A lot of folks are reducing - or even eliminating - lawns from their landscape these days. But, before ripping it all out, one thing to keep in mind is a healthy lawn does help to keep yard temperatures cooler.
Lawn can offset about 50% of the sun's heat through cooling evaporation. When it’s sunny, air temps are 10-14° Fahrenheit cooler than on asphalt or concrete and, artificial turf temperatures can be even higher. Maintaining a healthy lawn can impact your energy bill as it will help to reduce your home's cooling needs.
With the drought that we’ve been experiencing, and water prices sky-high, it is understandable to desire a yard you don’t have to water. The good news is, that by creating a strong root system with healthy soil, your lawn can still look great with far less water than you might think.
Want a greener lawn while using less water? Here are some helpful products to easily achieve that balance:
- Ground Breaker - This product loosens compacted soil opening up pore space which allows for better water and air penetration. It binds salt to itself and flushes it below the root zone. It will help to normalize Ph and allows plants to have better access to nutrients. 8oz Concentrate - $11.99, 32oz RTS - $39.99, 1 gal Concentrate - $89.99
Hydretain - Hydretain is not another wetting agent, surfactant, or super absorbent polymer crystal. It is actually a liquid group of hygroscopic and humectant components that attracts moisture. In other words, by acting like tiny “water magnets,” they form microscopic droplets within the root zone. As a result, this process allows plants to utilize soil moisture that would otherwise be lost to evaporation. 32oz RTS - $38.99
3. TurfMax - TurfMAX contains over 50 ingredients to treat and correct a wide range of factors that make grass unhealthy. It is the only product that addresses ALL the needs of lawns AND the soil they grow in. 37lb bag - $19.99
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Revive - Getting water to the roots is the secret of Revive’s success. Its unique formula allows water to move deeper down into the soil, bringing organic lawn fertilizers and air with it. This results in much stronger grass roots that produce a thick green, healthy lawn. Revive also contains iron to help keep the turf greener. 1/2gal RTS - $20.99, 1gal Concentrate - $25.99, 25lb bag - $36.99
Come on down and see us here at the garden center with any questions you may have. We are here to help you keep your lawn healthy, beautiful, and practical!
April days are upon us. Those long spring days spent outside in our gardens are ahead of us. The temperatures are warming up and we start to see more and more buds and blooms. Now is the time when our garden to-do lists seem never-ending…and we couldn’t be more thrilled!
There are no days in the whole round year more delicious than those which often come to us in the latter half of April... The sun trembles in his own soft rays... The grass in the meadow seems all to have grown green since yesterday... though there is warmth enough for a sense of luxury, there is coolness enough for exertion.
~Thomas Wentworth Higginson, "April Days”
Check these April gardening tips off of your April to-do lists and check back in with us next month for more!
If our missed March’s list, you can find it here.
Tree Care Tips
- Remove all winter tree wraps to avoid overheating of tree bark
- Wrapping your tree with burlap or tree guard helps you reduce the chances of harsh winter weather ruining the tree’s bark - and keeps the deer from having a nibble. But, once the winter season is done it’s time to say goodbye to the tree wrap. Leaving it on for too long can be harmful to the tree’s trunk and encourage pests and disease. Removing the wrap in April is a good rule of thumb as the likelihood of seeing another frost is low.
Fertilize Shade and Fruit Trees Tips
- Make sure to apply fertilizer to your trees to help them stay healthy. Just like humans, trees need important nutrients to grow and for their overall health. Think of the fertilizer as their daily vitamin. Some trees may need an application again in May. We recommend using G&B Citrus & Fruit Tree Fertilizer for fruit trees and G&B All Purpose Fertilizer for established shade trees and shrubs, we have both products are available now.
Deep Soak Trees And Shrubs, Especially If The Winter And Spring Have Been Dry.
- As temperatures start to warm up in early spring, start deep soaking your trees and shrubs. The ground will likely be dry after winter, so a routine of 1 time per week is good to start.
- Always check the weather first! You don’t need to deep soak during a week that you have significant precipitation. You can always check Conserve Water for their weekly watering guide to see up-to-date watering recommendations for your area.
- If you do need to deep soak, here is what that means:
- 1- Turn your hose on a slow trickle and place it 4-6” from the base of the plant.
- 2- Let the hose run between 10-30 minutes (this will be determined bythe size of the root ball, 2-3 gallons per inch diameter of the trunk.).
- Deep soaking with a hose is the best way to water your new plants, trees, and shrubs to ensure they are getting enough water for the proper establishment of the root system.
Weeding, Pruning, Fertilizing
- Prepare Your Garden
- Get your garden ready for spring by removing any winter mulch from around your perennials and roses. Rake out debris from flower and shrub beds and move shrubs, if necessary, before things start to bud. This will prevent mold and fungus from developing and spreading. Fresh compost can be added to flower beds if the soil has dried out enough.
Prepare for Weeds & Pests 
- Thinking ahead helps you avoid disaster further down the road. In April, systemic insect controls can be applied to shrubs and perennials. Keep the weeds in check by regular weeding before they take and start to spread. Check for and control insect infestations before they become a problem. When controlling pests and weeds, consider using biological controls before other harsher chemical treatments. We carry a large variety of products to help with weed and pest prevention, bring photos of your plants and we’ll make sure you get exactly what you need.
Lawn Care Gardening Tips
- Lawn Preparation
- Early preparation of your lawn will help keep it green with less water use through the season. Rake your lawn to remove winter debris and then aerate. This will reduce the chance of fungus growing, and will allow for the roots to get a head start with a deeper structure that will keep your lawn healthy and strong with less water. Always check your sprinkler system to make sure nothing has broken over the winter. Apply pre-emergent and fertilizer at the end of March and early April unless you plan to overseed your lawn. We recommend Fertilome Weed Free Zone plus Lawn Fertilizer.
Watering Tips
- You actually should not need to water your lawn in March or April unless you are watering in fertilizer. If it does seem particularly dry, water it every two weeks. Again, checking the guide from ConserveWater.Utah is a great way to make sure you’re doing your part to conserve water while giving your lawn the support it needs
Further Reading: Top Three Tips for Maintaining Lawns
Happy gardening to you! heck out our seasonal gardening tips for even more information and come on over to see us with any questions or to grab the products you need to help your lawn and garden thrive
Other useful links and resources:
Gardening It's All in the Family
Creative Gardening Pairings from Monrovia
April days are upon us. Those long spring days spent outside in our gardens are ahead of us. The temperatures are warming up and we start to see more and more buds and blooms. Now is the time when our garden to-do lists seem never-ending…and we couldn’t be more thrilled!
Lawn Care Gardening Tips 
