Here are some lawn maintenance tips for this upcoming season:
Raking your lawn will be your first tasks of spring lawn care.
Raking helps to prevent thatch build-up. A thatch build-up of more than 1/2 inch is considered excessive. Also, if we have had snow, look for areas damaged by snow mold. These areas are easily repaired with a light raking.
After the long winter your lawn will need spring fertilization. Make sure to apply the right type of fertilizer for your lawn. Cool season lawns require different fertilizer formulations than warm season lawns.
Do you want to prevent or get rid of the existing weeds in your lawn?
First, for most lawns, you will need to apply pre-emergent crabgrass control. Pre-emergent weed control helps by forming a protective barrier over your lawn inhibiting the germination of some weeds. If you have had a problem with crabgrass make sure not to skip this step.
Some lawns may require seeding.
Areas where you have bare patches caused by dog spots, heavy traffic, dense shade, or neglect may need immediate attention. If so, you may need to apply grass seed to repair these areas. It also may be necessary to core aerate or slice selective areas in combination with seeding. High traffic areas are particularly prone to compaction and core aeration can be used to remedy this problem.
Lawns typically become acidic over time.
It is usually necessary to apply lime to help combat this problem. The presence of certain weeds may indicate if your lawn is acidic. Also, you may have your soil tested for acidity. But don’t expect a quick fix: the effects of liming are slow and it may take years to correct a severe acidity problem.
How about broadleaf weeds, like dandelions, that pop up during the spring season – you will need to apply post-emergent herbicides to control these broadleaf weeds. Post-emergent broadleaf weed controls work after the fact – that is they help to control most weeds at the time of application, if they have already germinated. Unfortunately, many weeds do not germinate at the same time of year and thus the reason for multiple applications throughout the year.
If you’re feeling the time pressures of day-to-day living and want some help taking care of your yard, you might consider allowing our family to help your family with your lawn care needs. Besides mowing we provide a wide range of services from applying fertilizer and weed controls to insect control, aerating, and even yard renovations. Let our professionals help get your lawn back into shape.
It makes since to hire us, at Moyers, to provide this service.
Save yourself the headache and give us the load. We are happy to provide you with superb lawn care. Our lawn care professionals have been working with us for years, providing the necessary experience to give you the lush lawn you have been looking for. Also, if you sign up for a minimum of two years you can save $30 OFF each application for the first year. See the coupon below for details. I’m sure you’ll agree that having us, the experienced professionals at Moyers Lawn Service and Landscaping, take care of your lawn maintenance will take away a lot of the headaches of your lawn care needs.
Call Now at 301-251-9822 or request a Free Estimate from our website.
Watering Instructions For Newly Seeded & Established Lawns
Newly Seeded Lawns: For proper seed germination keep seed moist at all times. If possible, water your lawn daily for the next 30 days. It is preferable if you water the lawn in the morning. You may wish to consider purchasing a timer for your sprinkler to make this task easier. We recommend the Gardena Automatic Water Computer. This device attaches to any standard outdoor tap or garden hose. This unit is reasonably priced and may be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot.
Established Lawns: Proper watering of your lawn can help greatly improve the quality of your turf. It is important not to over water. Over watering causes a weak root system making your lawn more vulnerable to drought stress, disease, insect, and a host of other problems. It is best to water your lawn heavily (approximately one inch) once each week, rather than watering lightly several times during the week. In many cases there may be enough rainfall during the week to satisfy your lawns requirements. Each area of your lawn may require up to two hours of watering, depending on your water pressure. To determine the time of watering required set a pan out, with vertical sides, in your lawn and watch how long it takes to fill at least an inch. Again, it is preferable that you water the lawn in the morning to help lessen the likelihood of disease.
Definition of Lawn Maintenance Terms:
AERATION: The air exchange between the soil and the atmosphere.
CORE AERATION: The process in which we use a machine to remove small cores of soil from the lawn.
THE BENEFITS OF CORE AERATION: First, by opening up the soil, it permits free movement of water, fertilizer, and air. Second, by relieving soil compaction, it encourages more vigorous root growth and allows them to grow to greater depth.
THATCH: The layer of dead and decaying plant tissue located between the soil surface and the green vegetation.
WHAT TOO MUCH THATCH CAN DO TO MY LAWN: Thatch can prevent water and fertilizer from seeping into the soil. Also, it can suffocate your lawn by preventing oxygen from reaching the roots causing grass to take root closer to the surface. Additionally, it makes an excellent breeding ground for harmful insects and disease organisms.
DETHATCHING: The process in which we use a machine to mechanically remove the thatch layer from the lawn. This will remove the thatch with minimum uprooting of healthy grass plants.
SLICING: A process in which we use a machine to loosen the soil surface.
THE BENEFITS OF SLICING: Reduces some of the surface soil compaction, which in turn, helps to improve infiltration of fertilizers and other materials into the soil. Additionally, it provides for better soil contact when overseeding. (This is a very beneficial during the germination process.)
Core aeration, dethatching, and slicing are three of the most beneficial forms of preventive maintenance you can give to your lawn. Now all that is left is for you to get a free quote. Give the professionals at Moyers’ Lawn Service and Landscaping a call today at 301-251-9822 or request a Free Estimate from our website.