Posts Tagged ‘Lime’

2013 Top 5 lawn treatments for your dollar spent

Published by mrgrass on November 13th, 2012 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Compost Tea, Fertilizer, Lawn Care Companies, Lawn Pests, Bugs & Insects, Lime

Most can agree that there are certainly some basics to really providing visible improvement in lawns, from color, to density, or reduced weeds.  If there was an overall wish list for lawn treatments, a list which highlighted the best of the best, the hardest working, the biggest bang for your buck; would you be interested?  I thought so.

Top 5 lawn treatments for your dollar

Without question, fertilizer is at the top of the list for several reasons.  First, grass appreciates the additional nutrient supply in order to improve color and increase growth both above and below ground.  You can serve up your fertilizer varying from slow release, all organic, a natural blend, or a conventional fast release product.  Each type of fertilizer has its advantages and disadvantages depending upon how fast you are trying to improve your lawn, your proximity to surface water/wells, or disposition for organic things in life.  The underlying focus of fertilizer is simple; give the lawn a boost to make it healthier by growing better than surrounding weeds.  This is where fertilizer needs some additional help in our wish list for the most beneficial lawn treatments for your money.

It may go without saying, but lime is not what your grandfather used to use back in the day.  In fact, lime has been formulated to address more than just a simple pH adjustment.  Since grass appreciates a slightly acidic pH (6.5 to 6.7) for maximum health, what else can lime do that you may not know?  I prefer a high calcium lime, pelletized for easy application and loaded with calcium to help improve the cation exchange in the soil.  Cation what you say?  Well, simply put – a high calcium lime actually helps soften soils, it’s a natural material to improve soil structure and this in turns makes growing roots a lot easier.  More roots, better lawn, thicker lawn!  Lime and fertilizer go together like peanut butter and jelly; they are good friends and do a lot for the dollar spent.

The third lawn application that is underrated but is more valuable than people realize is core aeration.  Yes, core aeration is a form of dethatching so don’t get too excited.  Core aeration is probably the single most beneficial non-chemical, all organic treatment you can do for your lawn.  I’m not talking about sweet little metal stars that you pull and rotate with your home lawn tractor.  I’m not talking about shoes with spikes in them where you walk around and believe in your deepest heart that this is the best form of aeration since color TV.  No, real core aeration physically pulls a 1” or so diameter core with hollow tines which goes down several inches and deposits a plug on the surface of the lawn.  The result is a grid of small holes in the lawn which then allows in air, lime, fertilizer, water, and a place to seed into!  Wow, I can feel the difference just writing about it.  Core aeration should be an annual, or every other year process to keep even a healthy lawn in check.  There is a good reason golf courses aerate all the time, it works!  Do yourself a favor in 2013, have your lawn aerated!  You’ll sleep better at night.

Sea kelp or Compost tea don’t normally come up at the dinner table when folks think about improving their lawns or when reviewing a conventional turf contract for the spring.  In fact, I’m sure every man would fall over if his wife or girlfriend turned to him at dinner and said, “Hey honey, why don’t we try sea kelp this year on the lawn?  I hear it is full of organic matter, amino acids, and good stuff like that!”  I myself might even shed a tear at such a revelation but most others would be petrified.  The fact remains, she is right – compost tea and sea kelp are super at providing micro-organisms like fungi and bacteria, exactly what most lawns lack from abuse or low organic matter after the house was built. Poor soil is one of the leading causes of nasty looking lawns and no matter how much fertilizer and lime is applied, your lawn will only rise to a mediocre level at best.  Adding compost tea and/or sea kelp is a great way to build up a healthier lawn from the soil up.  A great house must be built on a solid foundation, so must a lawn be grown from soil that is better than sand, gravel, back-fill, or compacted clay.  If you have never considered compost tea or sea kelp, give it some serious thought because whoever brings it up first at the dinner table wins!

The last treatment which ends this blog post and ends up coming in at the number five position is insect control.  I mean grubs below ground or chinch bugs on the surface.  Nothing will destroy your lawn without you noticing until the damage is done like insects.  Weeds cannot damage or kill a lawn like a grub infestation can.  While the hot, dry weather of 2012 behind us, the pests remain and will continue to wreak havoc in NH and VT lawns well into the early summer of 2013.  Please don’t waste your money on milky spore either, a product designed for use down south, not to mention it only works on one type of beetle under ideal conditions.  We have over a half dozen grub beetles in our growing area, so save the coin and have a treatment done professionally.  There are good organic products available for all of these pests as well as great newer treatments in a more conventional mode.  If you had insect problems in 2012 resulting in skunks digging and crows tearing up and tossing turf, get some help!

turf@chippersinc.com

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Spring lawn checklist for 2013

Published by mrgrass on November 5th, 2012 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies, Lawn Pests, Bugs & Insects, Seeding & Overseeding
  • Your spring lawn checklist should include a review of your 2013 turf contract this winter or spring to take advantage of any preseason savings and to insure the work will be scheduled on a timely basis.  Lawn care companies are expecting an unprecedented high volume of work due to the heat, drought, and insect damage of 2012.

2013 spring lawn checklist, review it closely.

 

  • Check for grubs or other past insect damage (treat accordingly).
  • Schedule any renovation work early, as the demand will quickly find quality companies becoming booked with spring work, leaving you with limited choices or having to wait until fall.
  • Schedule your spring core aeration if you skipped it in 2012.
  • Schedule your spring lime and crabgrass inhibitor to get your lawn off to a good start.
  • Watch for ticks in April and May as the adults emerge looking for a meal!
  • Wait until the ground warms sufficiently before attempting any seeding.  April seeding generally does not perform well due to cold soil temperatures, even in southern NH.
  • Remove any debris which may have covered your lawn and cause harm such as branches, piles of leaves, plowed up sod, or gravel along the driveway.
  • Mow your lawn to 1.5 to 2” to help speed up soil warming in the spring. .  If the cut is good, just give your lawn a good raking an early spring weekend.
  • Do not dethatch or “power rake” your lawn unless it has a severe thatch issue.  This process causes more issues than it solves by tearing up healthy plants, dormant leaves and discourages a healthy recovery after winter.  Snow mold or winter damage will be magnified with power dethatching.  Save this process for the fall if you really need to see that huge pile of dethatched grass.
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A look back at the 2012 lawn care season.

Published by mrgrass on October 15th, 2012 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Broadleaf Weeds, Compost Tea, Crabgrass, Fertilizer, Lawn Care Companies, Lime, Seeding & Overseeding

There is little disputing the 2012 growing season was a record breaker in more than one area.  Extreme heat and corresponding drought caused widespread damage to even well cared for lawns.  The effect of these weather phenomena then led to massive explosions of pests like grubs and chinch bugs.  Even with November fast approaching, the pest issues will spill over into the spring of 2013, and if left untreated, will continue to cause turf damage.  There is little that can be done for physical lawn repairs at this point in the growing season like bringing in new loam or trying to establish a lawn through seeding.  However, beneficial turf treatments applied now like potassium, lime, compost tea, sea kelp, and slow release fertilizer can help both a damaged and healthy lawn.  Lawn repairs ranging from small to full renovations should be explored now or at least during the winter months as landscapers and lawn care companies will be overwhelmed this spring by sheer volume of repairs necessary never mind pest treatments.  Timing could not be more critical in terms of seeding and treating for damaging turf and ornamental pests than the spring of 2013.  Even if the weather pattern returns to a more “normal” or stable pattern, the repercussions of this season’s heat and drought will continue into 2013.  Although brown grass in October can be a result of past drought and exposure to dry weather, it can also spell bug troubles in the surrounding lawn as grubs vigorously eat fast growing root systems.

Don't wait until the spring to make your lawn plans

I am seeing grubs in record setting numbers and on lawns which have never had a past issue.  While a curative treatment is only a short term fix, a preventative treatment in 2013 may well be in order for more lawns than previously expected.  I do not normally endorse the use of materials to preventatively protect against grubs, which in a normal year are rarely a huge issue unless past history indicates a problem.  However, I will be firmly endorsing both curative and preventative grub control on a case-by-case basis for 2013 because of the high risk factors recently experienced in New England.  Furthermore, another mild winter would further enhance tick populations in 2013 in addition to hundreds of other outdoor pests.  Make a note on your calendar to explore the potential health issues this winter and make plans, if deemed appropriate after speaking to professionals in the industry, such as Chippers.

On the bright side, the recent rain and cooler weather in combination with fall lawn treatments are helping damaged and weak lawns recover to the maximum degree possible before winter.  Don’t dismiss potassium, compost tea, and aeration after the harsh growing season we experienced this past year.  All of these treatments can be done well into November in most of New England so long as the ground does not freeze.

White grubs are eating your lawn without you knowing it!

In closing, don’t forget the millions of crabgrass seeds which were deposited in record numbers along driveways, patios, and walkways because of drought or insect damaged lawns.  Although a thick, healthy lawn is your best defense against crabgrass, some areas will not be up to the task without additional help of a preventative crabgrass barrier in the spring of 2013.  Timing will be key and a lot of good can be done in an eight week period next spring, so don’t file your lawn contract when it arrives this winter, review it carefully and setup a proactive plan to both protect and perhaps restore your home lawn for the investment it truly is!

 

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The definitive lawn checklist for fall

Published by mrgrass on September 24th, 2012 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Compost Tea, Lawn Care Companies, Lawn Pests, Bugs & Insects

New Hampshire fall lawn care

The unusually dry weather has extended into September and even with cool weather, suffering turf remains brown while damaged lawns look more like broken boats on a beach after a hurricane.  Where do you begin unraveling such chaos and what appears to be a seemingly dauntless project?  There is still time to prioritize appropriate action, and even if they all cannot be done, setting goals now is critical so next spring you can continue with your lawn improvement plans.

First, is your lawn undergoing insect damage right now from grubs or chinch bugs?  If you cannot find the enemy yourself, have a professional check your lawn and determine if treatment is warranted.  If you miss this crucial step, most lawn pests will overwinter and not go away to Florida.  In fact, the population that damaged your lawn will continue to expand next spring causing even more problems.  Don’t be an ostrich, any repairs made now without addressing an underlying issue will be a waste of time and money.

Address the most important part of your lawn and focus on doing the job right.  Don’t bite off more than you can chew by attempting to renovate a half acre or more by yourself on a few weekends.  Unless you have access to a small army, you simply will not have enough time to remove the dead thatch, add loam/compost, seed, add starter fertilizer, and lime before it’s the end of October in New England.  Do the job right, don’t throw down 20lbs of seed on top of dead thatch and expect a new lawn, this simply won’t work.  For proper results, grass seed must be planted into a seed bed, be it compost, loam or a combination.  Like pepperoni on a pizza, making good soil contact without burying the seed is vital, with watering being the most important factor in a lawn fix.  No water equals no lawn.  You must commit to at least 2-3 weeks of watering in order to establish a turf area under normal conditions.  Even if the weather is cool, moisture is needed during germination and the early days of growth.

October generally brings leaves and debris as fall fades into early winter.  Be sure to keep heavy leaf litter picked up, especially on new grass.  Excessive leaves can mulch the newly planted lawn in mere weeks.  Mowing height can be slowly dropped to around 1.5” at the end of October for a last cut generally occurring in November.  A short cut can help reduce snow mold, winter kill, and other turf issues due to matting and long grass under the snow.  A pure potassium treatment in October can offer some increased hardiness by increasing cell wall thickness.  Don’t let the remaining weeks pass without addressing at least some of the lawn issues you are facing.  Even if some projects have to wait until next spring, get a game plan together now because with such widespread problems, professionals like me will be busy booking work into 2013.  Good luck!

 

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Autumn brings out the best in a lawn in NH & VT

Published by mrgrass2 on September 14th, 2011 - in Compost Tea, Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies, Lime

chippers can create a picture perfect lawn outside your window

With autumn in full swing, most lawns in NH & VT should be well recovered from what was a record setting summer in terms of high heat.  Any lingering damage should be very obvious and can be fixed before winter such as dead patches of crabgrass or ongoing grub activity.  September and October are ideal months to improve your grass due to warm soil, ample moisture, and cool days/nights.  Fertilizing, liming, aeration, seeding, compost tea, and optional weed reduction are all most effective at this time of the year in NH & VT.  Any insect activity should be addressed now as the longer you wait; the more lawn you lose and the more difficult the control becomes as the pests grow larger such as with grubs in the soil.

If your lawn has issues with weeds such as shepherd’s purse, chickweed, or henbit; consider a treatment this fall with products such as Dimension.  Use of the aforementioned product this fall will also provide some crabgrass suppression next spring.

Autumn is a great time to improve your soil since it is the supporting mechanism for a healthy lawn.  Topdressing with compost, adding sea kelp, or spraying on compost tea rich in humates, fungi, and bacteria are encouraging ways to improve the microbial state of your lawn before winter.  Using a high calcium lime is a positive step to not only adjust your soil pH, but provide calcium which turf greatly appreciates by improving the cation exchange within the soil itself.  What does that mean?  Calcium helps loosen soil up while Magnesium based lime tends to bind it up more.  The better the cation exchange, the less your soil will leach nutrients, especially when combined with a healthy microbial environment below ground.  Soils high in organic matter have high cation exchange capacities while sandy soils have very low ratings.  As you can see, healthy soil is more important to your lawn than you may have imagined.

As always, be sure to recycle your lawn clippings whenever possible and mow high even in the fall to promote deeper root systems.  As the leaves begin to fall and accumulate, don’t let them mulch out shaded areas- rake them up or mow them into pieces.  Improved sunlight can help those marginal areas which were blocked by a tree canopy or forest edge.  Even shade tolerant grass will appreciate a little extra sun in the fall before winter snow arrives.

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Fall is the best time to improve your lawn in NH & VT

Published by mrgrass2 on August 5th, 2011 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Fertilizer, Lawn Care Companies, Lime, Seeding & Overseeding

Fall is the best time to repair or seed a lawn in NH and VT

Fall is the best time to repair your lawn after experiencing a brutal hot summer.  Although your lawn may contain summer annual weeds like crabgrass, oxalis, spurge; take heart that their time will soon be coming to an end in September.  September beckons turf renovation in order to help restore some order by repairing any damage incurred since spring.  Common lawn damage results from drought, weed or insect infestation, or even disease and must be repaired in the fall for best results.

Regardless of what went wrong, having a game plan now is critical toward taking advantage of warm autumn soil, cool nights, and typical rain.  This normal weather combination makes fall an ideal time to repair and improve lawns in NH and VT.  So what can be done?  What should you consider in terms of products or services this fall to help your home lawn?

Aeration and overseeding should be at the top of your list because both will help your lawn in numerous ways.  Review my prior blog posts for the benefits of aeration and overseeding.  So long as soil moisture is good, aeration can begin in mid to late August depending upon your location.  Topdressing bare spots or a damaged area of lawn is another great process toward thickening up your lawn once seeded.  Seeding and renovating your lawn by aerating is just the first step toward helping repair and improve it.

Applying a high calcium lime, a well blended natural fertilizer, and even kelp or compost tea will enhance seeding results and benefit the organisms in the soil itself.  Sandy soils, new lawns, and those with thin topsoil depths are at a disadvantage in terms of supporting a high quality lawn without substantial work.  A great start to either improving or repairing a treated lawn includes some if not all of the aforementioned lawn treatments in both NH & VT.

September and October are huge months and can turn an otherwise weak, thin, or damaged lawn around; preparing it for the spring of 2012.  The healthier you get your lawn during this time frame, the better your grass is prepared for the winter and spring treatments next year.  Remember, most crabgrass control products do not allow seeding and use of that product simultaneously next spring.  Although spring lawn seeding and repair can be fruitful, the weather often plays a huge roll regarding rainfall and heat.  You will also face annual weeds as they germinate in new soil, presenting serious competition to your young lawn.  These two factors make fall the opportune time to make repairs over spring time when it comes to achieving maximum results.

Plan ahead now and don’t miss this important time frame to help repair your lawn for not only this winter, but more importantly the spring of 2012!

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Spring Lawn Checklist 2011

Published by mrgrass2 on March 22nd, 2011 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Crabgrass, Cultural Practices, Fertilizer, Lawn Care Companies, Misc.

Goodbye winter, hello green!

The snow is mostly gone, you may even have a few lingering snow banks that refuse to leave, but for the most part, your lawn is begging for some attention.  Here is a handy spring checklist for your home lawn as you prepare for spring.

1. Plow damage.  It’s been a snowy, rough winter and if you had your driveway plowed, you are likely going to have plow damage.  Chunks of sod and lawn likely got plowed up along the edges and pushed further back onto your lawn.  These pieces of turf chunks may be close to their original location which is now just a scar in the dirt.  If possible, try to put the lawn puzzle back together and place the grass pieces back onto bare soil.  It may well be weeks before anything else can be done and during that time frame, those pieces of grass will start to break dormancy and grow.  Having them at least touching soil is better than mulching your unharmed lawn where they currently reside.  You can always move these grassy sections later and seed as needed into surrounding bare areas.

2. Debris. You may well find gravel, junks of asphalt, branches, leaves, and other debris that simply don’t belong on a grassy surface.  The sooner you can rake and remove this debris, the better.  If the debris is left in its current location, you may not see it during your first mow.  Nothing is more painful than hitting sticks, rocks, and gravel with your mower having been placed onto your lawn by a plow truck.  Leaves left in piles or allowed to matt, especially in shade, will simply mulch any existing grass depending upon its health and density.  The less debris the better.

3. Raking. There are two ways to rake a lawn, one is intentionally damaging- power raking/dethatching, the other is just plain hand raking or using a pull behind tractor implement.  I do not recommend power raking/dethatching unless the lawn has a severe, and by severe I mean a thatch problem- over 1” thick.  Most lawns do not have this kind of depth when it comes to thatch.  As a result, if the average lawn is power raked, it is actually damaged by the process of tearing and cutting.  Since the grass is dormant, and likely stressed by winter ice/snow/cold damage, power raking tears up roots and actually thins a lawn which in most cases is not a desired outcome.  If seeing piles of dead grass blades makes you feel warm inside, you might want to look at a coffee or hot cocoa instead, it certainly will do less damage to your lawn.  I have seen perfectly healthy lawns nearly destroyed by well intended landscapers, only to be called in to repair the damage by overseeding and other processes.  Stick with a hand rake and fluff the lawn up to help it warm and start to grow, or hire someone to do a spring cleanup which includes light raking.  If your lawn has a thatch issue, consider core aeration later in the spring or fall after it has recovered from winter damage.

4. Fertilizer/Crabgrass control. If you are going to use either fertilizer and crabgrass control blended together- don’t put it down too early.  A crabgrass barrier/inhibitor has a limited life span and can easily thin out turf already in a weakened state from winter.  Your best bet is to apply a plain balanced fertilizer to enhance recovery in April, than follow it up with a crabgrass inhibitor in May for maximum results.  This order will accomplish the best of both treatments while not subjecting your lawn to further stress, thinning, or damage.

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Use high calcium lime on your lawn to reduce rock salt damage!

Published by mrgrass2 on February 28th, 2011 - in Ice Melt, Lawn Care Companies, Lime, Misc.

Salt damage along a sidewalk

If you have been wondering what sort of impact so much snow will have on the average lawn come spring, switch gears and think of salt and plowing.  Unfortunately, where there is smoke there is often fire- where we have lots of snow- there has been plowing and salt use.  A winter like the one we are currently experiencing means rock salt is going down everywhere- especially on roads, parking lots, and sideways.  With so much rock salt use, the pure tonnage used during the winter means your soil will have problems this spring.  In large quantities, salt causes soil to harden and upsets the normal flow of liquid into surrounding plant roots like your lawn, tree, and shrubs.  Generally, a decent snow cover protects your lawn from the drying winds and low temperatures common to winter weather.  However, if large amounts of rock salt are used, foliage and plants are likely to suffer damage.  Visible damage will become apparent in April as the snow recedes to expose a seemingly lifeless landscape of brown.

The likelihood of a salt spray coming into contact with tree or shrub foliage increases dramatically with each passing snow or ice storm.  This fact is especially true if you live on a main road or one which has town services such as salting.   The resulting contact with a salt solution lifted up by passing cars can cause a reduction in cold hardiness of tree buds, especially evergreen needles like those on an Arborvitae.  In the world of grass, salt upsets the balance of water and the ability of it to pass into the root system.  The resulting affect of too much rock salt on a lawn is a drought like condition where ample water simply cannot be used- despite wet soil conditions or standing water.

The later in the season salt is used, the greater the damage.  Using ice melts low in chlorides, especially calcium or sodium chloride should be avoided due to their enhanced plant killing abilities.  CMA’s or blends of plant friendly ice melts are much less harmful and while they may not avoid all damage, greatly reduce the amount likely to occur.

To help offset sodium chloride (rock salt) in a lawn or soil area, use high calcium lime to displace the sodium by leaching with adequate amounts of spring rain/snow melt.  Although not a miracle cure, the chemistry works out pretty good versus using gypsum which only further acidifies the soil environment.  If you plan on liming this year or have used too much rock salt, have your lawn limed with a high calcium lime- not a standard pelletized lime.  Turf loves calcium, a slightly acidic pH, and a softer soil improved by using only calcium based lime.  I only offer a high calcium lime for not only the aforementioned reasons but for other benefits to a lawn system.

With March on our doorstep, spring is more than just a thought, its reality.  Prepare for the plow and salt damage now before the opportunity passes as early spring fades into Memorial Day weekend!

Plow damage can be most upsetting

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A recipe for a great lawn in NH or VT

Published by mrgrass2 on February 11th, 2011 - in Lawn Care Companies, Misc.

Great lawn results come from good ingredients, proper timing & application

Expectations on results vary from client to client in terms of what they are looking for when it comes to things such as color, density, and weeds. Results can be thought of as the end product of many things being done to a given lawn- like fresh ingredients going into a soup for example. Often these ingredients need to be put into the soup in specific amounts/quantities as well as timing- when to add them for the best tasting soup. Are your herbs or vegetables fresh? Is your fertilizer blend correct for the time of year? Your lawn requires a similar mind set when it comes to the amount of fertilizer applied and the timing of weed control to achieve good or great results. Sometimes, one treatment can have a negative effect on another- such as a crabgrass barrier in the spring. Once this material is put down, you cannot seed for months.

As we can see, timing is very important and sometimes the window or time span a given treatment can be done is short- often placing so much planning on a homeowner that this opportunity is missed altogether. A few busy weekends or rain can turn what was planned into “it never happened”. This common pitfall effects results to varying degrees over the growing season be it a weed control application, seeding, or grub control. Like throwing in crushed garlic once the soup is done, the timing is off and the reduced results are tangible to your taste.

A lawns dark green color can be linked to a combination of efforts such as aeration, lime, compost tea, sea kelp, and of course fertilizer to name a few. As you may imagine, there is certainly a direct correlation with the expense put into a lawn as it relates to the number of treatments. Generally speaking, and I speak in a broad brush- the more lawn treatments you do- the faster the progress and results will occur with results improving on the whole- whatever they may be. Results are impacted by application technique such as complete coverage to poor coverage causing the classic zebra stripes. Product rate is critical on any lawn treatment from putting down too little (very common) or too much such as to cause a salt burn. Worse yet, improper product rate when combined with an equally bad technique- wastes material, time, and can cause damage thereby effecting results! Throwing all kinds of herbs and spices into your soup at the same time may not be the best course of action- especially by the cup full!

Creating a good balance in your lawn is an important factor to consider when improving overall results. Improving the soil is an important goal in order to achieve a healthy green lawn. Although there may not be immediate visual results on products such as lime, sea kelp, compost tea, and topdressing- all help improve the soil environment in a supporting role to your grass. Depending upon the expected results, any given turf program must be customized or at least modified to achieve what is desired in a given year. For example, broadleaf weed control must be used at selected times to reduce the competition which exists between them and your grass. It’s a battle for space, light, nutrients, and water on your front lawn. Weed control done improperly can do more harm than good, thus reducing results. As you might have guessed by now- results have a direct correlation to lots of other stuff being done right- not just once- but again and again- rinse, lather, and repeat.

If we close by looking at the soup analogy one last time, which is nice during cold winter weather, achieving the results you desire is important but the game plan to get there is equally important. Follow the recipe and you generally will get what is pictured or described as the soup you wanted. Deviate from the recipe or don’t follow the recipe and the waste will be not only be of your time-but of lost enjoyment and wasted money.

Regardless of how you plan to care for your lawn this year, or not- be aware that results flow from a well designed turf program using only the best ingredients and executed with the timing of a great orchestra. May this spring bring music to your outdoor living spaces as the conductor signals the concert to begin.

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Ten Reasons to improve your lawn in NH or VT

Published by mrgrass2 on January 25th, 2011 - in Lawn Care Companies, Misc.

 

The Environment #10 and #9

#10  A healthy lawn reduces water runoff and soil erosion which in turns protects our lakes and streams from sediment moving from the land into the water.  Turf is a living filter which protects ground water quality through a vast network of roots, thatch, and leaves.  There are many lawn products that can be used close to or up to the water without harming that ecosystem such as lime, kelp, and further back slow release products.

#9  A healthy lawn will absorb 6 times as much rainfall as a common hay-field.  A healthy lawn entraps pollutants and with the help of soil microbes, biodegrades them safely.  Coating grass seed with mycorrhizae improves turf defensive capabilities against insects and disease issues often reducing the need for fertilizer in a calendar year.  Compost tea is a perfect example of how to improve the soil and help your lawn simultaneously.

 

Functional Benefits #8 thru #4

#8  A healthy lawn dissipates heat and reduces the energy required to cool homes and buildings- thus saving energy.

#7  Turf grass abates noise and reduces glare.

#6  A mown lawn decreases disease carrying ticks and reduces fire hazards near wooded areas.

#5  Well maintained turf grass reduces injury from sports played at home, school, or elsewhere.

#4  A well cared for lawn is actually a low-cost asset that can be physically used or enjoyed for pure viewing pleasure.

Health  #3 thru #1

#3  Studies show the cycle of growing grass and the color green lift human spirits and provide both thoughts and feelings of happiness, privacy, and serenity.

#2  Well maintained turf is known to have therapeutic effects on humans as measured by heart rate and blood pressure- increasing recovery rate of hospital patients.

#1  Hiring a licensed, experienced turf professional will help you accomplish some if not all of the benefits above while insuring the job is done correctly.  Free up valuable time and spend it with your family or friends!

As you can gather, grass is simply more than just a lawn!  Winter is the perfect time to explore the advantages of utilizing the skills of your local turf care provider.  Perhaps this is the year to explore natural or organic products?  Stop guessing and wondering if you are putting down too much or too little material while wasting your valuable Saturday or Sunday.  Send that e-mail or make that phone call today and get your lawn on the right path in 2011.

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