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Lawn (view source)

Revision as of 00:29, 1 November 2008

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Added USDA maintenance info and link
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*[[Axonopus|carpetgrass]]
 
*[[Axonopus|carpetgrass]]
 
*[[buffalograss]]
 
*[[buffalograss]]
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==United States==
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Lawns cover a significant area in the United States.  In a recent [[NASA]]-sponsored study, researcher Christina Milesi estimated the area covered by lawns to be about 128,000 square kilometers (nearly 32 million acres) making it the largest [[irrigation|irrigated]] crop in the United States, about three times that of irrigated corn. [http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/Lawn]
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Lawn care is thus a major business in America. Maintenance, construction and management of lawns of various kinds are the focus of much of the modern [[horticulture]] industry. Estimates of the amount spent on professional lawn care services vary, but a Harris Survey put the total at $28.9 billion in 2002, which averages to around $1,200 per household, spread over the 24.7 million households who use such services.
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Virginia Scott Jenkins, in her book ''The Lawn: A History of an American Obsession'' (1994), traces the desire to kill [[weed]]s historically. She notes that the current rage for a chemically-dependent lawn emerged after World War II, and argues that "American front lawns are a symbol of man's control of, or superiority over, his environment."
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Approximately 50-70 percent of U.S. residential water is used for landscaping, most of it to water lawns.
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Along with trees, lawns are a vital element in the fight against urban [[heat island|heat islanding]].  Lawns provide:
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* Oxygen conversion,
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* Filtering of air particulates,
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* [[Erosion control]],
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* Air and surface cooling to offset asphalt, cement, and rooftops.
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In comparison to bare dirt, a lawn may be 20 degrees cooler on a hot day, and up to 40 degrees cooler than cement surfaces.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
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[[Image:LawnGrassMap.jpg|thumb|right|375px|Lawn Grass Zones of the U.S.]]
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==History==
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Before the invention of [[lawn mower|mowing machines]] in [[1830]], lawns were managed differently from today. Lawns belonging to wealthy people were sometimes maintained by the labour-intensive methods of scything and shearing. In most cases however, they were pasture land, maintained by grazing with [[sheep]] or other [[livestock]]. Areas of grass grazed regularly by [[rabbits]], [[horses]] or [[sheep]] over a long period can form a very low, tight sward which is similar to a modern lawn. This was the original meaning of the word "lawn", and the term can still be found in place-names. Some forest areas where extensive [[grazing]] is practiced still have these semi-natural lawns. For example, in the [[New Forest]], [[England]], such grazed areas still occur commonly and are still called ''lawns'', for example [[Balmer Lawn]].
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Lawns became popular in [[Europe]] from the [[Middle Ages]] onward. The early lawns were not always distinguishable from pasture fields. It is thought that the associations with pasture and the biblical connotations of this word made them attractive culturally. By contrast, they are little known or used in this form in other traditions of gardening. In addition, the damp climate of maritime Western Europe made them easier to grow and manage than in other lands.  Lawns were also used in medieval times within monasteries and in the courtyards of castles for the lords and ladies to take their daily constitutional and escape from the odors of the castle. 
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It was not until the Tudor and Elizabethan times that the garden and the lawn became a place to be loved and admired.  Created as walkways and for play areas, the lawns were not as we envisage them today. They were made up of meadow plants, such as camomile, a particular favourite.  In the early 1600s, the Jacobean epoch of gardening began. It was during this period that the closely cut "English" lawn was born. By the end of this period, the English lawn was the envy of even the French. It was also seen as a symbol of status by the gentry.  In the early 1700s, gardening fashion went through a further change. William Kent and the age of [[Capability Brown]] were in progress, and the open "English" style of parkland was seen across Britain and Ireland. Lawns seemed to flow from the garden into the outer landscape. 
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During Victorian times, as more plants were introduced into Britain, and the influence of France and Italy became prevalent, lawns became smaller as borders were created and filled with plants, statues, sculptures, terraces and water features, which started eating into the area covered by the lawn. In the United States, it was not until after the Civil War that lawns began to appear in middle class residences.  Most people did not have the hired labor needed to cut a field of grass with scythes.  Average home owners either raised vegetables in their yards or left them alone. If weeds sprouted that was fine. Toward the end of the 19th century, suburbs appeared on the American scene, along with the sprinkler, greatly improved lawn mowers, new ideas about landscaping and a shorter work week. 
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Lawns do not have to be, and have not always been of [[grass]].  Other possible plants for fine lawns in the right conditions, are [[camomile]] and [[thyme]]. Some lawns, if grown in difficult conditions for grasses, become dominated by whatever weeds can survive there; these include clovers in dry conditions, and moss in damp shady conditions.
      
==Maintenance==
 
==Maintenance==
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Higher quality lawns however require a number of operations. These may include:
 
Higher quality lawns however require a number of operations. These may include:
 
* Mowing, to cut the grass regularly to an even height
 
* Mowing, to cut the grass regularly to an even height
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**Mow your lawn frequently
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**Leave the grass clippings to decompose on the lawn. Annually, this will provide nutrients equivalent to one or two fertilizer applications. Set mower at 2 inches to reduce water use during hot weather.
 
* [[Scarifying]] and raking, to remove dead grass and prevent tufting
 
* [[Scarifying]] and raking, to remove dead grass and prevent tufting
 
* Rolling, to encourage [[tillering]] (branching of grass plants), and to level the ground
 
* Rolling, to encourage [[tillering]] (branching of grass plants), and to level the ground
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* [[Spiking]] or [[aeration]], to relieve compaction of the soil
 
* [[Spiking]] or [[aeration]], to relieve compaction of the soil
 
* Watering, to prevent from going dormant and turning brown
 
* Watering, to prevent from going dormant and turning brown
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** Early moring or night is the best time for watering to reduce evaporation.
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** To help control where your water goes, water when it's not windy.
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** One deep watering is much better than watering several times lightly.
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** Lawns need about 1 inch of water each week. If the weather is very hot, apply an inch of water about every 3 days.
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** Watering to a depth of 4-6 inches encourages deeper, healthier root development. It allows longer periods between watering.
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** To measure the water, put an empty tuna can (or cat food can) on the lawn while watering. Stop watering when the can is full or if you notice water running off the lawn.
 
* Fertilizing
 
* Fertilizing
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** Test your soil to find out what nutrients ar needed. Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service or Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extention Service office to get information on obtaining a soil test. Local fertilizer dealers can also be helpful.
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** A soil test will help you understand what your plants require.
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** Follow label directions.
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** Choose a fertilizer that has at least one-fourth of the nitrogen in a slow-release form, such as sulpher-coated urea.
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** It is best to apply fertilizer when the soil is moist and then water lightly. This will help the fertilizer move into the root zone where it is available to the plants, rather than stay on top of the soil where it can be blown or washed away.
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** Watch the weather. Avoid applying it immediately before a heavy rain system is predicted to arrive. Too much rain (or sprinkler water) will take the nutrients away from the lawn's root zone.
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** Use the minimal amount of fertilizer necessary and apply it in small, frequent applications. An application of 2 pounds of fertilizer five times per year is better than 5 pounds of fertilizer twice a year.
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** Calibrate your fertilizer spreader to be sure you know exactly how much material is being discharged in a given space. Follow instructions accompanying your spreader.
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** When spreading fertilizer, cover ends of the lawn first, ten go back and forth across the rest of the lawn, using half of the recommended amount. Shut the spreader off before reaching the ends to avoik over-application. Apply the other half of the fertilizer going back and forth perpendicular to the first pattern.
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** Dispose of fertilizer bags or containers in a safe and state-approved manner.
 
* Pesticide application to manage weeds and insects
 
* Pesticide application to manage weeds and insects
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*Different soil types have different watering needs. You don't need to be a soil scientist to know how to water your soil properly. These tips can help.
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** Loosen the soil around plants so it can quickly absorb water and nutrients.
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** Use a 1- to 2-inch protective layer of mulch on the soil surface above the root area. Cultivating and mulching reduce evaporation and soil erosion.
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** Clay soil: Add organic material such as compost or peat moss. Till or spade to help loosen the soil. Since clay soil absorbs water very slowly, water only as fast as the soil absorbs the water.
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** Sandy soil: Add organic material to supplement sandy soil. Otherwise, the water can run through it so quickly that plants won't be able to absorb it.
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** Loam soil: The best kind of soil. It's a combination of sand, silt, and clay. Loam absorbs water readily and stores it for plants to use.
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Fertilizers provide nutrients necessary for plant health and growth, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These are what N, P, and K stand for on bags of fertilizer. Nitrogen (N) is needed for healthy green growth and regulation of other nutrients. Phosphorus (P) helps proper roots and seeds develop and resist disease. Potassium (K) is also important in root development and disease resistance. When properly applied, the nutrients in fertilizers are absorbed by plants and little of these nutrients enters ground or surface water resources.
    
==Seasonal Lawn Maintenance==
 
==Seasonal Lawn Maintenance==
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*[[No-dig gardening]]
 
*[[No-dig gardening]]
 
*[[Artificial lawn]]
 
*[[Artificial lawn]]
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*[[Lawn care]]
      
==References==
 
==References==
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*[http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/f98025a.pdf Small Engine Emission Standards: FAQ for Dealers and Distributors] - [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|U.S. EPA]] ([[PDF]] format)
 
*[http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/f98025a.pdf Small Engine Emission Standards: FAQ for Dealers and Distributors] - [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|U.S. EPA]] ([[PDF]] format)
 
*[http://www.hobbylawncare.com/ Hobby Lawn Care] - Various articles on seasonal lawn maintenance
 
*[http://www.hobbylawncare.com/ Hobby Lawn Care] - Various articles on seasonal lawn maintenance
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*[http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/highlights/homegarden/lawn.html USDA]
    
==External links==
 
==External links==
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