Green Design Piece

Lawn Care

Five Step Fertilizer Application Program

If having a Beautiful, Dark Green, Lush, Thick, Weed Free, Insect Free, Environmentally Safe and User Safe Lawn isn’t enough reason to join our program, here are a few more:

  • Free Unlimited Services calls
  • Trained Professional Service Managers & Turf Grass Specialists
  • Trained, Experienced & Licensed Applicators
  • Continuous Review of New Products and Methods To Provide
  • The Best Lawn Care Services Available!
APPLICATION PRODUCTS BENEFITS
1 Spring:
April
Custom Blended Fertilizer Early Spring fertilizing replenishes nutrients lost over the Winter and returns the lawn to a lush green color.
Pre-emrgent Crabgrass Control Applying crabgrass preventer now avoids ugly crabgrass in the lawn during the summer.
Broadleaf Weed Leaf Control Broadleaf weed control (weather permitting) to control early season weeds
2 Late Spring:
May – June
Custom Blended Fertilizer Fertilizer goes directly into the plant system to strengthen the grass and resist Summer stress
Broadleaf Weed Leaf Control Controls Summer weeds such as dandelions
3 Summer:
June – July
Custom Blended Fertilizer Balanced slow released non-burning fertilizer designed to help your lawn through the Summer stress periods.
Broadleaf Weed Leaf Control Broadleaf weed control applied as needed to control any left over summer weeds.
4 Late Summer:
Aug. – Sept.
Custom Blended Fertilizer Fertilizer provides essential nutrients directly to the plants for the fall growing season.
Broadleaf Weed Control Broadleaf weed control to mange late season weeds
5 Fall:
October
Custom Blended Fertilizer Fertilizer Provides nutrients for root development, disease resistance and faster Spring green-up.

Fertilizers provide your lawn with nutrients needed to produce strong roots and grass that resists weeds, disease, and insects.  Our fertilizer is a slow release granular fertilizer and is made from ingredients including nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.  Our premium quality, slow-release granular fertilizer feeds your lawn for 4-6 weeks, or 6-8 weeks depending on blend and time  of year.

Broadleaf Weed Control programs may involve both preemergent and postemergent appliation to prevent spring weed emergence and in the summer to control pervasive weeds.  Contact liquid treatments are made at peak germination periods of broadleaf weeds.  The control product must contact leaf surface of the plant to be effective.  To improve performances, keep childeren and pets off the lawn until it is dry.

Core Aeration improves your lawn’s health and beauty, optimizes root development and reduces thatch and associated problems.  It also deepens your lawn’s root system for greater resistance to disease, insects, drought and heat stress, improves drainage and improves air, fertilizer, water movement.  It can also reduce water usage.  Aeration can be done either spring or fall, but is recommended for fall so that any left over cores can decompose during the winter months.

Preventative Grub Control treatments are more affordable than curative programs and the damage caused by the grubs.  This treatment must be watered in to be effective.  Children and pets may play on treated lawns after the product is watered in.

Frequently Asked Questions

When Should fertilizer be applied?

Fertilizer should be applied four or more times per growing season.  The first application should take place in early spring (about the time of the first mowing). After that, apply at six or eight week intervals depending on the fertilizer you are using.

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Can too much fertilizer be applied?

Definitely!  Several things can happen when grass is over fertilized.  The most obvious sign is a burning or browning of the grass; over fertilization may even kill the turf if it is too severe.  Calibrating your fertilizer spreader will insure that you are applying the proper amount of fertilizer.  Read and follow the direction on the bag.

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How do I kill broadleaf weeds in my lawn?

The best defense against weeds is a dense, healthy lawn.  Once the grass is thick and uniform, it is difficult for weeks to take hold and grow.  Grass that is weak or thin allow weeds to establish and compete for available sunlight, water, and nutrients.

Here are a few easy tips that will help you get started:

  • The best broadleaf weed control is obtained when weeds are young and actively growing.
  • The ideal time to apply a weed control product is on a warm but not too hot of a day,  after a few days of rainfall, or after a watering.  Weed and Feed products need to be applied to wet or moist turf so that the particles can stick to the weeds leaves.  It should also be at least two days after your last mowing.
  • Finally, wait at least two days before mowing again so your yard can benefit fully from the application.

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How to keep Crabgrass out of my lawn?

To control Crabgrass in your lawn, it is best to use a pre-emergent fertilizer that will prevent the crabgrass from germinating.  One preemergence application of Dithiopyr on cool-season turf gives you season-long control.  Multiple applications should be used on warm-season turf.  Dihiopyr gives you timing flexibility to use an early postemergence application to control newly emerged crabgrass as well.  A split application may be used to lengthen your crabgrass control.  Using a pre-emergent application will control your crabgrass but will also prevent grass seed from germination so you need to take that into consideration before using.

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How do I control ant, ticks, and fleas in my lawn?

Using a insect control product will keep these nasty pests from causing damage to your lawn and to you.  Apply anytime that you see insect damage or notice the insects.

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How do I control white grubs in my lawn?

To keep white grubs from causing damage to your lawn use a granular control product such as imidacloprid.  Applied from early May through mid August depending on your location will give you season long control.  White grubs can cause widespread damage to lawns by feeding on the roots causing them to turn yellow, then brown and die.  Caution, don’t use this product too early or too late, you will not get the control you are looking for.

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Should I water my lawn?

If there is not adequate rain fall you may need to water your lawn to keep it in good condition.  The Midwest’s climate, along with the natural ability of many turf grass plants to survive dry periods, often makes lawn watering optional.  Low maintenance lawns typically are not watered.  During spring and fall, natual precipitation is usually adequate to cause excellent growth and color.  During summer when rainfall is often insufficient for plant growth, the lawn may turn brown and go dormant.  Most grass palnts, however, do not die and new growth begins with adequate rain fall.  To promote vigorous growth and green color during dry periods watering is required.  The average lawn with use about on inch of water per week depending on the time of the year and temperature.

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How much should I water the Lawn?

Water the lawn deeply and infrequently.  Apply one inch of water at each watering.  Water once a week or so during the summer.  Any rainfall during the week should be considered and watering should be reduced accordingly.

Water your lawn less during cloudy and cool weather and more often when the weather is hot and windy.  A lawn will use more water in hotter areas, or where there are tree roots near the surface.

Light and frequent watering promotes disease and encourages shallow roots.  A lawn with shallow roots is more subject to drought damage than a lwan with deep roots.

The amount and distribution of water from a sprinkling system can be measured by placing straight-sided cans at various locations on the lawn during a normal watering, and then measuring the depth of water in the cans.

Proper watering methods will vary with soils.  In heavy soils/clay, slow heavy watering is essential (usually once a week).  In sandy soils, frequent, lighter watering is rule (maybe every day or two)

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Am I not watering my lawn enought?

To check if you are applying enough water, dig a hole with a trowel a couple hours after watering, the water should penetrate at least 8 inches.

Apply the water slowly enough that it does not run off.  If you cannot change sprinkler heads, turn off the sprinklers for 30 minutes whenever runoff occurs and continue the cycle until enough water is applied.  Aerating will improve water penetration.

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How frequently should I water a new lawn?

Where a lawn is newly established form seeding or sodding or is affected with patch disease symptons, frequent watering is necessary to keep it alive.  Seeded lawns take more frequent and shorter watering times to keep it moist and not running off.  Sodded lawns takes longer and less watering times to keep the first 1″ of soil wet along with the sod itself.

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Do I need to maintain my Lawn Mowing Equipment?

Sharpen your mower blades frequently so they do not tear the grass blades.  Torn blades give the lawn a whitish cast.  With any lawn mower, pay attention to routine sharpening to assure a better quality cut to your lawn.

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At what height should I mow the lawn?

The mowing height of grass will change during the year.  In early spring, grass may be kept shorter than when it gets very warm.  A good rule is 2.5″ from spring through mid-June.  From mid-June to the end of August, 3″ is recommended.  After first of September, take the height down by half an inch every two weeks until you have it at 1.5″ going into winter.

Never cut off more than a third of the grass blade at a mowing.  Mowing the grass too short exposes the shaded lower stems to sunlight which will cause them to burn and turn brown.  If you mow your lawn higher it will use less water, look better, and stay green longer.

Mowing at the right height and on the proper schedule helps maintain a dense, smooth, uniform turf and reduce the competitiveness of many weeds.  Different grasses have different heights at which they grow best.

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What can I do to Control Lawn Thatch?

There are a couple options.  You can control thatch through lawn aeration or by using a vertical mower, sometimes referred to as a power rake.

Control measures should be based on an actual thatch problem–not just done routinely.  Determine the need for thatch control by cutting a small pie-shaped, cross-section in the turf, lifting it, and examining the extent of thatch build-up.  If the depth exceeds 1/2 inch, take steps to reduce it and prevent further accumulation.

Aerification or vertical mowing is also an excellent way of preparing an old or damaged lawn for seeding (applying grass seed into the existing grass).  Soil at the surface during seeding greatly improves germination of overseeded grasses.

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