HowToDoThings.com Lawns & Ground Cover

How To Patch Grass With Jello

thedave — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:59:39 -0500

Looking to repair those unsightly bald or brown spots in your otherwise beautiful green lawn? If you've attempted to patch a small area of your grass in the past, you probably know how difficult it is to sow those tiny grass seeds evenly throughout the bald area. For large areas, a seed spreader or perhaps laying sod would be ideal, but for small patches, Jello will do the trick. You'll have a perfectly patched lawn, and it's simple to do. Here's how:

How To Get Revenge with Your Remote Control Sprinkler

ericrogers — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:11:29 -0500

One of the greatest joys of owning your own home is the yard that comes with it. It’s your land to enjoy however you see fit--growing a garden, putting in a pool, mowing crop circles to communicate with alien races to let them know that anal probing won’t answer their questions…

How To Plant a Lawn from Sod

thedave — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:55:24 -0600

Whether you wish to plant a new lawn, or just repair an existing one, sod is an excellent choice. Yes, it is a bit more expensive than it would be to just plant from seed. However, the benefits of planting sod as opposed to seed will overshadow the cost. Sod provides an instantly beautiful lawn, giving you immediate gratification. Sod has already developed a healthy root system which will allow you to save money and time on the additives and treatments required for seedlings to develop. And the dense roots embedded within the soil of the sod create a thick barrier, making it very difficult for weeds to penetrate. This will allow for a fuller and healthier lawn, which will require much less maintenance than one started from seed.

How To Water Your Lawn and Garden Correctly

Mike342 — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:50:53 -0500

The two most basic rules of watering are very simple: Never water ANYTHING in the evening or at the height of the day.

Morning is ALWAYS Right. Plants are most receptive to water at this time of day, because their cells are ‘opening up’ to accept the morning dew through their leaves. (This is why foliar feeding, when you spray something like compost tea directly on plants to feed them, should only be done in the early morning). The plants’ roots are also most receptive to water in the morning, and will utilize any moisture you provide with the utmost efficiency.

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How To Grow a Moss Garden

Staff468 — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:57:00 -0500

Samurai movies, anime, and moss gardens... what do they have in common? All three rose to popularity in Japan before moving west into our cultural consciousness. In the case of moss gardens, the Japanese have been growing them for centuries; from a religious perspective, moss gardens have been thought to elicit a calm, contemplative state of mind.

There are many different mosses from which to choose as you plan your moss garden - yellows, greens, browns, even white varieties. Some, like cushion mosses, provide just what their name suggests, while rock cap mosses naturally offer a vibrant covering on any large rocks you'd like to put in your moss garden. Some plants that we consider mosses are technically not moss at all, but rather are classified as liverworts or hornworts. These plants look and behave similarly to moss. As they are all non-vascular plants, they lack roots, leaves and stems.

How To Sample, Test and Analyze Soil

Tonya249 — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 18:18:00 -0600

Testing your soil is a necessary step in determining what your plants will need to grow well and stay healthy. Without a clear idea of your soil's make-up, you can throw all kinds of things into it, but they may not be the right things, or they may be completely unnecessary. Think of it as trying to make your grandma's beef stew without a recipe - you can probably guess at some of the right ingredients, but without that recipe, it'll never turn out exactly the way you hope.

How To Choose a Lawn Sprinkler System

Tonya249 — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 18:19:00 -0500

A lush, green, perfectly manicured lawn is the ultimate goal of many homeowners. However, unless you are fortunate enough to live in an area which receives abundant rainfall each year (Seattle, anyone?), you'll probably need a little help with the "green" part. A lawn sprinkler system can ensure that your grass receives the proper amount of moisture throughout the year.

How To Repair Sprinkler Systems

Bryan344 — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 14:00:00 -0500

Sprinkler systems are a necessity for anyone with a lawn. They'll save you time, money and headaches. However, repairing a broken sprinkler system is less than desirable. There are plenty of factors that go into repairing a sprinkler system, but the first step is determining what is in need of repair and where the problem lies. Once the initial assessment is done, the rest is relatively simple -- it just takes a little work to accomplish. Essentially, there are two places that you can break a sprinkler system: a main line (possibly when aerating) or a sprinkler head (usually when mowing a lawn). Breaking sprinkler heads is common, so don't feel bad if you do.

Repairing a Main Line

Determine where the line is broken. This is usually done by locating the puddle of water in the lawn or simply the geyser that's now in the lawn.

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How To Choose Garden Tractors

Bryan344 — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 11:37:00 -0500

If you're in the process of choosing a lawn tractor, you must make sure that you actually have a need for one. Lawn tractors are not only expensive, but they're bulky as well; storing one could create a problem for some of you. Also, if your yard is less than half an acre, you may not want to consider buying a tractor because the costs can often outweigh the benefits.

Each lawn tractor has different engine size, deck size (size of the cutting area), transmission types, possible accessory attachments and brand name.

How To Prevent and Control Soil Erosion

Tonya249 — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 17:57:00 -0500

Soil erosion occurs when wind or water washes away the topsoil from an area of land. Some erosion is natural, but it quickly becomes problematic when people begin cultivating the land. It's important to prevent soil erosion, because land that has been stripped of its topsoil will not support any kind of plant life.