Costco Connection - February 2012

Lawn and garden care calendar

Early spring: weed, seed, feed

The arrival in warehouses of Pennington grass seed and Scotts® Miracle-Gro products is your cue to put on the garden gloves.

Remember to use all products as directed. •Start by removing winter debris from beds and lawn, but go easy as plants are still fragile from winter. Lightly rake your lawn, making sure to separate grass blades. •Check grass for bald spots and patches of moss or compaction. All are indicators that you need to aerate. •Aerate to strengthen roots and help prevent thatch buildup. You can rent a core aerator from a garden center. •Dethatch about every three years using a sharp-tined power rake thatcher. •Apply Scotts Turf Builder® EZ Seed Sun & Shade Mix®—it’s a great full-sun to light-shade choice for overseeding and

patching. Simply follow the instructions, as it also contains mulch. No need to top-dress.

(New! A 15-pound bucket at $36.99 covers up to 320 square feet.)

•Fertilize lawns every other month from February to October, preferably on a dewy morning and never if the temperature is above 90 degrees. For best results use a lawn fertilizer spreader to help distribute the fertilizer evenly. Water deeply after applying.

(Wait until newly seeded areas have become established and have been mowed at least three or four times before beginning a regular feeding schedule.) •Feed gardens with plant food every seven to 14 days during the growing period throughout spring and summer. •Lightly mow with the mower set so that only the top one-third of the grass blade is removed. Leave clippings on the lawn as an extra boost of nutrients to the soil.

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•Continue to feed your lawn and gardens.

Autumn: weed, seed, feed

Pennington SmartSeed (see previous page) reappears in select regions, and Scotts

Turf Builder WinterGuard® with Plus 2® Weed Control ($39.99 for 12,000 square feet of coverage) is offered to help the lawn store nutrients for a greener, weed-free spring. •Rake or dethatch as needed. •Aerate if you didn’t in spring.

•Identify lawn bald patches, worn areas or brown spots that can be overseeded. •Keep seeded lawn moist; established lawns still need weekly watering. •Finish with a fall grass feeding after all leaves have fallen to replenish nutrients lost over the summer and prepare the lawn for winter. •Fertilize fall- and winter-blooming plants with Miracle-Gro.—PV

MEDIA BAKERY/PHOTODISC/GET T Y IMAGES

Summer: water, mow, feed

Costco landscape products are avail-
able all summer long but may be moved
to the tool section in warehouses. • Water lawns only about 1 to 2 inches
once or twice a week. Apply water slowly
during dry spells and preferably early in
the morning. To measure the amount of
water your lawn receives, place a can under
a sprinkler and time how long it takes for
an inch or two to accumulate. •Increase your mowing
height in summer months
to prevent weeds
and moss from
sprouting. Don’t
cut wet grass. Mow
in the evenings or
on cloudy days.

Mow

A GREAT MOWER makes for a great yard.
There hasn’t been a power mower on
the floor at Costco since 2007–2008, and
never a Snapper® brand mower, which is
why news of its arrival is such a big deal.

Available in most warehouses mid-March is the rugged, self-propelled Snapper 22-inch mower, a rear-wheel-drive, walk-behind, variable-speed mower with a rugged Briggs & Stratton 725 Series engine. It converts from bagging to mulching to side-discharging grass clippings quickly and without tools, and a height lever adjusts all four

(Prices and products may vary slightly due to shipping and region.)

wheels simultaneously from 1. 25 to 4 inches.

Costco exclusives include a free first tune-up and free member-only call-center support at 1-800-444-7774. This mower is manufactured in the U.S. and offered at $399.99, including a two-year warranty.