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SUPER LAWN CARE
We are small Lawn Care Business here in Baton Rouge. We provide all Our Lawn Business services for a very low affordable price; including mowing, edgeing,blowing,spray
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The Green Armadillo Property Service
The Green Armadillo Property Service 8692 140th Avenue North West Palm Beach, Florida 33412 561-261-7540 We offer full Lawn Service, Gutter Cleaning,
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Renovatio Landscape & Design
Renovatio Landscape & Design Inc. provides the western Chicago area with professional landscaping and landscape design services. Our licensed landscape
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Grow Lights For Indoor Plants - Hydroponics Supplies
Monster Gardens, A Quality Discounted Hydroponic Store Of Hydroponic Supplies Located In Sonoma County, California Offering Portable Grow Rooms, Grow Lights
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Sharper Image Lawncare
Full Service Lawn & Landscape Management Services include, but not limited to: Mowing, Edging, Trimming, Blowing, Aeration, Fertilization, Seeding, Plant
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Catherine's Pride Lawn Services LLC
Family owned and operated offering Lawn services for Commercial and Residential. Our services include Mowing, Trimming, Edging, Hedging, Sidewalk cleaning,
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Rich Quality Lawn Care
Rich Quality Lawn Care We offer a superior quality lawn care service. Call For Free Estimates (phone) 1-715-271-1925 (email) richlawncareservice@gmail.com
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A New Tool to Measure Sea Ice Thickness
Scientists studying the ice in the polar regions are now getting critical information about the thickness of sea ice from the new European Space Agency's Cryosat-2 satellite.
The satellite has been operating over the past 7 months, retrieving detailed, critical data in regards to the sea ice thickness over the Arctic.
The satellite uses a radar altimeter on board to measure the height of features such as snow and sea ice in the polar regions.
The satellite travels 700 km above the earth's surface and can reach an earth latitude of 88 degrees from the equator. Thanks to CryoSat's orbit, ice thickness close to the North Pole can be seen for the first time, according to the ESA.
The ESA released their first preliminary map of the ice and snow thickness (below) from the January to February 2011 time period in the Arctic region. At that time the Arctic sea ice was approaching its annual maximum.
In order to understand fully how climate change is affecting the fragile polar regions, there is a need to determine exactly how the thickness of the ice is changing, according to ESA.
The results are very preliminary and adjustments may be needed, but the image below gives you a good example of what the Cryosat-2 can do.
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Lawn Care Advertising
A Page describing the importance and some great tips in Lawn Care Advertising.
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Greenscapes Lawn Services & Stump Grinding
GreenScapes has been providing the best in lawn Maintenance & Stump Grinding at the most competitive prices in middle Georgia for over a decade. Our number
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Alex's lawn care and property maintenance
I currently have 6 property's and am looking to expand. I offer every thing from pulling weeds to fall clean up, I have all sorts of equipment and access
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Dan's Lawn Care Service
Welcome to Dan's Lawn Services and Landscaping. We are your locally owned family business serving North Florida. Providing Panama City and surrounding
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"Machuca'S" Lawn care service
Precise to the last blade? I'll Mow Your Lawn, today! Buy 2 Cuts, Get the 3rd cut Free!* Call (Salomon Machuca) 517-677-5578 today! Free estimates, senior
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Olympic Lawn and Landscape
Mowing Service Olympic Lawn & Landscape provides mowing services for commercial properties and high-end acreage lots. We are reliable, prompt and do an
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Bluewater Bay Lawn Care
Bluewater Bay Lawn Care was established in the spring of 2007 by Jesse Middleton. Jesse has a wealth of knowledge and experience in bringing out the best
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Useful Links
A place to find Useful Infromation regarding the Lawn Care Industry
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Earth's Recovery from High CO2 Underestimated
The Earth may actually be much better at healing itself than previously thought after dealing with high levels of atmospheric CO2 and rising temperatures.
Researchers from Purdue University and the University of California looked at the 170,000 year period of global warming during the end of the Palaeocene Eocene Thermal Maximum, which was 56 million years ago and has many features in common with the world's current situation.
The team wanted to find out how the Earth system recovered and returned to normal atmospheric levels after this major warming.
The scientists examined samples of marine and terrestrial sediments deposited throughout the event. The team measured the levels of two different types of carbon atoms, the isotopes carbon-12 and carbon-13. The ratio of these isotopes changes as carbon dioxide is drawn from or added to the atmosphere during the growth or decay of organic matter, according to Eurekalert.
What they found was that the Earth increased its ability to pull carbon from the air. This led to a recovery that was quicker than anticipated by many models of the carbon cycle, though still on the order of tens of thousands of years.
"We found that more than half of the added carbon dioxide was pulled from the atmosphere within 30,000 to 40,000 years, which is one-third of the time span previously thought," said Gabriel Bowen, the associate professor of earth and atmospheric sciences at Purdue.
The researchers are still trying to figure out where the carbon
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Lawn care industry one of the most popular in the area
The lawn care business is one of the most competitive in the area; however, those who own lawn care and landscaping companies say there is plenty of work to go around.
Scott Hogg started Red River Lawn and Landscape in 2007. At first, he accepted any work that came his way. Then, he decided to get licensed in landscape horticulture and to repair and install irrigation systems.
"We wanted to position ourselves to take on more commercial and municipal work," he said.
Business has been good for Hogg. He said his revenue has doubled every year he has been in business.
Hogg's licensing allows him to go after work that is out of reach for many of his competitors.
"There are a lot of guys out there with lawn mowers, but not a lot with licenses," he said. "A lot of state and federal work requires you to have a license. A lot of those guys have no access to that business. It sets us apart."
However, Hogg said there is still a lot of lawn maintenance business out there in the residential sector, which doesn't require licensing.
Even a former Shreveport mayoral candidate has started his own lawn maintenance company.
Bryan Wooley started MowzArt less than a month ago, and he's already picked up 10 regular customers.
"It's a good business to be in," he said. "For me, it's more than just having a business. I care about how this city looks. It gives me the opportunity to help beautify the city and make money. It's a win-win."
Jane Allison, project coordinator for the Louisiana Small Business Development Center at
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K R Lawnservices and Tree Trimming
We offer over 30 years experience in lawn care and tree trimming. We will estimate for free and guarantee our work to our customers satisfaction. http://www.krlawnservices-sparta-nc.co
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True Paradise Lawncare Inc.
Twenty years of experience. Full service Lawn and property management. We provide specialized service plans with year round service. Loyal, dependable,
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How will High Arctic Tundra Respond to Global Warming?
Canadian researchers recently completed a 12 year experiment on Canada's Ellesmere Island that measured the response of high Arctic tundra to air which was passively warmed by 1 to 3 degrees celsius during the short growing season.
The artificial warming experiment resulted in enhanced reproductive effort and success in most plant species.
The findings "support predictions that long-term warming in the High Arctic will likely enhance sexual reproduction in tundra plants, which could lead to an increase in plant cover," and that the resulting "greater abundance of vegetation has implications for primary consumers, via increased forage availability," according to Klady et al.
Klady et al. adds that "with future warming, polar oases may play an important role as a seed source to the surrounding polar desert landscape," according to the CO2 Science story.
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Documentary marks 20th anniversary of first pesticide ban
With the natural lawn and garden trend sweeping the nation, North America’s leading advocate of natural lawn care will spend Earth Day week offering educational seminars in the western regions of the nation.
Paul Tukey, author of the best-selling book, The Organic Lawn Care Manual, will screen his 2009 award-winning film, “A Chemical Reaction”, several times during his five-day Canadian tour.
The tour begins Sunday, April 17, in Edmonton, Alberta, then moves to the East Kootenay Region of British Columbia through Thursday, April 21.
The film, “A Chemical Reaction”, centers on the town of Hudson, Quebec. Hudson is the first municipality in North America to ban lawn and garden pesticides in 1991.
Hudson’s story, as told through the film, has subsequently inspired many other Canadian municipalities.
“The documentary, A Chemical Reaction, is 75 minutes of pure inspiration that a community can come together and overcome great odds to effect change,” said Patti Moore, Health Promotion Coordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society.
“Here in the East Kootenays, four communities have adopted cosmetic pesticide bans and more are interested in taking action. Paul Tukey brings extensive knowledge about not only why it’s important to eliminate unnecessary pesticides, but also how we can change our practices to have beautiful, and healthy, lawns and gardens,” Moore continued.
Tukey, an American journalist and lawn care professional who founded the non-profit Foundation known as SafeLawns.org, said his trip to Canada holds special significance due to the timing.
“May 6, 2011, will mark the 20th anniversary of the town of Hudson’s historic ban,” he said. “Now 80 percent of the nation has followed suit. The entire nation of Canada should be proud of the world lead that the country is
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Drought-resistant landscaping can save water in your lawn
Water is one of our most precious resources, and one of the places we use it most is our lawns.
“Lawn care makes up anywhere from 30 to 60 percent of water use in a typical American family,” says Greg Seaman, editor of Eartheasy.com. “Switching to drought-tolerant lawns that have been developed in the past 10 years can easily save you 50 to 75 percent of the amount of water you would need to grow a lawn.”
Seaman says that in order to help conserve water, many people are moving away from the full, side-to-side grass lawn and instead opting to put in drought-resistant landscaping, also known as xeriscaping.
“The single best method that anyone can use to achieve the benefits of xeriscaping is to plant locally available, native species of plants and shrubs,” Seaman says. “Those are the plants that have adapted to your regional climate patterns.” The downside of xeriscaping is that it can be boring because that’s what you’re used to seeing.
“So what a lot of clever gardeners do is plant 80 percent of their shrubs in natives, and then they’ll pepper in 20 percent in ornamentals, which gives diversity and visual appeal to their gardens without consuming so many resources, especially water,” Seaman explains.
According to Seaman, shrub landscapes not only are water-efficient but also save maintenance and increase the value of the property. They’re also the cheapest and easiest to grow.
Seaman says that when switching to the drought-resistant lawn seed, you have to baby it for the first season, making sure to water it every day for up to three weeks to get germination. And then, for the first two to three weeks after germination, you have to water your lawn once or twice a week to get the sprout established. The payoff will be a yard
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April 15 is good crab grass preventer date
Crabgrass preventers are another name for pre-emergence herbicides that prevent crabgrass seeds from developing into mature plants.Many people have a somewhat foggy idea of how they work. They do not keep the seed from germinating but kill the young germinating plant.Crabgrass preventers are just that — preventers. With few exceptions they have no effect on existing crabgrass plants, so they must be applied before germination.Additionally, preventers do not last forever once applied to the soil. Microorganisms and natural processes begin to gradually break them down soon after they are applied.If some products are applied too early, they may have lost much of their strength by the time they are needed. Most crabgrass preventers are fairly ineffective after about 60 days, but there is considerable variation among products. (Dimension and Barricade last longer. See below.)For most of Kansas, crabgrass typically begins to germinate around May 1 or a little later. April 15 is a good target date for applying preventer because it gives active ingredients time to evenly disperse in the soil before crabgrass germination starts.The April 15 target works well for most of the state, but for southeast Kansas April 1 is more appropriate, and for northwest Kansas May 1 is best.Additionally, weather varies from one spring to the next, and with it the timing of crabgrass germination. For this reason it is often better to base timing on the bloom of ornamental plants.The Eastern redbud tree is a good choice for this purpose. When the trees in your area approach full bloom, apply crabgrass preventer. A follow-up application will be needed about 8 weeks later unless you are using Dimension or Barricade.Dimension and Barricade are the only two products that give season-long control of crabgrass from a single application. In fact, they can be applied much earlier than April 15 and still have sufficient residual strength to last the season.Barricade can even be applied in the fall for crabgrass control the next season. Dimension can be applied as early as March 1.Because of the added flexibility in timing, these products are favorites of lawn care companies who have many customers to service in the spring.Though Dimension cannot be applied as early as Barricade, it is the herbicide of choice if it must be applied later than
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Start spring off green with electric products
With green grass finally showing after a cold winter, it's time to start getting your lawn ready for spring. Spring means cleaning tools, replacing equipment and sprucing up the yard. To start your season off greener, consider using electric or cordless lawn care products.
"Electric products have become a reliable and eco-friendly way to do yard work," says Coey Genuise, product marketing manager for Remington, a leading manufacturer of cordless and electric power tools. "They are virtually silent, lighter, more energy efficient and don't require any gas or oil, which avoids mess and hassle and saves you money."
Mowing is an important step in keeping your lawn healthy. In order to keep it as green as possible, use an electric or cordless mower. These mowers are less expensive to maintain and operate because there's no need for gas and oil. A cordless push mower also allows emissions-free power without the hassle of a cord. One model from Remington features a removable 24 volt battery that can last approximately 30 to 50 minutes from one charge depending on mowing conditions, which is more than enough time to mow a small-sized lawn.
When finishing your lawn, another way to help keep the grass and the environment greener is to use an electric string trimmer. Electric trimmers are lighter, so your arm doesn't get tired; and they're quieter, so ear protectors aren't necessary. However, you should always wear safety glasses and heavy duty gloves whenever using any outdoor power equipment.
Consider these tips to help keep your lawn looking great and your equipment running smoothly.
* Make sure to clean your mower and other tools before doing any work in the yard to keep them running longer.
* To avoid accidental startup, always
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Pesticides under fire on airwaves and in legislature
Some people in the lawn care industry feel like they are under fire. The legislature is hearing 5 different bills on the use of pesticides. And many lawn care professionals are taking issue with the latest installment in the "Rubber Ducky" campaign from the partnership called "Think Blue Maine."
The ad shows the signature rubber ducks, which represent the chemicals put on lawns, but into devil ducks.
The DEP, which is a partner in the coalition, says it is aimed at educating people, reminding them that what you put on your lawn goes into our oceans, lakes, and rivers.
But some in the lawn care industry feel like the ad demonizes their profession.
Deven Morrill of Lucas Tree Experts says pesticide isn't a dirty word. He says there are positive and safe uses for pesticides. He admits some people have misused them in the past, and in the industry as a whole is now paying the price.
This isn't the only attack Morrill is fighting. He and many others in his industry were in Augusta today for hearings on 5 different bills dealing with pesticide use.
The biggest being LD 837. It would do what 3 other states, and 2 Canadian provinces have already done: ban pesticides at schools and day care centers.
The Natural Resources Council of Maine is among those supporting that bill. Matt Prindiville says it is common sense legislation that puts the safety of children above the poisoning of dandelions.
You won't find pesticides on the school fields in Camden. The town is one of several in Maine that has banned them.
Marsha Smith and her group Citizens for a Green Camden brought up the issue there and now wants to see it go statewide.
She says research links childhood leukemia, brain tumors, and ADHD to pesticide exposure. She
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Global Warming Consensus gets a Surprise Boost
UC Berkeley physicists and statisticians, led by professor Richard Muller, who has been critical of government run climate studies for many years, recently launched the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature Project to challenge the scientific consensus on global warming by analyzing a large volume of temperature data.
By the way, the project's biggest private backer, at $150,000, is the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. Oil billionaires Charles and David Koch are the nation's most prominent funders of efforts to prevent curbs on the burning of fossil fuels, the largest contributor to planet-warming greenhouse gases, according to the Los Angeles Times.
But Muller unexpectedly told a congressional hearing last week that the work of the three principal groups that have analyzed the temperature trends underlying climate science is "excellent.... We see a global warming trend that is very similar to that previously reported by the other groups," according to the Times article.
The group was surprised by its findings, according to Muller, but he cautioned that the initial assessment is based on only 2% of the 1.6 billion measurements that will eventually be examined. (via the Times)
Over the years, Muller has supported some ideas that weather station data in official studies are untrustworthy because of the urban heat island effect, which boosts temperature readings in areas that have been encroached on by cities and suburbs.
But leading climatologists said the previous studies accounted for the effect, and the Berkeley analysis is confirming that, Muller acknowledged. "Did such poor station quality exaggerate the estimates of global warming?" he asked in his written testimony. "We've studied this issue, and our preliminary answer is no." (from the LA Times)
Other scientists noted that temperature is only one factor in climate change, according to the LA Times article. "Even if the thermometer had never been invented, the evidence is there from deep ocean changes, from receding glaciers, from rising sea levels and receding sea ice and spring snow cover," said Peter Thorne, a leading expert at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
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Warm Water the Reason for Cold Winters?
Interesting study about the influence of warmer ocean water on winter temperatures.
Winters in northern Europe and over the Pacific Northwest are normally several degrees warmer on average compared to those in the Northeast U.S., eastern Canada and northeastern Asia.
Conventional explanation for one of these differences in temperature has been the fact that the Gulf Stream, which is shown in orange off the U.S. East Coast below, delivers warm water from the Gulf of Mexico all the way to northern Europe, making that region noticeably warmer in the winter compared to the Northeast U.S. and eastern Canada.
However, research from 2002 concluded that warm ocean currents can only contribute up to 10% of the warming.
So what is the reason for the big difference in winter temperatures?
According to researchers from CalTech, its the fact that the warm waters off the Northeast U.S., eastern Canada and northeast Asia coasts is actually causing these regions to run colder, which is the main reason for the temperature difference.
The researchers found that the warm water off an eastern coast will heat the air above it and lead to the formation of atmospheric waves, drawing cold air from the northern polar region. The cold air forms a plume just to the west of the warm water. In the case of the Atlantic Ocean, this means the frigid air ends up right over the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, according to Eurekalert.
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Spring Lawn Preps For Healthy Summer Yard
Spring is an important time for your lawn. Neglect it now and you'll pay the price for the rest of the year. You don't have to go over the top with your landscaping, but you do need to pay attention to the basics.
There are two types of grasses. They are warm-season and cool-season grasses and each requires specific treatments on specific schedules.
If you still have leaves or debris in your yard, remove as soon as possible. Rake up thatch as well because thatch can block nutrients from reaching grass roots.
Lawn care experts say the wet leaves create a dampness and a matte on top of the grass. The grass does not get any sunlight or air and it will eventually suffocate and die.
If you have any bare spots on your lawn, now is a good time for seed. Spring is also an ideal time to apply pre-emergent herbicides and fertilizer
It's also important not to neglect your mower because your mower's condition is going to affect how your lawn looks. A service appointment avoids a break-down and dull mower blades will splinter your grass, causing it to wilt.
If you are unsure about the health of your lawn, take a plug of your lawn to your local nursery to learn what your lawn really
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The lawn's greatest enemy is lawn care, says organic gardening expert Mike McGrath
The warm spring weather Monday set the tone for organic gardening presentation and discussion at St. Thomas’ Church, Whitemarsh.
St. Thomas’ Men’s Club invited Mike McGrath, host of public radio’s “You Bet Your Garden,” to share his organic gardening tips and expertise. McGrath focused his presentation to the two gardening topics he said he receives the most questions about: lawn care and tomatoes.
“One of the biggest enemies of your lawn is lawn care,” he said, noting that people spend “too much time and money” on their lawns. “Lawn grasses are the toughest weeds we have in our area.
“If you want a great looking lawn … circle Aug. 15 on your calendar. That’s when you want to get your lawn tilled up, leveled out, have a big load of compost delivered, spread that an inch thick, level that out and sow your grass seed.”
Everything grown on a lawn “comes from somewhere else in the world,” McGrath said.
“Kentucky Blue Grass comes from Ireland,” he said.
Most grasses come from the United Kingdom, where “winter is mild and summer is almost nonexistent,” he added.
One of the worst things to do to a lawn, McGrath, said is to feed a cool-season grass in the summer. Feeding it in the summer dries it out and burns it, he said.
Right now, is the time to feed lawns corn gluten meal, McGrath said, and lawn care chemicals only work on grass seeds that haven’t germinated.
Cutting your lawn during a dry heat wave releases all of the moisture out of the grass, McGrath said. Grass goes into shock when it’s cut shorter than three inches, and constantly watering a lawn shortens the grass’ roots, he noted.
“The less work you do to your lawn, the better it will look,” McGrath said.
McGrath also gave tips on how to grow tomatoes, which, he said, come from Peru.
“You should never water your plants in the evening … only water your plants first thing in the morning just before the sun comes up,” he said. “That’s when the plants are here to accept water, that’s when they suffer no disease problems, that’s when you’ll get the best use out of
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Local group wants to boost organic lawn care awareness
For Montclair residents like Suzanne Aptman, lawn care is just as important as health care.
That’s because the 43-year-old mother of two sons is concerned about the health risks that can be associated with toxic chemicals and pesticides commonly used to treat lawns and gardens.
"Given the mounting evidence," Aptman said, she worries about the possible risks of cancer, learning disabilities and asthma, and she won’t have her kids getting sick if she can help it.
She doesn’t want anyone else harmed, either.
So Aptman, co-chair of Safe Yards Montclair, a citizens group that formed last year to promote non-toxic lawn care, and other members are encouraging residents to consider going organic.
"There’s a growing concern in the community among residents that lawn pesticides and fertilizers are having a negative impact, and a risk to health and the environment," Aptman said.
"Sometimes we just hire lawn care services without knowing what they’re doing and what they’re using."
The six members of Safe Yards intend to start a larger group called The Northern New Jersey Safe Yards Alliance, which will seek to inspire residents in other towns to reduce their use of lawn chemicals at the grassroots level, and share ideas, best practices, and resources, Aptman said.
"We all share the waterways and air. We can help each other to make this change happen in a bigger way," she said.
Pesticides can cause health problems, including cancer, birth defects, nerve damage and others that may occur over time, and they can also pose unique health risks to children, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website — and, the website notes, pesticides also can make their way to water supplies.
"There are problems with using chemicals," said Montclair Environmental Coordinator Gray Russell. According to Russell, Americans use more pesticides and herbicides per acre on their lawns than farmers do on farm fields throughout
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Dealing with broadleaf weeds a common homeowner’s challenge
Q: How do I kill broadleaf weeds in my lawn?
A: In general, the healthier you keep your lawn through proper fertilization, mowing and watering, the less problems you will have with broad leaf weeds. However, even the best cared for lawns are occasionally invaded by broadleaf weeds and require more than just preventive lawn care.
Generally hand pulling is adequate to control the few rogue weeds, but too often we are not that vigilant and those few weeds turn into many. When this happens post emergent chemicals are probably one of your best control options.
Now comes the choices of which product to use and what weeds it controls. The most readily offered chemicals are 2, 4-D, 2, 4-DP, MCPP and dicamba. Combinations of the above-mentioned herbicides are common, and these combination products allow for the control of a broader range of weed problems than single herbicides.
Basic Precautions
1. Ornamental plants, trees, shrubs and vegetables can be susceptible to these chemicals. Do not spray around homes and gardens when there is wind. Even a slight breeze can carry spray droplets to susceptible ornamental and garden plants. Ester formulations are volatile, and the vapor can travel great distances.
2. Dicamba is included in many herbicide combination products and also in some weed and feed (fertilizer-herbicide) combinations. These herbicides move readily in the soil and can be absorbed by plant roots. Products containing dicamba should not be used near the drip-line of trees or near sensitive ornamentals where it can be absorbed by roots.
3. Do not use herbicides while the bermudagrass is transitioning out of dormancy; wait until the grass has fully greened up. Bermuda in transition will be damaged by herbicides.
4. Most herbicides are safe for established tall fescue, bermudagrass and zoysiagrass lawns. Herbicides can cause some foliar yellowing.
5. Thoroughly clean sprayer and include hose and boom after using these herbicides. It
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Sarah Browning: Off to a good start with spring lawn care
For cool season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, spring is an excellent time of year. They love the cool spring temperatures and put on significant root growth during April and May, which will help your lawn tolerate our next hot, dry Nebraska summer. Here are a few techniques you can use to get your lawn off to a good start this spring:
* Fertilization. Maintained at their highest level, home lawns of Kentucky bluegrass receive up to four fertilizer applications during the growing season. However, Kentucky bluegrass and turf-type tall fescue lawns can be maintained at a lower level, with fewer fertilizer applications, and still result in a beautiful lawn. Fewer applications of nitrogen fertilizer will result in a cost savings for the homeowner, better turfgrass stress tolerance, slower shoot growth and less mowing. So before purchasing your fertilizer products this spring, decide what is most appropriate for your lawn and your wallet.
If you plan to reduce the amount of fertilizer you apply to your lawn, then one application of fertilizer in April & May, instead of two, would be a great place to start. Apply the traditional first fertilizer application of spring between April 20th and May 10th, using a product containing slow release fertilizer sources like urea formaldehyde, sulfur-coated urea and IBDU whenever possible. These fertilizer ingredients will be listed on the product bag under "nitrogen source".
Skip the second spring fertilizer application, which is applied around May 30th, and is usually a combination fertilizer and broadleaf weed control. Spot sprays of liquid herbicide are more efficient and cost-effective at controlling broadleaf weeds like dandelions than a broadcast granular application, anyway.
* Weed Control. The first fertilizer application of the season is usually a combination fertilizer and pre-emergent herbicide. Several pre-emergent herbicide products provide good weed control; look
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Bonsell Lawn Care
Professional complete lawn care business established in 2006. Lawn care services offered include lawn mowing, lawn treatment, lawn fertilizer and weed
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Cut off crabgrass
Many of us have lawns. These lawns vary, often showing the degree of interest or expectations we have for our lawns. I find people fall into three different groups when it comes to lawn care. Those that want a weed-free, deep green, mowed perfectly lawn. Those that think, “If its green, who cares what it is.” And everyone else falls somewhere in between.
Individuals in the second category often welcome crabgrass because it looks kind of like lawn grass and grows in the worst soil with lots of heat and little water. Individuals in the first group do all they can to prevent or eliminate crabgrass from their lawns. Individuals in the last category often address crabgrass if it becomes a problem, but tolerate it in a few places.
Regardless of what your expectations are, lawn care doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. A few important cultural practices make a big difference. Mow at the proper height, water deeply and infrequently, reduce compaction, and fertilize at the proper time. More information on all of these practices can be found at www.ksuturf.com.
Crabgrass is rarely a problem in lawns that are dense and mowed at the proper height. This is because crabgrass seed requires contact with the soil and sunlight to grow. Lawns that are dense and mowed appropriately do not have exposed soil, preventing invasion by weeds. Therefore, the most important way to have a lawn with minimal crabgrass (or other weeds for that matter) is to have a healthy lawn and mowed at the upper end of the range for your type of grass. For tall fescue that would be 3 to 3-1/2 inches.
Crabgrass is a warm-season annual weed, so any crabgrass plants you had last year are dead. Crabgrass plants you get this year will be from seed that typically begins germinating around May 1.
Crabgrass preventer is another name for a pre-emergence herbicide. It doesn’t actually “prevent” the seed from germinating but rather the germinating seed takes up the herbicide and is killed. If a lawn had problems with crabgrass last year or there are some thin or bare spots in the yard, these might be a good
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All Yard Inc.
My business is primarily run in the Kincardine and outlying Kincardine Townships area of Ontario. Mowing lawns and maintaining properties such as; estates,
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SPRING GARDEN PREPARATIONS
SPRING GARDEN PREPARATIONS
* Weeding: Pull weeds from your beds and borders before they have a chance to take hold and spread.
* Composting: Tend to your compost if it has been neglected over the winter. If you do not have a compost bin, spring is a great time to start one.
* Fertilize and mulch: Fertilize and mulch beds and borders. Spring is also a good time to fertilize fruit trees. If you applied heavy winter mulch for protection from the cold, you will need to clear it away.
* Staking: Stake plants that may be prone to wind damage during unpredictable spring weather.
* Tools: Prepare your tools for the oncoming gardening season and to make any necessary repairs or new purchases.
* Lawn Care: Start a new lawn from seed. For established lawns, you should start mowing in the spring, but don't initially cut the grass very short for the first few times.
* Pruning: For early blooming shrubs such as forsythia and viburnum, prune
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Help Prevent Weeds And Protect Your Property Value
Anyone who lives in Oklahoma City or Washington, D.C., is living in an improving housing market with a projected 6 percent annualized gain in home values over the next three years, according to Local Market Monitor, a real estate research firm. A 5 percent annualized gain is projected for Austin, Texas.
The real estate investment mantra of “location, location, location” also applies to neighborhoods. You can drill it down even more. The condition of a specific property also impacts value. Real estate experts say property value can drop if a home’s manicured lawn turns to weeds and landscaping deteriorates.
“The secret to weed control is prevention,” said Lance Walheim, author of “Lawn Care for Dummies” and lawn care expert for Bayer Advanced™. “The easiest way to help keep weeds out is to have a healthy lawn.”
Weed Prevention Tips
• Don’t cut your grass too low: Set your mower’s wheel height to the type of grass you have. The thicker the grass, the fewer weeds you’ll have.
• Use pre-emergent weed control and weed killer: One application of Bayer Advanced Season Long Weed Control for Lawns (www.BayerAdvanced.com) kills existing broadleaf weeds and prevents new broadleaf weeds for up to six months. Always read and follow label directions.
• Fertilize: Your local county extension service can advise you on how much fertilizer to apply and when to apply it based on the grass you have and
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Organic lawn care a growing trend
It really is going to be spring soon, time for sunshine, short sleeves, green grass ….crabgrass, grubs and thatch.
What's a lawn-loving homeowner to do?
You could chemically nuke turf troublemakers into next year, and no one's saying that isn't effective when knowledgably applied. Increasingly, however, people are forgoing lawn chemicals in favor of an organic approach as a greener way to green grass.
“I'm in the city and I worried about kids and pets on my lawn,” Nan Rubens, who lives in the Crown Hill section of Worcester, said about switching to an organic yard care program a year and a half ago. “And I have a tenant in the house who's very sensitive to that sort of thing, and I think it's good for the environment.”
Many lawn care professionals have switched to the organic approach, or, like Christopher Ford of Ford's Hometown Services in Worcester, added organic options to their conventional offerings. “We've added organic services because there's been such an incredible upswing in demand for them,” said Ford, vice president of his company's turf division.
A 2009 survey by the National Gardening Association supports the growing trend. It showed that about 12 million households were using only natural products on lawns and gardens, up from about 5 million in 2004.
“People are becoming more environmentally conscious and we're really seeing a large increase in people wanting to learn more natural methods to care for their own properties and landscapes,” said Kathy Litchfield, who runs the organic land care program for the Northeast Organic Farming Association/Massachusetts Chapter.
What does it take to go green with lawn care?
You could consult a lawn care professional, just check to make sure they're not just tossing in an ingredient or two and calling it organic or still spraying your weeds with chemicals, practices some local pros say are becoming common.
If you want to do it yourself, you can learn organic lawn care methods and maintenance during the workshop, “Organic Lawns for Homeowners” April 9 at Tower Hill Botanic garden in Boylston.
The workshop will be led by John Tycz, of Go Organic LLC of Thompson, Conn., a company that serves Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. The intensive workshop is one of 12 happening statewide, part of “NOFA/Mass Statewide Organic Lawn Days” and funded by the Toxics Use Reduction Institute of the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
An organic lawn is one grown without the use of toxic or synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Going organic requires patience, however, as well as an understanding of
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Lawn activist touring East Kootenay
A leading advocate of natural lawn care will spend the week leading up to Earth Day speaking at educational seminars and screening his film "A Chemical Reaction."
Paul Tukey is and author, journalist, lawn care professional and founded the non-profit foundation known as SafeLawns.org. His film centres on the town of Hudson, Quebec, which, in 1991, was the first municipality in North America to ban lawn and garden pesticides.
"The documentary "A Chemical Reaction, is 75 minutes of pure inspiration that a community can come together and overcome great odds to effect change," said Patti Moore, health promotion coordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society. "Here in the East Kootenays four communities have adopted cosmetic pesticide bans and more are interested in taking action. Paul Tukey brings extensive knowledge about not only why it's important to eliminate unnecessary pesticides, but also how we can change our practices to have beautiful and healthy lawns and gardens.
Tukey said his trip to Canada holds special significance due to the timing.
"May 6, 2011 will mark the 20th anniversary of the town of Hudson's historic ban," he said. "Now 80 per cent of the nation has followed suit. The entire nation of Canada should be proud of the world lead that
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New rules hamper war on dandelion
They make lawn-care enthusiasts everywhere cringe, but the coming battle against the dandelion in Calgary this summer is facing a new hurdle thanks to changes in provincial legislation.
In essence, revisions made last year to the Alberta Weed Control Act mean that if your neighbour's property is covered in dandelions, Calgary bylaw services can't do much about it. All this comes thanks to an update to the naughty list of prohibited and noxious plants in Alberta.
The list used to include a category for "nuisance" weeds, such as dandelions. But that category has been eliminated and, along with it, some of the enforcement options for local officials trying to get a property owner to temper a dandelion outbreak on their land.
With summer not long away, Calgary bylaw chief Bill Bruce will be heading to a city committee in early April for guidance on what to do next and to offer his own recommendations.
The new regulations, he said, have "left the dandelion in limbo. Dandelions, it's a very divisive issue. Some people love 'em, some people hate 'em."
But that's not all the changes to the act. The revamped list has increased prohibited noxious plants from seven to 46, along with another 29 considered noxious and which must be controlled. Some of those can be found in the backyard gardens of Calgarians.
"Often plants that are used in borders and around houses are plants that can be very invasive in nature. People don't realize it," said Paul Laflamme, branch head of pest surveillance with Alberta Agriculture.
"They go visit a cousin in Manitoba and come back with this nice looking plant and put it in their border around their house. First thing you know, it's all over their border and then it's
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Leslie Graham
Lawn mowing, edging, dump runs, snow clearing, free estimates, within 50Km of Millbrook, Ontario Canada. Hourly rate $10 for weeding or similar chores.
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The Importance of Arctic Sea Ice
We cover the Arctic sea ice on a regular basis here on this blog and for good reason. Arctic sea ice extent and volume has been steadily decreasing under a warmer climate over the past 30 years, according to satellite data, but what about farther back in time?
The Hadley Data Set, which goes back to the 1950's contains sea ice condition information thanks to widespread shipping. This data set also shows that Arctic sea ice has declined since at least the mid 1950s. See image below.
Going further back in time there are some problems with the shipping data. Shipping records exist back to the 1700s, but do not provide complete coverage of the Arctic Ocean.
Instead, researchers use core samples from the ocean floor to study sediments laid down hundreds to millions of years ago. They also look at the remains of plants, animals and algae.
Ice cores are also studied very closely.
Taken together these records indicate that the current decline is unprecedented in the last several hundred years, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
According to the NSIDC, all of this shows how closely Arctic sea ice extent is linked to the earth's climate. When the Arctic sea ice is lower, Earth's climate was much warmer than it is today.
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Making Trout Streams more Resilient to Global Warming
Trout streams and global warming.
Stream restoration projects are helping trout streams become more resilient in the warming climate in the United States.
The warming climate is causing many exposed trout streams in the United States to run much warmer than normal. This is clearly having a negative impact on the trout, as the fish needs colder water in order to reproduce and thrive.
One organization, Trout Unlimited, which is the nation's largest coldwater fisheries organization, is actively developing stream adaptation strategies that protect trout populations from the impacts of climate change.
The short video below, courtesy of YouTube, is titled "14 degrees" by Trout Unlimited. It shows one example of how a particular trout stream in Montana was restored in order to reduce the stream temperature a whopping 14 degrees. Check it out!
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Bill would undermine local fertilizer restrictions
The retail industry is teaming up with lawn care, agriculture and other business interests to fight increased restrictions on fertilizer use in Florida, but the local ordinances are proving to be popular in the communities where they have been adopted.
That is why two Republican state representatives — both from communities that restrict fertilizer usage — voted against a bill Wednesday that would undermine the local ordinances, which have been adopted in communities from Sarasota to Wellington in recent years to improve water quality.
Before voting against the bill, Rep. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, said he had to consider "the people I represent" and noted that his Blackberry had been filling up "all morning" with emails from constituents in Pinellas County, which has one of the most restrictive fertilizer ordinances in the state.
Hooper said local communities need less expensive methods at their disposal to meet potentially costly clean water mandates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Restricting fertilizer use is cheaper than cleaning up water that has already been polluted, he said.
"This year we came very close to the EPA putting a mandate on all of us that would have
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Natural lawn tips: How to go chemical-free
Can you really have an herbicide/pesticide-free lawn that looks good?
Most people think "natural lawn care" means you can ignore your lawn all spring and summer. But while it's a chemical-free process, it does require a few basic practices, Rachel Rosenberg wrote in this TribLocal piece.
And if you're making a switch from a conventional lawn care system, it will require at least two growing seasons to transition your soil back to health.
Rosenberg, the Executive Director of the non-profit Safer Pest Control Project, which works to reduce pesticide use in Illinois, suggests these tips if you're trying to go natural:
* DO put down an organic fertilizer according to label directions in mid-April. * DO seed and fill in thin or bare areas in your yard. Getting a thick turf is your key to a healthy turf. Choose seeds that will be naturally drought resistance and sturdy for our climate. Reseed at least twice a year: Fall and spring are the best times for reseeding. * DO wait until the grass is thick and almost tipping over before the first mowing of the season. This will promote really strong early root growth. Keep your mower blades sharp and cut to 3 inches. * DO water deeply but infrequently: Water long and deep early in the morning or at dusk. Watering at night promotes disease. Make sure your lawn gets at least one inch of water per week. Conserve by not overwatering your lawn. * DO use hand tools to reduce your weed populations. It's so much easier to reduce your weed population by pulling by hand, spot spraying if absolutely necessary or using specialized tools.
And a few caveats:
* DON'T put down a pre-emergent (preventative) weed control in April. * DON'T use
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Lawn care tips for first-time homeowners
First-time homeowners can be overwhelmed at the responsibility that comes with home ownership. While some of those responsibilities can be stressful, others can prove therapeutic.
Many homeowners find caring for their lawns to be an enjoyable hobby that helps relieve stress. Time spent outdoors in the warm sun helps improve mood, and a lush lawn and garden can instill a sense of pride in homeowners. First-time homeowners with no history of caring for a lawn can still turn their lawn into a lush oasis to be proud of.
Start With the Soil
Soil is the foundation for any good lawn or garden. Healthy soil will result in healthy plants and vegetables. Unfortunately, not all homeowners are lawncare enthusiasts, and first-time homeowners might discover their lawn sand gardens need lots of work. That work should begin with a soil test. Do-it-yourself soil kits are available at most major home improvement and lawn and garden centers.
For those who prefer to trust a professional, the University of Saskatchewan has a soil test laboratory. It can be helpful if you have a new home and want to find out more about the soil before you landscape or garden or if a garden area or flower bed has been consistently producing poor plants.
The lab provides oil analysis for the home gardener. You should submit samples of soil representing three depths: 0-6 inches; 6-12 inches, and 12 to 24 inches. Soil samples representing depths greater than 6 inches provide information of particular importance in assessing problems related to salinity and nitrogen deficiency.
Find the Right Grass
Some lawns might be an eyesore because the grass is not the right type of grass for that particular region. If a grass is not a good fit for
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Scotts to remove phosphorus in fertilizer
ScottsMiracle-Gro will remove all phosphorus from its lawn-maintenance fertilizers sold in the U.S. by the end of next year, the company said today.
The Marysville-based lawncare- and garden-product company said it has reformulated its products and will focus on creating more "efficient and optimized" ways to use nitrogen in its lawn fertilizers.
Phosphorus is associated with algae blooms that last summer closed lakes, reservoirs and beaches in Ohio and have created "dead zones" in Lake Erie.
"We want to provide customers with the tools they need to create the lawn and garden they want while also being stewards of the environment," Jim Hagedorn, Scotts chairman and CEO, said in a statement. "Making sure consumers know how they can get great results from our products while also protecting and preserving water is critical."
The move comes as states enact or consider bans on the use of lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus.
Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin have enacted or are planning restrictions on use of lawn fertilizer containing phosphorus.
The level of phosphorus in lawn fertilizer is not high, but in healthy lawns it isn't necessary, said Peter Richards, a research scientist with the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University in Tiffin.
"We have problems with too much phosphorus going into Lake Erie," Richards said. "While lawn fertilizer is not the main source, the decision by Scotts to remove it from its fertilizer is important symbolically and an important step in the right direction."
Scotts began reducing phosphorus in its lawn-fertilizer products in 2006 as a result of conversations it had with officials regarding Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. At that time, the company agreed to reduce phosphorus levels by 50 percent over three years.
But Rich Shank, Scotts' chief environmental officer, said the latest decision takes the company's commitment even further.
"Established lawns, for the most part, already contain enough phosphorus to maintain a healthy grass," he said. "So with proper care, you really don't need phosphorus. This allows us to make a more environmentally friendly product as well."
Scotts will keep phosphorus in its starter-fertilizer products for new lawns, because phosphorus is essential to the initial root development of grass, Shank said.
Phosphorus will also remain in ScottsMiracle-Gro's organic lawn food as it naturally occurs in the materials contained in the products, he said.
Scotts will launch a website to educate consumers on the reformulated product, to make sure "the public is
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Lawn Care Franchises
An opinion as to whether Lawn Care Franchises are the right way to get into the lawn Care Industry.
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Lawn care 101
Grow grass that's the envy of the neighborhood.Although warm weather might have you thinking about planting shrubs and flowers to add curb appeal, there's nothing like a green lawn to dress up your home.
prucing up your grass may seem like a tough task to undertake, but growing a lush, green lawn may be easier than you think.
Mitchell Mote, local UT-TSU Extension agent, and Rutherford Master Gardener Don Richardson weighed in on lawn care for spring.
If you have a post-construction yard, or it's filled with crab grass and mud spots, where do you start?
"If an entire lawn is to be renovated (existing growth killed) and planted with a cool season turfgrass such as tall fescue, I strongly encourage the homeowner to wait until fall, as a fall seeding of cool season turfgrass is normally much more successful than a spring seeding because the fall-seeded grass has time to develop a root system and gain some maturity before the stresses of summer arrive," Mote said. "If the renovation will consist of seeding individual spots or thin areas, then I say go ahead and give it a shot in March."
You need to take action soon, however, for planting those cool season grasses. "The spring 'window' for favorable responses is closing rapidly," Richardson said. If the renovation is extensive, you'll want to start over by killing existing grass and weeds and either resodding or reseeding, he added.
Dealing with crabgrass is another pesky part of lawn care. But what is it and how do you get rid of crabgrass?
"Crabgrass is a weed, an annual weed, which means that it reseeds itself each year," Richardson explained. And unless you take action to prevent those seeds from getting established, the crabgrass will "take over."
"Crabgrass is best controlled by preventing it through the use of a pre-emergent herbicide. The pre-emergent must be applied prior to
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