professional lawn care services can also help you take care of your lawn on an as-needed basis. Use the tips mentioned above and to take good care of your lawn.

Having smooth, lush green grass can improve the landscape of your house. Installing turf for grass is a great alternative to using natural grass. Your children and pets can play all day without worrying about getting dirty.  Athletic fields around the world from professional leagues and Olympic stadiums to sports fields in schools are using turf as grass. Turf can withstand heavy usage and is very versatile. Visit crownturf.ca to learn more about why you should choose turf. If you are deciding on whether to grow natural grass or install an artificial grass, perhaps these five frequently asked questions can help you find the right answers.

Is It Safe for Children and Pets?

Turf grass is durable and very safe for children and pets. If the turf is installed properly, the chance of your children and pets falling over is reduced compared to natural grass which is sometimes uneven. Several variations of turf include soft foam pads underneath the grass to serve as a cushion. Turf is also proven to be pet-friendly and will not cause itching and irritation. A lot of professional fields use turf grass for games and as such, the quality, safety, and performance of the turn are heavily tested.

Is It Difficult to Maintain?

Natural grass turns into mud when it’s raining while turf friends remain intact. This way, you won’t be dragging mud throughout your home and keep your hardwood floors looking brand new! Once installed, the grass is ready for use and will not require more time to grow. Natural grass requires time and effort to plant and grow and even with proper maintenance and care, certain areas can still wear down making the field look patchy and uneven. There also external factors to consider when you have natural grass such as bugs and insects that can damage the field and the use of pesticides and fertilizer. You can avoid all these problems if you choose to install turf for grass.

Is It Expensive?

The initial cost of installing turf grass may be more expensive than natural grass but the return on investment is guaranteed. The process itself is both cost and time effective. Installing a turf can take a few days or weeks but planting natural grass and growing them to the desired height and volume can take several months.

Is It Environment-friendly?

With artificial turf, you can help the environment by saving on water, reducing pesticide use and producing less pollution. In places where the weather is always warm, the amount of water necessary for a single household to maintain the health of grass can reach up to 500 liters a day. For sports field, it can be 100 times more which is a lot of waste especially if the grass is not being used all year around. Artificial turf does not require mowing, therefore, there is no use for electric-powered lawn equipment.

How Long Does It Last?

An artificial turf can last for 10 to 15 years with minimum maintenance while a natural grass needs to be maintained regularly and even replanted on several occasions. Others can even extend beyond 15 years. Turf grass normally comes with a 10-year product warranty which makes repair and replacement for normal wear and tear easy.