Lawns Hub

Blogging about lawns and lawn care

Archive for May, 2008


southwest lawn decor

Southwest lawn decor only slightly differs from garden decor offered all around the world. In the Southwest, lawn decor can take the actual forms of local features, such as cactus and its unique and interesting formations or the local animal populations. Otherwise, many of the same items appearing “back East”, such as wind-driven flags, whirligigs, weather vanes and the like all pertain equally here.

Of note and a caveat of sorts is to remember the overwhelming more sunlight and the resultant exposure to UV rays of the Southwest versus almost any other area. Sunlit days are wonderful things, full of vitamin D and the blissful blooms of never-ending flowers. On the negative side of things, such sunlight can wash color out of fabric in an amazing fast time. I suggest extreme care be taken in protecting articles of lawn decor from the effects of prolonged and quite brutal exposure to an astounding amount and ferocity of sunlight and its attendant harm.

Finally, inasmuch as lawns are such a gorgeous contrast to the heat of Summers in the Southwest, Southwest lawn decor will undou8btelt want to mimic the more “cool” colors and tendencies of the lawn itself. There was no mystery at the brilliant azure blues of Muslim Temples in the Middle East, where the weather is quite similar. Those gorgeous deep blues and greens provide visual relief and a felt contrast to the unending sunlight.

remote control lawn mower

Remote control lawn mower technology has actually reached a viable stage. Mind you, there is a learning curve with this sucker and there are not many brands out there, but someone has combined game technology with a gasoline-powered lawn mower resulting in a machine which you can actually drive from elsewhere. This thing has to be a hugely fun toy for the guy who has everything! Or it may be just another cool way to have some fun while enjoying your lawn maintenance chores.

I would be interested in a consumer report on this monstrosity, myself, before I begin advising anyone to buy one. Besides, they price may just be through the roof as yet. There are questions begging for answers: How does it do in rain? Can a starter be locked to prevent kids from using it as a toy? What is the software or guidance failure rate and what are the implications in terms of safety if the guidance system fails? If I chop up my neighbor’s angry dog who follows it all over my lawn while it operates, will he sue? I can think of about 100 other scenarios for resistance.

Funny enough, however, I confess to a certain love for the project. I guess I have to relegate that to my male personality in the end, sigh. As in: The bigger the boy, the bigger the toy,” I may love it but I can think of 1,000 reasons a wife might not, especially if she is in the field of Law. Then again, she didn’t like the convertible either, but changed her mind one fine Spring day. Come to think of it, her feelings for basketball changed with tickets to a game too. Maybe there’s still a chance yet with the remote control lawn mower!

lawn slit seeder - ever heard of that?

A lawn “slit seeder” is supremely useful for lawn renovation projects. Slit-seeders combine vertical mowing with seeding. As the machine goes across the lawn, it opens the soil and deposits seed directly into the soil opening. Most slit-seeders have a roller that helps firm the soil after seeding. Seed is metered at a predetermined rate; it’s suggested to apply half the desired seeding rate in one direction and the other half on a second pass perpendicular to the first. These machines have an incredibly high success rate for seed taking root and growing. Obviously, seeds are protected and nearly guaranteed protection from sun, birds and drought by being packed firmly into the soil where, once it grows, it will remain in place.

These units are hydraulically powered and are quite ingenious. By allowing the seed to go neatly into the subsurface of the soil, one saves in all the preparation labor of grading and amendment entry and goes directly to the source of what will be new: the seed placement. As mentioned, the protective layers of soil serve as the perfect medium for a new lawn.

lawn service fertilization weed control

Lawn service fertilization weed control can represent an efficient and healthy way to approach the issues of green lawns and clear-looking gardens without the attendant bother of having to purchase applicators and tots around heavy bags of the necessary maintenance products that represent lawn maintenance. An efficient lawn service fertilization and weed control company can take care of these things on a recurring basis based on need and appropriateness.

Many companies program visits for preselected times of the week and year and can be safely considered reliable for it. It is, after all, their bread and butter too. Their knowledge of local forces, such as weather, predictable weed species and the timing involved in maintaining the utmost in timing regarding both is an awesome tool they possess that not many homeowners possess on their own.

Generally, their prices are not that bad, either. For the services they render, it;s highly doubtful a homeowner can match the price even considering he does not charge for his time. The buying power of bulk quantities of these businesses typically means they can charge a pittance for the materials. Also, the labor for much of their work tends to be mechanized, another huge time saver. They tend, as mentioned, to be very reliable. If they are not, there are few businesses which can show this more out front than a lawn and weeding service. There is much to say for hiring these services. Your lawn tends to be their worry then, at least regarding the more complex aspects.

great prices on riding lawn mowers

Great prices on riding lawn mowers can take place at a variety of times and places.  it pays to check, for example, business pages and announcements of businesses who might deal in these lawn mowers going out of business or moving.  Sometimes, a move alone will motivate a dealer to unload his inventory for much less pricing than normal. Garage and estate sales on large properties, if one has a resource to alert him, can be another hot source.

In the end, there are some very predictable times for great prices on riding lawn mowers.  Off-season, in early or late Fall can be excellent times, as dealers will want to move stock to take in newer inventory and make room for snow blowers and winter type machinery.  The dead of Winter can find some deals, as well, especially prior to New Year’s when companies will want to begin thinking about the upcoming Spring inventory and the end of many businesses’ fiscal years.

Other occasions are simply checking the small newspapers specializing in reselling machinery or those Nickel Ads type papers whose purpose is a cheap method for advertising the disposal of almost anything.  Craig list and eBay are under rated for good buys on riding lawn mowers, providing one can go pick them up. Shipping such large items can be prohibitive over distance.

dog lawn ornaments

dog on lawn

Ok, not that kind…. :D

Dog lawn ornaments are in fact hugely popular for almost all the right reasons. I laugh when I say that because there is some terribly funny stuff going on in the old dog statue game, including their “evacuation practices”, to be gentle. Yes, leave it to someone to make a statue of a dog with his leg up! Well, there you go. There is, of course, more than one out there. Funny stuff. But isn’t that dogs for you?

But it goes with the dog lawn ornament story, somehow. There are of course huge numbers of statues of “Man’s Best Friend”, many depicting species and others depicting actions. Among my favorites, and requiring a good expanse of lawn, are a group of beagle statues, all in frantic motion chasing a fox. Others I have personally seen include some very noble species depictions, including dignified-looking German shepherds and boxers. These come in a wide variety of styles and detail, from some very nice and totally pedestrian models of statues to the most elaborate and impressive artistic renderings, very noble indeed.

dog ornament

In the end, they highlight an area of that gorgeous expanse we often proudly refer to as our lawn. These dog lawn ornaments serve as compliments and reveal something very personal about those who choose to use them. Needless to say, an appreciation of dogs is foremost among the representations and may in the end be all the lawn owner is trying to get across. Speaking for dog lovers everywhere, I like that they want to honor dogs with something so permanent and solid. Will Rogers once said: “I don’t know if dogs go to Heaven or not. But when I die, I want to go where they go.”