Care of sod lawns

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In regions where rainfall exceeds 30 inches per year, like in the eastern part of the United States, soil acidity can become a problem. Too much moisture leads to leaching basic or alkaline-forming ions, like calcium and magnesium. When this happens, the soil becomes acid and lawns cannot grow properly on such a soil. The solution for this kind of problem is liming, an operation considered to be very important for lawn care.

Studies made by Virginia Tech Laboratory in 1987 and carried on samples taken from 24,000 lawns concluded that more than half of the samples presented a level of pH of 6.0 when the optimum pH for grass lawn is 6.2 to 6.5. Liming must be carried out only when the soil conditions impose it, as too much lime (as well as too little of it) can cause damage.

The material used for liming is called limestone and it is easy to use. Limestone is spread on the lawn using a drop spreader or a spinner spreader. A full and uniform coverage is a must as limestone does not dissolve. Areas that are not applied with limestone will remain acidic, while areas where the concentration of limestone is too high will result to a higher pH level, damaging the soil. The best solution to acquire a good coverage is to use a crisscross pattern when spreading the limestone –  applying one half of the substance in one direction and the remaining perpendicularly.

It is not very hard to find out if the lime has been spread uniformly, as its white color is visible. It is recommended that 50 lbs of limestone be applied for every 1000 sq. ft. of surface. One or two rainfalls will wash away any limestone surplus from the surface. Sometimes, larger amounts of limestone are needed. If this is the case,  it is recommended to split the lime application. It can be used three to six months from the initial application, when aesthetic reasons come up. The problem is that large amounts of the lime can remain visible for a long period of time and, therefore, the effect is not very aesthetic.

Hydro seeding, a method for seeding the lawn, involves making a slurry mix from seeds, mulch, fertilizers and lime in a tank and spraying the content with a hose all over the lawn surface.

A hydro seeded lawn must be taken care of with extra attention. A hydro seeded lawn needs special watering, mowing, fertilizing and weed control techniques. Irrigation is also very important. Proper watering is a must, as excess of water can lead to drowning of seeds, while too little watering to parched grass. Immediately after hydro seeding, the lawn must be watered one to three times a day. A hydro seeded lawn must also be irrigated very early in the morning.

A hydro seeded lawn must be mowed once or twice per week with a good mower. The lawn mower must have a sharp blade to avoid tearing and shredding the grass. Conventional mowers are recommended; do not use a mulching mower on a hydro seeded lawn.

Irrigation must be stopped during the mowing process. A lawn that is too moist can be damaged while mowing as the roots are deep.

Because the slurry mix used for seeding the lawn already contains fertilizers, fertilizing must not be done for a duration of five or six weeks after hydro seeding. However, herbicides can be used if weed becomes a problem. Weed control is recommended after the third round of mowing.

A hydro seeded lawn encounters the same problems as a usual lawn, so it also must be aerated, drained and defended from fungus. If the common methods of fighting fungus lead to no results, professional workers can take care of the problem with much efficiency.

Hydro seeding is recommended for large areas that must be seeded in a short amount of time. Hydro seeding can also be used on slopes and hills, thus helping against soil erosion. Hydro seeding a lawn is less expensive than using sod. In addition, the growing time is shorter.

One disadvantage of hydro seeding is that there are just a few types of grass for it. Another drawback is that the process can only be carried out before the grass growing season.

As in the case of other types of lawn, taking proper measures and precautions is very important for a perfect hydro seeded lawn.

Lawns are green areas covered with grass or clover, which are kept low. A beautiful, healthy lawn is characterized by a lush green color. Here are some tips for making your lawn greener and more beautiful.

Taking care of a lawn means following some rules to maintain it in a great condition. Proper lawn maintenance includes mowing, watering and fertilizing. The equipment used to mow the lawn must have a sharp blade, otherwise, the effects will be far from the desired ones.

Proper watering is a must, as excess water can lead to flooding and too little can cause the lawn to dry out. For fertilizing, appropriate guidelines must be followed. Organic fertilizers are best because they do not hurt the environment. With good fertilizers, the soil will become fertile and rich in nutrients that are good for the grass roots. However, if the soil is already in good condition, fertilizing must be kept at a minimum.

A close attention must be paid to fungus, like mushrooms, and thatch that can ruin a lawn. These problems can be avoided by early precaution and eradication. Pesticides for eliminating pests are to be used with extra care, as they are chemical compounds and their effect on the environment can be very damaging.

Not every hue of green is considered healthy for the lawn. If your lawn is too green, this means that it has been subject to heavy fertilization and other chemicals. A lawn with a slightly lighter shade of green is preferred, as it is more resistant against pest and diseases.

For a perfect looking lawn, all the unnecessary leaves and debris must be eliminated. Over seeding and aeration also contribute to a healthy lawn. Weed control and pesticides application must take place at certain regular times and nematodes must be eliminated as they are the primary enemies for a lawn, making it look marked with brown areas.

If you don’t think you can devote the time to taking care of a lawn, hire professional lawn care workers. Just because you can’t do it yourself does not mean you can’t have a lush green lawn!

Lawn care services are not cheap, so when signing a contract with a lawn care company, you need to ask what free lawn care services you are entitled to. Lawn care operations like lawn mowing, weeding, fertilizing, applying of pesticides, and seeding of flowers and vegetable beds, trees and shrubs, are best carried out by professionals. If you decide to hire a lawn care company, have a contract with the company in order to receive all the necessary lawn care services you are paying for. When the expenses are high, there are a few freebies you can inquire about. Find out what free services you will get before signing any contract with a lawn care company.

Even it is not a common practice, there are a few services that every lawn care company will provide for free. For instance, a lawn care company will give a free evaluation of the lawn to find out if it is in a healthy condition and then suggest what operations must be undertaken. Some lawn care companies also offer free liability insurance for accidents when fertilizing and applying pesticides. All lawn care companies offer as a freebie the service of reseeding the lawn, the vegetable and the flower beds.

Also inquire about the number of visits annually that must be performed by the lawn care company you hire. Insist on extra visits, free of charge, when something unexpected happens, such as an issue that requires solving on the spot. Also ask for extensive guarantees for the results, especially if you are paying a high amount for lawn care. Needless to say, it is best if you hire a lawn care company that has a flawless reputation.

You can also insist on a few lawn care freebies if you are renewing a contract with the same lawn care company. You can ask for an extra application of pesticides or fertilizers, or you can ask for other services, depending on your needs. It is not enough to receive a verbal confirmation for free lawn care services; make sure they are put in the new contract.

Florida is home to rich flora, fauna and beautiful beaches. There are many lawn owners in Florida and, therefore, lawn care is a thriving industry in this state. Lawn care companies offer various lawn care services. Because of the many options, it can be overwhelming and confusing to choose the right lawn care services. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right kind of lawn care service for your lawn.

Available Lawn Care Services

As a lawn owner, you have to choose from three types of services that can be provided by lawn care companies: partial lawn care, total lawn care and total landscape maintenance. For selecting a company, aspects like price and number of services are important.

Partial Lawn Care Service

Many lawn owners choose partial lawn care service because this type of lawn care service is relatively inexpensive. It involves fertilizing and applying insecticides to the lawn. Mowing or watering are not provided done by lawn care companies that provide partial lawn care service.

Total Lawn Care Service

A total lawn care service includes mowing, fertilizing, trimming, irrigation and applying pesticides. Total lawn care services are complex, thus they are more suitable by those  who live in condominiums. Total lawn care services are usually availed of by businesses and some home owners. A lawn care company offering a total lawn care service guarantees complete maintenance of the lawn. They perform duties based on a written contract with the beneficiary.

Total Landscape Maintenance Service

Lawn care companies offering total landscape maintenance services provide everything from lawn care to maintenance of flowers, trees, shrubs and other natural improvements. A total landscape maintenance service is the most complete service; the lawn care company is responsible for the appearance and upkeep of the landscape.

The things to be kept in mind when hiring a company for lawn care is to verify if it has a business license and a pesticide business license (Florida Statute 482) and if it works accordingly with the IFAS standards.

Contrary to what many people think, fertilizing the lawn does not mean solely buying fertilizer and then spreading it on the grass. For the best results, fertilizing requires much more attention, like a scientific and systematic approach. Below are a few options for obtaining a high quality lawn with proper fertilization.


The Fertilizing Process

Fertilizing is essential for lawn care as it is the main process undertaken in order to keep the lawn healthy and pest free. Fertilizers consist of nutrients whose main role is to slowly enter the soil, to be absorbed and to protect the grass from its roots. Fertilizers promote healthy grass roots, filling empty spaces and thus, preventing weed from taking root.

Choosing the Right Fertilizer

There are several things you need to consider when choosing the fertilizer to use for your lawn. You need to look at the contents, like nitrogen (for making the grass greener), phosphorus (for roots and seedling) and potassium (for resistance against disease and drought). You also need to look at the fertilizer’s nitrogen release rate, which must be fast in order to achieve a green lawn, but must be kept under control. The best fertilizer is a mix of granules with a good content of nutrients.

The grass type is also important for choosing the right fertilizer. There are different fertilizers for different types of grass. Organic fertilizers and processed fertilizers are also handled differently

The Best Time to Fertilize

The right time for fertilizing the lawn depends on different factors. The type of grass, whether it is a cold season or a warm season type of grass, is one factor. Fertilizers must not be used until the grass has not grown and the process must be avoided during droughts. When spreading the fertilizer, proper watering must be carried out immediately after that. It is recommended to fertilize the lawn twice a year.

For the best results, the fertilizer must be spread with the help of a good equipment. This way, the nutrients will be proportionately spread out on the whole surface. For better absorption, watering is advised after fertilizing.

Fertilizing is an important process for lawn care. In order to have a good looking, green and healthy lawn, you must use fertilizers and apply them properly.

Proper maintenance for lawn care cannot be undertaken without the proper equipment. Lawn care equipment used must be environment friendly and durable.

Basic lawn care equipment are mowers, house pipes, pesticides sprays and other products. If you have a little more money to spend on lawn care equipment, other more sophisticated options, like sprinklers, are available.

The first necessary lawn care equipment is the mower, which can be a rotary mower or, for those wanting a high quality lawn, the Reel mower, a more and more widespread tool used for lawns. When purchasing a mower, keep in mind that the equipment must have a sharp blade, otherwise the grass will have an ugly look, like being dead and brown after being mowed with a mower that has a dull blade.

Other necessary lawn care equipment are those for fertilizing the lawn. In this category, there are hand cans, which portable and easy to carry around, handguns for large coverage and low-pressure broom sprayers for larger lawns.

To trim the lawn and the bushes, other lawn care equipment must be bought, like hand trimmers and power string trimmers. The most efficient type is the trimmer that rotates ninety degrees because it can be easily used and the effects are astonishing.

In order to keep the lawn wet, watering devices, like hoses, sprinklers and timers, are needed. For keeping the lawn in good condition, you need a rake for removing debris and thatches from the surface. 

For a better looking and high quality lawn, the lawn care equipment are a must. With lawn care equipment, the time you spend on maintaining the lawn is considerably shorter. If you use lawn care equipment and products made by reputable companies, you can expect durability and small maintenance costs.

The biggest drawback to lawn care equipments is their price. Some lawn care equipment can also be damaging to the environment, as defective mowers and shredders can lead to pollution. Many also require large storage spaces. Some lawn care equipment also tend to break down when you least expect it.