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Austin South Asian | July 2021
Improve Your Backyard Life With These Lawn Care Tips
The backyard is one of the most popular spots of the home to relax, host and have fun. However, it all starts with a beautiful lawn.
• Loosen the soil a few inches deep. If it’s hard and dry, add fresh topsoil.
Gently rake them into the soil.
• Lightly cover the area with straw to hold in moisture and keeps birds from snacking.
If you’re in the weeds -- literally -- there are great resources available to help you tackle lawn care so you can make the most of your outdoor spaces and have a better overall outdoor experience.
• Water it and keep it damp at all times. • Sprouts will appear soon! But wait a few weeks before mowing.
One place that can help you get started is Exmark’s Backyard Life site. Exmark, a leading manufacturer of lawn care equipment, created this multimedia destination to provide homeowners with everything from barbecue recipes and design tips to gardening and lawn care advice.
Experts also say that ongoing maintenance is essential to keeping that lawn looking great. “One of the worst things you’ll have to fight, no matter what type of grass you have, is weeds,” says Exmark partner Brian Latimer, a professional angler and yard fanatic. “And you’ll have to fight weeds all year.” To ensure a lush, healthy lawn, Latimer offers these additional weed-fighting and green-up tips:
The fourth episode in the Exmark Original “Backyard Smart” video series, offers the following steps for repairing bare spots in the lawn: • Remove dead grass and weeds,
• Next, sow seeds that match your lawn type.
• Now, feed that new grass using a granular
Tips To Give Bugs The Boot This Summer Warm and wet spring and summer conditions predicted for much of the country are going to make for an extra buggy season, according to the biannual Bug Barometer forecast from the National Pest Management Association.
quitoes and other bugs (and lead to a host of other issues). It’s important to know that the problem may take some diagnosing, and could require such actions as changing the soil composition of
What’s more, ants, roaches and stinging insects are well-equipped at finding food and shelter in and around your home, and they are smarter than you may think.
For example, Zevo Ant, Roach and Fly Multi-Insect Trigger Spray works on a broad range of household bugs using lemongrass oil and geraniol as active ingredients.
• Safeguard entry points: Pests enter the home most typically through windows, doors and the garage.
• Don’t feed the insects: Without proper precautions, your home could inadvertently be the most popular insect buffet in town.
To that end, patch any holes or tears in screen doors and windows, or better yet, replace them entirely. Keep doors, windows and the garage otherwise closed.
To ensure you’re feeding just your family and not a parade of bugs, keep surfaces free of crumbs and residue.
• Drain the swamp: Standing water can quickly become a breeding ground for mos-
ing bugs doesn’t need to put you out of house and home for hours or even minutes. Today, there are effective ways to kill bugs using friendly ingredients.
Zevo sprays are deadly to bugs and safe for use around people and pets when used as directed, making them a year-round household essential. For more information, visit www. zevoinsect.com.
However, you can take steps to prepare for their arrival. For a safe, healthy and comfortable season at home, follow these pest management tips:
Regularly sweep around areas where food is prepared and consumed. Wipe up spills immediately and close food containers securely. Be sure your kitchen garbage has a tightly-fitting lid.
starter fertilizer.
your lawn or grading the land to encourage proper drainage. However, managing this issue is well worth the effort involved. • Blast bugs without harsh chemicals. Kill-
While outwitting bugs is a bit more challenging during summer, with a few tricks up your sleeve, you can keep your home safe and more comfortable with fewer uninvited guests. (StatePoint)
1. Fight Weeds. Although hand-weeding works, applying pre-emergent treatments to your lawn can help combat opportunistic weeds preemptively. Just be sure any chemical being applied is safe for the type of grass you have. Keep an eye on your lawn and manage weeds that appear. 2. Mulch. While weeds tend to thrive in bare soil, they hate thick mulch. Mulching can keep weeds from germinating. Use landscape fabrics beneath the mulch to keep sunlight out, but you’ll want to be sure it’s a type that will allow water to still permeate your soil. You’ll also want to prune plants and trees. This doesn’t just include cutting back new growth, but also cleaning out dead limbs or branches, and shaping areas that have become unsightly. 3. Scalp. To start the season, “scalp” warmseason grasses like zoysia or Bermuda. Removing old growth by cutting your lawn super low will allow sunlight in, which warms root systems and soil temperatures. Bag clippings so sunlight, fertilizer and water can penetrate the soil. More backyard life tips, advice and video tutorials can be found by visiting exmark.com/ backyard. When it comes to better backyard life, a beautiful lawn is fundamental. Taking your cues from the professionals can help you achieve lush, green spaces perfect for grilling, playing, kicking back and more. (StatePoint)
