Month: June 2021

How to Patch & Repair Bare Spots in Your Lawn

Whether your yard is bald and bare, or the grass looks thin, one thing is certain — patchy lawns look terrible. Until automatic, self-repairing lawns are invented, the next best thing is quick and easy bare spot repair. Keep reading to find out how to patch and repair bare spots using the best products and tips for the job.

 

Step 1: Ready, Set, Repair

Throughout the seasons, a number of things do a number on lawns — foot traffic, pets going about their business, rodents and insects and even ice-melting salt during the winter. You can easily repair thin or bare areas with an all-in-one product, like Scotts Turf Builder EZ Seed. Guaranteed to grow grass anywhere, EZ Seed features a unique combination of Scotts high-performance seed, continuous-release fertilizer and Scotts super-absorbent growing material that expands as it absorbs water, helping keep seed from drying out.

Before applying EZ Seed, always rake up the top layer of soil and remove any dead grass — your new seedlings will need contact with the soil and room to establish their roots. Now apply EZ Seed and water in!

If your grass is a St. Augustine grass lawn, you’ll want to sod or plug your bare spots. Purchase a few pieces of sod or enough plugs to cover your bare spots from your local garden center. Then prepare the area by applying a generous layer of Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Soil. Scotts Lawn Soil provides an excellent base for new sod or plugs because it improves moisture retention. Lay the sod pieces or plugs directly on top of the soil, tamp down with your feet, then water. Water grass daily for a least a week, and then only as necessary.

HELPFUL TIP

If you don’t know what type of grass you have, cut out a small sample from a good spot in your lawn and bring it in to your local True Value hardware store for a little help. There are many grass types and seeding solutions from which to choose.

Grass seed germinates in temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live in the North, spring and fall are the best times to plant. If you are in a Southern region, spring and early summer are the best times for you to repair your lawn.

 

Step 2: Fertilize Regularly

Regular feedings help your lawn to be its best and keep it strong in the face of future problems. For your best lawn feed about every 6-8 weeks.

To make the job easier and more efficient, use a broadcast spreader. This particular type of spreader covers the most area evenly and quickly. Pour the recommended amount of fertilizer into the spreader hopper.

HELPFUL TIPS

Measure your yard in square feet. Instructions on the fertilizer package will inform you of how many pounds or ounces (for liquid fertilizers) per square feet need to be applied. For reference, 10 lbs. per 1,000 sq. feet is a common application.

Don’t fill the spreader hopper over your lawn. The fertilizer can spill, and in high concentrations, actually harm the grass instead of helping it

Apply the fertilizer in the same way you would mow. Using a sidewalk, driveway or other non-grass surface as a guide and a starting point, begin pushing the spreader parallel to the surface and work your way across the lawn, turning at each end and directing the spreader alongside the row you just completed so that coverage almost overlaps. The fertilizer drops from the hopper and is dispersed as you move. Keep a slow, steady pace. Read your spreader’s manufacturer’s instructions for exact directions on how to use it. Many models allow you to set the amount that is dispersed. Be careful that you don’t over-fertilize by checking the fertilizer package to verify the recommended spreader setting.

Tender seedlings, as well as existing grass, need nutrients to help grow thick and full. For southern lawns, immediately after repairing bare spots with Scotts EZ Seed, feed your whole lawn with Scotts Southern Turf Builder with 2% Iron. Designed especially for Southern lawns affected by brutal heat and drought, Southern Turf Builder delivers much-needed nutrients to stressed and hungry lawns.

Newly planted seeds need food to grow. If you used Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed you can apply Scotts Turf Builder Starter Food for New Grass in two to four weeks after planting, while EZ Seed comes with lawn food already in the product. Once your grass is established, you can use Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food every four to six weeks to make sure it has the nutrients it needs to stay thick and green.

HELPFUL TIP

Hold off on weed control products until the grass is well-established. A good rule of thumb is to wait until you have mowed at least four times.

 

Step 3: Water Well

Water the newly seeded or sodded areas frequently until seedlings develop and have a chance to fill in, usually one to four weeks. Then water less frequently. It’s best to water deeply once a week under normal weather conditions or a bit more often when it’s extremely dry. A good, thorough soaking rather than a quick watering ensures that the water gets down to the root system. This helps roots grow strong and deep for a thick, more drought-resistant lawn.

You can mow your new grass once it is between 2” to 3” tall.

That’s it! Here’s to a thick lush lawn that’s the envy of the neighborhood.

 

courtesy of True Value

 

back to all newsletters

How to Clean & Store Garden Tools

You don’t have to wait until the end of the season to protect your tool investment. It’s good practice to rinse your tools off after each use, dry them thoroughly and apply a light coat of oil to all metal parts. Use a stiff-bristle brush to clean stubborn, hard-to-remove dirt. If you make this a routine, you won’t have to do much at the end of the season when it comes to preparing your gardening tools for winter storage.

You should have a designated space or worktable where you can inspect your tools and perform any necessary maintenance. Covering the area with newspaper or plastic sheeting will not only protect the area, but it will also make it easier to clean up after you’re done.

Be sure to store your tools off the ground and away from moisture and other elements. Garages and basements with direct outdoor access are good storage places as long as they are dry. If you don’t have a place to store your tools and equipment, you may want to consider building or purchasing a tool shed.

 

Step 1: Check Blades

Before storing your equipment for the off-season, sharpen or replace blades on tools that cut or dig. You’re digging and cutting tools’ blades get worn down over time, but filing can easily sharpen any nicked or dull blades. Hone and maintain the sharp edge of all cutting tools with a medium-grit sharpening stone. For faster cutting, wet the stone with water or lubricate it with honing oil, depending on the type of stone you’re using.

SAFETY ALERT!

Wear heavy gloves when cleaning or sharpening sharp cutting tools. Wear goggles when using a wire brush to remove rust and dirt.

Sharpen very dull hedge trimmer blades by moving a file away from and diagonally across the sharp edge, making sure you maintain the factory bevel. Then decrease the angle slightly and hone just the last 1/16″ of the blade with a sharpening stone. If you’re trimmer has a serrated blade, do not attempt to sharpen it.

Most digging tools aren’t sold sharpened, so you should sharpen them from the very start. The more you use your digging tools, the duller they get. File the working edge to a 45-degree bevel with a coarse file.

Because a bow saw cuts in both directions, use a triangular file to sharpen both sides of each of the saw’s teeth to a 45- to 60-degree bevel. To keep track of where you are, file every other tooth starting at one end of the blade. Then file the remaining teeth the same way, working from the opposite end. Always file toward the sharp edge.

HELPFUL TIP

Clamp a pair of boards on the blade and lock it in a bench vise so you won’t have to keep changing the blade position in the vise.

Once the blades have all been sharpened and before you store these tools for the off-season, use a wire brush to remove surface rust and dirt. Wipe down the metal with light oil to protect it from corrosion, especially if you store the tools in a damp garage or basement.

 

Step 2: Check Handles

Check your tools’ handles for any splinters, breaks and cracks. Smooth weathered, rough wooden handles with a medium-grit emery cloth. Emery cloth doesn’t tear as easily as sandpaper. The handles should be smooth enough to slide your hand along. If the wood is very rough, first sand across the grain in a “shoe-shine” fashion. Then finish by sanding with the grain.

HELPFUL TIP

Wipe a dry handle down with a heavy coat of linseed oil at the end of the season to rejuvenate and protect the wood over the winter months.

Sometimes repairing a handle isn’t a safe option. In these cases, it may be worthwhile to replace the handle of a favorite, high quality tool. Don’t attempt to glue or tape a broken wooden handle. You should always replace it. Use a ball-peen hammer or a block of wood with a nail hammer to knock the tool head out of the ferule on the handle.

SAFETY ALERT!

Never strike a metal tool with a nail hammer. It may chip off dangerous metal projectiles. Always wear eye protection when using a hammer to make a repair.

 

Step 3: Maintain Your Mower

Before you give your lawn mower the season off, remove its fuel by running the mower until it runs out of gas and the motor stops. Don’t just dump the fuel out. Change the oil and remove the spark plugs. Change the spark plugs if necessary. Reinstall the spark plug without connecting the ignition cable, and add a small amount of oil to the crankcase.

You don’t want to store a dirty mower. Thoroughly clean the engine and frame of the mower. Use a scraper to remove any built-up dirt and grass clippings on the underside of the mower and rinse the underside with a garden hose. Once it’s clean, check the condition of the blade. If the blade needs sharpening, use a heavy file to remove dull edges. If the blade looks a little worse-for-wear, you can simply replace it so it’s ready come spring.

 

Step 4: Winterize Your Grass Trimmer

Remove all dirt, grease and debris from the trimmer using a stiff-bristle brush. Tighten all screws and nuts on your grass trimmer. Drain the fuel tank, remove the spark plug and add a small amount of oil into the cylinder. Pull the starting cord a couple of times to distribute the oil. Reinstall the spark plug, but don’t connect the ignition cable.

 

Step 5: Prepare Other Power Equipment

If you have a tractor, riding mower or other battery-powered lawn equipment, remove the battery and charge it completely. Store your equipment inside, and consider charging the battery once or twice over the winter. That way, it’s sure to be ready when it’s time to use it.

For other equipment like leaf blowers and tillers, be sure to check all moving parts for damage or wear. Remove caked-on debris and clean thoroughly. Cover any bare metal parts with oil or rust preventive.

 

courtesy of True Value

back to all newsletters