Lawn Care – Soundview Landscape Blog

Early Summer Lawn Care Treatment

As it turns out, we’ve had quite a long Spring. Independence day is just around the corner, and the warm weather seems to be holding on. I seem to remember that last year, we ran the air conditioner starting in May, then continued through the summer. If the hot weather starts to bother you, just remember back to the winter and how the cold and wet gripped us right through March. I’m resolved to hold off on any warm weather complaining until the end of July, at least.

FertMallet-Web At this point in the season, Soundview has a few Lawn care recommendations which can be followed in order stay on track with your efforts thus far. Our 21-0-4 Lawn Fertilizer with Mallet will provide you with a slow release feeding as well as insurance against grubs later in the season. The japanese beetles are going to be in flight soon, laying eggs for the next lifecycle of their grub. Bear in mind that the beetles find lush, irrigated turf to lay their eggs. Our fertilizer with Mallet, applied now and watered in, provides the best protection against grub damage when the eggs hatch in late August or September. The active ingredient is similar to Merit Insecticide which has been the proven grub preventative for many years now.

Are other problems starting to show up on your lawn? This time of year, insects or fungus can also plague an otherwise healthy turf. We offer a variety of Insecticide or Fungicide solutions to help manage any problems which may arise.


Lastly, as the weather remains dry, watering will become a vital part of any turf management strategy. If you have automatic irrigation, check to see that your heads are making adequate coverage of lawn areas, and that no leaks are occurring while you are asleep. Set your timer for enough duration to soak the lawn through any thatch and into the soil without excess runoff to the driveway or street. If you irrigate manually, remember that deep, infrequent watering is better than a little bit every day. This means that a good drench every few days that allows the water to penetrate deep into the root zone will be more helpful than a little mist twice a day. The deeper the water goes, the deeper the roots will follow, and your lawn will stay healthy and green for a longer period of time during any dry conditions.

As you enjoy picnics, the beach, pools or just some time off, reflect on the efforts and dedication of our patriotic ancestors who gave their all for our continued freedom and liberty. God Bless America!

Spring Lawn Care Update

Finally some warm weather has come our way! The forsythia blooms are just about ready to open, and that is usually an indicator that soil temperatures are going to be on the rise. “What does this mean?”, you might ask. Well, it means that grass is going to be greener soon. As the grass greens up, crabgrass seeds from last year start to fill in the bare spots around your yard. It is time to think about a strategy for the upcoming year.

Soundview’s options for Step 1, fertilizer with Crabgrass pre-emergent include higher or lower Nitrogen fertilizer with Evade (aka Barricade) pre-emergent.

Evade crabgrass control You can also choose between a higher and lower rate of the Evade. Lower Nitrogen means less top growth, and maybe a little less mowing. Less Evade means you can split your step 1 applications over 6 weeks for longer control. The higher rate of Evade can be used if you would like to make only 1 initial treatment of the lawn and perhaps don’t expect crabgrass to be a big problem. We also offer some products with Dimension Crabgrass pre-emergent. Tell us your lawn story and we’ll make a recommendation just for you.

If you want to have a greener, more lush lawn, but don’t want to use an combination products or pesticides, ask us about a straight fertilizer programs to suit your needs. We stock several formulations of fertilizer which can make even a low maintenance lawn look great. We can tailor a plan just for you.

Lastly, if you haven’t spread lime in a while, these next few weeks are a perfect time to spread some pelletized lime. We always recommend getting a soil test first to determine how much lime you need. Usually if you need some lime, you’ll need 1 50 pound bag for every 1000 square feet! That means 20 bags on ½ acre of lawn.

Back Yard Cleanup and Renovation – Lawn Installation

Is your lawn loaded with weeds and in poor condition? If more than 50% of your lawn is in need of repair, we recommend a lawn renovation to return your lawn to a healthy and beautiful condition. Here is a major renovation project that spanned about six months from beginning to end. Soundview provided topsoil, seed and fertilizer as well as the hydroseeding services.

Demolition of an old shed:
Tree removal:
Grading:
Raking:
Hydroseeding:
Application of crabgrass and weed control:
Overseeding:
Completion:

As this lawn began to thrive, crabgrass was managed with an application of Tenacity.

If your lawn is in need of renovation, here are some tips:

Consider using a chemical like round-up to kill the entire area in preparation for re-seeding. Round-up, unlike other lawn weed killers, does not prevent you from planting new seeds in a treated area. Sometimes this is the best way to start over.
What kind of equipment should a professional be using to complete a full lawn renovation? The range of equipment beyond what we discussed previously might include the use of a bulldozer, skid-steer, tractor, power box rake, or even a tiller. While some of these items might be available for rental, successful operation of the devices often requires a trained operator. A professional landscaper may even recommend hydroseeding for better results.
Should I roto-till my entire yard since I am tired of looking at it? Generally speaking, NO! Unless you have the means to properly level our the soil without compacting it too much, roto-tilling may be too extreme. Soundview often recommends the use of a power box rake with a skilled operator to accomplish major renovations. This allows you to limit the amount of new soil required while leveling off, scarifying (with a straight-tooth rake) and spreading the surface of the landscape without too much intrusion.
How long will the grass take to grow? For most renovations that center around aerating and over seeding, you’ll use a grass seed mixture that will start growing within about a week. For the heavy-duty jobs that start from scratch, you should anticipate 4-6 weeks of germination and slow growth. After that, you may need to feed the lawn again, and should begin a regular program of mowing.

Lawn Care Part 4: Lawn Renovation

In this article on Lawn Renovation, we are going to break down some of the terms you may be familiar with in terms of lawn care and maintenance.

Even though we’ve titled this article “Lawn Renovation”, many times these procedures should be part of a regular maintenance regimen.

Thatch in a lawn is easily identifiable as the layer of dead and decaying matter between the soil surface and the growing sections of turfgrass. A simple rule of thumb is that about 3/4” of thatch is tolerable, any more than that and you’ll be asking for trouble. Too much thatch in a lawn prevents water, fertilizer and nutrients from reaching the roots of the grass plants. Conversely, no thatch layer leaves the soil exposed to wind and water and may lead to erosion problems and thinning of the desirable turf.

Managing thatch in your lawn is an easy, annual task.

Truth be told, I probably own 2 dethatchers like the one shown with blades designed to chop up the thatch and clean up the lawn. They hardly get used, except for extreme cases.

That’s good news, because the cleanup after running one of these can be extraordinary. Timing wise, for light thatch and general cleanup Spring is best, before the lawn gets going. A light dethatching followed up with a Crabgrass Pre-emergent will set you straight. Otherwise, plan on an end of summer project or maybe a lawn renovation (more on that later).

Instead of all the work required for dethatching, I recommend aeration each fall.

An aerator is designed to pull plugs from your lawn which are about the size of a quarter in diameter and up to 4 or 5 inches long. Best of all, no cleanup is required. That’s right, aerate like crazy and just leave it alone! What could be better? The resulting holes in your lawn will allow for compaction to be relieved as well as allowing the water, nutrients and air to benefit the lawn’s root system. My favorite follow up to aerating is overseeding, because I know the seed will land where it is likely to germinate and grow, rather than just get scattered on the surface of the ground where it doesn’t really stand a great chance of getting established. I always recommend aeration in late August or early September in our area because in order to establish quality stands of cool season grasses (Kentucky Bluegrass, Ryegrass, or Fescues) early fall is best. The weather will cooperate, other weeds don’t germinate, and working conditions are often more comfortable.

When dethatching and aerating aren’t enough, you may wish to consider lawn renovation. Usually, 50% or more of your lawn area would need to be judged a problem in order to choose renovation. We’ll cover the basics here, but can help you with more in depth analysis in person if you need more tips or suggestions.

Lawn Renovation Guidelines

Fall is the best time to seed a lawn. Anytime from August 15 – October 15 generally works well. Cool nights, some rainfall, no competitive weed germination and no frost all means you’ll have luck. The following steps can be used as a general guideline for a lawn renovation with some optional steps for a more thorough job.

Step 1 – Get your soil tested!!!!! You need to know what you have and where you are headed from a soil composition and nutrient point of view. Check our guide on Lime and Fertilizer for more information about Soil testing.
Step 2 – Measure the area(s) in question. All of the questions about seed, lime, fertilizer and even watering are determined by the size of your area. Now is a good time to determine if the lawn is smooth and even. If not, make some notes about the depth of any low spots.
Step 3 – Determine whether you are renovating for maintenance purposes or need a total renovation. Is most of the lawn (50%) in decent shape but could be thicker and greener? Are there just some trouble spots or inconsistency in the color of the lawn? In this case we’ll proceed with step 4. Have more problems or need more work, skip to the end of this list.
Step 4 – Make a plan of attack. With the information we discussed previously, you should be able to decide whether dethatching or aerating is best. Soundview and our staff always recommend aeration as one of the best options to consider.
Step 5 – Rent or borrow an aerator. They are available at rental centers and home stores, but you may need to line up a pickup truck or trailer if you choose to do it yourself. Otherwise, now might be the time to consider hiring a professional to do the job. Soundview can help with this too!
Step 6 – Mark out your lawn for buried obstacles – including sprinkler systems, pet fencing, surface drainage pipes or more. Next, start aerating. Make a couple of overlapping passes in each direction to ensure that there are holes everywhere. Here’s a tip – it helps to aerate after rain or heavy watering. Sometimes on dry ground the machine just won’t penetrate into the soil.
Step 7 – Spread grass seed. With the help of an expert at Soundview you’ll be able to pick the best seed for your conditions. Figure on using about 5# per square foot for bare areas and as little as 2# per square foot for other sections. We recommend using a broadcast spreader for even coverage. Some folks recommend using a slice seeder for this step. A slice seeder is similar to a de-thatcher with blades behind a seed hopper. They are really effective for getting the seed into the soil, but they are pretty bulky and may be overkill if you are able to aerate thoroughly.
Step 8 – If you have any light filling or topdressing (spreading a thin layer of soil over existing turf), now is the time. Soundview recommends using loam with compost as a topdressing. Sometimes it is a little chunky, but will provide great results in the long term.
Step 9 – Spot seed any areas that were filled in, then fertilize the lawn. Make sure not use a fertilizer with any herbicides in it as that will render the seed useless. Soundview can help provide a balanced fertilizer which will give you great results.
Step 10 – Water, Water, Water – (unless it rains). While the grass is germinating, keep it moist, not so much that you have mud flowing all around. On hot days, several short mists will work. On overcast days, once or twice should suffice. Once the lawn is established, switch to deep, infrequent watering and don’t water at night. By the way, this is one of those cultural practices you can follow to help keep the lawn healthy without any increase in time, money or aggravation.
Step 11 – Enjoy your healthy lawn! Start mowing once the grass needs to be cut. Remember – never remove more than 1/3 of the grass at one time. More frequent mowing and taller heights will promote thickening of the turf. Clippings are 70% water, so unless they are smothering the new turf, no need to remove them.