Turn Your Neighbors Green with Envy with a Beautiful Lawn

With the warm weather comes those tried and true summertime events: barbecues, a day at the beach, and the grass in our yards turning into straw. That's right -- every summer, millions of Americans sit by idly while their front lawns fade from green to brown.

Just because it's hot outside doesn't mean you can't still have a beautiful lawn. In fact, grass can do rather well in hot weather, as long as it's properly maintained. By following a few simple tips, you'll be well on your way to greener pastures.

Several things are important to a strong, healthy lawn -- the first being regular mowing. Frequently mowing your yard helps prevent stressing the grass, which occurs when it gets too long. Your lawn should be cut at the highest possible setting for your mower, because cutting too short leaves the grass blades more susceptible to damage. If you're not catching the clippings in a bag, remember to cut the grass when it's dry since wet grass is heavy and will form into clumps, which can smother the uncut grass.

Recycling the clippings is probably one of the best things you can do for your lawn. By using a mulching mower when cutting your grass, the clippings, which are full of vital nutrients, are spread throughout your lawn. When the clippings decompose, those nutrients are placed right back into the soil.

Another essential ingredient for a successful lawn is adequate water. Most homeowners make the mistake of watering their yards frequently and only during hot temperatures. This actually hurts the lawn. Grass needs water year-round, not just during hot, dry months.

An inch of water every six to seven days is recommended. An easy way to measure the amount of water received by your lawn is to place a rain gauge in the path of the sprinkler. Frequent watering for short periods of time hurt your lawn by not allowing enough water to reach the roots. Instead, water your lawn once a week for about four hours, allowing the water to seep deeply into the soil to promote deep root growth.

One way to tell if your lawn needs watering is to simply walk across it and look for your footprints. Healthy lawns spring back into place -- so if you can easily see where you have just walked, that's a sure sign that the lawn needs watering..

Even after implementing this type of lawn care program, don't be surprised if your lawn still turns brown, especially during the hotter months of summer. Browning and fading of grass can result from a number of causes. The more severe ones include disease and insect infestation. However, these causes are rare. A common case may be a lack of important nutrients, such as iron.

Iron-enriched formulas such as the newly introduced PerkUp Lawn Revitalizer by Greenview can save lawns from the drying effects of heat and droughts. Previously only available for use by golf courses to green fairways and greens for tournaments, PerkUp greens grass by providing a slow release of iron that provides an efficient and extended feeding of nutrients to your lawn. It comes in a granular form, which can be applied easily with your typical spreader.

A 25-pound bag will cover an area of approximately 5,000 square feet. The product should be watered into your lawn after application to stimulate the release of iron. By using PerkUp you will not only begin to see a greener lawn within 24-to-48 hours, but it will become more resistant to wear, since it also includes potassium and manganese to help strengthen roots. The product contains a low level of nitrogen, however, to limit excessive growth. So no additional mowing is required!

Even better, the product's exclusive controlled release of greening agents means longer, deeper greening. So instead of simply perking up your lawn for a few days, PerkUp retains its beautiful color for a minimum of 4-to-6 weeks, which means only a few applications guarantee a lush, green lawn that will last all summer.

For maximum effectiveness, lawn revitalizers like PerkUp should be applied early in the summer season (mid June to early July in most parts of the country) to enhance root development before the heat hits. It is, however, safe to apply again and again without restriction. It can even be used around various acid-loving plants, such as azaleas and rhododendrons, to help ensure greener, healthier leaves.

For more information on lawn care and the benefits of iron-rich revitalizers like PerkUp, visit your local lawn and garden center or call 1-800-532-0090, ext. 214.

Courtesy of ARA Content, www.ARAcontent.com, e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information please contact Eileen Petridis at (216) 696-0229 or epetridis@robertfalls.com.