Favorite 5: Lawn Care Essentials
Favorite Five
It's mid-April and spring is officially here. If you aren't focused on your spring cleaning list you're likely outside working to get your outdoor scene ready for summer entertaining. Personally, we've been prepping for this yard overhaul for almost two years. When we bought our house the yard was basically barren with tons of shade from multiple huge trees. We took down the playhouse, removed about eight trees, tilled the backyard, sifted the rocks out, and spent hours researching how to grow grass. After all that research we (and by we I mean my husband who I give full credit to for choosing these items) have finally seen the beginnings of a green lawn.(Disclosure: None of the following products listed were provided to me by the manufacturer or the store suppliers listed. I am not being paid for my review of any of the following products. You can find shop-able links at the bottom through Amazon for certain products on my affiliate page. See full Disclosure.)
My Favorite 5 Lawn Care Essentials
1. Gorilla Cart
After tilling the yard we ordered top soil to spread throughout the yard. We needed this to help us level certain areas and to give a rich environment for the seed to dig into. This cart was a life saver. We couldn't have imagined doing it with a wheelbarrow. This cart is great because it has four huge tires that roll easily over the yard, it has a tipping feature so you can release the bucket, and it can be attached to a hitch behind a small tractor or lawn mower to making moving it even easier.
Purchase Link: Gorilla Cart 38.7 in x 20 in Dump Cart
2. Landscape Edging
Have you ever tried to burry landscape edging? The first edging I ever bought was a product you had to dig a trench and burry. That's doable in a nice, easy yard but if you have a tough to dig-in yard (we had TONS of rocks) or really just want a simple product this is it. It's super flexible, comes with the stakes, and is easy to install and arrange. 100 ft is a lot and you just can't beat the price compared to what it would cost you to get 100 ft at a home improvement store. The only negative is there aren't necessarily enough stakes if you have an uneven yard or are making multiple bends in the lining. I would recommend purchasing an extra pack or two of the plastic spikes and have a rubber mallet handy.
Purchase Link: Dimex EasyFlex Plastic No-Dig Landscape Edging, 100 Ft
3. Melnor Sprinklers
I'll be honest, I thought a sprinkler was a sprinkler. Apparently I was incorrect. Per the research of Ricky, my husband, these were the best bang for your buck. These Melnor Oscillating Sprinklers give you the best range, are simple to setup, and are under $25.
Purchase Link: Melnor Oscillating Sprinkler with 3-Way Adjustment
4. Melnor Watering Timer
There seem to be two options when it comes to timing the watering cycles of your lawn: walk in and out of your home 6+ times a day turning the hose bibs on and off or get a timer. This product does it all. It times, it has a rain delay, and it has multiple hookups so you can cover the whole yard without having to move the sprinklers around. We have 4 hoses attached to ours and it is working perfectly, clicking on each hose individually 10 minutes apart from the previous hose that went off until all 4 have cycled through. The best part? I'm not outside turning the water on and off and moving around sprinklers all day. It's a bit pricey but so worth it.
Purchase Link: Melnor 65038-AMZ HydroLogic 4-Zone Digital Water Timer with 5 Stainless Steel Filter Washer Set
5. Kingso Weed Barrier
So hear my out, I know a lot of people think weed barrier is unnecessary. According to my lending partner's brother, who owns a landscaping company, weed barrier is useless and mulch will act as a natural weed barrier. Okay, sure. That's a possibility. However, I did one bed (the same one with the edging I had to burry - you learn a lot) without the weed barrier and I highly regret it. Now, to be fair, we had a more scarce spreading of mulch than maybe the professionals have when they lay it down, but we we still had weeds and it takes me straight back to hot summers in 4th grade when I have to weed a flowerbed. If you aren't planning to pile on the mulch ultra high, I recommend this weed barrier. It's quick and easy to roll out, stake down, and move on to laying the mulch.