From a new customer

I was always unsure and skeptical about hosting my own lawn blog. I recently got a new customer for 2010 that told me that if not for this blog he may not have found me. That makes all the typing and money worthwhile just to hear that one person found my blog useful and helpful. Not to forget the important thing... I gained a new customer. If you reading this post your probably wondering why I am going outside the usual, not referring to lawns or landscapes... I just wanted to say "thank you" to anyone that reads this blog and finds useful information.

Fertilizing in Spring

It's almost that time of year again. Never allow your service to start fertlizing over snow or when the soil is still frozen. I have seen some of the big companies out in February spreading fertilizer simply for financial gain. Most of the time these companies are rolling the dice hoping you dont call them out. When you fertilize, think about the time of year. If your not able to start until April, then you could apply a pre-emergent fertilizer combo. Pre-emergent is a barrier that typically only works for 90 days. So if your able to get a feeding done before the middle of March only focus on feeding the grass. This will help the lawn green up naturally. You should only apply a pre-emergent before the beginning of May. I try to start close enough to April that my barrier will last until the end of June when crabgrass is starting to germinate. If you have any questions about fertilizer or fertilizing your lawn please leave us a comment.

Grub Issue from Jackie in Mesquite, TX

Hi, I am in Mesquite, Tx. , the end of January, and I found 4 grubs near the surface while pulling some weeds.Big fat, mechanical mouths.
It is going to rain and get cold again so I figure they will go deeper. What to do?
thanks so much, Jackie

Jackie,

The first thing you should do is purchase a grub "curative", not a "preventative"... there are many different brands, and types out on the market. I use Dylox, its very efficient, and cost friendly. Once you apply your curative, make sure to water the grass, not a deep soaking but just enough to get the product off the grass blades. The curative can cause discoloration if you don't water in the product. Now in June or July this year, I would suggest using a preventative called Merit, or find a generic. The product should be "systemic" meaning it stays in the roots for 9-12 months. Then if a grub starts to feed on your root system (the grubs meal of choice) they will get a full sensation after the first couple bites and stop feeding. Once this happens they will die off within 24-48 hours. I believe this will solve your grub issue.

1.) Once it warms up, apply the curative (DYLOX)
2.) Water the surface (get the product off the grass blades)
3.) June/July - apply the preventative (MERIT)
4.) Soak the preventative in... and be grub free until next June =) You won't have to use a curative again, if you always apply the preventative at the right time.

Why mow in alternating patterns?

The main reason for mowing in alternating patterns is to prevent tracks from being BURNED into your lawn. Alot of people believe that burning tracks is how you can stripe your lawn, like wrigley field or fenway park. The way you stripe your lawn is with a lawn mower striping kit, or with chains that drag along the grass matting it down in the direction you mow. Burning tracks will cause the grass to become so compacted that the roots get choked out, eventually causing thin areas. Spend the money, buy a striping kit, or buy chains to build your own striping kit...just google it for ideas. Also mowing in alternating patterns will help your lawn look more plush and full. Sorry I've haven't posted anything in a few weeks, I've been busy sending out proposals for my business, thanks for reading my blog. Check out my company website at www.miamivalleyturfcare.com.

How to kill weeds

When you are having trouble controlling various weeds in the lawn, remember it will take time. I'm sure there are chemists working on a product that will instantly kill any weed within 24 hours, until then be patient.

The first thing I learned as a lawn specialist was about "idenifying my pest" aka - the type of weed. Also consider the time of year and whether the weed is actively growing. If a weed goes dormant, the product is simply wasted.

Then understanding if common retail products will be strong enough to get control. For ground ivy and wild violets, your everday weed & feed won't cut it. You need a herbicide that was engineered to control the specific weed. This helps our environment, while eliminating costly trips to the local hardware store.

For most of your common broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, plantain, ragweed, and some types of spurge the everyday products you find at true value or ace will do the job... you may need to apply the product again once the product label says it safe for the grass.

I have an arsenal of herbicides that I use based on the needs of my customers, sometimes it can be more cost effective to hire a professional to create the type of lawn you are looking for. If you have specific questions leave us a comment, I'll be happy to answer questions.

What to expect from a professional lawn service

I have worked for national companies, and now the owner of my own lawn care service in Troy, OH. I believe that thinking like my customers is the best way to keep and grow accounts. For my mowing customers I mow in alternating patterns, weed eat, and edge all of my properties. I don't hurry just to get done, I focus on doing it right the first time. For weed control service bigger companies claim to customize your program however they make 50,000 gallon tanks of batch for all their trucks. For my service I can mix and truly customize the program by spraying the right product to control the specific weeds such as ground ivy or wild violets that are very stubborn to control. By using a mowing service that does fertilzing & weed control makes it easier to control the weeds by seeing the property each week vs. every 6 weeks if the company that only treats. You derserve to have someone that will take the time to listen and fix the issues that concern you. Finally, you deserve the upmost respect as the customer.

When to start fertilzing your lawn

The most important thing you can do for your lawn is to feed it. A well-fed lawn is healthier, which means it has a better root system to combat heat, cold, drought, mowing, foot traffic and other stresses. While feeding your lawn once a year will improve its condition, feeding it four times a year will make it even healthier. If you put your lawn on the regular feeding schedule outlined below, it will look lush and green, and your neighbors will turn green with envy. Lawns wake up hungry in the spring. Feeding your lawn in the spring strengthens roots and gets it off to a good start before the heavy growing season. If you see crabgrass, apply a combination fertilizer with a pre-emergent to control it. Remember to consider if your seeding, the pre-emergent will kill your seed. In that case use a regular fertilizer. You can start between Feb-April, once we've had a week of 60 degree temperatures your fertilizer will benefit the lawn. In Ohio, I begin treating the second week of March, weather permitting of course. Once the ground temp reaches more than 50 degrees, your good to go. Remember to feed the lawn regularly to enhance color and protect the root system.