Lawn Care For Dummies

"I would recommend this book to anyone starting a new lawn or improving an existing one." -- Kevin N. Morris, Director, National Turfgrass Evaluation Program "This is the one book you should have, keep handy, and use often!" -- Doug Fender, Executive Director, Turf Resource Center, Rolling Meadows, IL Full Color Section Highlights Ideas for a Beautiful Lawn!
Grow a Lush Lawn -- a Cut Above the Rest! No matter where you live, what you do, or how many kids you have, you too can grow a great garden of grasses -- quickly and easily. Discover tons of time- and water-saving secrets for better planting, fertilizing, weeding, and mowing. With easy-to-follow instructions and lots of illustrations, Lawn Care For Dummies(R) brings you everything you need to know to grow a lawn that's the envy of the block! From Sod to Sunday Naps -- Your Complete Guide to Lawns

• Compare the pluses and minuses of planting seed, sod, sprigs, stolons, or plugs
• Choose a grass type that thrives in your climate
• Unearth winning techniques for repairing broken lawns
• Discover ten surefire ways to help drought-weary yards survive
• Control pests with environmentally friendly methods that are safe and effective
• Select alternative ground covers that are practical and good looking
• Install a permanent, in-ground irrigation system

Also look for Hungry Minds' Gardening For Dummies(R), the fun and easy way to grow a gorgeous garden!

Introduction 1

Part I: Planning Your Perfect Lawn 7

Chapter 1: Designing Your Perfect Lawn 9

Chapter 2: Cool-Season Grasses: The Grasses of the North 19

Chapter 3: The Warm-Season Grasses 35

Chapter 4: Lawn Climates, Big and Small 51

Part II: Getting Ready to Plant 61

Chapter 5: Preparing to Plant 63

Chapter 6: Increasing Your Soil Sense 77

Chapter 7: Installing an Irrigation System 89

Part III: Planting a Lawn 103

Chapter 8: Planting a Lawn from Seed 105

Chapter 9: Starting a Lawn from Sod 117

Chapter 10: Planting Sprigs, Stolons, and Plugs 131

Part IV: Showing Your Lawn That You Care 137 

Chapter 11: Watering Lawns 139

Chapter 12: Fertilizing Lawns 155

Chapter 13: Lawn Mowing 175

Chapter 14: Dethatching, Aerating, and Renovating 197

Part V: Battling the Lawn Invaders 211

Chapter 15: Weed Wars 213

Chapter 16: Insect Invaders 233

Chapter 17: Disturbing Diseases 245

Chapter 18: Other Lawn Problems 257

Part VI: The Part of Tens 265

Chapter 19: Ten Lawn Alternatives 267

Chapter 20: Ten Top Lawn Trees and How to Care for Them 275

Chapter 21: (Almost) Ten Things to Do or Not to Do with Lawn Clippings 281

Chapter 22: Ten Things to Do with Your Lawn During Drought 287

Chapter 23: Ten Lawn Games 291

Chapter 24: Ten Weird Things You Can Do with Lawns and Lawn Grasses 295

Chapter 25: Ten Ways to Deal with Leaves 299

Part VII: Appendixes 305

Appendix A: Sources for Lawn Care Products 305

Appendix B: Lawn Information Sources 313

Index 321