My Favorite Time of the Year!
After working hard all summer on lawns all over Hampton Roads, it’s nice to have some cooler weather, pumpkin spice and Halloween! My work is not done however; it just changes to fall maintenance activities. If you are not big on raking leaves and cleaning gutters give me a call at 757-384-4541 I’ll take care of it for you so that you have more time with your family and friends.
You have better things to do…
Bagging up leaves and cleaning out the gutters has to be one of the most dreaded chores around the house. It is tedious and back-breaking work. Oh the joys of pulling gunk out of the gutter, “What fun!” note the sarcasm. However, these chores must be done.
Fallen leaves can carry diseases which can damage your lawn. The leaves don’t just land on your lawn. The leaves land on your roof and eventually end up in your gutters. If the gutters aren’t cleaned they can clog and not work properly and overflow. Worse yet, if they aren’t cleaned out the water can also back up and make it’s way inside your house causing extensive damage.
We can get rid of those leaves for you. We can either bag up the leaves and haul them away for you, or better yet mulch the leaves to shreds so they can break down and add nutrients to your lawn and flower beds. We can also get all that gunk out of your gutters. That way your loved one can stay safe on the ground instead of hanging from the gutters.
Seed now for a beautiful lawn in the spring…
Once the leaves are bagged up there’s more to do in the fall to prepare for next spring.
Grass planted in the spring comes up great, but it lacks the root development and food reserves to deal with the high summer temperatures we have every year. It thins out, and many of the young seedlings don’t make it to the fall. There are also two other major problems with spring seeding. First, when managing cool season grasses, pre-emergent products are typically applied in the spring to control crabgrass, the number one weed in lawns. Pre-emergent products work by preventing seed germination and they cannot be utilized with new seeding because they will also prevent the new desirable seed from coming up. Second, young turf benefits from fertilization. The young turf has a limited root system and to improve the density, color and growth of young turf, moderate fertilization is recommended. However, this type of fertilization is not recommended in the spring.
So what should I do you ask? The answer is, FALL SEEDING. The best chance for grass plants to survive the stress associated with summer is for them to develop as many roots as possible and to be as mature as possible before summer arrives. To accomplish this, fall is the time to plant. Warmer soil temperatures mean faster seed germination. Typically, our rainfall patterns are more consistent in the fall, and by seeding in the fall, we allow grass plants to become established before winter sets in. They are able to grow roots well into the late fall and early winter. As spring comes, these plants develop more, get thicker, and grow deeper roots. When summer arrives, their food reserves and root development are much better, and they are able to endure the summer stress without dying like the spring seeded grass.
But this has to be done now. Call us at 757-384-4541 and we’ll come out and see what your lawn needs and give you a FREE estimate.
Mulching
Fall is a great time to add mulch to your garden and flower beds. Mulch serves a lot of purposes in your beds. Mulch insulates your plants roots and protects from soil erosion. It also retains moisture and controls weeds. Lastly, mulch adds a well kept look to your yard.
Keep your plants warm…
Mulch is great to add to your flower beds in the spring to suppress weeds, retain moisture, and moderate soil temperature. Mulch is also good in the fall to protect the plants from the cold. Landscaping rocks can add greatly to the look of your garden or yard. Landscaping rocks come in all shapes and sizes. When you contact us about installing landscape rocks we can discuss what would look great in your yard. Prices vary depending on the type you prefer. Call 757-384-4541 today for a free no obligation quote.
Core Aeration
Aeration is one of the many required tasks for a healthy lawn. Why aerate? The process of aeration relieves soil compaction. If there are bare spots in your lawn one cause may be that the soil is too compact and making it difficult for grass to grow. Aeration also allows oxygen, water and other nutrients to better penetrate the soil and get to the roots of the grass.
Thanks for stopping by!