How To Choose Fertilizers For New Lawn

Have you ever been to the lawn care and garden center and been confused about which fertilizer you need? There are many different formulations and brands of fertilizer for new lawns. The only way consumers can make wise decisions and purchase the right fertilizers for new lawns is to be able to understand the numbers on the bags.

Choosing Fertilizers For New Lawn

When you go to purchase fertilizer, you will see three numbers listed on the bags. These numbers are important. This numbers will tell you the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that is in the fertilizer.

The first number that is listed on fertilizer bags is nitrogen. Nitrogen is good for lawns because it can really help to green up a dull yard. If you already have a mature, existing lawn, you will probably not need a high percentage of nitrogen in your fertilizer.

The second number that is listed on fertilizer bags is phosphate. Phosphate helps the grass seed to germinate and it promotes root health. New lawns will need an application of fertilizer that is fairly high in phosphate.

The third number that is listed on fertilizer bags is potassium or potash. Potash helps to strength lawn grass. Strong roots and healthy grass is the key to a great ground cover.

Conway Lawn Care Services recommends that you consider doing a soil test on your soil before you choose a fertilizer for new lawns. Having a soil test can truly save you money in the long run. Who wants to purchase fertilizer if it is not needed? Likewise, you may hurt your lawn by adding things to it that it does not need.

Lawn grass grows best when it is planted in soil that has a pH of 6.2 – 6.5. What this means is that your lawn grass will receive the most nutrients if it is planted in soil within this pH range.  Most soil tests will give you recommendations on what amendments or fertilizers you need to add to your soil to get it to the desired pH level. Soil tests will show you the levels of phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium that are currently in your lawn soil so you don’t make costly mistakes.

If you have cool season grass, such as Bentgrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Rough Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, Creeping Fescue, Annual Ryegrass, and Perennial Ryegrass, you will want to fertilize your new lawn in the fall. The months between September and December are the best months for fertilization. This lawn care Myrtle Beach tip will promote root growth and help the grass to be tolerant to heat and drought in the summer heat. It will also help your grass to green up faster in the spring, which is a major plus.

If you have warm-season grass, such as Argentine Bahiagrass, Pensacola Bahiagrass, Common Bermuda, Improved Bermuda, Carpetgrass, Centipede, St. Augustine and Zoysiagrass, you should add fertilizer to new lawns in the spring and summer. The months between April and July are the best time to add fertilizer.

Not interested in fertilizing your lawn yourself? Give Conway Lawn Care Services a call today before the heat of summer is here.

Conway Lawn Care Services
Conway, SC 29526
843-353-2259
http://conwaylawncareservices.com/

12 Fall Lawn Care Tips to Healthier Grass in Spring

Cool fall weather is a great time for lawn care and fertilizing, controlling and enhancing the appearance and health of your yard. You can make your yard lush and green when the temperatures rise again in spring by doing a little bit of work now.

Adjust your Mowing Height

In the fall, if you have raised the height of your lawnmower in summer to lessen heat stress to your lawn (roughly 3 inches is the best height for most grasses), then return it to its original height. To prevent your grass from getting mangled under leaves or snow, cut your lawn slightly in autumn. However, it is important not to cut the grass too short. A tightly cut turf will have fewer roots, which makes it easier for weeds to gain a foothold.

Make sure to give your grass plenty of water

You might want to water your turf deep a few times before the winter freezes if you have a prolonged summer drought. The lawn will transition into winter by getting a few deep soaks and moistening the soil for several inches before it freezes. The fall weather patterns will often change, and nature will supply the moisture. Watering in the morning is a good idea to limit evaporation.

Fertilize

If you are in the North, fall is the best time for fertilizing your lawn. Bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass are cool-season grasses and respond well to fertilization in September. Then again, in late October or November, for a second feeding. This helps them grow earlier and looks better in the spring. If they have not been overseen with winter ryegrass, it is best to avoid fertilizing warm-season dormant grasses in the South. An excellent option would be to hire professional fertilizing services since adding fertilizer can be a bit tricky.

Attack Weeds

Instead of using chemical herbicides for weed control, creating a lush, healthy lawn is the best way. Make sure to mow at the correct height and add fertilizer if necessary. If your lawn is in good shape, smaller weeds will be shaded. You can pull out larger weeds by using your weeding tool. Follow all label instructions and only use the weed killer to target the weeds that you are looking to eliminate.

Repair Dead Patches

It’s a great time to reseed thin or dead patches in cool-season lawns. You’ll have fewer weeds next year if you plant in autumn. The seedlings will be established before the arrival of hot, stressful weather. Mulch products that are embedded with fertilizer and seed are an easy way to fill in the gaps. Make sure you prepare the soil with a rake prior to seeding. Water new seeds frequently for at least two weeks to encourage rapid germination.

Lay Sod

Fall is the best time to sod or plant a cool-season lawn. You can sod quickly with moderate temperatures and plenty of moisture. High-quality sod is dense and dense and will not bear weeds. This is a quick and easy way to fix bare spots. You can water the new sod every day if conditions become dry.

Look for Thatch

The soil’s surface is covered with thatch, which is a layer made up of organic matter. Thatch is a layer of dead organic matter that forms near the soil surface. It can cause insect and disease problems, as well as damage from drought or cold weather. Overwatering your lawn too often or overfertilizing it can cause thatch. You can check for itch by turning a small area with a spade. A problem is only one inch of itch. You can remove more thatch if it is greater than that.

Get rid of excess thatch

Dethatching is the process of removing the thatch layer from the soil and cutting out any debris. This can be done with power rakes and vertical mowers, which can be rented at rental agencies and hardware stores. After one of these machines has been removed, you can use a hand rake to remove any remaining thatch. The thatch can be composted.

Test Garden Tip – Power raking or vertical mowing can cause damage to centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass. Make sure the knives are properly spaced to cut these grasses.

Aerate

Aeration can also be used to reduce thatch, improve drainage, and loosen the soil. The most popular type of aerator is the core aerator. Core aerators are able to remove soil plugs or cores. This helps break up thatch and improve soil structure. Cores are left on top and will eventually fall off depending on rainfall, mowing, and traffic. Cool-season grasses should be aerated in the fall, and warm-season grasses should be aerated in the spring.

Use a topdressing

Topdressing is the process of adding a thin layer of compost to your turf. Topdressing improves the growing conditions by decreasing thatch and increasing organic matter. It also smoothens bumps in your lawn and reduces the need to fertilize. Apply 1/4-1/2 inch to 1/2-inch of high-quality soil all over the lawn. Be sure to target areas that are thinning. Before you apply the topdressing, make sure that your lawn is properly aerated and dethatched. Next, rake the soil to incorporate the topdressing.

Remove Fallen Leaves

You can remove fallen leaves by raking or mulching with a mower before they mat down and smother your lawn. Mulch-mowing mowers are great for shredding small amounts of leaves. The mulching mower also returns the shredded organic material to the soil. This is similar to topdressing. Mulch your lawn every few days in late autumn to keep it clean. If you find many leaves, rake them and then compost them.

Drain Irrigation Lines

Before freezing weather hits, drain the lawn’s irrigation system completely. The system can be emptied with compressed air, or you can use drain valves. To get the best results, turn off the water supply to the system and drain each area separately. Drain the main supply line to the house. Use an air compressor to maintain a pressure of 50 psi.

Call Conway Lawn Care Service today for all of your lawn care needs.

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Conway Lawn Care Service
Conway, SC 29526
843-353-2259
http://conwaylawncareservices.com/

Lawn Care Treatment and Weed Control This Fall

Weed control in autumn is one of the best things that you can do to your lawn. You can create lush lawns by treating weeds in the fall, regardless of whether you are working with cool- or warm-season turf. Fall treatments can be used to kill perennial and annual weeds, and they can even be used as a way to eradicate perennial invaders like clover and dandelion.

Different types of weeds

The winter annual, a type of weed, germinates in the late summer or early fall. They can grow from fall through winter heat spells and then into the spring. They germinate in the middle to late spring just before daytime temperatures rise. Henbit, Annual Bluegrass and Chickweed are all examples of winter weeds.

Fall-germinating weeds such as Chickweed and Henbit are what you should be targeting when you treat your lawn. Although Dandelion germinates in autumn, it is less common than in spring.

Perennial weeds can also be controlled in fall, as this is the season when perennial weeds are most active, as per lawn care experts. Treating perennial weeds in fall with herbicide will move the chemical from the leaves to the roots, effectively killing the weed at its root.

Timing and Treatment

You will need a combination of a pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicide if you are using fall weed treatment to kill both perennial and annual weeds. Because some weeds may already be present, the post-emergent herbicide can kill them. However, weeds that are still growing will be killed by the pre-emergent.

Depending on where you live, the timing of your application will vary. For northern areas, you should treat your lawns by Labor Day. However, the warmest areas might apply until October.

Air temperature is a key factor in determining the best time to apply herbicides in your area. Herbicides work best when the air temperature is at least 50 degrees F. You can also seek out the help of a pro from Conway Lawn Care Services to ensure proper timing. They will know the best time for your location.

Weed Control

Annual Bluegrass is a common problem in warm-season lawns and should be treated. Crabgrass can invade both cool- and warm-season turf. Crabgrass is a seed-setter that can be found throughout the year. It’s worth taking the time to apply a pre-emergent herbicide to stop any late-season-released seeds from germinating.

Crabgrass preventer is the best treatment for Annual Bluegrass and Crabgrass. This pre-emergent herbicide combats grassy plants and can be used in spring or autumn. These products are not available year round in most regions. It’s best to buy a Crabgrass Preventer in spring if you are certain you will be dealing with weeds during fall.

Wild Onion, as well as its relative Wild Garlic, could be used to punctuate dormant warm-season lawns using brightly colored exclamation points. These weeds can be eliminated with post-emergent herbicides. The lawn Burrweed, a winter-annual weed that plants spurred seeds in spring and makes mowing a lawn difficult for both people and animals, is an annoying weed. This prickly weed can be controlled by a fall application of a pre-emergent herbicide.

Apply a post-emergent herbicide to perennial weeds like Knotweed, Plantain, Dandelion and Clover in the fall to kill them directly at their roots. This will reduce the number of these weeds in spring.

Call Conway Lawn Care Service now if you need help in maintaining your lawn.

Like our Facebook page for more great info about lawn maintenance services.

Conway Lawn Care Service
Conway, SC 29526
843-353-2259
http://conwaylawncareservices.com/