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Show How to fix bore spots and thatch Spring perfect time to restore lawn weeks. It should be allowed to grow to a height of two and a-half to three and a-half inches before the first mowing. Thereafter, mow once a week with a well-sharpened mower to maintain the height at about two inches. Let it grow slightly taller in mid-summer to reduce heat intensity. intensi-ty. Every type of grass seed requires at least a second fertilizing sometime over the course of the lawn season. The time of the year and number of fertilizings vary depending upon the type of seed With the problems of patchy bare spots and thatch solved, additional lawn care should be a breeze through the summer and early fall. Spring showers bring more man beautiful flowers. They provide the perfect weather and soil conditions needed to restore a lawn that has been ravaged by the vagaries of winter. In fact, mild, sunny days and cool nights are ideal for tackling tackl-ing pesky lawn problems. Two common lawn woes are bare spots and thatch. Undernourished soil, sun scald and insect infestation often cause brown, patchy spots in an otherwise healthy-looking lawn. The other major offender, thatch, is a build-up of dead and living shoots, stems and roots that develop between grass and the soil surface. The good news is that lawns can be transformed into a healthy, green carpet by following these six easy steps: removing thatch, aerating, fertilizing, overseeding, top-dressing top-dressing and watering. Minimal physical effort will produce results that are bound to provide maximum satisfaction. Best of all, home gardeners can now use "Nature's Best," an all-natural organic fertilizer fer-tilizer for safe lawn tune-ups. The first step in restoring the lawn is to remove thatch. Dethat-ching Dethat-ching gives old grass new room to grow and opens little spaces in the turf where new grass seed can germinate. ger-minate. To dethatch, use a sturdy rake and a little elbow grease. There are also a number of highly effective effec-tive power-driven dethatchers which can be rented from a lawn and garden supply dealer. Once the thatch has been cleared away, start removing the dead grass patch. Form a circle around the outer rim of each dead patch and remove and discard the top two inches. in-ches. Then, with a garden fork, dig down to a depth of six to eight inches in-ches and turn the soil over a few times. Heavy traffic can cause lawns to become hard and compacted, making mak-ing it difficult for grass roots to get the air and water they need. Aerating Aera-ting soil eliminates this problem by preparing the ground to produce healthy grass. Rent a power aerator to pull suffocating plugs out of the soil, then rake off the plugs. Now it's time to add fertilizer. All lawn care specialists recommend recom-mend using an all natural, homogenous formula of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, such as 4 'Nature ' s Best" All Natural Organic Lawn Fertilizer. It is ideal for environmentally responsible homeowners who wish to use a 100-percent pure organic fertilizer. 'Nature ' s Best" contains 80-percent 80-percent water-insoluble nitrogen that slowly releases nutrients into the soil. Because of this slow release process, the granulized fertilizers fer-tilizers are non-burning and do not need to be "watered in." The all-natural all-natural granules also encourage the build-up of soil microorganisms, which help to break down thatch. After thatch and weeds have been removed, and fertilizer added, the soil is ready to be seeded. When selecting a particular grass seed for the repair job, keep in mind how much sun and traffic the lawn gets, and what grasses complement the established lawn and grow best in the area. The local lawn and garden retailer or extension agent is the best source for advice on seed selection. Spread a handful of grass seed evenly over the conditioned soil and gently top-dress the area with a thin layer of peat moss. Water the seeded seed-ed area lightly each day until the first blades of grass appear. Overseed the entire lawn with a light coating of the same seed to be sure that it grows thickly and evenly, even-ly, making the otherwise tedious process an effortless task. The final step is to top-dress the lawn with a quarter-inch to half-inch layer of organic mulch to protect the seeds and help retain moisture. Proper watering practices will help the lawn remain deep-rooted and healthy. Keep the area moist until the grass is establisheda period of about two weeks. Set sprinklers so that they cover the entire en-tire planted area without having to be moved around, thereby upsetting tender young seeds. In addition, avoid light sprinklings in favor of thorough waterings that penetrate the soil to a depth of several inches. The newly established grass will begin to appear in two to three |