Lawn Care

Fertilization

We utilize only the highest quality granular fertilizers applied at the correct rates and timing to promote a thicker, greener, more weed resistant lawn. Our balanced fertilizers are formulated into slow-releasing mixtures to provide longer lasting lawn color throughout the season.

 

 

Broadleaf Weed Control

We utilize IPM (Integrated Pest Management) practices in our use of weed controls. This means we apply broadleaf weed controls only where weeds are present as opposed to blanket spraying the entire lawn with pesticides regardless of weed populations. This practice not only reduces pesticide use in our environment, but also causes less stress to the grass plant root systems. While there is no preventative treatment for broadleaf weeds, we do treat all weeds present at each visit to your property. And since they can’t be prevented, we can re-treat for weeds between regular visits if needed.

Crabgrass Control

Controlling crabgrass is best achieved by maintaining a thick lawn mowed at a 2 ½” to 3” height and applying a pre-emergent crabgrass control material before crabgrass germination begins in late spring. Our spring fertilization treatment includes this pre-emergent crabgrass control. We can also adjust our program to apply 2 pre-emergent treatments to lawns that have more serious crabgrass problems.

Insect Control

We highly recommend our preventative grub control treatment. Applied once a year at the correct time, this treatment provides year round protection against damaging grub populations which are very common in our area. We also inspect your lawn at each visit for any other turf damaging insect problems and apply corrective treatments as needed.

Watering

Watering is critical to maintaining a healthy lawn. Every lawn is a little different in its watering needs. Factors that affect watering needs include; sunny versus shady areas, soil type and depth, grass types and mowing height. Environmental factors include; recent, current and future air temperatures, humidity and rainfall frequency. Based on these factors, some of which are constantly changing, each lawn may require different watering practices through the year.

In general it is best to learn your lawns watering needs by monitoring for signs of heat and moisture stress. A lawn will typically turn a darker purple like shade of color when heat or moisture stress is beginning. This will lead to a dormancy brown color if it does not get water quickly. By observing this process you can develop a watering schedule that fits your lawn. More frequent watering may be needed during extreme hot weather periods or heat waves.

That said, over watering is very common especially with automatic sprinkler systems so common today. Generally watering should be done often enough to prevent heat stress dormancy of the turf, but no more often than is necessary to accomplish that. Deeper infrequent watering encourages deeper rooting and therefore stronger more heat resistant plants while frequent light watering encourage shallow root systems and moisture dependent disease activity. Daily watering should never be needed except during extreme summer heat wave weather. It is also best to water in the early morning hours if possible.

Mowing

Proper mowing practices are essential in maintaining a quality lawn. Most quality lawn grass types in our area should be mowed at a 2 ½” to 3” height. Higher mowing heights encourage deeper rooting and therefore stronger grass plants. A lawn should also be mowed frequently enough so that no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade is being removed at one time. Cutting more than 1/3 of the leaf blade off can shock the plants into a stressed condition.

Another critical factor in mowing is maintaining a sharp mower blade. A sharp mower blade makes a clean cut, which heals quickly with a minimum of moisture loss. A dull mower blade makes a blunt uneven, ragged, damaging cut which takes longer to heal resulting in more moisture loss, browning tips and increased disease susceptibility.

Other good mowing practices include not mowing grass during the hottest part of a day or when the turf is showing signs of heat stress. A hot lawn mower going over a hot lawn during hot weather will cause a quick heat stress browning effect within 24 hours. Daily watering for 1 to 2 weeks may be needed to restore the lawn back to full green color.

Aeration

Power core aeration is one of the most important cultural practices available for your lawn. Aeration helps control thatch, improve the soil structure, and create growth pockets for new roots and opens the way for water and fertilizer to reach the root zone.

Aeration works by removing thousand of small cores of soil 1” to 3” in length from your lawn. These cores slowly break down back into the lawn over a few weeks time. The holes created by aeration allow fertilizers, water and air to get down deeper into the root zones while relieving soil compaction. This results in stronger, healthier root systems necessary to achieve the best quality lawn possible.

 

 

 

 

 

Seeding

• Timing

  The months of September and October are the best time of the year to do any lawn seeding that is needed. The cooler weather is ideal for young seedlings to start growing while summer annual weeds begin to decline. Fall seed establishment also allows the grass to get mature enough by springtime so that the crabgrass control application can be safely applied.

• Seed

  Many seed mixes are available at local garden centers. By law they must list on the package a breakdown of grass types and the percentages of each. For sunny lawn areas, mostly Kentucky bluegrass varieties are best. With some perennial ryegrass and red fescue’s acceptable in the mix. For shady areas, a higher percentage of red fescue’s should be in the mix with shade tolerant Kentucky bluegrasses and perennial ryegrass. In purchasing grass seed, you usually get what you pay for in quality.

• How

  Seeding can be done many different ways. The most important factors to success are proper soil preparation for seed-soil contact, use of quality seed and daily light watering to keep seed moist. Services can hydroseed (on loose soil), Slice seed into existing turf or seed can be spread after dethatching or core aeration. All of these methods cultivate or loosen the soil first, for good seed - soil contact which helps the seed stay moist. ( Seed that is just spread on top of the soil will dry out quickly and not be able to get rooted.)

  For small spots or thin area’s you can just rake them with a steel rake and then spread seed. After seeding, daily watering is critical. If the seed dries completely at any point in the germination process, it will die. It is also important to know that some of the better grass types (Kentucky bluegrasses) can take 4-5 weeks to germinate. So while the ryegrasses in the mix may be up quickly (1-2 weeks) watering must continue to get the best grasses established.

Lime

Our soils in this area are naturally acidic on the pH scale of acidic to alkaline. This acidic condition can be reduced by applying limestone on a regular basis. The benefit of this is that more of the natural nutrients in the soil, which turf grasses need, become more available for their use.

Yearly limestone treatments result in a soil condition that will enable a lawn to reach its fullest potential and best appearance with proper fertilization, mowing and watering.