Lawn Garden Tips

Low-Maintenance Watering

• The grass of your lawn and any plants that are raised in the same soil should be watered properly. While specific techniques will depend on individual species, a rule of thumb to live by for those seeking low-maintenance care is to at least begin a serious watering effort once you notice blades and leaves starting to wilt. While it's generally better not to wait until things reach this level, you can still manage to raise a presentable landscape if you immediately take action upon noticing drought effects.

Read Seed Labels

• One of the most useful tips you can utilize when growing lawns and gardens is to actually pay close attention to the labels when you buy seed. Stay away from mixtures that do not specifically list the variety in the mixture to avoid buying poor-quality seed. Inspect the label for a percentage figure on the amount of weed seeds that are present. Look for germination percentages that exceed 75 percent.

Substituting Ground Cover

• Conditions that prohibit or severely obstruct the growth of regular grass can effectively be incorporated into your garden plans by substituting ground cover for turf grass. Ground cover is another good choice for those looking for low-maintenance lawn care, as it does not require mowing or frequent weeding. You can lead your lawn naturally toward your garden by growing a wildflower meadow.

Seeding vs. Sodding

• A new lawn requires a decision on whether to use seed or sod to start growth. Consider that seed is more affordable, offers a greater variety of grasses and will quickly develop a strong root system, but it also takes more time to get complete lawn coverage and will need regular maintenance to keep it moist after planting. Sod produces quicker results than seed and has a reduced weed problem, but it is more expensive, and the variety of grass types is much more limited.

Edging

• Improve the aesthetics of your lawn and garden by edging walkways through the lawn and garden areas. Edgings are used similarly to frames on a picture to create well-defined borders and provide a cleaner, crisper look. Edging materials include plastic, stone, wood and concrete.