Reseed and Repair Damaged Turf
Almost every lawn can use a little fixing up or repairing, and the end of summer (or early fall) is just about the best time to do it.
Viewing entries in
Lawn Care
When hot weather arrives for the summer it puts your lawn on the defensive. Lawns have several enemies that seek to prevent you from having that beautiful green carpet of turf that you're looking for. Fungal disease is an enemy that your lawn will most likely encounter in some form or fashion. While disease damage can be ugly, it's no reason to panic.
An automatic irrigation system is a valuable asset when caring for your lawn and landscape. Water conservation is more important than ever, and these systems can save a lot when compared to traditional hoses and sprinklers.
Warm spring breezes, longer days, and blossoming gardens and trees are all welcome signs of spring and the summer to come. Flowers and turfgrass are not the only plants that look forward to warmer weather. Crabgrass and broadleaf weeds are invaders that love spring as well and, if left to their own devices, will take over your entire lawn.
Mulch Season
Most of us think of mulch as something there to make the ground look good. With a clean edging job, fresh mulch does just that. The consistent color and texture do improve the looks of your shrubs and flowers. In fact, dark-colored mulches even widen the pupil of the eye, making bright plants stand out even more. Mulching also cuts down on the amount of time and effort needed to keep your beds and your whole property looking good throughout the entire season. Here are some of the advantages of spring mulching.
Most homeowners have heard at some point that fertilizer can make their lawns look great. What is fertilizer even made of, and what good does it actually do?
There are many details to consider in keeping your lawn and landscape in top condition. For example, most properties have a wide variety of trees, shrubs and lawn areas, along with flower and mulch beds in all sizes, shapes and kinds.
Chilling Injury Affects Turf Across Region
Pat Hogan of Sodco shared the following information that was compiled by the folks at UConn and UMass and we're happy to share it with RINLA members.
Most homeowners have experienced an unhealthy lawn at some point. There are several types of lawn diseases which present themselves in different ways.
Mulch is a material familiar to virtually all landscapers, and for good reason: Its practical benefits, such as maintaining soil temperatures and conserving water, are complemented by its visual potential – mulch can create an aesthetically unified landscape.
Yet, there is no one ultimate mulch, so there are a number of factors to consider when selecting which type and how much to use.
Depth
Depending on what type of plants are being mulched, the amount needed varies. Roses need about 2 inches of mulch while fruit trees need 3 to 4 inches. No plant should have more than 4 inches of mulch, as this often leads to them suffocating and becoming dehydrated.
A layer of at least 1 inch needs to be applied in order to effectively prevent weeds from growing. The drainage of the site also changes the amount of mulch needed. If the area drains poorly, keep the mulch to 2 inches at most.
The most common mistake with mulching is the ever-despised “mulch volcano” that continues to persist in landscapes despite the many rants and informational pieces written online. To keep it brief, this is when about 1 to 2 feet of mulch is piled up around the base of a tree or a plant.
This creates a habitat for rodents and fungi to take hold, while slowly killing the tree by storing excessive heat and starving the roots of oxygen. Mulch should be kept away from the base of the tree (where the trunk meets the ground) by at least 3 inches.
No matter how many other people are out there making mulch volcanos, it doesn’t make it correct.
Types of material
Mulches can be broken down by whether they are organic or inorganic. Organic mulches tend to decompose in a season or two and are able to improve the soil. Materials such as straw, lawn clippings, leaf mold, and compost all break down in a season or less.
When looking for the gold standard of mulch – that is, which one is going to make the greatest contribution to the soil – it’s going to be compost, but it is important the compost has been made from optimal ingredients.
Straw is relatively cheap and is good for bulb beds, vegetable gardens and strawberry plantings, in part because it is lighter than some mulches. However, this material comes with some real issues. To name two: it’s flammable and contains grain seeds that can germinate.
Bark chunks, cocoa shells, wood chips, and pine needles are longer-lasting organic mulch choices. Bark chunks are readily available and resist both compaction and being blown away by the wind. However, bark can be toxic to young plants if it is too fresh or has been stockpiled improperly.
Cocoa shells are a favorite for their textured appearance and sweet smell. They’re expensive, though, and can be hard to acquire depending on what region of the country you are in. Another downside is that cocoa hulls are toxic to dogs if ingested.
Inorganic materials such as gravel, volcanic rock, and glass stones typically are considered a permanent part of the landscape so they don’t have to be replaced like organic materials. However, they do not improve the soil.
Unlike wood chips that pull nitrogen from the soil, inorganic materials like stones are not taking nutrients away from the plants or harboring diseases. In order to remain attractive, they do require meticulous cleaning.
Opting to use landscaping fabric is about as hotly debated as using rubber mulch, but it can be used to keep stone mulches from migrating down into the soil over time.
Applying mulch
Once you’ve determined the correct amount and type of mulch for a landscape, it is time to actually apply it. The best way to ensure the mulch is able to keep beds weed-free is by starting with a clean bed.
Putting down mulch should be done after ensuring the weeds in the soil have been eliminated to the best of your ability, either by using chemicals or manually pulling them up.
By layering newspaper over the soil before mulching, sunlight is blocked, accomplishing the same effect as landscaping fabric but the newspaper will eventually decompose. This helps the mulch suppress the weeds for much longer.
Spread the material evenly and replenish throughout the growing season as needed.
We are getting greener!! We are adding electric mowers, hedge trimmers and blowers to our equipment.