How Cincinnati Lawn Care can Save You Time, Stress, and Money.



For many people, the price of home lawn care service is almost as important as the care their lawn receives. When you start evaluating lawn care companies, remember the old saying, "you get what you pay for." Remember, a perfect lawn is not necessarily a cheap lawn.

There are big name companies out there like Scotts Lawn Care and Chem Lawn and several others, that can be very expensive, but they do wonderful work. They have all the top lawn care tools and lawn supplies at their disposal. They use the best fertilizer on your lawn, and they will make sure that you have a true green lawn. There are people who don't really care, lawn services like these are simply overkill.

There are lots and lots of smaller lawn companies out there that will provide an equivalent level of home lawn care as the big guys, but may give you a lower rate without scrimping on materials or using low quality lawn products. A great way to locate some of these smaller home lawn care services is to ask your neighbors and friends, who they use for their lawn care. A company that provides great lawn care services, with a good reputation in the neighborhood, will be promoted widely by word of mouth.

Check out your friends and neighbors grass. Ask them if they are happy with lawn care business they are dealing with. Are they satisfied with the service? Are they well treated? Do they have that perfect lawn that you wish you had on your property?

With a bit of care, lawn services shouldn't be that hard to find. Be careful though because sometimes, lower price can mean lower quality. Get a price quote for basic lawn care service, then get a separate quote for anything extra that you may want done. Do you want some landscaping? Is it extra for lawn fertilizing? Do they user top name products like Scotts fertilizer or do they use some generic turf builder?

What about grass seed? Do they use the best grass seeds available? A reputable lawn company will be able to give you the names and product labels of all their grass seed blends, fertilizers and pest control products.

What techniques do they use to improve the health of your soil and grass. This is an important part of any home lawn care program and not all companies provide these services. Some services you would want them to include are lawn seeding, overseeding, topdressing, lawn aeration, and hand weeding. Yes, believe it or not, some of this work still needs to be done by hand!

If they don't provide these services, perhaps they can show you how to do them on your own. Believe it or not, you need to learn how to seed grass so that you end up with a beautiful green lawn. You don't want to kill your grass after all.

I hope that you find these questions useful when you are choosing a home lawn care company. You know you can't afford those top of the line lawn care tools, but they will have them for you. They will have the best lawn seeds, they will have the best fertilizers and they will help you grow beautiful, perfect grass and a beautiful, perfect lawn.

The inclement weather conditions of winter makes a lawn weary. Following a few simple steps will help the lawn recover its lush green coloration and flourish. Raking, repairing damaged areas, renovating the lawn's appearance and correct fertilizer applications restore a lawn to its pre-winter glory.

New Lawn Growth

During the cold winter months, grass enters a state of dormancy. It will cease growing which makes its general appearance become ragtag. Its lack of growth during the winter also makes it more susceptible to damage from freezing, drainage issues and snow accumulation. In order for the grass to flourish and grow correctly, the winter damage must be fixed.

Clear Debris

Before undertaking spring lawn care, allow the area to dry out. A soggy or wet lawn can sustain damage when cultivated. The roots will be easily pulled from the soil and the blades bent or broke. Once the lawn has dried out, it should be thoroughly raked to help aerate the soil. Raking will remove accumulated winter debris. It will also open up the grass and the soil blades to create air circulation. Good air circulation around the crown of the plants and each blade of grass will help prevent fungal problems from developing. A basic hard tine rake works adequately to help remove dead grass plants and lawn debris or a lawn vacuum or leaf blower for larger lawns can help with larger lawns.

Post-Winter Scarification

Moss and thatch buildup can occur from the long winter months. A lawn that suffers excessive thatch or moss buildup will benefit from a scarification treatment. If there is still any danger of spring frosts, scarification should never take place. Consider performing scarification in mid-April or later. If the lawn has excessive moss, use a moss killer two to three weeks before scarification. The lawn should be newly mown and moderately wet to successfully scarify it. Use a hand spring bok rake or a powered scarifier. The goal is to tear up the thatch, dead grass plants and any weeds. The grass will usually suffer extensive visual damage after scarification. If bare patches occur, consider patching the areas by reseeding.

Weeds

Spring is the ideal time to address pending weed. In regions where crab grass is a problem, apply a pre-emergence crabgrass weed killer to the lawn during the first weeks of April. Avoid using a crabgrass weed killer that contains fertilizers. Fertilizing the lawn too early will cause a weak root system. After applying the pre-emergence weed killer, water the lawn with about 1/2 inch of water. Mowing the lawn to a height of 2 inches will also help control spring weeds. When the soil temperature reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit so treatment with a pre-emergence weed killer will help prevent the seeds from germinating, Crabgrass seeds begin to germinate.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing in the spring replenishes the grass plant's food supply. The fertilizer will encourage the grass to develop healthy, new growth and a strong root system. An adequate, balanced fertilizer will create a thick lawn that will be able to more easily combat weeds by choking them out. When the grass begins to show signs of breaking dormancy, apply fertilizer. Grass roots will grow when the temperature is between 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature reaches 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, its top growth will develop. Never fertilize a lawn too early in the spring because the new growth may suffer damage if a late spring frost should hit. Use a balanced spring lawn fertilizer and avoid high-nitrogen mixes. A high-nitrogen based lawn fertilizer will encourage the lawn to grow and develop a deep green coloration but a shallow root system. The shallow roots will be unable to withstand a summer drought.

Apply fertilizer applications to the lawn in mid-May. Use a fertilizer that offers at least 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn space. The fertilizer label will usually have general application guidelines. After applying the fertilizer, be sure to saturate the lawn to prevent the grass blades from sustaining damage from the fertilizer. Nitrogen can burn grass blades. A slow release nitrogen fertilizer has the least chance of accidentally harming the grass.

New Season Overseeding

If the lawn suffers from bare spots or a patchy appearance it can benefit from spring seeding. Lawn seeds will not germinate until the soil reaches 65 degrees Fahrenheit, so avoid seeding the lawn if it remains too cold. The ideal time to overseed an existing lawn is usually after mid-April. Seed Kentucky bluegrass at a rate of 1.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet, use 3 pounds of fine fescue grass seeds per 1,000 square feet or use 6 pounds of tall fescue per 1,000 feet. Spreading straw mulch across the newly laid seeds will help keep them from blowing away and will also help keep the seeds moist. Regularly water the newly laid seeds and avoid allowing them to dry out. The seeds require even moisture to successfully germinate. Usually one bale of straw per 1,000 feet will adequately protect the seeds. When seeding a lawn in the spring, consider using a starter fertilizer that contains Tupersan to avoid a crabgrass infestation.

Look Forward To A Green Lawn All Year

With only a bit of spring care, a lawn can look amazing by summer. It will also help prepare the lawn for the following winter by encouraging it to produce a strong, deep root system and store valuable nutrients.

There are lots and lots of smaller lawn companies out there that will provide an equivalent level of home lawn care as the big guys, but may give you a lower rate without scrimping on materials or using low quality lawn products. There are big name companies out there like Scotts Lawn Care and Chem Lawn and several others, that can be very expensive, but they do wonderful work. They have all the top lawn care tools and lawn supplies at their disposal. There are lots and lots of smaller lawn companies out there that will provide an equivalent level of home lawn care as the big guys, but may give you a lower rate without scrimping on materials or using low quality lawn products. A basic hard tine rake works adequately to Cincinnati Lawn Care help remove dead grass plants and lawn debris or a lawn vacuum or leaf blower for larger lawns can help with larger lawns.

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