In addition, depending upon brand, fertilizers may also contain calcium, sulfur, magnesium, boron, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, and molybdenum. At first glance, this looks like a good thing— sort of like a multi-vitamin for your lawn. However, your grass, like any other plant gets its true nourishment from soil under it. Although excess chemical fertilizers leech into ground, many of chemicals they contain do more harm than good to complex eco-system that provides a continuing source of nutrition for your lawn and ultimately your turf pays price.

The truth is that established lawns generally don’t need fertilization. If you feel that you must fertilize your lawn, an established organic fertilizer will enrich your soil as well as feed your grass. Don’t spoon-feed your turf. Instead, provide your turf with a balanced diet from nutrient rich soil.

Anita is editor of Facts and Reviews about Lawn Mowers and Lawn Care

4. Put shoot in a bucket of water if you are not going to transplant it immediately so that it will not dry out. If you are going to transplant it immediately, carry it to hole you have dug and set it in hole.

5. Center shoot in hole and fill in with dirt. Leave a three or four inch depression around shoot so you will have a reservoir for water.

6. Water your new lilac bush with a couple of gallons of water. Continue watering bush several times a week for rest of season to ensure that it has a good start. From what I have observed, lilacs seem to be quite drought resistant, although like any plant, tree or bush, they will grow more if they have plenty of water. In subsequent years, water your new lilac bush from time to time, especially if rain is in short supply.

Note: I have noticed that it takes 4 or 5 years for new bushes to grow enough to start producing flowers, although bushes that I transplanted from small shoots only a few inches high are taking longer than that.

********************