in-ground sprinkler systems | john roberts | owner | Charlotte

SILVER SPOON
Now that you know what to feed your lawn, here is one new way to administer that great, nutritious stuff.

Most people still use traditional push spreaders, such as the excellent rotary spreaders made by Scotts. These work fine. But for those of us in search of an edge and less legwork, this one's for you. The 3-inch $300 In-Ground Lawn Feeder is designed for use on small to medium lawns (up to 1,500 square feet) with in-ground sprinkler systems that are already installed and working. For larger lawns, a 6-inch model is available for $500.

Once the unit is installed, add water-soluble or liquid fertilizer and begin continuous, slow-feeding. An external dial may be used to adjust feeding intensity or to turn the system off completely. Also, the feeder is equipped with a back-flow valve so it won't interfere with sprinkler systems.

So, now that you know what's new, get out there! Take on your own soon-to-be green, green grass. If all this new technology fails to inspire, there is always the local lawn-maintenance company, who will no doubt be up-to-snuff on all of the above. Or, you can always get a pet goat.

the edge
so, you want to have the meanest, greenest lawn of your life? spring is the time to tackle this goal. but where to begin?

start by talking to experts at your local lawn-care store or nursery. they will know what works best in your area. this is important. there are few sweeping rules for lawn care in the u.s. - many great lawn-care techniques used in ohio are definite no-nos in florida. john roberts, owner of suncraft enterprises in charlotte, north carolina, says in most areas of the country, for example, bagging grass is cumbersome and unnecessary. returning the cut grass to the yard as mulch works better, he says. but in exceptionally humid places, such as florida, it's better to bag it.