Lawn

Lawn, Lawn Care, Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Maintenance Tips Part 3

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Larry

25
Apr

Part three of our series on lawn maintenance explores some general tips for caring for your lawn.

Lawn Maintenance and Lawn Care in Summer

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There is nothing like the feeling of grass scrunched between your toes. The smell, the green, all of it makes you think of the joys of summer. So you want to make sure that you take care of your lawn, so first and foremost where lawn maintenance tips are concerned is to be careful what you use on your lawn, as well as be careful when you apply it.

People that have lawns can be obsessive where they are concerned. The first stirring of a weed or a bug, and they heavily treat the lawn with pesticides and weed killer. However, bear in mind that spraying large amounts of pesticide and/or herbicide around where you live is dangerous because you are exposing yourself and your family to carcinogens present in the chemicals. Spot spraying while more time consuming is much more healthy where lawn maintenance is concerned. You also want to make sure that what you’re using is safe for your lawn as well as for yourself.

Lawn Care

Lawn care products run the gamut from very good to ripoffs. So do companies for that matter. So make sure you know what you’re putting on your lawn as well as who may be working on it. Some products for example can burn your lawn, particularly if it is hot outside.

So remember, if you want to do the best things you can for your lawn, a bit of knowledge is always best. And if you want to save both time and money, you might wish to consider hiring a professional lawn care service.

This concludes part three of our series. For more information on lawn maintenance tips, be sure to read part one and part two as well.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Lawn, Lawn Care

Lawn Maintenance Tips Part 2

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Larry

Part two of our series on lawn maintenance explores how often you should water as well as how often you should mow.

How Often Should I Mow My Lawn?

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One of the best lawn maintenance tips we can offer regarding how often you should mow your lawn is to mow your lawn to the height you want, while at the same time, being aware of the requirements of your neighborhood. As a rule three inches high is a good, healthy height for grass. University studies seem to agree with this assessment. However, if you live in a HOA, check what their requirements are for the height of your grass.

You also want to make sure that you don’t cut your grass too short, or you’ll injure the plants. How often you should mow your lawn also depends on whether it’s summer or not. Summer is the season your grass grows, so you want to give it a bit of time to grow. Once every ten days is a good time frame for mowing your grass. But to keep your lawn healthy, it isn’t just about mowing, it’s about watering as well.

How Much Should I Water My Lawn?

Ok, while it is still spring, you can water your lawn once every week and you should be fine. However, keep an eye on the temperature. Once it starts getting really warm, you want to water your lawn every two to three days. Make sure that when you water your lawn, you do it after sunset or at least two hours before sunrise, or you are wasting water. If you water in the evening or very early morning,

So remember, everything has a time frame, even mowing and watering. Our next article about lawn maintenance tips explores some general lawn care.

This concludes part one of our series. For more information on lawn maintenance tips, be sure to read part one and part three as well.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Lawn Maintenance Tips Part 1

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Larry

Part one of a series on lawn maintenance explores some tips for summer.

Lawn Maintenance Tips for Summer

In a lot of parts of the US, it is spring. Arizona, however, operates under different rules. One of the complaints that people have from other parts of the US is that Arizona lacks seasons, which isn’t true. Arizona has seasons, however, they’re super-compressed seasons. Arizona’s spring is pretty much from February to March. Then our summer starts. So it is a good idea to know some lawn maintenance tips for summer.

First off, it is time to weed and feed. Your grass isn’t the only thing growing in your lawn, weeds are growing as well. Some species of weeds, particularly the woody variety are extremely hard to get rid of. One of the best lawn maintenance tips we can offer you where weeds are concerned is to not pull them. You want to spot spray them to kill them off. The only time you can really pull weeds successfully is if your ground is thoroughly soaked. Otherwise, when you pull weeds, you’re more than likely just pulling the top part off. The reasons weeds thrive so well is that they can survive even if all of the above ground structures are gone. They just need a small amount of roots and then they grow. In addition to weeding, you want to start to fertilize your lawn before it gets too hot.

Don’t Burn Your Lawn: Fertilize Now

If you want to avoid burning your lawn, you want to apply your fertilizer now while it is still temperate. Otherwise, you are basically causing a chemical burn that will essentially kill your lawn off.

So remember, this is the time of year you want to fertilize your lawn and get rid of the weeds. Our next article on lawn maintenance will cover when to mow and water your lawn.

This concludes part one of our series. For more information on lawn maintenance tips, be sure to read part two and part three as well.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Lawn, Lawn Care

Lawn Care Basics Part 2

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Larry

Part two of a series on lawn care basics explores the importance of the right type of grass seed and the amount of sun it’s going to need.

What Grass Grows Best in Phoenix?

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What grass grows best in Phoenix? There are five types of grass that grow well here. First off there’s Celebration Bermuda grass. Celebration Bermuda grass is low-maintenance can be cut either with a weed whacker or a lawn mower. Bermuda requires little fertilizer, and thrives in Arizona’s hot climate. Palmetto, Midrion, Tifway 419 , and Tifgreen 328 are the other four types that do well. As to which one you should plant, it depends on what you’re looking for where your lawn is concerned.

If you need a sun and shade mix, you use Bermuda or Palmetto. For heavy traffic, you use Midiron or Bermuda. If you want a golf course type lawn, you use Tifway 419 or Tifgreen 328. As for mixing and matching grass seed types, you must be more than a bit cautious, particularly where lawn care is concerned. For one thing, all of these grass types differ on the amount of sunlight as well as the amount of water that they are going to need. However, there are other reasons you want to use caution.

How to Plant the Right Grass Type

Planting the right type of grass for your lawn depends not just on what you need your lawn to look like, but also the amount of sunlight as well as the amount of water the seed will need. You also want your turf to look natural. Bermuda grass and Palmetto look unnatural together for example, so you’d have to mow the grass down to a short level to avoid it.

So remember, that it isn’t just fertilizer and water, it’s knowing what to plant and where. Knowing lawn care basics will help you keep up your lawn.

This concludes part two of our series. For more information on lawn care, be sure to read part one as well.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Fertilizers, Lawn, Lawn Care, Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Care for Winter and Spring Part 3

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Larry

Part three of our series on lawn care for winter and spring explores the use of synthetic and natural fertilizers.

Which Fertilizer Should I Use as Part of Lawn Care?

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Which fertilizer should you use? Should you use artificial fertilizer or stick with natural fertilizers? How often should you fertilize your lawn? As a professional lawn care service in Prescott, we get asked these sort of questions a lot. First off, artificial fertilizer works just as well as natural fertilizer does, and it doesn’t have that much odor.

However, you have to be careful that you don’t put too much nitrogen based fertilizer down, or put any of it down when it is too hot outside. Otherwise, you can scorch your lawn. Before fertilizing as part of lawn care, make sure you check the labels to see what the nitrogen mix is. If you need help, don’t risk your lawn, call in a lawn care service instead. Now, let’s go over natural fertilizer.

Is Natural Fertilizer Best?

Is natural fertilizer best? There’s a lot of debate about that. Environmentally, natural or organic fertilizer is a little better than chemical fertilizers, however, what a lot of companies don’t tell you is the downsides to natural fertilizers.
Steer manure for example, while it is very effective, will make your lawn stink like a stockyard. Also, some other types of natural fertilizers like compost are only of limited effectiveness. You also have to watch some organic fertilizers as unless it’s screened, you have to be ready to do some weeding, as you are likely to get weeds on your lawn. So, what you have to be careful of is finding the balance between effectiveness and eco-friendly.

When you don’t know what to do, you want to make sure that you don’t run the risk of ruining your lawn. Call in a lawn care service if you have any questions.

This concludes part three of our series on lawn care for winter and spring. Be sure to read part one and part two as well.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Lawn, Lawn Care, Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Care for Winter and Spring Part 2

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Larry

Part two of a series on lawn care for winter and spring explores fertilizing and watering.

When Do I Water My Lawn in the Winter?

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We are often asked by some of our lawn care customers: “when do I water my lawn in the winter?” Be aware that in the winter months, you do not want to water your lawn too much. A good guideline to follow is actually based on the temperature outside. A great many cities have water conservation guides that can give you a timetable of how much and when to water as well.

The warmer it is, the more you’re going to need to water your lawn. When it is winter and spring however, cooler temperatures mean that water doesn’t evaporate as much. This in turn means that you don’t water as much. Water your lawn every ten days in the winter on the average. Part of the answer is also based on your grass type. When in doubt, call in a lawn care service for tips on when to water. But what about fertilizing your lawn?

Do I Fertilize My Lawn in the Spring?

You want to fertilize your lawn in the late fall and in the early spring. However, don’t let the season fool you. When to fertilize is based on temperature. You never want the external temperature to be above 85 degrees when you fertilize, particularly if you use chemical fertilizer, as this can cause a chemical reaction and thus burn your lawn.

Our next article will cover the great debate regarding fertilizers: synthetic or artificial. Until then, if you need any lawn care tips, feel free to contact us.

This concludes part two of our series on lawn care for winter and spring. Be sure to read part one and part three as well.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Lawn, Lawn Care, Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Care Part 2: Winter Lawns

Posted on August 30, 2013 by Larry

Winter ryegrass overseeding is something that you’re going to have to start soon to transition your lawn. As for why, it is all in the type of grasses that are present.

Why Do I Have to Do Winter Ryegrass Overseeding?

Grass is one of the most diverse types of plants out there. Most people don’t know that such plants as palm trees and bamboo are actually giant species of grass, and of course what’s on your lawn is also grass. However, in the winter, warmer weather grass goes dormant, leaving your lawn a barren yellowish white color. There are two types of winter ryegrasss, perennial ryegrass, and annual ryegrass. Regardless of the type of ryegrass, they provide a green cover during winter. Be aware, however, that winter ryegrass overseeding may cause you some problems in the spring, unless you take care of it properly. Ryegrass competes with other grass types for water, sunlight and fertilizer.

When you do overseeding with ryegrass it is adabtable to either sun or shade. If you get annual ryegrass be aware that you plant it in the fall. Also, annual ryegrass dies out in late spring. Perennial ryegrass is another option for winter ryegrass overseeding, however, be warned that it can choke out other grass species. Whatever type of grass you’re looking plant, you’re going to have to do some preparation first.

Winter Ryegrass Preparation Steps

First off, as temperatures begin to drop in the fall, your turfgrass will need less water. Remove any excess thatch to allow seed to make contact with the soil. A heavily thatched lawn tends to result in irregular patches of overseeded grass, so mow the lawn closely.

With winter ryegrass overseeding, timing is everything. Overseeding should be done thirty days before the first frost, when daytime highs are near 70 °F and nighttime lows are usually above 50 °F. If you seed before this narrow window or after, you could lose your ryegrass. When you plant winter ryegrass, apply 10 pounds of annual ryegrass seed per 1,000 square feet.

Even a winter lawn requires a bit of maintenance. You can do it by yourself if you wish, or as a labor saving step, call in a lawn care service.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Lawn, Lawn Care, Lawn Maintenance

Lawn Care Part 1: Artificial Versus Natural

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Larry

Lawn care has come to mean a lot more than just fertilizing and watering. You also have to know what type of seed to plant, when to plant it, and in some cases, when to remove it. In part one of our two part series on lawn care, we will cover artificial lawns versus natural ones. Part two of our series will cover winter lawns and overseeding.

Synthetic Lawns: They Have Come a Long Way

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Originally, artificial grass was created for sporting arenas. Because many of them were domed, grass would not get enough sunlight and would often die out. Astroturf was made in the 60’s and covered the field of the Astrodome. Now we are four generations later on artificial grass, which is a good thing we might add. It used to be that artificial grass looked, well, artificial. When it was first released, synthetic grass was often in an unnatural shade of green. Nowadays, with new technologies, synthetic lawns have come to resemble their living counterparts. And there are several advantages of artificial turf over regular grass.

Artificial turf obviously doesn’t require water, and it helps to control insects including some harmful ones like mosquitoes. As it is usually made of plastics and resins, it is also immune to termites. Another thing is that artificial grass offers is stain resistance, as well as obviously no weeds. However, it also has disadvantages too, such as you pretty much have to replace it every few years or it will be very obvious that you have it, as it will become sun bleached and brittle. And some people want more.

Natural Lawns: Tried and True

To some people, artificial grass is a weird idea. A lawn should be green and growing, and fun to walk on. It evokes memories of hot summer days, the smell of fresh cut grass. A natural lawn has all of that, plus it can lower the temperature of your home by being a natural repository for water. However, just like synthetic turf, lawn has its minuses too. First off, you’re going to need to mow it, and water it, and every now and then put down water to keep it green.

Each person is different, so why should our lawns all be the same? So whether you want some fescue or bluegrass to scrunch between your toes or a low maintenance artificial lawn, it’s all in who you call. The best call to make is to a lawn care service.

Be sure to read part two our series on lawn care as well.

Green ServPro Landscape LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Lawn

Lawn Care and Fertilizing Your Lawn

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Larry

Fertilizing your lawn is one key component of lawn care. The right type of fertilizer can work wonders. The wrong type can burn your lawn. How can you tell which is which?

High Percentage Nitrogen Fertilizer: Good Lawn Maintenance?

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A lot of people jump to the conclusion that it is better to use a lawn fertilizer with a 10-10-10 ratio as part of good lawn maintenance. Nitrogen fertilizer with a high percentage isn’t a bad idea in and of itself, however. It is how much you use, and how much you put down.

Assuming the amount you put down on the lawn is adjusted accordingly, the higher the nitrogen percentage , the less you’ll need. In addition, with controlled-release fertilizer, even though the percentage nitrogen in the product may be high, the risk of burning the lawn is low. Fast release nitrogen fertilizers, on the other hand often contain high levels of salt and can easily burn your lawn. Maintaining your lawn properly is all about following instructions or calling a professional lawn care service in. And what about organic fertilizer?

Organic Fertilizer and Lawn Care

Regardless of whether a fertilizer is organic or chemical based it must be able to be converted into a form that the grass can use. Organic fertilizers lower the chance of burning grass. However, many organic nitrogen fertilizers have a low nitrogen percentage, meaning you’ll need to use more. Some materials, like compost, are not fertilizers as such, they’re soil conditioners.

Both organic and some synthetic fertilizer sources require microbes in the soil to break them down. So if it is too cold outside, the fertilizers will not work effectively. Inversely, if it is too hot you could burn your lawn. As you see there is a lot to consider when you do lawn care.

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600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
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Lawn, Lawn Care

Lawn Care and Fertilizing Your Lawn

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Larry

Lawn care is a series of processes. One process that is often neglected is fertilizing.

Fertilizing Your Lawn 101

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As lawn care professionals we’re often asked how we fertilize a lawn. It’s actually very simple. First off, we only use a high quality fertilizer, and we carefully measure the right amount. Timing is everything with fertilizer. It must be applied at the right time of the year. Back east, a lot of people fertilize in early May, early September, and early November.

Because Arizona has a much more extreme environment, however, the times of year to fertilize differ greatly. Generally early spring and late fall are best for a lawn care regimen including fertilizing. Why are these times of year the best? Simple, they help to reduce your lawn getting scorched by the fertilizer combined with the excessive heat.

Types of Fertilizer Used in Lawn Care

Fertilizer can basically be classified into three classes: chemical-based, organic, and hybrid, and they each have their pluses and minuses where lawn care is concerned. Chemical fertilizers contain controlled-release nitrogen. The amount of nitrogen to apply is about one pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn area . You have to be careful with chemical fertilizers however, as the percentage of nitrogen can be too high and you may end up scorching your lawn.

Organic fertilizer is usually a combination of animal and/or plant waste. It is better for the environment, however, like a lot of eco-friendly products, sometimes it isn’t as effective as it should be, generally because the nitrogen level is too low. A hybrid uses both chemicals and organic compounds. Often effective as a fertilizer, you have to make sure that the percentage of nitrogen is properly balanced. Proper lawn care means that you also know what type of fertilizer works best for your lawn.

Fertilizing your lawn is an important part of keeping it up. When you don’t know what to do, call in a professional lawn care company.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167