We are answering our most common questions about our lawn care services.
What height do you cut the grass at?
Cut all lawn areas to a height of approx. 3.5 inches every 7-10 days as needed, four reasons that we do this are as follows.
- The grass blade is the food producing part of the grass plant. This is where photosynthesis takes place and where the plant produces the necessary food for good root and shoot growth. The shorter it is, the less food that will be produced by the plant.
- A longer grass blade will shade the ground underneath, keeping it cooler, meaning it won’t dry out as quickly as when the lawn is mowed short. In other words, the lawn does not have to receive as much supplemental water.
- Reduces weed growth. There are 1000s of weed seeds in every lawn, just waiting for the right conditions to germinate. One of those conditions is having enough sunlight to warm the seed to help it germinate. If the sun cannot get down to the seed, it will be much less likely to germinate. Mowing high is one of the best weed control methods.
When the grass plant is mowed short, the plant has no choice but to do whatever it takes to grow a new leaf blade. In order to do so, the plant uses its food reserves to produce new shoots. These reserves are often stored in the roots, so by forcing the grass plant to always grow new shoots reduces the food storage capacity of the plant.
- When the lawn is mowed high, there are plenty of leaf surfaces available to keep the plant healthy. This allows the grass to build up its food reserves and grow better roots, which means that the lawn will be greener and healthier.
When is each round of fertilizer applied and what do they do?
Round 1: This round will occur during April-May, during this round the fertilizer will consist of a nutrient mix for the grass to jump start the season and a pre-emergent herbicide for crab-grass to prevent germination.
Round 2: This round will occur during June-July, fertilizer with a slow-release nitrogen provides a long-lasting food supply for your lawn. Round 3 should follow about 6-8 weeks later. These two steps are vital to maintaining a vibrant lawn through the hottest months of the summer.
Round 3: This round will occur during August-September
Round 4: This round will occur during September-October, This last step of fertilizer application is very important to end the growing season right and prepare your lawn with enough nutrients to last through the winter dormancy
When will you be here to spray, and what weeds will be eradicated by the treatment?
Herbicide treatments will occur during early to mid summer and the weeds to be eradicated are as follows
WEEDS CONTROLLED Bedstraw, Henbit, Purslane Black medic, Knotweed, Ragweed, Buckhorn, Lambsquarter, Sheep sorrel, Burdock, Lespedeza, Shepherd’s Purse, Chicory, Mallow, Speedwell, Chickweed, Morning Glory, Spurge, Clover, Peppergrass, Wild carrot, Dandelion, Pigweed, Wild garlic, Dock, Plantain, Wild lettuce, Ground ivy, Poison ivy, Wild onion, Healal,l Poison oak, Yarrow.
What is done during spring clean up, and how will it help my lawn?
During Spring clean up we are Dethatching the lawn and what this consists of is, Removal of the Thatch layer between the grass and the soil which is made up of interwoven dead and living grass shoots, stems, crowns, and roots. It creates a barrier between the soil and the green grass. Thatch can harm lawns. It’s difficult for water to penetrate a thick thatch layer, causing water to run off instead of soaking in. It can harbor insects and lawn diseases, and grass may begin growing in the thatch layer instead of the soil, producing shallow root systems and exposing it to greater temperature extremes. It can block air, nutrients, and pesticides from reaching the roots.
Why should I clean up my leaves?
If the leaves aren’t removed, the grass can die, and in the spring the lawn may have bare patches that require reseeding or resodding.
How does aeration help my lawn?
Aeration creates holes down into the soil to alleviate compaction so air, water and nutrients can reach grass roots. Deprived of their basic needs by compacted soil, lawn grasses struggle in stressful situations, such as heat and low rainfall, and lose their healthy, rich color. Grasses gradually thin and eventually die out completely, for lack of the oxygen, water and nutrients available just inches away. Even a single aeration session can open the avenue for these essentials to reach their mark and put your lawn back on an upward trend.
Do you have more questions about how we care for your lawn? Comment below!
