Did you ever drive someone’s yard and comment how nicely it’s kept? Lush green grass mowed well with neatly trimmed edges. Or maybe you noticed the flower garden or a particularly cheerful entrance with container plants.
Do you want to create a beautiful yard? First, you can keep your lawn pristine with the right lawn mower. Mowers aren’t cheap and you want to buy and maintain the correct one for your specific needs.
Walk-behind Mowers
Standard walk-behind mowers are best for lawns under half an acre. For lawns between half and 1 full acre, you may be happier with a self-propelled mower. If your yard is over 1 acre, consider getting a riding mower. It’s also important to consider your yard terrain and grass thickness. Lawns with hills and heavier grass generally require higher-performance mowers. Set the blade on your mower so that you don’t cut off more than 1/3 of the grass blades’ height. Grass that is too short makes your lawn susceptible to crabgrass and damage from the sun. Grass height should be at least 2″. Periodically cleaning your mower blades will help it run better. If the blade needs sharpening, use a heavy file to sharpen dull edges. And change the oil once a year.
Hand-feed Lawn Fertilizer
If you don’t regularly fertilize your lawn, you should. Lawn fertilizer keeps grass healthy and green, and helps prevent weed growth. A balanced lawn fertilizer contains equal proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. This is indicated by the nutrient ratios on the package. For example: 10-10-10. This ratio indicates that it is a good, general-purpose lawn fertilizer formula. You can use a hand spreader or broadcast spreader to distribute granular fertilizer or grass seed evenly. After application, water your lawn well.
Flower Beds & Gardens
As for flower beds, just ask your local nursery or Stephanie in our greenhouse for advice on plant placement. If you aren’t sure about how a plant will thrive in your landscape, please inquire about the needs of the bush or plant and how much fertilizer it needs or if it’s prone to pests. For container gardens, we have an abundance of pots, plants and soil specifically formulated for containers. You’ll be thrilled to see all our new plants and flowers right now in the greenhouse. Plus, new garden decorations, fountains and other items you need to take your landscape from ho-hum to Wow!
Shovels, Rakes, & Outdoor Tools
During May, we have shovels, rakes, weed killer, garden hoses, grass seed and more on sale to help you with your yard work and gardening.
Outdoor Living 2023
Then put your feet up and enjoy. What? You need to update your seating in your new oasis? As it happens, Longenecker’s has Adirondack chairs on sale in several bright, happy colors. And we have all kinds of outdoor furniture, lighting, décor, American flags, fire pits, grills, and smokers. If you need even more inspiration after visiting the store, just peruse our digital Outdoor Living Catalog 2023.
