This is a cooperative blog: a co/blog. We've really just started this experiment, so give a few months to get some momentum. Each of the five charter authors involved are responsible for a different set of topics, and each will post on their own schedule. We hope you enjoy the content provided here, and find it useful. The information provided is meant as opinion and editorial purposes only, and should never be taken as professional advice.

Five Good Reasons to Fertilize Your Lawn

Archived in Landscape, Do-it-Yourself | 1 Comment

Great grass needs tender loving care, and this means regular and meaningful feedings. If you mow and mulch you’re one step closer, but it doesn’t mean you’ve got all your bases covered. Fertilizing your lawn appropriately is as important as keeping it watered. Why? Here are five good reasons to fertilize your lawn.

1) …because grass is unnatural. Don’t believe me? Ask yourself this: if you had neither seeded nor sodded would you have a lawn? Or would you have a muddy, weedy mess full of local scrub, clover, thistle, et cetera? I’d wager on the second. Your lawn is there because you or someone else planted it there. True, it’s a hardy plant and it will do very well where it is if you feed it well, but in the world of landscaping and competitive plant biology, grass is the visiting team. It has a disadvantage right from the start.

2) …because you walk on your lawn. Crush, stomp, rip, tear, break. You use your lawn to separate your feet from the muddy mess hidden below. You know perfectly well that grass is something of a living carpet, and like any carpet can succumb to eventual wear and tear. Lucky for both you and the grass, a healthy (well fed) lawn will look after repairing itself.

3) …because grass can be a real fighter. Weeds are always — repeat, ALWAYS — trying to find a way to break through the defenses put up by your grass. Whether your lawn is twenty days or twenty years old, a fertilized lawn means that it can choke down intruders through strong, healthy root systems and sustained growth.

4) …because you mow. And — especially if you are like some of my neighbors who quickly stuff their clippings into big orange garbage bags that wind up on the curb — the nutrients, minerals, and potential organic fertilizer you just clipped off wind up in the landfill. It’s not like cutting your hair. This is true damage to the plant, and while it will recover you had better feed it occasionally to give back what you just took away.

5) …because your lawn is an ecosystem. Look close. Besides you and your PETS, there are a lot of critters who make use of your grass. From the small — insects, spiders, worms, and other creepers — to the slightly larger — birds, mice, and rabbits — you are hosting a local ecosystem who’s tenants are probably typical renters: messy and destructive. Think of fertilizer as just another landlord duty.

Please remember: I’m just a guy who has done this work for myself, once. This is just my experience, so do more research before you start. I welcome any comments or updates that anyone with more experience might provide. Cheers!

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Fence Posts and Holes

Archived in Landscape, Construction, Outdoors | 1 Comment

In building a strong wood fence, you must always remember that the foundation for that fence is your posts. No matter how strong you might build the panels, the fence will not stand the test of TIME and the elements if your posts are not planted firmly into the ground.

Like all of my advice, this information comes from personal experience and research, and I welcome comments or additions to clarify or improve this entry.

The Holes

No matter how you dig them, the holes for your new fence posts should be sufficient to balance out a number of competing factors. This includes the height of the fence, the dimensions of the post, frost, wind, and soil composition. My rule of thumb is that the hole should be at least half the height of the fence and twice the width of the longest side of the post. For example, a six-foot fence using 4 inch by 6 inch posts, should have MINIMUM three-foot deep and twelve inch wide holes.

The Base

To ensure (a) proper drainage at the very base of your holes, (b) proper support for your posts, and (c) longevity of your materials, you should place a base of coarse gravel or road crush about four to six inches deep (compacted) at the base of each hole.

The Form

I use concrete to ensure that the posts I place are there for the long haul. Hand mixed (just add water) concrete comes in convenient bags and dries in a day or two. Ensure that your hole is wide enough (see above) so that the concrete has enough depth to avoid cracking and breaking away from the post. Compact the concrete, removing extra air pockets, using a rod or two-by-four. For aesthetics, I always leave a few inches of space at the top of the concrete for decorative stone placed after the surrounding area has been finished and the fence built.

The Posts

It’s tough to find posts that are not qualified outdoor wood, such as treated lumber or cedar. I use treated lumber for my posts, ensuring that they are square to the property-line and perpendicular to the ground. Level and brace, lifting the post and dropping it into the hole a few times to ensure compaction at the base. Secure to the ground or existing structures to limit movement while the concrete dries.

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Read more posts by Gary W (About the Author)

del.icio.us Digg it Earthlink Furl iFeedReaders ma.gnolia Maple.nu Netvouz Netscape RawSugar reddit Scuttle Shadows Simpy Spurl StumbleUpon Wink Yahoo MyWeb

Posts that might have similar content:

Gary’s Construction Anecdotes >> For your convenience, here are some of the articles I've written on my landscaping and contruction experiences. As usual remember: I’m just a guy who has done this work for myself, once. This is just my experience, so do more research

Movie Moments - Episode #1 >> This is Episode One of my feature column, the Movie Moments on Haddow Drive where arbitrarily rank "The Best or Worst of..." a themed movie moment or movie entire. There is no method here. Just opinions. Episode #1: Top Five Most Ridiculous

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