Do you long for having your property enhanced by a splendid lawn?
photo credit: PocketFullOfSunshine

Sure you do but do you know that green lawns treated by using chemicals can put under risk not only the environment but put your health at risk when the waste material produced by chemicals are washed into underground streams, polluting water that you drink, beside destroying entire ecological systems?

Learn here how to avoid all these risk switching to organic lawn care.

Knowing Your Soil For Organic Lawn Care

Each soil requires a different food according to their composition, needs and its pH. Like the skin of a human being, the soil has a pH measurement, test your soil to know it: that determines its acidity or alkalinity. Where is rich in limestone or chalk, is said to be alkaline. Conversely, it is an acid soil. Generally, a pH above 7.0 indicates an alkaline soil, while a pH below 6.5 is acidic.

Once you have tested it, you can use the suitable organic fertilizer.

The problem with organic fertilizer is the bad smell. That makes that many people reject to use but there are products, like granular fertilizer made of treated sewage waste that are safe and comply the regulations needed. They odorless and can provide the elements your soil needs.

Some Organic Fertilizers

Coconut Fiber: is a good fertilizer. It is used with plants that like acidic soil (pH 5.5-6.3) and is available in gardening stores.

Earthworm fertilizer: is one of the most common nutrients.Put a small layer on the land to fertilize and plants grow strong and healthy. Can be found in a specialized center or in any nursery Pesticides.

Pesticides in organic lawn care are not harmful like chemicals pairs. Use diatomic earth, lawn care sand, vinegar, oatmeal, cinnamon powder and other substances which help to reduce and control pests in your lawn.

Weeds

Weeds are the most common factor of worry for lawn care fan. Perennials or not, they are always ready to make themselves comfortable in any place they find available.Control weeds by pulling out by hand, sprinkle them vinegar, corn gluten

Your Switch To Organic Lawn Care

You are ready to make your switch to organic lawn care and if you pay attention, was not that way of caring for lawn and garden the way used by our grandparents? And were their lawns and gardens wonderful and beautiful? Yes, they were and now you can discover again the power of Nature by doing an simple but effective complete lawn care.

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Most people want the picture perfect backyard oasis, you know, the one pictured in magazines that is a dream come true. Where you can rest, entertain and forget the world exists. But for one reason or another you may not have it.

@ Denise Grant

It could be time, money, the fact you rent or all of the above. Or your backyard problem may have been helped by Mother Nature.

I must admit I have a Backyard Oasis Disaster.

Working a time-consuming summer job for several years left the yard in tolerable condition. This summer I was planning to redo the front and backyard and Mother Nature give me a kick to make me  “do it now.”

How it started

Three weeks ago our county suffered heavy rains for about a week. Add this to a month of rain and cold and the ground could no longer take any additional rain. I was out on a Saturday morning two weeks ago watching the troublesome ravine, hoping it would hold, when it broke, bringing rocks, branches and mud into the road.

one ravine can shut down a busy road for hours

I had four other streams that overflowed and brought debris into my yard.

As it stands now I have 10 piles of dirt and three clogged streams that will only create more problems if they are not cleaned out. I also have several areas of my yard that cannot be mowed.

The backyard plan

I am fortunate to have a brother that has a small backhoe and Kubota so arrangements have been made to bring the equipment over and start cleaning up the mess.

I also inherited a pile of flat rock from the mud slide that will be used to create a new patio off the back of the house. A design plan that has taken a back seat for years.

And with all the plans I have for the yard one is to keep prices down and recycle when I can. Found garden art, foraged item and found or bartered plants and shrubs are a goal for the backyard makeover.

You may be interested in watching the backyard take on new life.

This project, broken up into stages,  will take all summer.  And it may inspire you to add a  new patio or garden area.

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When you set out to landscape your back and front yard, you should take all the elements into consideration.
photo credit: TheLawleys

Your overall year round climate will determine what type of landscape will work well and flourish. You will have to think about whether you live in a windy place, a hot climate, a rainy place, or a dry one and then figure out what to plant. When you construct the right type of area in combination with planting the right kind of plants, you will have a garden area that looks spectacular.

Any landscaper should know a thing or two about the flora and fauna of the area and what type of soil is in the ground. Plants perform differently in different types of soil and some research should be done to find out what might work best.

You have to take into consideration the pest that might be a problem as well as the weather conditions. After you think about all those things, then it is time to plan how everything will be put together.

Designing a garden will allow you to pick from a wide spectrum of colors, shapes and sizes of plants and flowers. There are plants that have purple, yellow, blue, pink, and red colors and of course there are also vines and shrubs that have all sorts of looks.

You will also need to decide whither you want your trees and plants to be evergreens where they always stay green or whether you want ones that lose their leave at winter time.

Plants and trees can be chosen for functionality as well as looks. Big shrubs and trees can help shade a house from the sun during the summer and hedges can be grown that serve to provide privacy.

Natural walls built of plants and shrubs always seems to look better than a wood fence that will grow old and worn looking over time.

For backyard landscaping, lots of other ideas come to mind. Front yards are often designed to be pretty while backyards get more use from kids and pets. If you have a young family with children, your backyard will be a private place where they can play in the grass and throw a ball around.

You will want to make sure you keep enough free space for those activities while surrounding the yard on the edges with pretty plants. Landscaping for an older couple with no children might be completely different, as you might want a stream or some type of running water in place of the play area.

Backyard landscaping ideas will be different for every person and every couple depending on their needs at that moment in time.

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The backyard is for the entire family to enjoy but when there are young children extra precautions must be taken to protect them.
photo credit: Tammra

If you have very small children make sure they have an area to play in close to the porch or door. They must be within eyesight at all times when very small. It would also be advisable to have a place for them to sit in the shade or lay down if they get tired.

Set up a rest and snack area for children. Remember that a child can get overheated in the summer and may suffer heat stroke so keep cool water within reach. Suntan lotion is equally as important and should be used before the child goes outdoors and be within reach.

Make sure all play equipment is properly anchored. Swing set seem to be one of the biggest villains when it comes to being improperly anchored to the ground. Don’t take chances with your children’s safety.

Put soft material like mulch, wood chips or sand under swing set, climbing equipment or a favorite tree they climb. This will minimize an injury if they fall. And if you have a trampoline children must be watched at all times.
photo credit: whgrad

Pick up loose debris on the ground. Sticks, rocks glass, and forgotten toy can cause injury to children. Take a quick look around the yard in the morning and again at night for any items that can be tripped over.

Put lawn equipment away when you are done using it.  Garden tools, lawn mowers, weed eaters, hoes and rakes can cause serious harm to children. If you have a garden shed lock them away when you are done using them. Also lock up any chemicals used in the yard and paint. These items are toxic and could cause a serious problem if used by a child.

It only takes a small amount of water to drown a small child, so buckets should be emptied. If you have a wading pool, it should be turned over when empty to prevent it from filling with rainwater.

If you have a swimming pool have a gate and make sure it is locked. With a pool make sure your child is supervised at all times. This may mean locking the doors to make sure the child dos not go to the backyard unsupervised.

Ponds, water fountains and electrical outlets should also be taken into consideration for safety if the child is very young.

The backyard is a perfect place for a child to play and they will have wonderful memories for years to come from their outdoor adventures. With a little thought and planning your backyard oasis will be child safe.

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