Common Lawn Care Terms

Sprinklers

• Water is one of the key ingredients to a healthy, lush lawn. You may have recently purchased a home with an underground sprinkler system and are now faced with repairing a few components. Sprinkler heads consist of two types; spray and rotary. Rotary heads rotate to deliver water at high pressure, and spray heads operate at a lower pressure to deliver water in different fixed spray patterns: full, half and quarter circles. Pop-up heads automatically rise when the water goes on and drop back down at the end of the watering cycle. Bubblers are used to water individual plants such as trees and shrubs. If one of these components breaks, bring it with you if possible when shopping for a replacement.

Mowing and Edging

• Another component of a beautiful lawn is regular mowing. Lawnmowers come in a variety of types, from push to gas-powered to electric. Some are self-propelled, making them easier to push, particularly uphill. Edging refers to trimming the grass where it meets an island, path or driveway. Edgers can be gas-powered, battery-powered or electric and use a nylon string to cut the grass. A mow strip is a physical separation between the lawn and another area, making it easier to trim the edges of the lawn with a lawnmower.

Weed Control

• Weeds are the bane of most home gardeners' existence, and keeping them at bay often seems like a full-time job. To prevent new weeds from growing and to kill existing weeds, use a natural or synthetic herbicide. Herbicides are classified according to what stage of weed growth they affect. Pre-emergent herbicides tend to stop the growth of new weeds in your lawn. Post-emergent herbicides act on existing weeds. Translocated post-emergent herbicides are absorbed by the plant, which dies as the chemical alters its metabolism. Contact post-emergent herbicides kill only the part of the plant it comes in contact with.

Maintenance and Renovation

• Whether you are renovating or simply maintaining your lawn, you may have to dethatch and aerate it to bring it back to its previous glory. Thatch is the layer of dead grass and roots that accumulate above the soil's surface and can choke a lawn if not removed. You can use a dethatching rake to remove the thatch. Aerating involves making holes in the lawn to allow moisture, oxygen and nutrients to soak into the soil; aerating also breaks up accumulated thatch. You can use a hand or gas-powered aerator to aerate your lawn.