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Overview
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In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shows an environmentally safe way to grow and maintain a greener, healthier lawn Steps:
1. Start by mowing the lawn very short.
2. Next, use a gas-powered aerator to punch air holes into the lawn.
3. Use a shovel to broadcast ½ to 1 inch of compost over the lawn.
4. Rake the compost into lawn using a garden rake.
5. Check the health of the soil with a test kit; for acidic soil, add pelletized limestone with a broadcast spreader.
6. Add chicken-manure fertilizer to the lawn with broadcast spreader.
7. Spread grass seed over the lawn using broadcast spreader.
8. Use the back of a leaf rake to work the grass seed into the lawn.
9. Lightly water the lawn two or three times per day.
10. Once grass germinates, return to normal watering: irrigate the lawn with 1 inch of water per week.
See products and services from this video -
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4 to 6 hours for average-size lawn
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$140 to $180
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Tools
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Shopping List
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Difficulty: Easy
requires lots of walking back
and forth across the lawn, but
no part is particularly strenuous
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Tools List
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Lawnmower
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Wheelbarrow
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Shovel, for broadcasting compost
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Garden rake, used to spread compost
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Power aerator, used to aerate the lawn (rents for $60 to $80 a day)
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Walk-behind broadcast spreader, used to apply limestone, fertilizer and grass seed
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Leaf rake, used to rake grass seed into soil
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Garden hose and sprinkler
Shopping List
1. Compost
2. Grass seed
3. Soil test kit, for determining health of soil 4. Pelletized limestone, used to amend acidic soil
5. Chicken-manure fertilizer, used to feed soil
2. Grass seed
3. Soil test kit, for determining health of soil 4. Pelletized limestone, used to amend acidic soil
5. Chicken-manure fertilizer, used to feed soil
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