A healthy lawn is not only pleasing to the eye, but it also provides environmental benefits. Lawns protect against soil erosion and improve air quality by releasing oxygen through photosynthesis.
A few basic lawn care practices can help you achieve your dream landscape. Start with a soil test to determine the composition of your yard’s dirt. Then, water deeply and less often to encourage a deep root system. Contact Pop Lawn Care for professional help.
Aeration is the process of puncturing small holes in your lawn to relieve soil compaction, thereby enhancing natural air flow. In the lawn service industry, this is known as core aeration or mechanical aeration (coring, spiking and slicing are other terms). The best time to aerate your yard is in spring and autumn, when soil is naturally moist.
Over time, your soil can become compacted as people walk on it, kids and pets play in the yard, and debris accumulates. This prevents oxygen, water, and nutrients from reaching the roots of your grass. Aerating loosens up the soil and allows these vital elements to penetrate to the grassroots, resulting in stronger, denser grass.
In addition, aeration helps to manage thatch, a layer of dead and living organic matter that can accumulate between the topsoil and grass. A regular aeration schedule helps to break up thatch and prevent it from becoming too thick, which can suffocate the roots.
Grass that can get the oxygen, water, and nutrients it needs is healthier and more resilient to disease and drought. Aerated soil also promotes more efficient water absorption, which cuts down on water runoff that can pollute local streams and rivers.
Aeration also gives new grass seeds a better chance to grow and thrive. By opening up holes in the soil, aeration creates ideal spots for overseeding to take hold. Aeration can also be combined with power seeding, which helps to fill in bare or patchy areas of the lawn. In fact, combining these two services increases the success rate of overseeding by about 15%. It’s important to remember that you should never aerate your lawn so often that it becomes compacted, which can reduce the growth of new grass and damage existing grass. A professional will be able to determine the right frequency of aeration for your yard. They will consider the amount of traffic, type of soil, and the climate in your area to recommend an aeration schedule. Generally, most lawns need to be aerated at least once every year. However, some may need to be aerated more frequently, especially those with clay soil.
Fertilization
Even the healthiest lawns need occasional TLC in the form of fertilizer. Fertilizer gives grass its green color and helps it grow vigorously. A good fertilizer program should be based on the results of a soil test. The test tells you the proportion of sand, silt and clay that makes up your soil. It also indicates how well your soil retains water and how acidic or alkaline it is.
A lab soil test will recommend the right fertilizer for your turf, and will help you avoid overfertilizing. Generally speaking, low-maintenance programs require fertilization twice per season with nitrogen (N) at an annual rate of 2 to 4 pounds of N per 1,000 square feet of lawn area. The best time to apply fertilizer is in the fall (September), when cool weather grasses store nutrients in their roots for use during the winter, but a spring application may be needed for high-maintenance lawns.
Soil type, weather conditions and turfgrass species are also factors in how much N a lawn needs. The best way to decide on a fertilizer program is to consult with a professional lawn care company.
Proper watering is another crucial part of lawn care. Watering too little will result in sparse turf and weak growth, while overwatering can cause diseases, weeds and insect pest problems. A good practice is to install rain gauges in your yard and to water early in the morning, as this minimizes evaporation and prevents disease problems by allowing for gradual saturation of the soil.
Healthy, properly managed lawns generally tolerate a reasonable number of insects. However, under certain climatic conditions, insect pest populations can become overwhelming. Good lawn maintenance practices, such as mowing, aerating and removing plant debris, can limit the number of insects that attack your yard. Insecticides are sometimes necessary to control pests when other practices fail to contain them.
Weed Control
Weed control is an important part of lawn care. Not only do weeds look unsightly, but they also suffocate grass plants by taking away their nutrients. This causes weak lawns that are unable to withstand attacks from disease, insects, and other weeds. Weeds are also a fire hazard and can harbor poisonous chemicals that can hurt or kill pets and children.
There are many types of weed controls available, but two main categories include pre-emergents and post-emergents. Weed preventers (pre-emergents) are applied in fall or early spring to stop weeds before they start growing. These are great for annual broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, henbit, and clover. Some of these products can also be used to treat winter annuals like chickweed. There are also some products that combine a pre-emergent with fertilizer to provide one application that tackles both weeds and turfgrass.
Once a weed is established, it requires a post-emergent herbicide to be killed. These are contact killers that attack a weed when it is in its most vulnerable state. These are often used as crabgrass killers after it has started to sprout.
It is important to note that weed killers should only be used when necessary. The best way to reduce the need for weed control is through better maintenance practices. If you do decide to use a weed killer, be sure to read the label and follow all directions for safe usage. This will ensure that the weeds are targeted and not your desirable garden and landscape plants. Also, avoid applying these chemicals on hot days because they may volatilize and drift into other areas affecting desirable plants.
Another option for weed control is using organic alternatives such as vinegar, clove oil, and thyme. However, these aren’t as effective and require more time and effort to kill the weeds. They also tend to be non-selective and will burn, or at least droop, anything they touch including grass. They are great for small weeds, but they won’t be as effective on large or deep rooted weeds. If you choose to go this route, be sure to wear gloves and be mindful of the surrounding landscape.
Mowing
Mowing is an essential part of lawn care that involves removing the old, dead grass and stimulating growth with new shoots. A well-maintained lawn will have a dense turf that is more resistant to disease and weeds.
The right mowing techniques can prevent soil erosion and reduce the need for fertilizers. Lawn professionals know when and how to mow, taking into account the grass type, growing conditions, growth pattern and season. Keeping the mower blade sharp is important, too, as dull mowers tear the grass rather than cutting it cleanly. Lawn care services also keep an eye out for rutting, which can degrade the soil surface and create a hard surface that invites pathogens to invade.
Lawn care services also include aeration, weed control and overseeding to keep the yard healthy and attractive. Aerating the soil helps improve drainage and water absorption, while weed control and overseeding introduce new grass varieties to fill in bare spots and help prevent weeds from developing.
A healthy lawn can be an asset when it comes time to sell the home, but a sloppy, overgrown lawn can reduce the property’s value. When you hire a professional for routine lawn care, you’ll get the best return on your investment when it’s time to sell.
If you’re looking for a company that offers lawn care services in your area, check out reviews online and consider whether the company has convenient payment options. Do you always speak with a live person when you call, or do you have to leave a message?
Many homeowners take on the lawn care responsibilities themselves, but it’s not uncommon for them to be overwhelmed by the work and find they have less time to spend enjoying their yards. Fortunately, lawn care services can be relatively inexpensive and often save homeowners money by eliminating the need for expensive chemicals. When hiring a lawn service, look for a company that provides comprehensive services, such as aerating, weed control and mowing. They should also have a good reputation and be willing to answer any questions you might have.