Gardening and Landscaping Stack Exchange
Gardening and Landscaping Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [lawn]

Low durable plants of consistent height that are grown to fill an area aesthetically, to be walked on, or as a base for sports and recreation.

Low durable plants of consistent height that are grown to fill an area aesthetically, to be walked on, or as a base for sports and recreation.

Lawns are usually made of one or more es which are cut (with a lawn mower) periodically to maintain the consistent height. Grass varieties should be chosen according to the climate (e.g. drought or frost hardiness may be required), and requirements (e.g. light walking, heavy walking, sports). Specialist purposes (e.g. sports) also require special preparation in order to maintain durability and a flat playing surface.

Non-grass lawns are generally not as durable as grass, so they are typically grown for aesthetic purposes only.

Lawn problems can include weed() growth, insect() , mammal pests (e.g. moles), and subsidence.

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Tips on lawn maintenance and weed control

I have a lawn that is growing more and more weeds as the days go by. What is the best method of tackling this problem and returning my lawn to its former lush and green self?
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How often should you mow a growing lawn?

During the warm months when my grass is growing, is there a mowing schedule I can use to encourage the lawn to be green and healthy? Mine often seems "unhappy" when it's been cut (goes pale, some browning), which makes me want to mow it…
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What's an organic way to discourage crabgrass from a large "lawn"?

I have a large area that's infested with crabgrass. I'd like to use organic methods to encourage the grass mix over the crabgrass. The fact that it's a large area means I can't afford to apply (nor do I want to) herbicides. The soil is acidic and…
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How do I encourage lawn seeds to germinate successfully?

I'm trying to repair some patches in my lawn with grass seeds, but I can't seem to get the seeds to germinate. Is there anything that can be done to encourage germination? In addition, the weather has been really changeable of late, so it's wet and…
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How do I know when and how much to aerate my lawn?

I have a section of my lawn which seems prone to standing water, grass that doesn't grow very quickly, and seems very hard-packed. I think it's probably in desperate need of aeration. What is the proper way to know when and how much to aerate? Also,…
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What is a good grass replacement plant?

I don't like mowing my lawn. Is there a grass replacement plant which: looks like grass, one can step on it, does not need mowing?
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Making a yard that's settled more level?

My yard was installed when the prior owners built our house a dozen years ago. They did a decent job with the landscaping and yard. The problem is that some areas of the yard have settled and I'd like to "fill" those areas in without redoing too…
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Can my lawn be saved or is it time to dig it up and re-sod?

The majority of the grass in my backyard has turned brown and/or died after what we believe was a chinch bug onslaught that went untreated for way too long. It is St. Augustine grass in South Florida. I finally treated the whole backyard with…
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How do I remove dandelions without damaging my lawn?

My lawn is infested with dandelions. Although they're benign, the flowers are fun to play with and the plant has several useful properties, it sure is an eyesore and I'd like to get rid of it. How can I eradicate this weed without damaging my…
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How can I control thistle in a lawn?

Our back fence (an iron bar fence) borders a golf course, and between us and the fairway is about 50 feet of "native" landscaping. This mostly means long, native grass (some type of crab grass?). Unfortunately, next to one section of my backyard, a…
Nicole
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Why do many landscapers put gravel around the base of buildings?

Where I live, I've noticed many buildings have a stone/gravel barrier between the building foundation and the lawn or flower bed. Why is this? Does it prevent insect or pest infiltration of the structure?
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How can I tell if my lawn needs to be dethatched?

I understand that a lawn may need to be dethatched periodically so the roots of the grass can reach into the soil (instead of into the thatch layer). How do I tell if my thatch layer is getting too thick? (Preferably before the lawn starts to look…
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How do I go about planning the layout of a sprinkler network for my lawn?

There are several great questions and helpful guides on lawns and lawn-repair on this site. Since it's the lawn laying season now, I've started thinking about laying a sprinkler network prior to sodding because it's easier to do so now than after…
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How often should I fertilize my lawn?

How often should I fertilize my lawn? Should I follow a certain schedule? I have heard of people fertilizing on around holidays [US: Easter (sometime in April), Memorial day (last week of May), fourth of July, Labor day (first week of September)].
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Are there benefits to changing the direction you mow a lawn?

This is one of those ancient bits of "wisdom" I vaguely recall from my childhood; and now that I have a lawn which seems quite happily established, I'm looking into keeping it that way. So, I want to know if there's any truth to it. Supposedly,…
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