Consumer Reports: Lawncare Issue

May 2009: Consumer Reports; “Great Lawns for Less”

My wife and I were at Target this weekend and when we went to check out I noticed the Consumer Reports issue mentioned “10 Money saving secrets from the pros” & “Slash your fertilizing and watering bills” since I am always on my eternal quest for knowledge so I decided to purchase the magazine and report my take on it.

Their Save Time & Money Tips:
 Fertilize less; they mention that the average homeowner can save $50 a year if they have their soil tested. They did not recommend buying a homeowners test kit from a lawn care store but to call a professional out to do the testing.

Not sure about most companies but I am pretty sure that paying a professional to come out and test your PH level of your soil is probably going to exceed the $50 saved in fertilizing. But by having your soil tested at least you will find any deficiencies you may have.

 Maintain your mower; the mention that you should spend a few hours and up to $150 on getting your mower in shape for the season. Things to do: sharpen & balance blades, oil change & basic maintenance.

Maintaining your equipment is common knowledge for most.

 Thicken your Turf; they mention the need for over seeding your bare spots so weeds will not overtake them. $50-300

I agree with over seeding when needed but I don’t think it is necessary on an annual basis.

 Mow Less; do not mow your lawn too short, mow less grass.

Shorter grass requires more water & taller grass gives you a better color. Your grass should be 3-4”.

 Add Compost; they recommend adding ¼” of topdressing once or twice a year since it promotes healthy turf.

I know that would get quite expensive & I thought their article was about saving money, they just seem to mention ways to spend money so far.

 Mulch Clippings

Common sense

 Water Smartly; they mention the same stuff on our watering tips page, water infrequently w/ heavier run times. Water early in the morning, before the sun & wind prevent the water from being absorbed.
Read our page on Irrigation / Lawn Sprinkler Watering Tips.

 Improve Sprinkler-System Efficiency; they talk about drip irrigation, rain sensors, and DU rates on sprinklers.

If you really want to save money and make your system more efficient you should inquire about our Irrigation Audit where we show you how to make your system most efficient and how much water you can save.

 Think Beyond Grass; they recommend filling our landscape w/ ground cover, trees, flowers, shrubs and other things besides having all grass.

 Do a Weekly Walk-around; do regular checks of your landscape and turf to see when issues arise so they can be dealt with before they become problems.

I agree with this and wish everyone would do a walk through of their irrigation system every two weeks or so.