FAQs
Answers to some of our more popular questions.
SPRING QUESTIONS
Because the lawn must be active to absorb fertilizer first we must wait until the lawn is starting to green up. Then we work as fast as we can but we ALWAYS battle Mother Nature, i.e. wind and rain. Next we try to stay in route so some may see us in April while most will see us the first half of May. We all get excited when the snow melts and we are ready for green to come back but what we do does not green a lawn in the Spring, water and temperature are what green up a lawn after dormancy. The earlier you start watering the better.
When we have a particularly wet and cold Spring, fungus (mushrooms) can develop. We do not recommend treating fungus/disease because 99% of the time they are caused by cultural habits (mowing, watering) or environmental conditions (weather) and once those are “fixed” the problem will go away.
April 1st is used as a guideline not a strict deadline. Pre-pay is payment any time before we start and payments can be broke up into monthly installments beginning in January running through April if that makes it easier, prior approval is not necessary I’ll know what you are doing.
SUMMER QUESTIONS
99% of the time this is heat stress which is fixed by more water. Watering every other day for 20 minutes is not proper watering for our climate for the most part. Another cause is harder soil which doesn’t absorb water efficiently. Sprinkle powdered laundry detergent on spots and water in good this will generally fix the problem, if not call us.
Some seasons are better than others for the germination of weeds. Last year was cool and moist up to July which promoted a lot of germination of not only weeds but grasses in unacceptable areas. Typically lawns that have been treated for more than a season won’t allow such germination but those that are not as healthy will allow more weed growth. Weeds are difficult to kill during the heat because they close their pores and do not absorb our weed control. Optimum weed killing occurs in cooler temperatures, Spring and Fall, so any that come up during the summer we will kill when the temps cool down.
April 1st is used as a guideline not a strict deadline. Pre-pay is payment any time before we start and payments can be broke up into monthly installments beginning in January running through April if that makes it easier, prior approval is not necessary I’ll know what you are doing.
FALL QUESTIONS
In the fall the later I can apply the fertilizer the better it is for the lawn. I try to spray until the lawn goes dormant. Some see me as early as the end of September but most are done in October.
Do not worry about your sprinkler system in the fall. As in the Spring, it takes WEEKS of freezing weather to freeze the ground deep enough to hurt your system. Also, it is important to gradually wean your lawn off watering. Once the temps drop into the 70’s then start reducing your water by watering once a week for a little longer than normal until mid-October, that is unless we are experiencing 80’s. It all depends on the weather.
I schedule aerations for mid to late October for one main reason. It is a pain to walk on the plugs that are left so I try to wait until mowing is done for the season so they are less bothersome. I schedule the Spring aerations for the same reason only then I try to get them done long before you start mowing so they are gone by the time you get out on the lawn. Purely for your convenience.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Aeration is critical to the health and thickness of your lawn and should be done at least once a year. It really doesn’t matter when although I prefer either Spring or Fall because during those times the ground is naturally at a perfect moisture for doing a good job and for the reason above.
To utilize your water most efficiently start in April watering once per week for at least 45 minutes (60 minutes is better). This is when roots are actively growing and water promotes deeper growth which in the heat helps keep the roots cool and damp. Continue to water on this schedule until such time that it starts looking like it needs more, typically late in the summer. It sounds like a lot but if you normally water every other day for 20 minutes you are using more water less effectively. This also helps to spread out your watering costs over 6 months as opposed to heavier for 3-4 months and it’s much healthier for your lawn. Call us if you need help setting your sprinkler system clock properly so you don’t waste water down the gutter (if we come out to set the clock there will be a $25 service call charge).
When we spray your lawn each time we also spray any weeds in beds, rocks, cracks and alleys but in those areas, as a courtesy, we will not keep them from coming up in between times we are there. Round-up is the only option for grasses, our weed control kills the weeds. As for large round-up treatments, in an effort to be more cost effective for our customers, we wait until germination is basically done, which is once the temps start staying in the 80’s and higher (anywhere from mid-June to the first of July). If we wait then we treat once and typically you won’t have any more problems for the season.
We come every 5-6 weeks so there will be one month during the season that you do not see us. Others try to come monthly for the money but it is harmful to the lawn to come that often.