HOME & Garden
APril 20, 2012
Long live your lawn Continued from page 9A
ing lots of holes for water to enter. Many landscapers do this job in the spring, but that’s not ideal if there are a lot of weeds, because, according to Boes, “This also brings the weeds up.” A good time to apply seed is after aerating, because when you do apply seed, it has to have a way to get into the soil. Applying seed over a thatch of dead grass and hard soil won’t do much. At the very least, you need to vigorously rake up the lawn so the seed has someplace to go. Bad patches
Suppose your lawn is generally in good shape but has patches of dead or yellowing grass. The problem could be that some fertilizer has killed a patch of grass, or doggie visitors have upset the chemical balance of the soil. Now, the soil is contaminated. So putting seed and fertilizer there won’t do much. The best remedy for patches of contaminated soil begins with getting that contamination away from the surface. Dig a spade into the soil and try to remove the whole dead patch, along with a few inches of soil, in one piece. Flip the whole thing over. Now, you’ve transferred the contaminated material deep underground, where it will dissipate. You should flood the area with water to drive the contaminants further underground. Then you can seed and fertilize the bare patches. It’s essential to keep the seeded
areas constantly moist until the seed germinates, which may take a couple of weeks. If you let the seeds dry out before they put out roots, they will probably die. Starting over
Sod is the high-ticket solution for bringing a lawn back from the dead. Sod is like wall-to-wall carpet for your lawn, complete with weed-free grass and its own root system. But for sod to establish itself well on your soil, it needs to be able to put down roots, receive adequate water and get enough sunlight to grow properly. Boes explained that if homeowners don’t have an irrigation system and are thinking of installing a sod lawn, the time to get those sprinklers installed is before the sod is laid down. “It’s much more difficult to install sprinklers after sod is down,” he said. Keeping the sod well-watered will help its roots reach down, into the soil below. “A steadily, properly irrigated lawn will be healthier because you’re able to drive the root growth,” said Boes. He added that once the sod is established with roots in the underlying soil, it should be aerated to promote water reaching deep into the ground. Compared to most existing lawns, sod lawns are very dense, and water has trouble getting through. Don’t aerate sod before the roots are established, though: if you can pull on a section of sod and it comes up like a doormat, it’s not rooted
The RECORD-REVIEW | Page 11A
For every problem, there’s a solution.
Solutions by Jody Professional Home & Office Organizing Home Staging • Downsizing Relocating • Room Makeover
Jody Froehlich
914-844-7165
www.solutionsbyjody.com
Continued on page 13A
Creative Flooring Ltd. Bringing Style to Your Home or Office at Affordable Prices Since 1987
• Beautiful 1st Quality Remnants In Stock at Great Prices • Stunning New Collections of Home & Porch Rugs by Kaleen & Stanton • Free Measuring & Plan Design • Free Estimates • Guaranteed Expert Installation • Personal Service
bedford gravel
& l a n d s c a p e s u p p ly Serving the Area Since 1949
Gravel • Mulches Topsoil • Fieldstone Sand • Stonedust • Sweet Peet • Fieldstone Flagstone • Item #4 • Belgian Block Cobblestones • Wallstone • Brick Pavers Stepping Stones • Soil/Fill
Beautiful Wool Remnants in Stock at
40% - 70% Off Retail ShOp WheRe the DeSigneRS ShOp
145 Kisco Avenue Mon.-Fri. 9:30-5:30
914.666.6679
Mt. Kisco, nY Sat. 10:00-4:30
ViSit uS At OuR neW WebSite www.creativeflooringny.com
SuppORt YOuR LOCAL MeRChAntS
www.bedfordgravel.com
914-241-3851 Norm Ave., Mt. Kisco (next to Kohl’s)