Winter Lawn Care Checklist

Your lawn could be the most important part of your garden landscape. You do everything to keep your lawn looking beautiful, from seeding and mowing to weeding, and raking the autumn leaves. Your lawn might be made up of either warm-season grasses like Bermuda or Kentucky blue depending on where you live. Or, it may include cool-season varieties such as perennial rye, Kentucky blue, and fescue. Warm-season grass is grown in spring and summer and becomes straw-colored in colder weather. Cool-season turf grows most efficiently in spring and autumn and maintains some of its green colors through the coldest months. In this article, we’ll take a look into winter lawn care and what you need to do.

Winter Lawn Care Essentials

1. Aerating

Due to heavy foot traffic and the use of machinery such as those used for landscaping or home construction, the soil beneath the grass can become compacted. This can lead to soil drying out and poor nutrient uptake.

2. Salt Damage Prevention

Salt-based deicing products can cause damage to nearby grass by leaching into it. This can cause “physiological dryness”, which is a condition that prevents nutrients from being uptaken and leaves grass with bare spots. You can use calcium chloride to treat walkways near your lawn’s edges.

3. Fertilizing

Also, winter is a great time to add lime to acidic soil if it isn’t already frozen. A soil test can help you determine the pH of your soil. A slow-release fertilizer that is “winterizing”, can be applied. This is a great way to get the ground moving with spring shoots that are well-nourished. Hiring fertilizing services makes it easier especially if you happen to be within the service area of a lawn care expert like Conway Lawn Care Services.

4. Maintaining Equipment

You can give your mower a thorough cleaning and tightening if you don’t have the time. As needed, repair or replace parts. It is a good idea to sharpen your mower blades in order to cut the grass cleanly. The mower blades can become brittle and less effective at cutting the grass. This leaves the grass blades jagged and more susceptible to diseases.

5. Reduce soil compaction

Compaction of the soil below the turf can reduce its ability to nourish it and may cause drying out or drainage problems. Salt damage can also be caused by snow accumulation on top of the grass. When possible, avoid putting shoveled snow on the grass. Spread it if you don’t have any other choice.

6. Mowing

It’s fine if the cold weather arrived before you cut your last grass. You can still cut your grass on a dry day. In order to prevent rodent infestations (especially voles), and the formation of snow mold, your winter grass should be cut shorter than in the summer. Both can lead to more work in spring when you have to repair the bare patches. You could also call Conway lawn care services if mowing isn’t your thing.

7. Raking

Because the trees drop their leaves at different times and we sometimes have to rake them up, raking is a constant chore in my neighborhood. Winter is the best time to complete your fall leaf cleanup. Wet leaves on the lawn can lead to water accumulation, fungal growth, and pest infestation.

8. Remove Debris

High winds and ice can often leave properties littered in the wake of a winter storm. Even though you might not feel like cleaning up in the cold, it is a good idea.

9. Sowing and Seeding

To prevent soil compaction and erosion, you can put pieces of sod on any bare areas that you didn’t reach when it was warm. Make sure to water the area well and do this when the ground is not below freezing.

10. Watering

Dormant grass can also be affected by snow and other winter weather conditions. Sunlight, wind, and lack of precipitation can all dry out lawns, especially during the first winter.

11. Weeding

Did you know that weeds can appear after a few rainy, mild winter days? These weeds are most noticeable when they appear in the middle of zoysia grass. This is the best time to get rid of them and stop them from growing.

Professional lawn care services take away the struggles of maintenance. Call Conway Lawn Care Service today for hassle-free lawn services.

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

Letting The Specialists Look after Your Conway Landscaping

Proper lawn care and landscaping play a substantial role in the overall look of a Conway South Carolina home. A lot of effort, commitment, as well as time, is required to make a lawn gorgeous and healthy. For families, yards are an integral part of their memories as their children grow up while playing there. So yards are an important part of the house which is why it is important that they are looked after in the best way possible. However, due to homeowners’ hectic schedules, people have little time for lawn care and it ends up being difficult to look after the yard and gardens. This is when it is better to hire a lawn care specialist who can take excellent care of the lawn.

Why You Need Lawn Care Professionals

High level maintenance of yard can be done by a yard care specialist. Lawn care professionals understand the requirements and needs of a family extremely well and they maintain the yard accordingly. Neglected lawns offer your home a disastrous appearance. It’s tough to hang around in a yard with a disorderly look.

So if you want your home to look gorgeous, attractive and attractive then it is better to hire a Conway landscaping professional. Lawn care experts are can be expensive; hence a comprehensive research needs to be done before working with one. The most essential item be considered is that one should hire a lawn care professional who is experienced enough for his job. Experience and an excellent track record for the upkeep of lawn are the important qualities of an excellent lawn care specialist.

Prior to working with a lawn care expert, there are few other things also which we should consider such as:

A lawn care expert need to have the license according to the government laws.

• If you are hiring a landscape professional for a particular company then the business needs to have the license or have the relevant memberships and associations.
• It is essential for you to gather all the information about the yearly cost, and the cost, which will incur after each visit to the lawn care professional.
• There is a wide range of services, which are used by the companies so you must be clear about the type of services you want from the professional such as seeding, aeration, maintenance, insect control and so on.
• It is also helpful and exceptionally practical if you employ a lawn care expert from your community. Check for any seasonal discounts.
• Check all the details before hiring a Conway Lawn Care Services company and make sure they understand exactly what you need to be done. This holds true whether it is a one-time maintenance or on-going lawn care.

A professional lawn care company can make our home look inviting and a great place for your kids to play or just to relax and enjoy our great fall evenings.

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

Lawn Care – Types Of Sod

Laying sod to create a new lawn is not the same as sowing seed. There are pros and disadvantages to this method. Laying sod can give you a lawn in a matter of minutes. However, sod is more expensive than seed. Don’t let the immediate results of laying sod fool you. There are just as many preparations involved in sowing seed. Proper lawn care should start right after you finish laying it.

There are times when homeowners feel they need new grass and it is urgently needed (e.g., to sell a house). In these cases, sod may be the best option. The only problem is choosing the right type of sod.

How to choose the best sod for your lawn

There are many factors that go into deciding the best type of sod grass for you. These include where you live, what you want to use your lawn for, and your tolerance of challenging conditions.

Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)

There are many types of ryegrass. Lolium perenne is a perennial ryegrass that you’ll need to consider when choosing ryegrass seed.

The downsides of cool-season grass include a need for more fertilizer and water, as well as a less attractive appearance. This cool-season grass forms clumps rather than spreading through stolons and rhizomes like other grass types. This characteristic can make your lawn look patchy, instead of smooth.

Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis)

Kentucky bluegrass is a cool-season variety that can withstand both human and dog traffic as well as urine and light shade. It requires more fertilization than other grass types. It is one of the hardiest grasses, and it can be found in states farther north. It spreads by rhizomes, creating a dense mat of attractive color. You may need professional fertilizing services to better take care of this grass variant.

Tall Fescue Grass (Festuca arundinacea)

This cool-season grass is easy to identify. The topsides of this grass are shiny and have wide blades. It spreads mainly by seed distribution, rather than creeping. People looking for a uniform lawn will find it awkward because of its clumping, upright growth habits. It is resistant to urine, dog traffic, and human foot traffic.

Fine Fescue (Festuca spp.)

Fine fescue is shorter than tall fescue. This gives it a fine texture, and an appearance that is superior to its taller cousin. There are many types of fine fescue. All are cool-season grasses. Sometimes you’ll find a mix of chewings and two types of creeping red, sheep fescue or hard fescue.

Fine fescue is most prized for its tolerance of shade. It is drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant, and suitable for seacoast communities. It is a great low-maintenance grass that doesn’t require much fertilization. It is not able to withstand heavy traffic from dogs and people.

St. Augustine Grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum)

This warm-season grass is creepy and has a low habit of spreading. It can form dense mats. It spreads by stolons. Its grass blades are flat and wide. St. Augustine grass can withstand salt, making it a great choice for those who live near the ocean. St. Augustine grass is also a great choice for Southerners who have shady areas in their yard. It is one of the warm-season grasses that are most shade-tolerant.

St. Augustine grass has another advantage: you don’t need to mow as often, which is something you will appreciate if your preference is low maintenance. However, it is not without maintenance. It thrives with proper irrigation and fertilization.

Zoysia grass (Zoysia japonica)

Zoysia grass spreads through stolons, rhizomes, and leaves to create a dense mat. However, it can spread too freely and invade adjacent flower beds. You will need to remove the excess thatch to maintain a healthy lawn. This warm-season grass is tolerant to human traffic, dog traffic, and urine.

Centipede Grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides)

This warm-season grass is not able to withstand human foot traffic, dog walking, or urine. It can tolerate acidic soil. It doesn’t require much fertilization or irrigation. In fact, its greatest asset is its low maintenance. It spreads by stolons and forms a thick mat that keeps the weeds down. This also helps to reduce lawn maintenance.

Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylon)

The vigor of this warm-season grass is due to its spread by stolons or rhizomes. However, vigor can come with a cost. Bermuda grass is tolerant of human traffic, dogs, and urine. It also has excellent drought tolerance and salt tolerance. It is also difficult to control and requires frequent mowing. It is advised to get professional lawn care services if you have Bermuda grass in your lawn for better management.

Bahia Grass (Paspalum notatum)

This warm-season grass works well in soils with low fertility. This allows you to save money on fertilizers. Bahia grass is also a good choice for acidic soils where you don’t need to increase the pH. Bahia grass can withstand drought. It is moderately resistant to foot traffic, dog traffic, and urine. It spreads via stolons but isn’t as aggressive as other stoloniferous grasses. This makes it easier to keep out of your garden.

Call Conway Lawn Care Service for professional landscaping and lawn care services.

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

Weed Control – Killing Weeds Effectively

A growing number of people are more open to weeds. People who are open to nature’s beauty and goodness recognize the virtues of certain weeds. If you are able to tolerate a little creeping Charlie growing in your lawn, you will be rewarded with beautiful flowers and a pleasant aroma every time you mow. If you are in the majority, however, you would then take to your arsenal of weed control methods to eradicate weeds permanently.

Can You Kill Weeds Permanently?

“Permanently” can be a big word. Gardening teaches us humility. Technically, the answer is yes. But we need to ask two more questions: What do we mean by “kill weeds” and what price would you be willing to pay?

Individual weeds can be killed permanently but not the whole class. You can’t prevent weeds from growing in any open plot of fertile earth. You’ll need to use the same method that you used to get rid of individual weeds, and then you will have to do it again to eliminate any new ones.

Consider the price on two levels. First, consider whether you are willing to accept certain drawbacks in order to kill existing weeds. One example is the unwelcome side effects of chemical herbicides. Prevention comes with a price. Eternal vigilance takes time and energy.

Methods to Kill Weeds Permanently

There are both chemical and natural ways to kill weeds. Let’s not forget about hand-pulling. We also have two natural methods to kill weeds.

Soil solarization

Solarization of soil kills weeds before the seeds have a chance to grow. It targets them at the seed stage. Prepare for the procedure by thoroughly raking the area so that nothing sharp protrudes. Soak the soil. Place a sheet of clear polyethylene. You need to have sun for soil solarization to be effective. This is why June and July are great times. The plastic sheet should be kept in place for at least two months. The heat will quickly cook the weed seeds so they don’t have time to sprout.

Vinegar

In the sense that no chemicals have been added to the soil, soil solarization is considered natural. There are natural substances that plants dislike, such as weeds. Salt is one of these, but its drawbacks make it difficult to use. Vinegar is becoming a very popular lawn care ingredient. Vinegar is best for annuals. You can learn when annual weeds start to set seed so you can target them before they create a new generation. Spray when there is a chance of sunshine. Rain could wash away the vinegar before it could be effective. The real damage to the plants comes in the days following spraying when the sun hits them. Strong vinegar is the best choice as it can kill weeds better than most supermarket vinegar. Be aware of the surrounding plants to make sure you don’t accidentally take out a plant that you love!

Injecting Herbicides

Non-natural methods are also available. There are many ways to apply the chemicals. An injection may be the best option for some perennial and large weeds. Japanese knotweed, for example, produces large canes that make it easy to insert the needle of a syringe into them and then release the herbicide into the plants. This is an important feature of non-selective herbicides. It allows you to avoid putting toxic chemicals on any plants around you.

Spraying herbicides and applying granules

Herbicides are more commonly applied in granular or spray form. If you have treated your lawn with pre-emergent crabgrass herbicide in spring, then you are familiar with the latter. Spraying existing weeds with a spray can be applied to the leaves (avoid spraying during windy days).

Kill off weeds before they can grow

Prevention is the best option, especially if your goal is to be natural. Landscape fabric and mulch are two of the most common items for prevention. Landscape fabric is applied to garden areas that might be prone to weed growth. It acts as a barrier to weeds. Mulch can be added to the fabric to protect it from UV rays. Mulch can be used alone to suppress weeds.

Drawbacks

Each weed control method comes with its own drawbacks. They can take up some of your time or even pose a risk to your health. It is up to you to decide where the line falls on this spectrum. Consider your personal preferences, your health, and your plans for the future to determine if there is a drawback. Also, consider professional weed control services if you aren’t too keen on doing everything yourself.

Call Conway Lawn Care Service to get rid of those pesky weeds in your lawn once and for all.

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

Lawn Care Guide To Pruning Your Plants

Pruning is like “wounding” your plants and giving them an excellent trim that can make them healthier. When done right, this type of landscaping method can actually develop better branches or leaves. This particular lawn care process of pruning consists of eliminating dead or broken stems and branches and plants severely plagued with parasites which might be a lot more at risk of illness.

The benefits of pruning include the following:

• Promotes branching
• Increase flower growth and fruit production
• Help sunlight and air reach other parts of the plant
• Gives the plant a cleaner and more compact look
• Can be a safety measure to avoid contact with utility lines

When is the best time to prune?

For houseplants and outdoor spring-flowering plants

According to landscaping professionals, the most effective time to prune is in the late springtime to very early summertime. This is when the days are warming up and the sunlight shines for long hours to help the plant recuperate from the demanding experience of being cut down. Pruning is also advisable after blooming.

Trees and summer-flowering plants

Lawn care Conway specialists recommend pruning at the end of the winter season or the start of spring. However, if pruning is really needed, it could be done at any time when the weather condition is not extremely rough such as the extremely cold winter season or warm and dry summer days.

In case you are preparing for a wedding celebration or other gala occasion in your yard, attempt to arrange your trimming 2-4 months prior. This will certainly enable your plants time to recoup completely.

What tools will I use for pruning?

There are different devices for pruning depending on the size of your plants. You can use your hands to squeeze back little flowers.

• Gardening shears: are used for stems or thin branches as much as 1/2″ in size.
• Loppers: are suggested for branches to an optimum of 1 1/2″. For both shears and loppers, a bypass design is suggested over the anvil, which has the tendency to crush instead of cutting easily.
• Tri-edge folding saws: are developed for reducing branches from 1 1/2 -3″.
• Pole pruners come in handy when you have to get to high development.

Before using and cutting tools, make sure that they are sharpened. Clean sharp devices are healthiest for your plant. Blades should be sharpened regularly and sanitized with bleach, and alcohol, to prevent the disease from getting into the plant.

Prune when plants are completely dry and also angle your blade slightly. This will certainly prevent water from collecting in the cut end of the stem or branch, which might promote fungal development.

It is recommended to entrust bigger trees to professional landscaping companies, as slipshod cutting could endanger both the health and wellness of the trees and compromise the safety and security of neighboring plants, and people.

Call Conway Lawn Care Service for professional landscaping and lawn care services.

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