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Keeping a Pristine Lawn All Year Round

28. September 2021 Chelsea Lawn Care Tips (0)

By Guest Blogger Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

The secret to a pristine lawn year-round is a year-round maintenance program. Whether you hire a lawn care company or do it yourself, that green lawn can be a lot of work and likely requires something more than a lawnmower. That’s a hard sell if you only think about your lawn in spring and summer.

It all starts with the type of grass you have and where you live. Northern U.S. properties usually grow cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky Blue or a fescue. In the South, lawns usually consist of a warm-season type, such as Zoysia or Bermuda. For the best selection for your area, check with your local extension office.

Pro tip: a fescue will stay green throughout the year. Tall fescue is also one of the most heat and drought-tolerant varieties which is also able to resist winter freezes.

Water

A must-have is an irrigation system. The lawn needs water to stay green and grow. Supplemental watering depends on the type of lawn you have. No irrigation and long spells of dry, hot weather will cause grass to go dormant in summer. Stressed lawns also show footprints when walked on.

If you don’t have a programmable irrigation system, be prepared to use sprinklers to water the lawn. Opt for a sprinkler that delivers water close to the ground rather than overhead. Concerns about this precious resource – water usage, availability, and drought – have spread beyond the West to the Upper Midwest.

How much water? About 1 inch a week. When using a sprinkler, place tuna cans or something similar in the area being watered. When the cans have an inch of water, turn the sprinkler off. Or, apply one-half inch of water twice a week using the cans as a guide.

Fertilize

The best time to fertilize your lawn is in September. The second best time is November. Indeed, two fall applications of winter formula lawn fertilizer go a long way at keeping the grass green in winter. It also helps the lawn green up earlier in spring. Whether you or your lawn care company fertilizes in spring is up to you. Spring temps encourage the grass to grow, so fertilizing in spring frequently increases mowing duties.

Lawn fertilizer is typically a granular product. There are several types of applicators, which also can be used with other lawn care products. There are synthetic and eco-friendly, natural or organic lawn fertilizers on the market. With any lawn and garden product, always read and follow the directions.

Treat

Pesticide is an umbrella word for bug killers (insecticides), weed killers (herbicides), mites (miticide), and fungus (fungicides). Several brands of lawn fertilizers add weed killers to the mix, such as for crabgrass or dandelions.

Most of these lawn products are used if there’s a problem with insects, fungus or weeds, rather than as a preventative. It’s always best to know what the problem is before you treat it. That will save you money.

Mow

The best way to have a pristine lawn is to mow it correctly. That means the mower blade should be sharp, so the grass is cut evenly and not torn. You’ve probably heard the grass mantra to “mow high.” Mow lawns to 3 or 4 inches tall. Grass at that height shades out any weeds looking to take root. It also helps shade the soil to reduce the loss of moisture.

When mowing, avoid removing more than one-third of the grass blade. If the lawn is 6-inches high, mow at 4 inches. If 4 inches, mow at 3. Mowing duties are usually the most demanding in spring and early summer. Fewer mows are needed in late summer when grass growth slows.

A mulching mower allows the clipped grass to remain on the lawn, gradually breaking down and adding trace nutrients to the soil. Mowing leaves and leaving the bits on the lawn in fall also adds trace nutrients.

Rake

Leaving leaves on your lawn can allow them to become soggy, which leads to snow mold and insect infestations. Raking them allows the grass to breathe and absorb moisture. A thick layer of leaves will also deprive your lawn of the sunlight it needs to thrive.

Tips for DIYers

You will need a mower, a spreader for granular products, and an applicator for liquid products, such as insecticides. You may also need tools like a rake or shovel.
Check with your county extension service for a lawn care guide. It will lay out the lawn care schedule for you to follow. It also will explain when and if to use pesticides.
Make sure your lawn equipment is ready for the job. Keep the blades sharp and spreader distributing the correct amount of lawn product. Replace parts, such as blades or spark plugs, as needed.
Remember always to read and follow the label directions of any lawn and garden product.

Tips for Hiring a Lawn Service

Have a clear understanding and schedule of what the service will do and when. Ask what products they use and what precautions they take, especially around children or pets.
What is the service’s policy if a treatment damages or kills your garden plant? This can happen when the spray from weed killers drifts on the perennials, shrubs, or trees.
Tell the service that you prefer them to mow high, even if it means increased mows, especially in spring.
Ask the service to reduce mowing in the fall if it isn’t needed.

Keep in mind: Your lawn doesn’t have to be green year-round to be pristine. A healthy lawn may go dormant during the colder months. But with the proper care (and by keeping heavy foot traffic off the lawn in winter), it can bounce back stronger than ever once spring returns.

Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp award-winning garden writer, editor, and speaker. (She speaks at libraries, garden clubs, public gardens, home and garden shows, and horticulture industry events.) She frequently says her eyes are too big for her yard. She blogs at hoosiergardener.com.

Keeping Overwintering Insects Away From Your Home and Lawn

10. March 2021 Ed How To Articles, Lawn Care Tips (0)

By Guest Blogger Raymond Web

With the setting of the winter sun, even the bugs and insects seek shelter to keep warm. Unfortunately for home and business owners with beautiful lawns, this becomes an issue since their spaces get invaded by Asian lady beetles, boxelder bugs, cluster flies, stink bugs, ladybugs, boxelder bugs, and many more. These pests cause nuisance with their large populations emerging out of their hiding spaces as soon as they discover some warmth. Overwintering insects also include bees and wasps in winters. The next part of the article will uncover more information on the prevention of these uninvited guests.

What is Overwintering?

Overwintering defines the act with which insects, plants and animals, seek shelter inside warmer places during peak winter months. Since this article focuses on insects, overwintering in their lifecycle denotes a time when they search for more conducive spaces for survival during winters when the cold halts their growth and development.

Types of Overwintering Pests

Consider this section as an introduction to the variety of overwintering insects you are likely to find lurking in the nooks and crevices in your house. You will encounter them sneaking out when they discover warmer temperatures and determining them becomes crucial to decide the appropriate pest control measure. These include:

Spiders - Although most house spider species are harmless if left alone, it is crucial to know how to handle their infestation to prevent any terrifying encounters.
Termites - Prioritizing termite inspection in order to avoid hefty property damage is in your hands because these overpopulating insects seek comfortable shelters to reproduce during the winters.
Grubs - These plump, white, C-shaped creatures feast on the roots in your lawn, thereby destroying the soil structure.
Ants - While living in colonies, ants seek shelter and food to keep them alive in the cold climate.
Fleas and Ticks - These minuscule creatures usually climb onto pets and eventually lay eggs onto furniture and carpets.
Chinch bugs - They feed on the fresh grass in your lawn, which eventually starts to turn brown as a sign of damage and death.
Brown Marmorated Stink bugs - It is the mid-Atlantic regions that suffer from the arrival of stinkbugs which feed on crops.
Cockroaches - These creepy crawlers have successfully habituated themselves to the changing environment and can survive even the harshest of climates. Act promptly, when you find them in your home to avoid larger population gathering.
Crickets - You will often find crickets silently lurking in the sealed gaps of your doors and windows during winters for warmth.
Boxelder Bugs - This North-American species of bugs live on Boxelder, maple, and ash trees and seek shelter inside closed spaces during the colder months.
Cluster Flies - As the name suggests, these insects arrive in clusters to escape via windows and can be exceedingly annoying.

How to Prevent Infestation of Overwintering Pests?

Invest in Professional Help - Pest control services and their trained experts would tactfully handle the situation of overwintering insects in your home and lawn before it instigates into a bigger problem.
Store Food Properly - Food being one of the primary sources of survival for most of the insects mentioned above, you need to be extra careful when storing it in the open. Double-check the seals and use airtight containers even in the refrigerators.
Seal the Gaps - Performing a spot check and sealing the gaps, cracks and holes in the wooden panels of your doors and windows would instantly lower the chances of overwintering pests in your house.
Move Trees, Bushes, Shrubs, and Firewood Away - Trim and maintain these natural habitats which are ideal winter homes for overwintering insects. Steer clear of fuelling the issue by placing them away from doors and windows.
Choose to landscape for a pest-free lawn - Having a clean, pest-free yard is essential to save your home from these insects during winters. There is a wide range of landscaping ideas you can cater to as an escape from common lawn-pests.

While live and let live is a great motto considering nature and its many creatures, it is crucial to saving oneself from the spread of diseases that might arrive with these overwintering insects. Hopefully, this resource has helped you with actionable solutions.

Author Bio: When people find their homes and offices infested with pests, it is not uncommon for them to panic. Raymond Web has taken the task to educate people on pest prevention and control strategies helping them keep their surroundings healthy, safe and pest-free. Being the digital marketing manager for Take Care Termite and Pest Control, a top rated pest control service in Tracy, CA, he has an in-depth understanding of people and their pain points due to pests, which he uses in his content to educate.

Make The Most of Spring at Home With These Backyard Improvements

10. March 2021 Ed Lawn Care Tips (0)

By Guest Blogger Kevin Jefferson

Winter is still here, but now is the right time to start thinking about the ways you could ramp up your yard for spring.

Spring is the right time for action. When the new replaces the old throughout nature, why not do the same with your back yard? Even the smallest of changes and improvements can help improve the functionality and aesthetic of your backyard, transforming it into the ultimate getaway for some peace or the best place to host your family and friends. So, get geared up for the spring with these tips that will help you make vital backyard improvements.

Refresh your plants

Adding a few plants to your yard is a great way to revitalize the space — and it doesn’t have to cost too much.

When choosing new flowers, it’s vital to pick a theme, so the garden doesn’t look visually chaotic and disconnected. Do some research and select plants based on your region, or choose a theme based on color, such as all-white flowering plants.

From a visual perspective, remember that less is more. Keep your planting simple so that it will make a far better visual impression.

Prices for plants vary considerably; for an affordable option, purchase plants in seed form, cuttings, bulbs, tubes, or small container sizes. Next, put them in some colorful planters that match your overall aesthetics, and get ready for a vibrant spring in your backyard.

Add some color

One easy and effective way to change your backyard’s look is by adding a splash of color to the ground.

You can do it with minimal investment and hassle, simply by adding some colorful mulch or decorative glass chippings. No matter which choice you make, one thing is the same - this type of decoration requires no additional care.

Choose a cool color and texture, then dump it, spread it, and forget it. Perfect!

Prepare your outdoor furniture for spring

Take your outdoor chairs and tables out of storage early for a thorough wash. Then give them any necessary touch-ups, or perhaps even a complete makeover.

Once the spring comes, and you get everything set up, it will be much harder to make yourself do all the maintenance work, so the best approach would be to do it before spring even comes.

If you do not have any outdoor furniture, consider a DIY project where you would turn any tree stumps you have in your shed into stools and even build a picnic table. It is easy to do, trendy, and eco-friendly. What more could you ask for?

Build a treehouse

Speaking of fun DIY projects, if you have kids in the family, this could be the right idea for you.

A treehouse can add a particular aesthetic to your backyard and give it a unique feature that many do not have, while they will have a fun area to play and spend time together.

If you are not that handy, you can always hire a professional to build a treehouse for you, but it is not that hard. Check online to find different creative ideas on improving the look of your backyard with a treehouse.

Consider an outdoor living room

An excellent idea for a backyard makeover is creating an open living room.

This idea provides you with the comfort of the inside of your own house combined with being out in the open, with the sun and fresh air directly there for you to enjoy.

To make this concept into reality, you are going to need a covered patio. Then, some furniture, a table, maybe even a rug. If you can afford it, adding a fireplace or a firepit can be an excellent addition as well.

Use natural stone as the flooring for your patio. Add some durable wicker chairs there, a lovely table, and you have the perfect escape from home close to your home.

Outdoor pizza oven

There is nothing wrong with a classical approach and having a barbecue grill in your backyard. But, if you want to go the extra mile and have something unique, why not get a pizza oven?

Once again, you can make it yourself if you are extra skilled or buy one that is pre-made, but that is not the most crucial part.

What matters is that you and your family - and, hopefully, friends - will have another point of gathering in your yard and fun activity that you can all partake in.

Give French Doors a try

An exciting way you can extend your living area is by using French doors. Use them to extend your home (or your patio living area) by essentially opening an exterior wall between your dining room or kitchen and your patio.

To get the most out of this option, change up the dining room to match the patio (or vice versa). Things like matching floor tiles, furniture, and decorations can enhance the look and make it all seem like one big room.

Kevin has gone through an extensive home renovation with his son, which he has both thoroughly enjoyed, and dreaded every morning. He is now the proud owner of half his dream house (the other half has been waiting for spring). You can read more of Kevin’s work on PlainHelp.

Things To Do Before Winter – Your Fall Garden Cleanup

15. October 2020 Kevin Jefferson Lawn Care Tips (0)

Winter is coming. This means that the time is right for cleaning up your garden. Sure, it is not the most entertaining thing to do, but look at it this way - the better job you do during the fall, the less stuff there will be for you to tend to when spring comes. Whether you live in a spacious log cabin or a plain old house, a well-kept garden can be the crowning jewel of your property.

A well-maintained garden is a sight to behold. Any effort you put into maintaining it now will return to you tenfold once the spring comes. So, roll up your sleeves, roll your eyes if you really have to, and let’s get this started! Here are the things you should do before winter comes.

Get Rid of the Leaves

Here’s the thing - the leaves start falling, and they don’t stop falling, and that’s OK. When raking the leaves, don’t be a perfectionist. Not only will you most definitely fail, but some leaves are necessary to keep nature in balance. Some leaves are needed to serve as sources of protection for insects such as ladybugs and butterflies, which work as pollinators, and your garden needs those.

On the other hand, thick layers of leaves block sunlight and stop air from reaching the grass in your garden. A stuffy environment like that is also great for spreading disease.

Speaking of disease, make sure to eliminate any leaves that show a sign of illness such as Maple black spot disease. Otherwise, you are at risk of those infected spores becoming rejuvenated in the spring and infecting the healthy plants.

Remove Thatch

Even if the word is new to you, you’ve inevitably seen thatch before. It’s that old, yellowed, dead grass that is hiding beneath the living, green grass.

You should remove any thatch buildup, as it prevents water and nutrients from reaching the grassroots. The sooner you rake this pest out, the more time your healthy grass is going to have to recover and recuperate from its harmful impact.

Fertilize your Lawn

Autumn is also the perfect time of the year to fertilize your lawn slightly. Doing so promotes root growth and prepares it for the next growing season. Don’t wait until spring, because the fertilizer will be less effective then.

You should fertilize the lawn in the fall since that is when your grass needs help recovering from the hot days of summer and can make the most of the fertilizer’s nutrients.

This is also the ideal time to eliminate all the weeds, instead of waiting for the spring when weeds are going to appear in full swing.

Perennial broadleaf weeds are the ones that should be removed. They are unfair competition for the plants you want in your garden as they are after the same stuff. The weeds are transporting food (carbohydrates) from their foliage to their roots in preparation for winter.

Find a natural, organic way to get rid of those pests and eliminate them.

The Time to Overseed is Now

If you want a thicker lawn when the spring comes, now is the time for action. Overseed your yard so that it’s thicker and lusher next season.

First, gut the grass shorter than you usually do. Next, remove the grass clippings and gently spread the seeds across the entire lawn. Use a fertilizer spreader and follow the instructions for overseeding that you’ll find on the grass seed bag.

Remember to keep watering the lawn until the new grass is at least three inches tall.

Clean up your Vegetable Beds

When cleaning out the vegetable beds, it’s especially important to pull out any pest-infested vegetable plants or plants that were plagued by any fungal disease, like powdery mildew or blight.

If you have vegetables or flowers that have been infected by such a disease, remove them and either burn them or bury them somewhere where the sun doesn’t shine, as they’ll need at least a whole year without any sunlight to be completely dead.

When dealing with dead flowers, the most accessible approach would be to wait until the first hard, killing frost comes. That is when it will be the easiest to remove the diseased plant material since it is limp and does not crumble.

Clean your Gutters

Before the rainwater starts freezing and the ice dams start forming, it would be wise to clean your gutters to prevent any water buildup. Remove all the fallen leaves and any other debris you might find there.

While tending to the house, remove leaves around your house’s foundation, too, and in other places that invite rotting and mold. This will be much easier if you have a leaf blower with a specialized attachment, but as long as you’re careful, you will be fine.

By Guest Blogger Kevin Jefferson

Keeping a Pristine Lawn All Year Round

Keeping Overwintering Insects Away From Your Home and Lawn

Make The Most of Spring at Home With These Backyard Improvements

Things To Do Before Winter – Your Fall Garden Cleanup

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