Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Suppress weed germination with corn gluten

April's here, so now we need to get into it. Early Spring is when early root activity begins on your lawn, so we need to think about suppressing weeds. Great thing about natural lawn care is that Mother Nature has a great way to take care of that: corn gluten.

Kelly Burke, a regular columnist on Lawn Care at About.com did a great profile on this yellow wonder. You can checkout his entire article here, but here's some highlights:

What is corn gluten?
It's a powdery byproduct of the corn milling process. It was accidentally discovered as having similar properties to preemergent herbicides. Thus, making it a perfect, natural alternative to chemical herbicides.

How does corn gluten work?
Corn gluten inhibits root formation of germinating seeds. Application timing is critical - right around this time is great, and before weed seed germination begins.

How much corn gluten should I use on my lawn?
Application rates vary depending on whether the gluten is powderized, pelletized or granulated. But, a good rule of thumb is 20 lbs/1,000 sq. ft.

There's much more to checkout on Kelly's article - check it out. Are you considering corn gluten this season?

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Remove winter debris

Spring's around the corner - time to get real about decluttering your mind and your lawn.

Before you begin your Spring lawn service, be sure to get as clean of a grassy surface as possible. Remove all leaves, sticks and other debris from your grass. Leaves that have been left on top of your lawn prevent proper drainage and can lead to decay. Two things that aren't helpful to a beautiful, healthy lawn.

But, compost leaves and other organic debris allow you to benefit twice:
1. You get a greener, healthier lawn.
2. Your lawn has extra nutrients for the Spring season.

So, time to head out and start collecting!

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Gather the right lawn tools for a healthy lawn

The lawn season is getting closer...and closer. Without question, having the right tools for the job will make the job of lawn maintenance easier, and will help make your lawn as beautiful as it can be.

There are so many tools, manufacturers - at all ranges of prices - that it's difficult to determine what the best way to go is. So what should be in your green cabinet?

Here's a good list of 10 essentials:
1. A spring tined rake
2. A garden fork
3. A spade or shovel
4. A pair of edging shears
5. A half-moon edging tool
6. A besom (a.k.a. a witch's broom)
7. A push spreader
8. A trimmer or edger
9. A long-handled shear
10. A mower

For more information, you can checkout the entire article from our friends at Enjoy-Your-Garden.com. Or, better yet, visit our website to learn about our services and contact a Natural Turf professional today. We're happy to help you fill out your green lawn cabinet with the tools to The Better Way to a lush, healthy lawn.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Tune up and sharpen those mower blades!

"Winter" - wherever it was for the past season - is slipping away, and Spring will be here before we know it.

To prepare for a healthy lawn, be sure to get your lawn mower and lawn mower blades ready. This way, your grass is cut cleanly, allowing the roots to remain intact and the blades to grow evenly.

For more info, here's a great refresher from eHow.com.

What are some of your helpful tricks for prepping your lawn mower?

Happy mowing!