Lawn Care Checklist
Trying to maintain a healthy lawn can be an uphill battle at times, but with these helpful tips below, your lawn will be green and pest free in no time. This will improve both your curb appeal and your quality of life!
Be Proactive: Weed and pest populations can multiply fast. Being proactive in preventing the spread of weed and pests is crucial, treat early with weed killers for a healthy lawn. Adding plants that deter unwanted hungry guests is also important. If you're looking for annuals try Poppy, Snapdragon, Marigolds or Angels Trumpet. When considering perennials you could incorporate Hyssop, Sage, Iris or Lavender. If you want to add shrubs Common Boxwood, Crimson Pygmy Barberry, Japanese Pieris and Northern Bayberry are good options.
Mow to the ideal cutting height: Mowing the grass to its ideal height is not only good for its health and strong growth, but it also clips off weed seed heads before they can mature and seed your lawn. Depending on your type of grass, climate and time of year, you want to cut your grass to a height between 2 in – 3 in. Warm season grasses such as St. Augustine, Bermuda and Zoysia, can be cut shorter, cool season grasses such as Fescue and Bluegrass should be left a little longer.
Control crab grass in the spring: Crab grass is an annual weedy grass that dies at the end of the growing season and is dependent on producing seeds to propagate new clumps in the spring. Applying a crab grass preventer between the first and third mowing in the spring is the best way to keep crab grass under control.
Pre vs Post Emergent: There are two categories for herbicides; pre-emergent or post-emergent. Pre-emergent are designed for application before germination and are an effective preventative method for controlling weeds. Post-emergent are designed to kill established weeds and should be applied later in the growing season after weeds have grown but before they seed.
Deep Watering: Like plants, grass needs water to thrive. During the hotter, dry summer months, watering deeply and infrequently helps your lawn compete against weeds by encouraging deeper root growth.
Questions? Contact Simon at [email protected] or 610.265.8323.
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