by Keeping your lawn healthy is among the most important aspects of maintaining your home. Frequent maintenance not only enhances curb appeal, it also prevent damages from water and pests. By keeping the grass even, soil healthy, and edges trim, beautiful lawn care can increase the value of your property and your neighborhood.
It’s important to be consistent in performing lawn case, as new problems can resurface every season. It may be worth it to hire professional lawn care in Fairhope, especially with the amount of tools, products, and equipment required to get lawns into good shape. You can achieve a renewed appearance for your lawn and have the time to enjoy it year-round. Below are additional facts about commonly used lawn care techniques:
Mowing— Among the most common mistakes made in lawn care is mowing at the incorrect height. Depending on which season it is, various grass types require different mowing schedules. Cutting your lawn too short could scalp the soil and destroy the roots and stems. In order to stop lawn damage, grass should be cut according to the recommended height for the type.
Watering— Although plants need water to thrive, overwatering could prevent the roots from growing to its fullest potential. This can lead to lawns becoming more susceptible to weeds, diseases, and other lawn problems. Still, it’s important to water on a needed basis, particularly during droughts. In most cases, it’s better to water lawns deeply and occasionally as opposed to pouring it over the soil at once.
Fertilizing— Another key lawn care practice is fertilization. There are several factors to consider, such as climate, grass type, and type of fertilizer. Fertilizers can be organic, made from materials like food, compost, and grass clippings, or synthetic with nitrogen, potassium, or phosphorus. Remember that using more fertilizer doesn’t necessary mean the grass will grow faster. This is a common misconception that should be avoided.
Aerating— Even though aeration is mostly used on lawns with compacted soil, healthy lawns can still benefit from it. As it breaks up the soil, aeration permits oxygen, water, and nutrients to distribute easily throughout the soil. Regions that experience regular rain or lawns with heavy foot traffic have a greater need for aeration.
Lawn Care in the South
The way you manage lawn care in Fairhope can change depending on the current season and type of grass you have on your lawn. In the South, lawn care is characterized by warm-season grasses that thrive in the spring and summer and low maintenance in the fall and winter. Some of the most common warm-grass found in the South are:
To maintain a green and healthy lawn all year long, combine watering, fertilizing, weed control, and mowing to maintain the best results.
- Bermuda
- Bahia
- Centipede
- Zoysia
- St. Augustine
Spring
In the South, spring is one of the best times to build and strengthen lawns. With the warm temperatures, humidity, and rain showers, grass is able to grow healthy and strong.
Make sure that any cool-season grass seeds that were mixed in while overseeding die off completely before restarting a mowing schedule. If you didn’t overseed your lawn during the winter, boost growth by using a spring fertilizer treatment.
Start up a mowing schedule after the lawn has been treated with fertilizer and as the weather warms.
Apply pre-emergent herbicide before temperatures become too hot. Otherwise, plants may end up damaged from the chemical.
Test the lawn mower and tweak it to make sure it’s ready for the summer.
Summer
Summer is when Southern lawns grow the most and the fastest. Be ready to mow the grass every few days while fending off pests and diseases. Protect your grass under the heat by performing aeration, dethatching, and fertilization.
Consistent and plentiful watering is vital to the survival of Southern lawns in the summer. Put an irrigation system into place so that your lawn receives water in the morning. This allows it time to evaporate as the day goes by.
Cut the grass low each time you mow. Be prepared to mow at a minimum of twice weekly. A lower grass height helps repel pests and weeds, eliminating the need to apply weed or pest control.
Soil can become compacted when there is either too much or too little water. To prevent plants from dying, aerate the soil so that the roots can receive water and oxygen.
If you find any bald patches, reseed later in the summer just before fall arrives. Warm-season grass seeds will need natural warmth to properly grow and root.
Fall
Fall lawn care is mostly spent preparing Southern lawns for the dryness and cold of winters in the region. Start using fall fertilizers and any pre-emergent herbicides you may have. To strengthen your lawn against the cold, use a mixture with cool-season grass seeds while overseeding, such as annual ryegrass.
Cut back on watering to around twice a day for 10 minutes to let the new seeds grow. Mow only once a week to prevent stunted grass growth.
Stop watering if your lawn has gone dormant. Wait for the grass to grow and strengthen before doing anything else to the lawn. Continue mowing the dormant lawn, but make sure not to scalp it.
Winter
Don’t panic if your grass turns brown; most warm season grass lawns will go dormant and change colors when it gets colder. Once spring arrives, the lawn will usually turn green once more.
Keep lawns hydrated during dry winters by watering once a week. Dormant lawns still need some water to stay alive.
Refrain from mowing non-overseeded lawns during the winter – growth could be stunted. If you did overseed, mow only slightly. Scale back on watering once the frost arrives. Use the time to service and maintain your lawn mower.
Prevent weeds from seeding and sprouting by digging them up or applying spot-spray. For taller weeds, a lawn mower will most likely be needed to get rid of them. This should be one of the few times a lawn mower is used in the winter.
Southern lawns should remain relatively calm and untouched during the winter as much as possible. Because the grass slows in growth during the winter, foot traffic should be limited to prevent damages.
Get Professional Help Today!
Doing your own lawn care can be a worthwhile experience. However, constant maintenance can be demanding. In addition to other household priorities, lawn care can easily go from a hobby to a full-time priority. This could cause your lawn to degrade, losing value on the property, and fall into disrepair.
To keep this from happening, get help from a Fairhope lawn care service that is professionally equipped to meet your lawn’s needs. Professional lawn care not only saves you time, but money in achieving a healthy lawn more efficiently. It also saves you from spending heavily on costly damages. Contact a lawn care specialist now to get started on growing your Fairhope lawn to its best potential – call today!
