Facts About Fertilizing

The purpose of fertilizing is to add nutrients that grass needs so it can grow, develop a healthy and thick root system, have plenty of resources to draw on during the hot days of summer and the cold days of winter, and have healthy and thick growing pattern to discourage weeds.

Doing a soil test before you apply any sort of fertilizer is a great idea, and will help you apply the right kind of fertilizer in the right amounts so that your grass actually benefits.

Plan on 3 - 5 applications of fertilizer per year for most types of grasses, but be aware that the amount of fertilizer will vary depending on what type of grass you grow (if it is a vigorous grower, such as Kentucky bluegrass, you may need an additional application) and whether you mulch or bag your grass clippings. Mulched clippings, which return to the lawn and disintegrate, leave their nutrients back in the soil so yards may not need as much fertilizer. 

Fertilize when the lawn is growing, which will differ for warm-season and cool-season grasses. Warm-season grasses usually need several small "fertilizer meals" over the summer, while cool-season grasses will benefit most from a couple of heavier "fertilizer meals" applied in the fall. 

Slow-release formulas are safest and usually best for grass. If you use a liquid fertilizer with a quick-release nitrogen, you'll need to reapply more often. If you do want a quick surge of growth, as opposed to slower, steadier growth.  

Plan to fertilize right before a rainfall, or water your yard thoroughly after fertilizing. This practice will wash the fertilizer off the leaves of the grass and down into the soil, where the root system is.

Using a spreader will help you maintain an even spread over your whole yard.\

Sources:

Scotts Lawns: Your Guide to a Beautiful Yard by Nick Christians with Ashton Ritchie

Fertilizing Lawns by C. J. Rosen, B. P. Horgan, and R. J. Mugaas from University of Minnesota Extension.

Weekly Special: 50% OFF FailSafe Protection!

Every week we offer a special, discount, coupon, or great deal for our amazing customers! Friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our blog or e-newsletter to make sure you don't miss a deal. 

50% OFF FailSafe Extended Service Protection Plans 

on all new equipment purchases.*

Be sure to print off the coupon below to get the special!

 
*See store associate for details. Limit one coupon per customer. Must present coupon at time of purchase to receive 50% discount on qualifying equipment purchase. Equipment must be purchased in store at Arco Lawn Equipment, 14657 Manchester Road, Ballwin, MO 63011. Valid March 25, 2011, through March 31, 2011. Cannot be combined with other coupons, discounts, or specials. Terms subject to change without notice. 

Lawn Mower Care 101

Learn the basics you need to know to keep your mower in good shape.

Get your mower ready for the season.
You can do this every spring by bringing it into us at Arco Lawn Equipment for a regular service, or you can cover the basics yourself:

• Drain the gas tank and fill with fresh gas. 
• Clean around cooling fins.
• Change oil.
• Check air filter; clean or replace as needed.
• Clean the deck.
• Change the spark plug.
• Lubricate the machine thoroughly.
• Check cables and hardware.
• Sharpen the blades.

Mow at the proper height for the type of grass you have. 
As a general rule, it's better to mow at a higher cutting level and mow more often; this makes for longer, healthier grass which can absorb more nutrients from both sun and soil, thus withstanding disease and drought conditions better.

Keep the blades sharp all during mowing season. 
Dull blades will result in grass tips that are torn, not sheared off cleanly, and will make the grass tips turn brown on the ends which makes your yard look dull.

Keep the gas fresh. 
Gas can go bad quickly, causing a varnish-like substance to build up in your mower's fuel line, tank, and carburetion system. Add fuel stabilizer to your gas with every fresh purchase to help prevent gas going bad, and only buy a couple of gallons at a time.

Check the oil before every use.
It's easy to forget when you last checked or changed the oil on your machine, so just make it a habit to check with every use and keep at the optimum fill level. For most home owners, it's sufficient to change the oil twice a year: at the beginning and the end of the mowing season.

Weekly Special: $20 Gift Card!

This Week's Special
Every week we offer a special, discount, coupon, or great deal for our amazing customers! Friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our blog or e-newsletter to make sure you don't miss a deal. 

$20 Arco Gift Card with purchase of a new Toro Super Recycler or Super Bagger!*

Be sure to print off the coupon below to get the special!

 Click here to see photos, pictures, and pricing on the Super Recyclers and Super Baggers.

*See store associate for details. Limit one coupon per customer. Must present coupon at time of purchase to receive gift card. Equipment must be purchased in store at Arco Lawn Equipment, 14657 Manchester Road, Ballwin, MO 63011. Valid March 18, 2011, through March 24, 2011. Cannot be combined with other coupons, discounts, or specials. Terms subject to change without notice. 

Product Highlight: Dingo [Rental]

 

The ultimate machine for all your DIY projects, whether home repair or landscaping, the Dingo makes quick work of whatever's on your weekend to-do list. What a thought: get through that list of projects and still have some weekend left over? Sounds nice.

What It Is

The Dingo is a rental machine, a powerhouse, easy to use and quick to get the job done. It's a walk-behind machine with multiple attachments, so you can get exactly the right tool you need for the job at hand. It's easy to learn, with intuitive handling and steering for both moving the machine and controlling the hydraulic attachments. 

What It Can Do for You

The Dingo simply gives you much more power to complete big jobs in a hurry. You can dig a trench with a shovel, and it can take all day; or you can get the Dingo with the trencher attachment and be done in an hour. The bucket allows you to easily move a trailer load of mulch, gravel, or topsoil by yourself. Big jobs like hardscaping, re-routing water flow, moving mulch and rock, raking manure into the garden, installing a fence, and more can be done quickly and easily by one person, in a couple of hours, with the Dingo.

Attachments include

• Bucket
• Power Box Rake
• Fork Lift
• Trencher
• Post Hole Digger

For more information, rental rates, and to check availability, give us a call: 636-394-0044. Or stop by the shop: 14657 Manchester Road, Ballwin, MO 63011. 

**Extended Spring Hours: Arco Lawn Equipment is now open from 8am to 6pm, Monday thru Friday, and from 9am to 3pm, Saturday.***

***Don't forget our Spring Open House this Saturday, March 19th, from 9 to 3! Food, fun, prizes, product demos, giveaways!***

Weekly Special: 10% Off Service!

This Week's Special
Every week we offer a special, discount, coupon, or great deal for our amazing customers! Friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our blog or e-newsletter to make sure you don't miss a deal. 

10% OFF SERVICE ON ONE MACHINE!*

Be sure to print off the coupon below to get the special!

*See store associate for details. Limit one coupon per customer. Must present coupon at time of purchase to receive discount. Valid March 11, 2011 through March 17, 2011 on qualified equipment. Cannot be combined with other coupons, discounts, or specials. Terms subject to change without notice. 

 

You're invited....

How to Fix Water Flow/Drainage Issues in Your Yard

That rainy spring weather lets you know that winter is on the way out and summer is on the way in. It also might let you know about issues with water flow and drainage in your yard. If you're dealing with standing water, puddles that won't go away, or little rivers in the wrong places, you need to deal with the problem. Leaving that water where it is can leave you with muddy areas that won't grow plants or grass. in summer, those spots of standing water will become breeding ground for insects.

Fix it now, and you won't have to worry about it when the temperature starts climbing.

First Things First
Before you run outside with a shovel, take some time to figure out what's causing the drainage issue. Do you have good drainage up to a point, and then a blockage? Is there not any clear drainage marked out in which to direct water flow? Are there low areas in your yard that are acting as water basins?

Strategies for Fixing Water Flow Problems

1. Fill the low areas.
One of the simplest and easiest fixes, bringing in soil, sand, gravel, sawdust, or other organic matter to fill up low areas can be enough to eliminate puddles and standing water. Be sure you bring in enough fill; some will wash away, and the rest will settle as time goes by, which can leave you with a slightly higher area still holding water. Pack down the material you use and fill enough that you have a bit of a rise; as the material settles, the area will flatten out.

2. Clean out blockage.
If you have an otherwise flowing pathway for water, follow it to the blockage and you can eliminate the source of the water problem. Often roots, rocks, branches, or debris can simply pile up in unseen areas and then cause the water flow to back up and spread out into nearby low-lying areas. Clean out the most direct drainage path and see if that fixes the problem.

3. Redirect the water.
Water is going to automatically flow from high ground to low ground via the path of least resistance. If you're stepping into a river across your front yard or sidewalk, the answer is to create an easier path for water to follow so it doesn't end up in your walk way. You can do so by noting where the water originates (the highest nearby point) and digging a trench from that point, along the line you want the water to follow to the lowest point, drain, or ditch. Digging by hand (shovel) is time-consuming but if you're only a short bit to do, can definitely be done in an afternoon or so. Consider renting out the Dingo with the trencher attachment if you want to save your time and back muscles, or if the trench needs to extend more than a few feet in length.

4. Install a French drain.
For low-lying areas that can't be fixed by adding fill of some kind (too large, bottom of the hill), you might consider installing a French drain. A French drain is simply a hole or trench dug into the low-lying area; dig it several feet deep in the place where water normally collects. Lay down a layer of landscaper's fabric, then a thick layer of gravel. Cover it with soil and mulch or seed the area to keep it from staying muddy. Water that normally collects will have a thick layer of gravel to drain into at the natural collection point.

Image: GollyGforce.

March Commercial Special: Free Commercial Rush Status!

February's Commercial Special of the Month: 
Every month we present a special deal for our commercial customers.  Friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our blog or e-newsletter to make sure you don't miss a deal. 

Free Commercial Rush status 

on service for one machine.*

See details below, and be sure to print the coupon 

to bring in to the store to get your special!

*See store associate for details. Limit one coupon per commercial customer for the month of March, 2011. Must present coupon at time of service to receive free Commercial Rush status. Valid March 1, 2011 through March 31, 2011. Cannot be combined with other coupons, discounts, or specials. Terms subject to change without notice. 

Weekly Special: $19.99 Oil Change/Lubrication Special

This Week's Special:
Every week we offer a special, discount, coupon, or great deal for our amazing customers! Friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our blog or e-newsletter to make sure you don't miss a deal. 

$19.99 Oil Change and General Lubrication special on one piece of power equipment.*

Be sure to print off the coupon below to get the special!

 

*See store associate for details. Does not include cost of oil and disposal. Limit one coupon per customer. Must present coupon at time of purchase to receive discount. Valid March 4, 2011 through March 10, 2011. Cannot be combined with other coupons, discounts, or specials. Terms subject to change without notice. 

Product Highlight: Stihl Hedge Trimmers

With the weather the crazy way it's been lately (that's Missouri, for you), we're not really sure whether we should talk about lawn mowers or snow blowers.

 

So we're taking the middle ground...

Today's product highlight: Hedge Trimmers.

Did you know that...

Early spring is a good time to do initial, light pruning on your trees and trim those hedges and shrubs so they grow into the shape you want them to have this summer? 

Did you know that...

Stihl makes hedge trimming easy, even (dare we say it) fun?

The HS 45 Hedge Trimmer

This is the home owner's best friend. Goodbye, cheap and unwieldy pruning shears that rust closed every winter. Hello, gas-powered hedge-trimming power. This little beauty is light weight, easy to use, easy to handle, and powerfully effective for trimming hedges, shrubs, bushes, and doing light pruning of trees. 

 

Features

• 18" or 24" inch blade version 
• Stihl Homescaper series engine 
• Blade lock for safer starts and for moving from one plant to another 
• Reciprocating, dual-sided blades

Starts at $289.99

The HL 45 Extended Reach Hedge Trimmer

When most of your trimming and pruning requires a step ladder, this is the hedge trimmer you need to invest in. With the lengthier design and lighter weight gear box, the HL 45 gives you extended reach so you don't have to balance on a step stool with a sharp object in your hands. Instead, stay safely on the ground and just let the HL 45 do the reaching and working for you.  

Features

• Powered by STIHL HomeScaper Series™ engine 
• 20" blade with fixed 0º angle 
• New lighter weight durable gearbox

Starts at $339.99