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Are You Making These 5 Lawn Watering Mistakes?
Ahhhh, the sweet smell of cut grass in the air…a true harbinger of summertime. Keeping that lawn green can be tricky without these great tips on watering!
Proper watering nourishes lawns, just as proper hydration nourishes our bodies. Yet too many of us are failing at both. We’re not going to lecture you about drinking more water, well leave that to your doctor or significant other. But we are going to give you a lesson about correctly watering your lawn.
Here are five lawn-watering mistakes that you’re likely making right now and ways you can fix those mistakes.
1. You’re over-watering your lawn.
Many homeowners drench their lawns with water. However, that’s not a wise move. Over-watering can leave your lawn susceptible to fungus and other diseases. It also can cause your lawn to grow too quickly and can wash away costly fertilizers, according to PlantCareToday.com. In addition, drowning your lawn wastes water.
To avoid excessive watering, PlantCareToday.com recommends buying a soil moisture meter. These meters are very simple and valuable tools that you can pick up for $10 or so at any garden center or home store, the website says.
Lawn care experts say most lawns need one inch of water per week. However, that’s merely a rule of (green) thumb, as watering requirements vary according to grass type, climate and seasonal changes. The amount of water required for an established lawn will be determined by its overall health, beauty, and ability to withstand use and drought, says Turfgrass Producers International, a trade group for sod growers.
Related: Spring Lawn Care Tips You Can Do Now
2. You’re under-watering your new lawn.
While your existing lawn may be getting too much water, your newly planted lawn may not be getting enough. Bayer Advanced, a maker of lawn and garden chemicals, says a new lawn is in a critical stage during its first year. Don’t rely solely on rainfall to establish a healthy, deep root system provide supplemental irrigation during the first year of growth, Bayer Advanced suggests.
How much irrigation you do depends on factors such as the type of grass and the climate.
3. You’re not monitoring your irrigation system.
If you’ve set up an automatically timed irrigation system to water your lawn, don’t put it on autopilot.
Irrigation timers are not set it and forget it devices, says Lee Miller, a turf pathologist at University of Missouri Extension. You’re not cooking turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Sprinklers should be adjusted according to precipitation events.
For instance, if it’s been steadily raining the past two days, your sprinkler system should be off for a while afterward. The San Diego County Water Authority recommends turning off the sprinklers for two weeks after significant rainfall. After a storm, do not begin watering again until the top 1 to 2 inches of soil are dry. Lawns that lose their lush green luster will rejuvenate with the next rain, says Jeff Stephenson, principal water resources specialist at the San Diego Water Authority.
Researchers at Kansas State University found that 65 – 83 percent of homeowners surveyed in three Kansas cities didn’t know how much water their lawn irrigation systems had applied.
In reality, deep and infrequent irrigation makes for deeper root systems, UM’s Miller says.
4. You’re watering your lawn at the wrong time.
The worst time to water your lawn is when you’re probably sound asleep. Watering after dark soaks the lawn overnight; a soggy lawn invites fungus and other diseases to invade your grass.
When’s the best time to water your lawn? Experts says it’s around 4-8 a.m., before many of us have sipped our first cup of coffee.
Watering the lawn early in the morning gives it a good supply of water to survive the heat of the day, according to University of Illinois Extension. Early morning also tends to be when wind speeds are lower and, therefore, when water evaporation is less likely to occur.
5. You’re assuming that you’ve got to water brown grass.
When your lawn is brown, you might think it’s parched. However, it may simply have gone dormant during hot weather or drought conditions. Dormancy is simply a state of reduced water usage where the turfgrass … focuses resources on the roots, the Lawn Institute says. Dormant turfgrass will turn brown and is often considered unsightly, but it will recover when conditions improve.
In other words, brown grass doesn’t necessarily equal dying grass.
The institute says summer dormancy is a normal response to heat and drought, and most lawns can stay dormant for at least three to four weeks without dying.
During the summer, the worst that will happen if lawns are not watered is that weaker parts of the lawn or areas in hot spots will die, according to the Oregon State University Extension Service. When fall returns, lawns can be reseeded and will recover just fine over the winter.
Source: RisMedia’s Housecall
How to Get a Better Deal on TV Service Without Cutting the Cord
Like it or not, television access can be expensive. Especially with the limited time only offers once they adjust upward (why do they never adjust downward??) Take a look:
Although the idea of cutting the cord on expensive cable or satellite TV costs sounds amazingly liberating, the unfortunate truth is that this would mean losing access to some of your favorite shows and channels. Even if you could find most of your shows on Netflix, could you really stand to wait several additional months to find out what’s happening on Jane the Virgin or New Girl? If not, there’s still a way to cut the cost of your current TV service without cutting the cord.
Here are five simple steps you can take to negotiate with your current TV service provider for a lower monthly payment.
1. Get to know your current contract.
Whether we choose to admit it or not, most of us don’t fully understand the ins and outs of the contracts we sign with service providers. Ignorance might seem like bliss for a while, but when the price starts to go up after a certain period of time, you might wish you would have read the contract with your TV service provider before signing.
If you didn’t understand your contract before you signed up for service, it’s not too late to change the price! Dig into your contract and figure out what it entails. Be sure to read each detail so you won’t be surprised when the company representative you speak to brings up each stipulation. Knowing exactly what your current contract entails will help you build a stronger argument for negotiating a lower price and different terms later on.
2. Search for better deals.
The next step is to find out what kind of deals are out there that you’re not taking advantage of. All providers will run special pricing on certain packages from time to time. Finding out what deals your provider is running can help you identify a number you should negotiate for and provide proof for your negotiation.
You can use deal sites for specific providers or online coupon code aggregators to find the lowest prices offered for packages from your provider. Do a little digging on sites like these to find the lowest prices and make note of them. Be sure to save the exact URL for where you found the deals so that you can pull up all of the information you might need later on when you are speaking with your cable or satellite company.
3. Know your stuff.
Customer service representatives are more likely to win a negotiation with consumers who haven’t done their research. This is because they usually have counter arguments in their back pocket that help them get a leg up on callers.
Understand prices for specific channels and add-ons. If you have internet service through your TV service provider, brush up on average costs for the speed you’re currently paying for, and maybe even run a speed test to find out if you are actually getting the speed you’ve been promised.
Knowing enough about your TV and internet service to have an informed conversation with your provider will help you come in with a stronger argument for a lower rate—not to mention, you might find out that you’re actually overpaying for a specific package or speed you’re currently getting, which will give you another bargaining chip.
4. Pick up the phone.
This tip is simple, but also arguably one of the most important parts of negotiating for a lower monthly bill: pick up the phone. It might be easier and perhaps more efficient to send an email or engage in an online chat with a representative, but your negotiation will be far stronger over the phone.
During your call, make it clear that the possibility of cancelling your account is on the table and be persistent in your request for the lowest advertised rate. Explain your situation and let the representative know that you will need a bill reduction in order to keep your account open. They will likely try to offer you some freebies like free HBO for a few months or a year of the NFL Sunday Ticket, but don’t let up. Keep your eye on the prize of negotiating for a lower monthly bill, as this will be more valuable to you in the long run.
5. Solidify your agreement.
Once you’ve come to an agreement with your TV service provider, don’t just assume that your next bill will reflect the changes you’ve requested. Ask for a specific date for when this will go into effect and review the terms you’ve agreed upon one more time. Be sure to write these terms down so that you have a crystal-clear understanding of what your contract entails before you hang up.
To be extra sure your lower rate has been settled, financial pros recommend calling back to speak with a different representative to make sure they also see the changes that have been made to your account.
Few things are more frustrating than paying large bills at the end of the month. Although the hefty cable or satellite bill you’re currently getting at the end of the month might make cutting the cord seem more appealing, you don’t have to cut ties with your favorite programming to lower the bill. Hopefully this five-step process can help you pick up the negotiating skills you need to see a nice reduction on your next cable bill.
Source: RisMedia
10 Ways to Save on Utility Bills This Summer
Oh Summer Sweet Summer! Along with the break from cold weather comes increased utility bills in the form of air conditioning and fans, especially. Here are some handy tips to keep those costs down!
Now that the weather is beginning to warm up, it’s time to start thinking about ways to save on utility bills and energy costs before you’re shocked by your first big bill this summer. Luckily, there are many steps you can take to prepare your home (and your wallet) for the summer heat without sacrificing comfort. So, before you crank up the AC, take a look at our top ways to save on utility bills this summer. Your budget will thank you!
1. Get Your HVAC System Ready
Is there anything worse than a broken HVAC system in the summer? The good news is you can avoid this nightmare by taking precautions and getting your HVAC ready for summer. First, you’ll want to clean or change the air filters, as dirty or clogged filters force your air conditioning system to work much harder, which in turn causes more wear and tear in the long run. You’ll also want to inspect your outdoor unit for any visible signs of damage such as warped panels, torn insulation or rust. In the colder months, small animals may nest inside the insulation so you’ll want to inspect the inside, as well. Taking these steps to ensure your AC unit is working efficiently will help keep your energy bills low this summer.
2. Clean Air Filters and Vents
Many homeowners make the mistake of closing off vents in rooms that are not being used, but closing vents causes more pressure in the ducts causing your air conditioner to work much harder. Before you turn the AC on this summer, open all the vents and give them a nice cleaning.
3. Keep Blinds Closed
Did you know that keeping your blinds closed during the day can drastically reduce the heat in your home? Keeping them open causes a greenhouse like effect sunlight and heat pour in all day and can’t get out, making your home much warmer and causing your air conditioning to work overtime, which, in turn, will spike up your power bill.
4. Lower Your Utility Rates
Do you live in a deregulated energy region? If so, you have the power to choose your energy provider and can shop around for the lowest energy rates. If you haven’t researched your options in a while, summer is the perfect time to reevaluate your current energy provider and find out if there is a cheaper rate out there. Many deregulated energy providers offer special promotions in the summer, like “free nights,” so you should definitely check out what else is out there. To see if you live in a deregulated area, just enter your address here.
5. Time Your Thermostat
If you want to be cost-conscious this summer, you shouldn’t blast your air conditioning at all hours of the day. A lower temperature setting at night and a higher setting during the day is recommended for optimal cost savings. If you’re forgetful or aren’t always around to change it, we recommend installing a programmable thermostat that allows you to schedule your temperature changes even when you aren’t home.
6. Switch to LED Bulbs
While incandescent light bulbs are cheap, they use more energy and produce quite a bit of heat compared to LED bulbs. LED bulbs tend to be a little more expensive than incandescent lights, but they last longer, produce less heat and create great energy savings in the long run. So, consider making the switch the LED lights, at least in the rooms you use most, to help lower your utility bills this summer.
7. Buy a Water Cistern
If you don’t know, a water cistern is a device that captures rain water and stores it for you to use to water your garden or lawn, to wash your car, etc. Your water bill can get out of hand in the summer as you spend more time outdoors, so a water cistern is a great investment if you want to keep your garden and lawn green all summer long without paying for extra water use.
8. Use Your Ceiling Fan
In the warmer months, you should run your ceiling fans counter-clockwise. Since heat rises, the counter-clockwise motion will help pull the cold air up toward the ceiling. Running your ceiling fan efficiently will help cool your rooms, allowing you to set your thermostat to a higher temperature, ultimately reducing your power bill.
9. Invest in Smart Power Strips
Connecting multiple appliances to a smart power strip that can be turned off with only one flip of a switch at night when the devices aren’t being used is a quick and easy way to help reduce energy waste. When you don’t have to unplug all your devices individually, saving energy suddenly becomes much easier!
10. Don’t Use an Irrigation Schedule
Irrigation schedules, or timers that you can set to schedule when your garden or lawn will be watered, sound nice in theory, but they actually produce quite a bit of water waste. You can’t control when it rains, and you may not be home to stop your irrigation system from going off when it does. Watering manually may seem like a chore, but when you think about all the money you can save from reducing water waste, manual watering becomes more appealing.
Don’t let the first utility bills of summer sneak up on you. Be proactive and implement our tips. We promise they’ll help you save big on your utility bills this summer!
Source: RisMedia
