Lawn Care Mooresville is rewarding because you make people’s properties look good and enhance their home values. But it can also be time-consuming with multiple trips to the store, equipment, and cleaning up afterward.
Establishing clear goals will help guide your lawn maintenance program. Some results can be seen in just a few weeks, while others may take a full season or longer.
The best way to maintain your lawn is to mow it regularly. A properly maintained lawn will be healthier and less prone to weeds, drought and heat stress. Moreover, it will have a beautiful appearance and a more appealing look to your guests and visitors.
Regular mowing of your lawn will also help reduce weeds and prevent fungus from growing. Make sure to remove the clippings from your yard and use them as compost or mulch for your garden. You should also keep your mower blades sharp to avoid tearing and damaging the grass. It is also recommended to not cut more than 1/3 of the leaf of each grass plant, so as to avoid shock to the plant.
It is important to stick to a consistent schedule for your mowing as this will not only ensure that the yard stays in good condition but it will also save you time and money. If you are not able to maintain a regular mowing schedule, then you should consider hiring a professional service. Usually, professionals mow lawns in the early evening as this is when the sun is not too hot and there is no risk of fungal infection.
The geographical location of your property plays a significant role in the overall cost of your lawn mowing service. For instance, a lawn in the city may require more frequent mowing as compared to a suburban or rural lawn. Also, lawns with challenging topography like steep slopes may demand specialized equipment and additional precautions to ensure an even and well-manicured result, which will ultimately impact the overall service costs. Similarly, seasonal weather fluctuations may impact how fast or slow your grass grows, which in turn will affect the overall mowing time and effort required.
Watering
A lawn needs adequate water to stay healthy and green. But overwatering can cause the roots to grow too deep and become less drought-tolerant, which can lead to thatch and fungus problems. The best way to avoid this is to use a soil test and create a schedule that works for your climate.
The frequency and duration of your watering depends on the weather, soil type, and grass species. Generally, it is best to water the grass deeply and infrequently, rather than lightly and frequently. A good time to water the lawn is early in the morning or in the late afternoon. These times prevent evaporation and allow the grass to absorb the moisture before it loses heat.
Lawn maintenance includes a variety of tasks that help to maintain the health and appearance of the lawn, including mowing or grass cutting, weed control, dethatching, and aerating. Other services that are often performed as part of lawn care include fertilization, fungicide treatments, and insect control.
Regular mowing promotes lush, green growth and helps keep weeds out of the turf. Weeds should be pulled by hand or treated with spot sprays to stop them from spreading seeds and growing in the lawn. Aerating the lawn removes thatch and allows water, air, and nutrients to reach the grass roots more easily. Other maintenance tasks include pruning trees and shrubs, mulching, and fall and spring yard cleanups. Performing these tasks properly can improve the curb appeal of your home or business and ensure that your yard is ready for entertaining in summer.
Fertilizing
Lawns need proper nutrition to grow thick and healthy. A schedule of regular fertilization starting in the spring and ending in mid-autumn is key to a lush, green lawn.
Each type of grass needs a different blend of nutrients to thrive. The best time to fertilize your lawn depends on whether you have cool-season or warm-season grass and where you live. You also need to know if you have sandy or clay soil, as those soils require different types of amendments.
There are 2 broad categories of lawn fertilizers: organic and synthetic. Organic fertilizers come from plant and animal sources. They are slower to release their nutrients than chemical fertilizers, and they help improve your soil’s health. Examples of organic fertilizers include manure, blood meal, and fish emulsion.
Synthetic (also called chemical) fertilizers are faster-acting and cheaper than organic fertilizers. They are often made from urea, ammonium, or nitrogen-phosphorus compounds. When these are used too frequently, they can burn the grass and also cause water pollution by running off into streams and lakes where they can fuel algae blooms that destroy water quality.
Before you apply any lawn fertilizer, read the bag for application instructions. Most will tell you to mow the lawn just before applying, and not mow again for a day or two after. They also may say to water the lawn after applying or to avoid irrigating the lawn for a certain amount of time.
Be sure to stay 6 to 8 feet away from bodies of water when applying any fertilizer, as nutrient runoff can damage the environment. It is also wise to avoid feeding your lawn near any paved surfaces, as the nitrous oxides released by the fertilizer can be harmful to trees and shrubs.
Weeding
A well-maintained lawn can crowd out weeds and provide a lush, green backdrop to your yard. Many lawn care companies offer preventative weed control and treatments. These include products that kill or prevent crabgrass, dandelions and foxtails. These weeds often grow right through the grass and pull moisture, sunlight and nutrients from it. They also spread easily by catching on shoes, animal fur and lawn equipment.
Some services include overseeding, which involves spreading grass seed across the entire lawn after aerating it. This is an essential step to keep weeds from growing, but it’s not enough on its own to maintain a beautiful and healthy lawn. It’s important to seed right after aerating, and to use the same type of grass as your existing lawn. It’s also a good idea to water the seed generously.
If weeds persist, a company can spray them with chemical herbicides. These may help improve the appearance of your lawn for some time, but they won’t last and aren’t a sustainable solution. The best way to kill weeds is by hand, using garden tools to dig up the roots. This is easiest when the soil is moist, such as after rain or a good watering.
Other lawn care services include insect and disease control, aeration, dethatching and mulching. These are all great ways to maintain a healthy, vibrant lawn. But to get the most out of your yard, you’ll need a comprehensive lawn care program. Royal Landscapes will work with you to develop a schedule that keeps your lawn looking great year-round. We’ll take the guesswork out of mowing, aerating and fertilizing so that your lawn is always at its best.
Aerating
Aerating the lawn increases soil permeability, making it easier for grass roots to grow. It also reduces thatch, a layer of dead grass shoots and stems that can accumulate to more than an inch thick. Thatch robs the roots of necessary moisture and nutrients. Aeration loosens thatch, allowing decomposing microbial activity to break it down and reduce it to an acceptable level.
A good time to aerate is in the fall, when most turfgrasses are at their peak growing period. This allows the seedlings to become established before they go dormant in winter, giving them a better chance of survival. It is also an ideal time to overseed the yard with fresh, healthy grass seed. The infusion of new seed, combined with compost, is a powerful combination for weed control and vigorous lawn growth.
To aerate your lawn, use a machine that pokes small holes in the soil, called a core aerator or garden fork. The process can be done manually as well, though it will require much more effort and patience. The key is to spike the soil at a depth of 2 to 6 inches, depending on your soil type and its condition. Spiking a lawn can cause damage, so be sure to mark any sprinkler heads or shallow irrigation, septic or utility lines before proceeding. Ideally, the best time to aerate is in the early spring or fall for cool season grasses and in late summer through early spring for warm season grasses. This provides the best conditions for rapid recovery from aeration and enhances the effectiveness of fertilizer and seed. It also allows for easier water absorption and reduces runoff.