Top 10 Co$tly Home Lawn Care Mistakes

HOLMDEL, N.J., April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Home lawn care mistakes add to the annual $45 billion consumers spend to improve and maintain their lawns. Lawn Doctor, the nation's leading expert in lawn care since 1967, compiled a Top 10 List of common mistakes homeowners make when it comes to home landscaping.

"Many homeowners don't realize that maintenance is always easier and less expensive than repair," said Lawn Doctor Director of Technical Services, John Buechner. "Common mistakes can lead to detrimental and costly problems for homeowners that are easily avoided." Here are ten examples:

    1.  Cutting lawn too short to save time between mows:  Removing more than
        one third of a grass blade results in a weakened root system and leads
        to future lawn issues.
    2.  Unprepared planting strategy and methods:  Plants thrive when planted
        with appropriate depth, spacing and rootball preparation. Research
        plant's species and conditions it best thrives in to accommodate root
        system and growth needs.
    3.  Ignoring differences between mature and young plants:  Water needs of
        young and mature plants differ. Young trees and shrubs require
        extensive water and different sun conditions than mature plants with
        established root systems.
    4.  Watering at the wrong time of day:  Homeowners should maintain a deep
        and infrequent watering schedule throughout the year, watering no more
        than one inch per week.
    5.  Skimp on mulching:  Mulch promotes lawn growth with nitrogen in soil
        and reduces fertilizer needs by one third.
    6.  Misunderstanding differences between seed and sod:  Sod reduces soil
        erosion and requires less watering and is most effective for
        "building" a new lawn. Seeds fill in grass gaps and build a defense
        against pests.
    7.  Fertilizing out of season:  Timing is critical to maximize fertilizer
        effectiveness. Northern homeowners should only fertilize lawns three
        times a year:  once in late spring, once in late summer, and following
        the last mow of the year. Southern homeowners should fertilize lawns
        in the spring after grass maintains a green color and then again in
        July or August.
    8.  Using powder products to treat a lawn:  Powder products are often
        cheaper, but less effective in treating lawns since powder blows away
        in the wind before it can saturate soil.
    9.  Using "green" products to fix problems immediately:  Organic and
        "green" products take longer to work since more applications are
        required to produce results.
    10. Ignoring soil tests:  Soil tests are essential to healthy lawns since
        pH balance determines the best type of grass to grow successfully.

About Lawn Doctor

For 40 years, Lawn Doctor has led the nation's lawn care industry with innovative equipment, scientifically proven fertilization and horticultural methods and personal attention to each customer's lawn through locally owned and operated franchises. Through its comprehensive website, Lawn Doctor is a top resource for lawn care information in the country. For additional care tips or franchise information, call (800) 4-LAWN-DR or visit them online at http://www.lawndoctor.com and http://www.lawndoctorfranchise.com.

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