Did you ever wonder why it is recommended to water your yard in the evening?  It is simple.  When you water the lawn during the warm or hot day, some of that water evaporates without ever reaching the roots of your grass, flowers or plants.

A simple way to reduce useage.  So if you have been watering the lawn during the day and have had good results, cut the amout of time you water when you switch to the evening.  You will save water and money.  Most importantly, that will be less water the water department will have to clean and less energy and chemicals they will have to use.

The cost of clean water is more than just the bill you get.  Actual energy and chemicals are used.

Today, I drop spread the corn gluten meal.  I used a drop spreader and probably put down about 20 lbs of corn gluten meal.  I then lightly wet down the grass.  The weather is about 60 degrees F in Chicago today.  I am not sure if it is too early but I did not want to wait too long.  Some of the flowers are already sprouting.

The area I spread the corn gluten meal was the parkway which measures about 5 feet x 200 or so.  This is the first time I have ever used a drop spreader.

I hope this works as I do not want to have to pull all those dandelions again.  I have read it may take a few years before this optimally works.  We'll see.

My next step is to either get a new reel mower or a cordless mower.  I have a reel mower, but it is a few years old and I left it out in the elements so it is not doing so well.  When I get my new mower, I will let everyone know how that works out as well.

Enjoy the weather.  Be 100% responsible.

Every year I have been pulling dandelions by hand.  Hundreds of them and it is driving me crazy.  However, I do not want to use chemicals on our lawn because it is run off with the rain and even worse I do not want my kids playing in the grass full of chemicals.

If you think I am paranoid, walk around your neighborhood when it gets warmer and smell the air.  Sometimes you can smell the chemicals in the air.  In a factory, air quality has to be monitored.  Chemical useage is under strict controls with MSDS sheets, protective gear and other measures.

But for some reason we can just spray this stuff all over our lawns with no regard, training or protective measures.  This is a little unacceptable for a little greener grass.

Anyways, like I said I am sick of pulling dandelions one by one.  I like dandelion free grass too especially since the dandelions can look rather gangly after awhile.

So tomorrow I am going to spread the corn gluten meal with my $20 on sale Menards bought drop spreader and see if it works.  I hope it does because I cannot pull hundreds of dandelions this year...only to wake up to see the hundreds that I missed sprout up!

The other technique I may try is adding nutrients to my soil as well as some fresh soil.  I just can't use those chemicals.  Stay tuned for my results.  In my next report on this I'll let you know what I used and where I bought it.