Lawn Care involves maintaining the health of your lawn and soil. It includes mowing or grass cutting, fertilization, weed control, and seasonal cleanups.

Watering properly is critical to the health of your lawn. Long periods of deep watering are preferable to short water cycles that promote shallow roots. Contact LTP Property Maintenance now!

A well-groomed lawn enhances the appearance of your home and provides a pleasant environment for summer picnics. Regular mowing keeps the grass dense and promotes healthier roots that can absorb water and nutrients better. In addition, a healthy lawn is less prone to weeds and can withstand environmental stresses like drought.

Grass cutting is a necessary maintenance task that must be performed regularly over the spring and summer and, depending upon the weather, into late fall. Many homeowners dread this time-consuming chore, but it is vital to the health of their grass and the overall look of their landscape.

It is important to use a lawn mower that is the proper size for your yard and to have sharp mower blades. In addition, it is essential to mow the grass during the coolest part of the day to reduce heat stress on the turf.

When cutting the lawn, it is also important to remove any garden furniture or toys in the lawn area and to keep pets and children inside when mowing the lawn. This prevents children or pets from becoming tangled in the lawnmower or being hit by flying debris from the lawn. It is also a good idea to keep the lawn free of tripping hazards such as stones, sticks and twigs.

In order to keep the soil in your lawn healthy, it is best to avoid fertilizing more than recommended and to use a organic or natural fertilizer (like compost). Also, consider using a method of overseeding like frost seeding that uses the natural freeze-thaw cycles to improve seed-to-soil contact and promote grass growth.

A soil test can help you determine the nutrient needs of your lawn, and many home and garden centers will do the test for you for a small fee. The results will tell you the relative proportions of sand, silt and clay in your soil, and can help guide watering and aeration strategies. In addition, a rain barrel can be installed to harvest rainwater and lower your reliance on your local water supply.

Fertilization

A lawn care program should include regular fertilization of your turf areas. Fertilizers promote healthy growth and help grass resist disease and harsh weather. A soil test will help you determine the proper type and timing of your fertilizer application. Use a slow-release synthetic or organic fertilizer that won’t burn the grass. Nitrogen encourages leaf growth, phosphorus increases root growth and potassium helps with disease resistance and withstand harsh conditions. Some lawn care companies also incorporate bio-stimulants into the treatment mix which work to stimulate turf grass growth and overall health.

Lawn care should also include aeration and seeding/overseeding. Aeration is a great way to break up thatch and improve soil drainage. It also allows water and nutrients to reach the roots more easily. Seeding and overseeding adds new grass seed to fill in bare spots.

Lime applications are another common service that many lawn care companies offer. Lime reduces the soil’s acidity level and makes it more favorable for grass growth. A soil with a neutral pH of around 7.0 is ideal for turfgrass.

When it comes to fertilizing, be sure to follow the recommendations of your lawn care specialist and the results of a soil test. Over-fertilizing can damage the grass, so it’s important to get the balance right. The best time to fertilize cool-season grass is in the fall, and a spring or summer application works well for warm-season grass.

Another great tip for lawn care is to keep up with the mowing schedule. If you allow the grass to grow too long, it will be more susceptible to weeds and other problems. Also, avoid bagging grass clippings and putting them in the trash. Bagging takes up space in landfills and removes valuable nutrients from the soil. Instead, shred the clippings and return them to the lawn as mulch or compost them. And, if possible, install a rain barrel to collect and store rainwater for irrigation. This will cut down on reliance on municipal water supplies and prevent the unnecessary disposal of stormwater runoff. This also helps reduce the amount of fertilizer and chemicals that are deposited in the environment.

Weed Control

Weeds are any plant that grows where you don’t want it to. Lawn care companies use a variety of strategies to keep them at bay. First, they identify the type of weeds: grassy (dandelion, poa annua) or broadleaf (spurge, clover). Then they decide on the best treatment plan. For instance, grassy weeds are easy to treat with an herbicide that kills the unwanted grass without harming the lawn’s desired grasses. Broadleaf weeds are trickier to eliminate and require a different strategy.

The key to controlling weeds is prevention. That means healthy turf, which starts with a proper fertilization program, adequate watering and mowing at the recommended heights. A thick, healthy stand of turf crowds out weed seeds and denies them sunlight that they need to sprout.

If a weed does get established, a regular lawn weed control program will keep it under control. A professional lawn service will use a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent annual grassy weeds, like crabgrass, from germinating in the spring or a post-emergent herbicide to kill sprouting weeds after they appear. The most effective weed control methods include pulling weeds by hand, using a handheld weeder, or spraying a selective weed killer.

In addition to weed control, a good lawn care company will apply an insecticide when the time is right. This keeps harmful insects from destroying your yard’s plants and may help prevent damage to your property from rodents.

Most lawn care companies use organic or synthetic chemicals to control weeds. Organic weed controls are made from plants or natural substances, while synthetic herbicides are manufactured in laboratories. They’re cheaper than chemical fertilizers but can pose a health risk when they aren’t used properly.

A good lawn care program also includes a grub control treatment to suppress grubs, which destroy grass roots and cause severe turf damage. This is especially important if your lawn has been stressed or damaged by drought, disease, or other conditions. A grub suppression program should be part of every lawn care service. It will reduce the amount of time you spend on weed control and will ensure your lawn stays lush, green, and healthy all year long.

Irrigation

Irrigation is an important part of lawn care. It ensures that grass and other plants receive the proper amount of water, which is critical for healthy growth. It also helps to prevent problems like overwatering and turf disease. Local lawn service professionals can help determine the right irrigation system for your home and landscape.

The type of irrigation system you choose depends on several factors, including the size and shape of your lawn, soil conditions, and other environmental factors. The cost of the system and ongoing maintenance will also be a factor in making your decision. It is a good idea to compare the initial investment, operational costs, and potential water savings to find the best option for your needs.

A sprinkler system is one of the most popular options for residential lawns. It uses a network of underground pipes connected to spray heads that distribute water evenly across the lawn. These systems are often designed to accommodate a variety of lawn sizes and shapes. They can be programmed to water at specific times, which saves you time and effort.

Drip irrigation systems are another option for homeowners. They are similar to sprinkler systems but use smaller heads that emit water directly onto the soil. This method is best for small yards, gardens, or areas with specific watering requirements. It can be more expensive than a sprinkler system, but it is an effective solution for watering drought-prone regions.

Lawn treatment services are also available to help maintain a lush, dark-green lawn. They can provide fertilization, weed control, and turf disease management. They can also perform aeration, which involves making holes in the lawn that allow air and nutrients to circulate more easily. In addition to these lawn treatments, you can also hire a lawn service company to provide maintenance and repairs on your irrigation system.

As an example, if an irrigation tech notices a problem like grub damage or fungus, they can alert a lawn treatment specialist so that the issues can be addressed quickly. This integrated approach ensures that your lawn stays healthy throughout the year.