From precise mowing to combating pests, lawn care is a vital service. But, the cost of these services can vary. To get accurate quotes, homeowners should ask for itemization and inquire about practices. Contact Lawn Care Kentucky for professional help.
For example, a soil test can help you understand the health of your lawn. You can use this to determine the best mowing, watering and fertilizing techniques.
Mowing the lawn is one of the most important services a landscaper provides. Many people appreciate taking this chore off their to-do list, especially during the peak growing season when grass should be mowed weekly (or more). Landscapers have the right tools for the job and know how to get it done quickly and efficiently. They also weed-whack the edges and clean up the trimmings, creating a finished look.
Aeration, overseeding, and edging are essential services that help promote lush grass growth. A good aeration process helps reduce soil compaction and heat stress that make the grass thin and brown. It also helps to re-energize the roots of the grass by loosening up the dirt, making it easier for them to absorb water and nutrients.
Weed control is another essential service, as well as fertilization and watering. A good weed control program starts with a pre-emergent herbicide in the spring to stop crabgrass and other annual weeds from establishing. A regular fertilization schedule, beginning in the spring and ending in mid-autumn, ensures your grass has all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and vibrant.
Many lawn care companies offer preventative fungicide treatments to fight turf diseases such as leaf spot, brown patch, and summer patch. These can be extremely damaging to a lawn, so it is vital to take steps to keep them at bay. A quality lawn care company will be careful not to overuse pesticides, as this can cause the insects that infiltrate turf to become resistant to them.
It is also helpful to have a professional on site throughout the year to monitor your lawn for signs of a problem, such as thinning grass, thatch, weeds, or insect damage. This allows them to address the issue early, before it gets out of hand. The earlier an issue is caught, the easier it will be to fix. This is why ongoing lawn care is so important.
Watering
Lawns require a regular supply of water to grow and thrive. If a lawn is not properly watered, it can become stressed and develop disease, which leads to unsightly brown patches in the grass. Grass that is regularly over-watered can also become shallow in its root structure, which makes it more vulnerable to drought stress.
Lawn care services are designed to help homeowners get the best results from their landscape investment. By working with a professional lawn specialist, you can create a customized care plan that will include mowing, weed control, fertilization, dethatching, and aeration as needed. Additionally, a lawn care service will provide preventative fungicide treatments to protect your lawn from common diseases like leaf spot and summer patch.
When to Water
The key to a healthy lawn is deep, infrequent watering. The soil needs to be moist 4-6 inches down, which promotes deeper roots and allows the grass to become more resistant to droughts. It is also important to avoid watering too much, which can lead to root rot and encourages shallow roots. If you are unsure whether you are watering enough, use a screwdriver to check the moisture level in your soil. It should be moist to the touch, but not wet.
Aim to water your lawn just before the sun comes up or goes down. This will reduce evaporation and prevent fungus growth. If possible, it is also best to avoid watering on windy days as wind will drive the water off course and onto pavement or into the street.
If you’re ready to give your lawn the attention it deserves, contact a professional lawn specialist today! Taking care of your lawn doesn’t have to be a chore, and with the right lawn care service, your home will look beautiful all year round. You can even sign up for recurring lawn care, saving you time and money while making sure all your maintenance needs are taken care of!
Fertilizing
Lawns need a variety of nutrients to maintain their health and beauty. The most basic of these nutrients is nitrogen, which every grass type requires to display its best color and growth. When a lawn receives adequate nitrogen, it displays healthy, dense turf that is hardy enough to fight off weeds and other stressors. To ensure you get the most out of your nitrogen, use a lawn fertilizer formulated specifically for your turf type.
Ideally, you should apply fertilizer in the early spring before your grass wakes up and begins to grow, or around the time that you start mowing. Then, again in midsummer and at the beginning of autumn. This is the best time to fertilize cool-season grasses (Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescue) while St. Augustine, zoysia, centipede and Bermudagrass are most easily fertilized in late summer and early fall.
Before you apply a lawn fertilizer, perform a soil test to find out what nutrients are deficient in your soil. Then choose a lawn care professional who can formulate a fertilization program to suit your specific needs. The right lawn fertilizer will not only contain the proper ratio of primary, secondary and micronutrients for your grass type, but it will also be free from excess phosphorus – a common ingredient in lawn chemicals that can run off into lakes, rivers, streams and bodies of water, creating harmful algal blooms.
A lawn care professional can also help you implement strategies to reduce the amount of nitrogen that leaches from your lawn into lakes and streams, preventing runoff pollution in fresh and saltwater bodies. For example, he or she may suggest that you leave grass clippings on your lawn when you mow it instead of bagging them, which returns the nitrogen and other nutrients back into the soil. Or, he or she may advise you to sweep up any lawn fertilizer or granular lawn clippings that land on hard surfaces and blow them back into grassy areas.
Not everyone has the time to properly fertilize their lawn or tackle other mundane yet necessary lawn maintenance tasks on a regular basis. If this describes you, let Lawn Love connect you with lawn care pros in your area who can take charge of mowing, edging, fertilizing, weed control and other essential lawn maintenance chores.
Weeding
A healthy lawn has deep roots that choke out weeds, so weeding is rarely necessary. However, if you do find yourself with a few pesky weeds, a good weeding lawn care program is key. This will ensure that the grass is thriving and that it is not being stolen by the weeds for sunlight, water, and nutrients. The best way to keep weeds at bay is to combine improved maintenance practices with pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicide. These products block weeds from germinating and help them to die off before they can establish themselves in your turf area. For example, a popular pre-emergent weed control product is MCPP (methylcyclopropyl phenyl phosphate), which works well on crabgrass and other common lawn weeds. For existing weeds, some of the most effective products are systemic herbicides, such as gluphosinate ammonium (the active ingredient in Roundup).
Organic and natural approaches to lawn care also provide an eco-friendly alternative to chemical sprays and fertilizers. For example, leaving grass clippings instead of bagging them allows them to return important nutrients back into the soil. Additionally, installing a rain barrel or cistern to harvest and use rainwater for irrigation can help lower your reliance on local water supplies.
Many weeds spread by seed, and it is easy for them to move from one property to another via shoes, pets, and lawn equipment. This is especially true for invasive plants like crabgrass and foxtail. These weeds can grow quickly and choke out grasses, so it is essential to weed regularly.
A good weeding lawn care program should also include overseeding and aeration services to fill in sparse or bare areas of your turf. This will promote more resilient grasses that are better able to tolerate stressors, such as drought and cold temperatures.
These lawn care services can transform your yard into a lush, green oasis without overtaking your free time. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that you will still need to perform regular maintenance tasks in order to maintain these beautiful lawns. By establishing a good routine that includes mowing, watering, fertilization, and weed control, you can create the lawn of your dreams.