If you are not happy with your lawn—maybe you have bare patches—your grass is too thin—or you would like to make it greener – try fertilizing. Using fertilizer can address these issues. So you head off to get some fertilizer and then you realize that there are different types: dry fertilizers that are powdery or granular, synthetic fertilizers, liquid fertilizers, and natural, organic fertilizers.

The process of how fertilizers work is a topic for a future article. But the bottom line is that, for plants and grass to grow and thrive, they need certain nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. These are found in fertilizers. Here we describe the four basic types of fertilizing products.

Dry fertilizers tend to be a bit easier to use—you just use your gloved hands or a spreader to distribute the particles around your lawn. You will find 20 pound bags and sometimes 50 pound bags—read the bag to see how much fertilizer is needed for your size lawn. You may not need to treat the entire lawn if you just want to apply fertilizer to the thinner spots. You will have a choice between time-release fertilizer that slowly gets absorbed or the fast release type that leads to quicker results. The fast release variety needs more watering and more applications per year than the slow release type. Basically fast release is for lawns in dire need of help or when you are quickly wanting improvements – say, for an Open House or real estate sale.

Synthetic fertilizers are manufactured out of chemical compounds and are quick release, quick to take effect. There is a concern that because these products are not natural they provide no nutrients to the soil and possibly could be damaging to the soil. They do work but the result is usually temporary and so more frequent applications are required. Be careful not to over apply as you could actually burn your grass.

Are you that person that loves to stand out on your lawn with a watering hose in your hand? Then you might like applying liquid fertilizers. You attach your hose to the fertilizer jug and so you are spraying your lawn with a mixture of water and concentrated fertilizer. This provides for easy application but be careful to spread the mixture evenly. With liquid fertilizer, your lawn absorbs the nutrients quickly. Another benefit is that it also kills weeds.

More and more, people are choosing natural products. Organic fertilizers are made entirely from once- living elements with no man-made ingredients. You apply them using a spreader or just your hands and a rake. They usually break down slowly. They can be a little harder to apply in an even manner and may have an unpleasant smell. Do some research, ask your landscaper about the differences in these varieties and if you choose organic, your landscaping company can recommend one.

Your landscaper can also tell you which type of fertilizer works best in your geographic area and with your specific type of soil. Certain soils are more absorbent and fertilizer-friendly than others. Technology has definitely improved the quality of fertilizer products and if you enjoy your lawn, it makes sense to feed it and keep it healthy.

Quick tip: Make sure you’re aware of the laws surrounding the spread of fertilizer on your property. There may be limitations for both homeowners and professionals. In the state of NJ this is the case. In fact, professional landscapers must be trained and receive a special certification in order to do so. We’re proud to share that one of our managers has recently become one of the 1st in NJ to receive this Certification. You can go to http://salem.rutgers.edu/nre/ppt/2011-mangiafico-new-jersey-turfgrass-fertilizer-law-scripted.pdf for more information about this recently passed legislation.

Taking care of a garden can be a lot of hard work! The Northeast weather can take a toll on your plants and shrubs – especially if you’ve made the wrong selection of plants for this climate. Fortunately, there are plants that require low maintenance that will make your yard beautiful without a lot of time and energy on your part.

Astilbe

This tough perennial is known for its large, fern-like look and feathery texture. They can come in pink, red, white, and lavender shades and bloom once summer begins. This plant will need shade and wet soil for ideal growing conditions. Due to its need for damp soil, it is a popular plant to grow near ponds or in low-lying areas of your yard.

Carolina Lupines

These native wildflowers grow best in complete sunlight with drained soil. If Caroline Lupines are grown without proper sun, they will grow with a bend that leans towards the light. Lupines can be nearly drought resistant if they are given enough water before they flower. Due to its bright shade, these flowers look best in the middle of the border with a dark background. Lupines are a great robust plant that will add a vibrant hue to any garden and don’t need much nurturing.

Eastern Bluestar

Do you wish that more butterflies visited your garden? The Eastern Bluestar is an attractive, star-shaped flower that is popular with migrating butterflies. The Bluestar needs full and drained soil for proper growth. Another neat aspect is its changing color with the seasons. These flowers are blue in spring, and will transform into a pleasant yellow color for fall.

Maidenhair Fern

This fern may be slow to grow, but the graceful appearance theyproduce is worth it. The fronds have a dainty exterior that resembles lace when clumped together. Maidenhair ferns may be hardy, but will also need shade and moist soil, with a necessity for humid conditions.

Saponaria

These small pink, violet, and white flowers, also known as Saponaria, look excellent in groups. The best part is that they are pretty and easy to grow! Soapworts will need full sunlight and drained soil. If you are a beginner gardener, soapworts are a great “starter plant” for you!

Uvularia

Also known as Bellworts, Bellfowers or Merrybells, this plant is distinctive for its downward hanging flower. Uvularia are easy to grow and add a charming aesthetic to any garden. This plant will require well-drained soil and shade. It is recommended to plant these in groups for the best visual appeal.

These large, white flowers will make a beautiful addition to any garden. These can be grown with partly sunny exposure with well-drained soil. The lowest leaves that grow on the stem are long leaf-stems that tend to either be upright and springy, or lying flat close to the ground. Anemones are great for covering a large space due to their quick growth.

Wild Anemone

Anyone, no matter the experience, can enjoy growing their own garden. The most important thing for any gardener/homeowner is to know what plants will do best in their yards. These plants are all “Jersey-friendly”! Have fun with your landscaping, and happy gardening!

When is the best time for lawn maintenance? While you might think that spring is great for restoring the backyard, you should be getting it done now. The fall season has the most ideal climate for a new healthy lawn. No matter how often you water or fertilize your grass, you will have to deal with a buildup in thatch. An effective technique that can break up thatch is “core aeration”.

Your lawn will eventually be compromised, unable to grow as best as it can, unless you take proper care. Thatch is a combination of dead and living grass roots that could clog up the space between the top grass and the soil. All healthy turfs will have some kind of thatch build-up, which will keep the newer grass roots resilient from heavy traffic. But too much thatch can be detrimental. If the grass roots have a difficult time passing through the thatch in order to reach the soil, less nutrition is spread to the top layer of your lawn.

Thatch can restrict the movement of air, water, and fertilization when it’s more than one inch thick. There is an effective solution. Core aeration is a process that will get rid of the excess thatch so that the grass roots can reach deeper into the soil. Everyone can check their lawn for thatch by removing a one foot square of grass that is at least six inches deep (or ask your lawn company/landscaper to do so). If the grass roots only extend for one to two inches, the lawn could benefit from core aeration.

In order to remove the thatch, core aeration requires small soil plugs or “cores” to be taken out of the lawn. This can be done by a hand aerator or mechanically by a core aerator. The machine has hollow spoons that are mounted on a disk. This pulls out a core of soil that’s one half inch to a three quarters of an inch. Each core should be one to six inches deep and two to six inches apart. The kind of grass and climate are also factors in determining how often and when a grass should be core aerated.

You will also need to check on high-maintenance lawns more frequently because thatch will accumulate faster than if it were low-maintenance turf. The soil should be moist, but not wet for core aeration. Your lawn should be watered two days before core aeration so that the machine can have an easier time digging deep into the soil. If your area has experienced a lot of rainfall, you should make sure that the soil has dried a little bit. Overly wet soil will stick to the core aerator’s spoons and compromise productivity.

Most grass that is used in American lawns grows faster in cooler temperatures. When your lawn is filled with small holes from core aeration, you want the grass to grow fast so that it can quickly patch up. In addition to core aeration, a healthy lawn may need additional nutrients, removal of weeds, and PH level adjustment. The fall is a productive time for weed growth. Due to the coming winter, weeds will pull more nutrients into their roots from the grass blades to prepare for the colder weather. If you spray herbicide during the fall, the weeds will draw the herbicide into its own roots. This strategy will effectively kill the weeds.

With the right information and a bit of effort, anyone can have a healthy turf. Plan on devoting some time to your lawn this weekend.

With the winter season approaching and snowflakes soon to fall, it is a good idea to winterize your lawn and garden. This is the key to having a lush, healthy lawn come springtime. The first step is to clean up leaves and debris.  You also want to have a look around and remove any plants that are not doing well, especially in areas of thicker vegetation and planting. This will make room for new bulbs or seedlings to grow. If you have bulbs that are only 2 or 3 inches below the surface, you should plant them a bit deeper—6 or 7 inches deep is ideal for winter.

If you want to move any plants, now is the time to do so, before the ground hardens. You may want to bring in any fragile plants. Note that you can continue to water your grass and outdoor plants and shrubs until the temperature reaches freezing.  And you should continue to mow the lawn until the first frost. After the final mowing, be sure to rake your lawn and remove all thatch. Don’t forget to drain the gas tank of your mower before putting it away for the season.

You may want to aerate your garden now, which helps with compaction, or compressed grasses and soil. The compression limits oxygen getting to the roots, so aeration is the solution (this is what golf courses do to their grass).

Now is also the time to pull out weeds. If you use weed control products, do so carefully because you do not want to destroy plants and grasses that are nearby. If you have questions or need help selecting products, don’t hesitate to contact us.  As an extra step to protect your lawn from extreme cold, you can apply potassium (just ask – we are happy to do this for you.)  You can also use a winterizing fertilizer, which comes in varieties with or without weed control.

To protect the root systems of your bulbs, rose bushes, trees and other shrubs, you should apply a fresh layer of mulch. It should be several inches thick and can even cover smaller plants. Give your trees and bushes a final pruning too, as they won’t be trimmed again until the spring.

Another ‘To Do’ before winter sets in is to take care of dead patches. If you ignore a dead patch until spring, you could find that it got larger. So before the snow covers the ground, prepare the area using a hand rake or grass stitcher, then sew in a mix of winter and summer seeds. Believe it or not, the winter grasses will germinate. Your bare patch won’t be bare when spring comes.

More tips on winterizing your lawn and winter maintenance for your garden can be obtained by speaking to a friendly representative at High Tech Landscapes. Call or come see us any time. 800 406 6420

Do you find yourself at the beach making sand castles and drawing designs in the sand? Then creating a Zen Garden just might be right for you.

Built long ago to help Zen Monks reach a state of enlightenment, rock gardens were created by the careful placement of natural elements such as sand and stones to represent mountains and water. These elements are said to allow a person to achieve a deeper state of meditation in order to forget about life’s stress and strains.

Traditional Japanese gardens use all natural materials and have an emphasis on harmony and relaxation. Zen gardens often incorporate straight lines, swirls, stones, wood, and other non-living components to help in meditation. The gardens can also incorporate water if a water fountain or pond is desired.

The underlying philosophy of Japanese gardens is a combination of Shintoism and Buddhism which reveres life and explores the laws of nature.

Getting started is as simple as pouring gravel over the garden area and large stones are added. The gardener, using a rake, maps out designs in the gravel first by raking back and forth along the length of the garden and then by producing swirls that dance around the stones and around each other. The stones are meant to represent mountains and the swirls are meant to represent water. Any kind and color of stones and gravel can be used, but the stones are usually dark and the gravel usually white.

You can choose stones of different colors or the same color. Choose as many stones as you like but remember not to choose too many. The amount is up to you. Lay the stones where you want in the garden and rake patterns around them. You can change the pattern as often as you like.

For a small rock garden, you should map out the area and purchase the stones first. You will not need very large rocks for the Zen garden if it is going to be small. Use bricks, stones or metal flower bed border to edge your garden. Fill the garden with sand, pebbles or gravel.

Other ideas for your rock garden might be to create patterns in the stones using different colored rocks. For example, you might create Chinese or Japanese characters out of black rock in a white rock bed. You could create diminishing rings of pebbles around your larger stones or rings of colored stones that fade gradually to the color of the gravel. The possibilities are endless.

And finally to pull it all together, consider lining the outer perimeter with different hearty grasses and low ground covering succulents. The Yin and the Yang will be no further than you back door!

-Some content contributions for this article came from the Yahoo’s Community Network- Amber S.