A lawn care company will be able to monitor your lawn and spot problems early, including pests and weeds. They will also know when to apply grub control.
Water your grass in the early morning. This allows the water to evaporate before the sun sets, and will prevent fungus. Visit https://www.primecutlawnky.com/ to learn more.
Alternate your mowing direction each week to avoid rutting your soil. Fertilize your lawn in the fall with corn gluten meal, which is natures weed and feed.
A lawn is a living thing that needs regular care and maintenance to thrive. It is important to mow, water and fertilize, but there are also two crucial tasks that many homeowners forget: dethatching and aerating. These tasks can make a significant difference between a healthy green lawn and one that is brown, patchy, and weedy.
Thatch is a layer of accumulated dead grass shoots, stems, crowns, and roots that builds up just above the soil. A little thatch is okay, but if it becomes thicker than a half inch, it can prevent water and nutrients from reaching the soil where they are needed. A thatch layer can also suffocate grass roots, hindering growth.
Dethatching involves forcefully raking the lawn to remove thatch debris. A hand rake works well for small grass areas, while an electric power rake is ideal for larger lawns. The best time to dethatch is in late spring or early summer for warm-season grasses like zoysia and bermudagrass.
To check if your lawn is ready for dethatching, press the tip of your finger or a stick into the spongy thatch layer. If you can push more than a half-inch, it’s time to dethatch.
Aeration is similar to acupuncture for your lawn, but instead of thin needles it uses hollow tines that poke holes in the lawn. Lawn aeration relieves soil compaction, breaks up thatch buildup and encourages healthier grass growth by increasing the flow of water, oxygen and nutrients to the roots.
The process of aerating can be very tiring, and it’s best done by a professional. TaskEasy can match you with a local lawn care expert that can handle all your mowing, dethatching and aerating services.
After dethatching, it’s important to reseed bare spots with a high-quality grass seed that matches your climate and soil type. Once the reseeding is complete, keep the newly planted grass somewhat moist until it has a chance to grow and become established. Our experts can also help you create a customized lawn care schedule for optimal results.
Irrigation
Irrigation as part of lawn care helps provide vibrant, healthy grass that improves the curb appeal and value of your home. However, improper or over-watering can lead to shallow root growth, turf disease, and thatch accumulation. A properly designed irrigation system ensures consistent soil moisture with minimal water waste.
Watering frequency and duration depend on grass type, soil conditions, and climate. For example, sandy soils drain quickly and require more frequent but shorter watering cycles than clay soils. Investing in an efficient irrigation system can save time and money in the long run.
Using a smart irrigation controller to set up a recurring watering schedule can help minimize unnecessary use of water. This technology automatically adjusts and optimizes your watering routine based on real-time weather conditions, plant needs, and stored historical data. It can also prevent over-watering or watering when it rains, reducing both costs and environmental impact.
Mulching can also be a great lawn care practice for minimizing irrigation requirements. Organic and inorganic mulches can retain soil moisture, prevent weed growth, regulate soil temperature, and even improve the look of your landscape.
Summer is a critical time for irrigation planning, as high temperatures and increased evaporation rates can put your lawn under stress. Using advanced watering techniques, such as cyclical watering and a reduced sprinkler frequency, can reduce irrigation requirements while maintaining a lush, green lawn.
When possible, water in the early morning to avoid evaporation and promote deep root penetration. If you have an irrigation system, consider installing a drip system, which allows the water to ooze directly into the soil, avoiding surface evaporation and allowing for maximum absorption.
Proper fall lawn care can also reduce irrigation requirements by encouraging deeper roots and reducing the need for fertilizer. Mowing at a higher height (3 inches or greater) and implementing an integrated pest management (IPM) program to limit the need for toxic pesticides can further reduce irrigation requirements and help your yard thrive in the fall and winter.
Fertilization
Proper lawn fertilization keeps your turf healthy and lush, allowing it to resist the stress of weeds, disease and bad weather. It also provides a great workout, as you walk the yard at a steady pace and carefully cover each area of your landscape. The best time to fertilize is in the early morning, after dew has dried but before it gets too hot. This prevents your grass from being burned by the sun and allows you to mow it a few hours later without removing all of the nutrients you just added.
You can use liquid or granular fertilizer, both of which are available in slow-release formulas. Liquid fertilizer is usually mixed with water and sprayed onto the lawn. It’s easy to apply and is more efficient than granular fertilizer, but it can burn the grass if you apply too much. Granular fertilizer is typically spread with a fertilizer spreader and then raked or blown off the driveways, sidewalks and street to prevent contamination of waterways. It’s important to choose a type of granular fertilizer that is designed for your particular climate and season. In spring, for example, a high nitrogen fertilizer will give your lawn a quick burst of growth and color, while an autumn fertilizer should be higher in potassium and phosphate to prepare the turf for winter.
Before applying any type of fertilizer, mowing your lawn is a good idea. This clears away debris and allows the fertilizer to reach the soil more easily. It’s also a good time to prune any shrubs or trees and to schedule weed control, if necessary.
If you’re going to use a synthetic fertilizer, always get a soil test done before you start fertilizing. This will tell you the precise nutrient levels in your soil and how much to add. Remember that too much fertilizer can actually damage your lawn, while under-fertilizing will leave your yard more vulnerable to weeds and disease. Finally, don’t fertilize right before a heavy rain, as the excess will wash into waterways and cause environmental harm. After you fertilize, gently water the lawn again to help wash the granules into the soil.
Weed Control
Weeds are more than just a nuisance, they compete with desirable grass for nutrients, water and sunlight. Often a combination of cultural practices, the right tools and, when necessary, chemical intervention is needed to prevent and control unwanted weeds.
Weed control begins with preventing weeds from sprouting. This is best accomplished by combining cultural practices with fertilization, overseeding and aeration. These services help to thicken the lawn, making it more difficult for weeds to germinate and grow.
Using the proper herbicides at the correct time of year can also be effective. Preemergence herbicides prevent summer annual weeds, such as crabgrass and foxtail, from growing by inhibiting their ability to produce seed. Preemergence herbicides are most effective when applied before the soil temperatures reach 52 F. Biennial weeds, such as dandelions and thistles, and perennial weeds, such as field bindweed, purple nutsedge and green kyllinga, can be prevented from spreading by applying a postemergent herbicide at the proper time of year. A nonselective systemic postemergence herbicide such as glyphosate or two applications of the selective herbicides halosulfuron, sulfentrazone or sulfosulfuron kills these unwanted plants without killing desired grasses.
The most effective way to manage weeds is to prevent them from going to seed. Many annual weeds such as clover and dandelions spread by their seeds, making it especially important to prevent them from setting seed. Perennial weeds can also reproduce vegetatively through stolons, rhizomes and tubers, which makes them more difficult to control once established in a lawn. For this reason, mowing at the appropriate height and avoiding letting your lawn go dormant are important for ensuring that your yard stays weed-free.
If a weed population becomes too out of control, it may require eradication, which involves completely removing the plant and all of its roots. This can be very challenging and expensive, but it is sometimes necessary in order to reclaim an area of land for productive use or enjoyment.
Ultimately, controlling weeds is an ongoing battle that requires attention to detail and a dedicated effort by both homeowners and service providers. A proactive approach to lawn care that includes services that promote a thick healthy lawn, like aeration and overseeding, along with regular weed spraying will result in a lessening of the weed population over time.