Spring has sprung and it’s time to kick those lawns back into shape!

Spring Lawncare Check List:

⦁ Clean Debris and Dethatch: Rake leaves, pinecones, twigs, fallen branches, and thatch to let your grass breathe and access sunlight.
⦁ Aeration: Aerate your soil to allow your lawn’s root system to access the sun, water, air, and nutrients from fertilizer.
⦁ Perform a Soil Test: Test your soil’s acidity and nutrient levels to determine the kind of fertilizer and care your lawn needs.
⦁ Fertilize: It depends on your fertilizing schedule and grass type, but this might be the time to apply a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer once your grass starts actively growing.
⦁ Apply Pre-Emergent Herbicide: Prevent crabgrass from growing in your lawn by treating it with a preventative weed killer.
⦁ Overseed Bare Patches: Plant grass seed as soon as the soil warms up to allow new grass time to establish itself before summer. Water twice a day on a regular basis until the grass has become well established.
⦁ Perform Lawn Mower Maintenance: Inspect your mower and sharpen the blades, change the oil, filter, and spark plug. You should also replace any necessary parts.
⦁ Mow Wisely: Start out mowing at a height of 3″ high in spring. Mowing low early in the spring chops off the dead tops of grass blades. Gradually raise the mower setting as the weather gets warmer. 3.5” in heat of summer.

Soil Temperatures? Why do they matter?

Why is soil temperature important? It affects plant growth. If it’s too cold or too hot, plants won’t grow well, if at all. Soil nutrients and useful soil organisms have optimal soil temperatures.

While roots can grow at cooler soil temperatures, the growth rate is greatly reduced. For most cool season turfgrasses, the optimum soil temperature for root growth is a consistently maintained temperature between 50 and 65 degrees.

Fertilizing Your Lawn and When to Do It!

PART 1 – EARLY SPRING

Between April and May, temperatures warm and weed seeds start to germinate. You can stop new weeds before their roots get established and control new weeds for up to five months.

Timing is critical for this step. Make sure it’s applied before crabgrass seed germinates — that happens when soil temperatures reach 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

PART 2 – LATE SPRING

Between April and June, existing weeds launch into active growth. Fertilizers combine broadleaf weed killers with nutrients to feed your actively growing lawn

If you plan to overseed, avoid weed & feed for six weeks before. After overseeding, wait until your third mowing occurs.

PART 3 – SUMMER

Between June and August, proper feeding helps strengthen lawns against heat and drought.

As a general rule, allow six to eight weeks between fertilizing and your first expected frost. As with all fertilizer products, check the label and follow instructions for your specific grass type.

Aeration is THE BEST for Your Lawn

⦁ Core aeration helps keep thatch under control, which reduces the need for expensive renovation.
⦁ Growth zones capture air, water, and fertilizer, putting “dinner” within easy reach of the turf roots.
⦁ Soil compaction forces lawns to thin. Lawn aeration helps open the soil for better growth.
⦁ Aeration is better than any fertilizer for your lawn health.

Why a Boulder Wall?

In general, boulders make an absolutely phenomenal building material. They never suffer from weathering or erosion, salt degradation has absolutely no impact on them. The weight of the boulders allows them to tolerate massive amounts of earth movement without transmitting that through the wall.