When a lawn looks like a well laid out green carpet, the gardener has indeed done a perfect job. However, to achieve this, it involves a lot of thought and hard work. At the outset, the condition of the soil at the time of planting grass is very important. Most lawn grasses thrive in soil with a pH of 6.0-7.5. If the soil is acidic, then limestone needs to be added to make it more alkaline, and if the soil is alkaline, then sulfur needs to be added. It is advisable to consult your local nursery to determine the amount of chemicals to be added. The soil then needs to be tilled thoroughly.

What type of grass needs to be planted depends on the place where one lives. In the southern U.S. "warm-season" grasses, like the Bermuda and Centipede grass, are generally grown. In the central and northern U.S. it is likely that "cool-season" grasses like the Kentucky bluegrass or Fescue is used. For sites with a lot of shade, fine fescues can be used. Seeding is followed after the soil is tilled and fertilized with compost, peat moss and cow manure. Laying sod may be more expensive, but it results in faster production of high-quality lawns. A handy tip to lay sod is to start from the outside and work your way inside. Once this is done, it is important to water the lawn regularly and avoid traffic on the lawn till it stabilizes.

Fall care tips: The schedule for fall care depends on whether you have the cool-season grass or a warm-season one. But regardless of the type of grass you need to do the following: check and correct the pH of the soil, you need to dethatch and aerate the lawn and apply herbicide to weeds in the garden. And don't forget to rake leaves, or else you will have trouble in the winter.

For cool season grasses, make sure they are watered well, so that they do well even in winter. Because the temperatures are cooler outside, many gardeners tend to cut down on watering, and this can affect the quality of the turf. Don't forget to fertilize cool-season grasses in the autumn.

However, for warm season grasses, it is better to avoid fertilizing. This is because these grasses undergo a 'hardening process' that is crucial for it to survive through the winter. Adding fertilizer will hamper the hardening process and it is best to avoid it.

Yes, with some care, the grass will indeed be greener on the other side - for your neighbor.

This is also another great article about fertilizing you lawn & garden.

If you like lawn care....These pages might also interest you:

All About Weeds, Common Lawn Problems, Controlling Lawn Diseases, Four Steps to a Great Lawn, How to Water Your Lawn, Inexpensive Lawn Fertilizer, Lawns in Shady Areas, Thatching, Turf Secrets, Types of Lawn Recreation, Care Free Lawns, Creating a Perfect Lawn, Earth Friendly Golf Courses, Feeding Your Lawn, Fertilizing Basics, Mowers and Pollution, Natural Ways to Fertilize, The Right Time To Fertilize, Types of Lawn Fertilizers