Six Time Saving Tips For Managing Large Lawns
(ARA) – A large lawn doesn’t have to dominate your home maintenance schedule. With the mowing tools available today, big lawns can be conquered faster than ever. Lawn care expert Dan Dorn offers the following six tips that will help you save time on your lawn maintenance this season, regardless of the size:
Tip one: Mulch grass clippings – Not only does mulching save time from not having to stop and empty clippings, but it also eliminates the time and costs associated with clipping disposal. Plus, mulching makes the finely-cut clippings available to the turf for nourishment, which reduces the turf’s reliance on applied fertilizers for nutrients.
Tip two: Don’t over fertilize – Though they add a greener, more lush appearance, applied fertilizers also increase the turf’s growth rate,” Dorn says. “Fall is the single most important time to fertilize, as it infuses the turf with the nutrients it needs to survive the winter, and start strong in the spring. If you’re applying fertilizer four times per year, you will save significant time by reducing that number to one or two applications each season. When combined with the nutrients that mulching returns to the turf, that amount should be plenty.”
Tip three: Choose the proper tools for the job – Dorn says that the larger, more open lawns common to acreages and farms require a larger, more productive mower to get the job done quickly. Specifically, an increasing number of homeowners are finding that a commercial-quality zero-turn riding mower, with its “turn on a dime” capability, can be a significant time saver.
Tip four: Choose the efficient route – Before you start to mow, it’s important to mentally divide the lawn into a number of segments that allow you to mow for as long as possible, with as few obstructions as possible. This minimizes the number of momentum-robbing turns and increases overall cutting speed.
Tip five: Invest in quality – Dorn says that commercial-quality zero-turn mowers, which are designed to withstand the rigors of daily use by professional landscape contractors, offer an increased level of power, durability and cutting speed that consumer-quality mowers can not match. In addition, commercial mowers’ increased fuel capacity means fewer stops for refueling. “Not only is a commercial zero-turn mower a more productive machine, it’s also likely the last mower a homeowner will ever need to purchase.”
Tip six: Maintain equipment properly – Critical to any mower’s durability and reliability is adherence to the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule. Preventative service such as regular oil and oil filter changes, air filter service and spark plug replacement keeps mower engines performing at peak levels, with more power and torque to help make quick work of big cutting jobs.
For more information on how homeowners can save time managing their large lawns, visit http://www.exmark.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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Give Mom a Gift that Celebrates Spring
(ARA) – This Mother’s Day, break away from the predictable flowers and candy and give Mom a treat she’ll really treasure. A springtime gift that pampers and soothes her will show how much you care.
It’s Easy Being Green
This year it’s all about products that are fresh and lively. Green is definitely the “in” color this season. From leaf to Kelly, green in all its shades is a hot trend that’s perfect for the warmer months. Jump on board with accessories that add a kick without breaking the bank. Wrap up a pair of sandals or a fun wristlet to provide a shot of color to Mom’s typical workday wardrobe.
Add Some Zing
With great bath and body products, you’ll be helping Mom start each day with a smile. New springtime fragrances, like Ginger With a Twist from Origins, are sure to please. “The benefits of ginger have been documented in Chinese literature dating as far back as 2000 B.C.,” says Lynn Mazzella, vice president of product development for Origins. “Its pungent warmth is believed to awaken vitality and ignite the body’s fire.” A light-hearted twist on Origins’ famed Ginger Collection, this new line adds a citrus punch with lime, orange, mandarin and grapefruit notes. The collection, available in May, includes a body wash, moisturizing body cooler and fragrance spritz.
Match that gleam in her eye with a new product that will add luminosity to her cheeks. Halo Effect from Origins is a weightless oil-free highlighter that provides a translucent pearlized finish for all skin types with mica, and a natural essential oil blend of clary sage, rosemary and cucumber.
Good Taste
Treat Mom to a special meal you create from scratch. Use the best of the season’s fresh ingredients for a light and delicious feast. Asparagus, spinach and peas are all at their peak this time of year and make a wonderful addition to traditional brunch recipes in frittatas, quiches and omelets. Or really surprise her with a loaf of handmade, still-warm-from-the-oven bread.
Let Love Bloom
If your mom loves to play in the dirt, give her the tools for a special spring planting. Heirloom varieties of flowers and plants are appreciated by master gardeners for their unusual color and fragrance. For those with a balcony or sunroom instead of a yard, consider a ready-made container garden. With the right mix of vegetables and herbs, the recipient will enjoy it both for growing and eating. Pre-plant a large urn with a Roma tomato plant, hot and sweet pepper, garlic and cilantro for the salsa lover. Or choose other variations to grow ingredients for Asian or Italian dishes.
A Rare Treat
For centuries, tea has been prized in many cultures for its health benefits as well as its taste. Give Mom a relaxing break from her busy day with flavors from around the world. A collection of Earl Grey, and other teas, packaged with a pretty china cup, will be appreciated on many mornings. Or give her a new form of the rarest tea of all: white tea – China’s famed elixir of immortality. A gift basket of A Perfect World products from Origins incorporates white tea – and its powerful antioxidants – to create healthy, glowing skin. The Make It Perfect gift set includes a body sponge and a selection of A Perfect World products: Intensely hydrating body cream, creamy body cleanser, skin guardian and firming moisture treatment for the eyes, all made with white tea.
The Write Stuff
Nothing can beat words from the heart. If the last note you gave to your mom included dried macaroni as decoration, it’s time to put pen to paper. A few lines of gratitude and praise will mean the world to her. Or tell her about a special memory of time the two of you spent together. Include a lovely set of boxed notes to encourage greater communication.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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The House by the Side of the Road
This poem has as its keynote friendship and sympathy for other people. It is a paradox of life that by hoarding love and happiness we lose them, and that only by giving them away can we keep them for ourselves. The more we share, the more we possess. We of course find in other people weaknesses and sins, but our best means of curing these are through a wise and sympathetic understanding.
Let me live in a house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by–
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner’s seat,
Or hurl the cynic’s ban;–
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
I see from my house by the side of the road,
By the side of the highway of life,
The men who press with the ardor of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife.
But I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears–
Both parts of an infinite plan;–
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead
And mountains of wearisome height;
And the road passes on through the long afternoon
And stretches away to the night.
But still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice,
And weep with the strangers that moan,
Nor live in my house by the side of the road
Like a man who dwells alone.
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
Where the race of men go by–
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,
Wise, foolish–so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorner’s seat
Or hurl the cynic’s ban?–
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
By Sam Walter Foss, fom “Dreams in Homespun.”
