Most omitted lawn practices not that difficult

Almost everyone knows they should do it before starting, renovating or even just fertilizing a lawn. But, knowing and doing don't always go together.

"My best guess is that less than half of us actually figure our lawn's square footage first. I'd be surprised if a fourth of us start by testing the soil for the needed nutrient balance," said Ward Upham, Master Gardener program coordinator for Kansas State University Research and Extension.

Figuring a lawn's square footage doesn't have to be an exercise in extreme math, Upham said.

"You just need a good ballpark figure. Even if you're off by several square feet, you'll still do a better job when figuring the rates you need for seed, fertilizer and such," he said. "Besides, measuring square footage is a chore you only have to do once--at least until you move to another house and yard."

Upham suggests that homeowners determine square footage by following these steps:

1. Mentally divide the lawn into fairly rectangular areas that lend themselves to easy measuring.

2. Use a tape measure to find the length and width of each area.

3. Find each area's square footage by multiplying its length by its width.

4. Add up the results from all of the areas. Divide by 12 if you've been measuring in inches, rather than feet.

5. File your answer away where you always can find it again, if necessary.

"I suspect the main reason people don't test their soil is that they don't think ahead--at least, so far as their lawn's concerned. Or, they don't know what's involved in testing, but still think it sounds complicated," Upham said.

The best way to get quick results on a soil test, he said, is to submit it during an "off" season.

"If you submit samples during late winter-early spring or during late summer-early fall, you'll be just ahead of the two major planting seasons. So, you'll be competing with everyone else who's left soil testing until the last minute--and that includes farmers, as well as gardeners," Upham explained.

Correctly sampling soil is vital to getting useful, on-target test results, he said. But, it isn't terribly time-consuming and doesn't require special equipment.

"I'd suggest working with your county Extension office the first time or two you test. The people there will know just what you need to know. In Kansas, they also can forward samples for testing at K-State's not-for-profit Soils Testing Lab. Then, later they can help you interpret and plan to act on the lab's results," Upham said.

K-State's Soils Testing Lab has posted the specifics of what's involved on the Web at http://www.agronomy.ksu.edu/SOILTESTING/ under the "Home Owner Samples" link.

9/22/08
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Date: 9/12/08

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