Lawn repair is the key to a green spring

Look forward to a great spring lawn by reviving your grass with our lawn repair tips

Lawn repair may just be the least of your concerns as snow fades away and the remnants of the holidays are slowly trickling out of your busy holiday calendar. You’ve just bid the last of the relatives farewell. You’re ready to empty the last container of the holiday treats. You’re all set to dive in and make your new year’s resolutions happen. Then you look out at your lawn and what the frost has left you with.

For some, it may be easy to bounce back and jump into a sound lawn repair routine to revive the dead grass of winter. For others, it may be a painstaking journey back to tending a nice, lush, green lawn ready for spring time. Lawn repair varies as the amount of moisture and the degree of extreme temperature differ in every area. To revive your lawn, there is treatment, fertilization, and many others involved.

You also need to assess the amount of damage the cold temperature brought about. So now, your lawn repair requires a spring pick-me-up.

The dormancy of winter puts your grass to sleep. While the grass is sleeping, weeds tend to invade the lawn. Unfortunately for your lawn repair timeline, these pesky little things called weeds, especially the aggressive ones, tend to wake up faster than your lawn grass. So, you need to work with your grass to beat them to it.

You will see how vital it is to give proper attention to your lawn during the other seasons.

If you took the time and effort in proper watering, mowing, and feeding, you will reap the rewards at this time.

You will see a strong lawn that is able to better withstand aggressive weeds. So, then you can take your time to help your lawn wake up properly after the cold winter days.

One thing that’s so important is examining and evaluating the damage. You cannot administer a solution without surveying the damage. Examine the obvious. Look at the thatch layer on your lawn. You would know best how much organic matter you covered your lawn with before winter. Consider the dead grass from your mowing, too.

If the layer of dead grass and organic matter on your top soil is deeper than one half inch, it is a good idea to dethatch.

The excess thatch will keep away water and oxygen, so you need to remove them and give your lawn space to breathe. At this time, your grass roots need water, oxygen, and fertilizer as part of lawn repair. The first step of recovery is to revive your grass roots.

As you begin to regrow your grass, you will want weeds and pests away – far away – so you can focus on reviving your grass. Another essential part of lawn repair is ensuring the weeds don’t beat you to your lawn. Pre-emergent weed killers are your help-mates for the season of lawn repair. Apply a pre-emergent weed killer before grass resumes growth and right before weeds become established. If the lawn is already growing back and the weeds have sprouted, apply broadleaf weed killers.

You may already have your preferred brand, so be sure to follow what’s written on the pack as brands also vary.

The next thing you can’t miss for your lawn repair is irrigation. Once you have your grass growing again, resume irrigation right away. Water once or twice weekly. Supply enough water to moisten the soil up to about six inches. Your grass roots will be grateful as they grow strong and deep. This will give them a fighting chance to withstand the upcoming drought in the summer.

Mowing is an essential part of lawn repair, too. Once your grass is about 1 inch taller than the setting on your mower blade, you can start mowing. But remember to only mow when the grass is already dry. Mowing or even walking on wet grass and soil is not a good idea for lawn repair.

If you see bare patches on your lawn, this is the best time to seed over them. While the soil is moist, it is okay to dig slightly and sprinkle the grass seeds evenly on the bare patch. Be sure to cover it with a quarter-inch layer of soil and water the seeded area lightly about twice or three times daily. If all goes well, your grass will start to establish, and you will see an even turf come spring time.

Finally, what you must have been waiting for – fertilize.

Of course, lawn repair involves fertilizers. Once your lawn is actively growing – that is, it is steadily growing enough for you to get back to regular mowing – you may fertilize. A slow start is a good idea. Apply the lightest amount depending on your grass type. Follow through with watering to force the nutrients into the soil and the roots. With all these lawn repair agenda, you are well on your way to a revived turf for your spring and summer lawn picnics.

FAQ: What are the necessary tools needed to start post-winter lawn repair?

There are only a few of your garden and lawn maintenance tools you will need in the early days of lawn repair. One thing that won’t be off the list even in winter is the dethatching rake. You will need it after winter to remove excess thatch. You will also need an herbicide spreader to evenly distribute pre-emergent herbicides to fight off weed and pests from your lawn. Lastly, you will need your lawnmower, but not until your grass is established and growing actively. These are the big three you should never be without during your lawn repair days.

What All American Turf Beauty Says About Post Winter Lawn Care Maintenance

As the cool season draws to a close, so does your rest from lawn maintenance. It is time to get moving and awaken your lawn into another lovely spring! Get your lawn repair routine in order to control the damage the frost imposed on your lawn. Be it a smooth ride or a laborious start of the season, you can count on expert advice from lawn experts at All American Turf Beauty to keep you on track. Call us today and talk to our lawn care experts at 1-800-365-8873 or you may visit us at 311 Desoto Rd, Van Meter, IA.

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Winter lawn care can be a real good rest

Winter lawn care gives you little to do but more to look forward to

Oh, winter lawn care seems secondary in the holidays. What with all the snow and ice and your lawn needing less attention than it usually does. It seems to make sense to leave things be and let winter pass. In most parts of the United States, lawn grass goes dormant in the winter season; hence, needing little to no winter lawn care. It becomes too cold for the grass to grow, so you patiently wait for spring to see green again. Some cool season grass may thrive and keep some turfs green, but in most cases, grass stays dormant under snow cover.

However, the term winter lawn care would not be there if there is no need to tend to your lawn in the winter season. Yes, lawn care does not stop in winter. In fact, winter lawn care happens early in winter so you can sit back and relax throughout the snowy season. Let’s take a look at some helpful tips and tricks to maintain a healthy turf even in winter.

As the north winds blow and your yard starts to see the white blanket of snow, it needs less winter lawn care.

Your to-do list for your lawn in winter is much less, but it does not mean you should ignore your lawn completely. Your lawn still needs some work to ensure it will be in good shape when spring rolls around. The specific needs of your lawn and the tasks you need to focus on depend on where you live and what kind of grass you grow. Generally, these steps are what you should take for your winter lawn care preparation in the frosty season when there’s little to do in your lawn.

Fertilize

Do not let your lawn fall out of shape. Late autumn or early winter is the best time to begin your winter lawn care routine. Fertilize at this time. It is important to observe this timeline. Otherwise, fertilizing too early encourages weeds. Fertilizing when soil is frozen won’t serve its purpose either. Do not wait for the first freeze. Fertilize before it happens. Your soil needs to replace the nutrients lost in the warm summer days.

Winter lawn care means your soil survives the cold for your grass to grow in again the next season.

So the fertilizer remains in the soil and as the cold weather comes, the fertilizer you’ve applied feeds your grass roots all winter long. Do this vital step in your early winter lawn care routine and expect a lush, green grassy lawn come spring time.

If you have warm season grass, which is less likely in Iowa, you may need to overseed early before the first frost if you want a green lawn all winter long. If you don’t wish to keep the green, you can make use of the beige grass to leave your lawn winter’s touch. This is when winter lawn care becomes lighter work as you let the grass just naturally go dormant. Remember to water your grass after spreading fertilizer, though. This is necessary to wash the fertilizer off the blades of grass and into the soil where it should be.

Another crucial part of winter lawn care is to aerate your lawn. There are areas that particularly need aeration to avoid compaction of the soil. Use a fork or a spiking machine (Depending on your patience and budget).

Aeration before winter sets in improves drainage and allows more air into the roots of your grass.

This also allows fertilizer to settle into the roots more easily. This winter lawn care preparation makes way for a great, healthy soil. Then, come spring time, you have the lush green turf your neighbors will envy. Aeration helps your lawn increase root growth and minimizes thatch build up. You don’t want thatch in your lawn as it makes your lawn susceptible to diseases and insects. Just make sure the soil is moist before you begin to aerate. Moist, but not entirely wet. And yes, less work means you leave the soil plugs on the lawn to decompose naturally after aerating.

Next on your winter lawn care list is mowing. Mowing only stops when the grass stops growing for both cool and warm season grass. This means mowing up to late fall or early winter.

Mow over the fallen leaves as they add to organic matter that decompose quickly and do some good to your soil.

When you leave these dead leaves to wither away in their normal form, they cover your grass and smother them. Not exactly what you would go for if you want a lush spring yard. And definitely not what any winter lawn care expert would recommend. As you get ready for the winter lull, cut your grass shorter than usual. For instance, if you’ve been cutting it at 2.5 or 3.0 inches, decrease this gradually two or three mowings prior to the last one.

Finally, be sure to rest your lawn. Yes, as you rest, you also need to rest your lawn. Keep off the lawn especially when it’s wet or frosty. Grass damages easily during this period and they won’t repair until the spring. While grass is naturally resilient, it will have a hard time recovering in spring if a path has become worn out across the lawn. So remember that a big part of your winter lawn care rest means resting your lawn and just keeping off it.

FAQ: Is weeding necessary in winter?

Yes. Part of good winter lawn care preparation is making sure the weeds don’t stand a chance. A good way to control weeds is to strengthen your grass. Healthy grass shades the soil. This does not allow weeds from growing. Before the frost, dig up weeds or spot treat areas with herbicides. Pay attention to the type of herbicide you are using relative to specific temperature guidelines. Herbicides tend to be more effective when the temperature is 50 degrees or warmer.

What All American Turf Beauty Says About Winter Lawn Care

Most of winter is a time to rest from the long to-do lists for your lawn. The care your lawn requires only comes in early winter or late fall to prepare for the frosty season. Let your lawn be productive in the snow. Know what you need to do to help it through the cool season into a lush spring. Call us today and talk about the best winter lawn care provider in Iowa. Call our lawn care experts at 1-800-365-8873 or you may visit us at 311 Desoto Rd, Van Meter, IA.

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Lawn drainage be gone this season

Improving lawn drainage brings long-term benefits to your lawn

Got lawn drainage problems? Wet spots on your yard? Soggy lawns can be such a nuisance and an eyesore. What’s more, grass will die eventually if it’s soaked in water for too long. Plus, you cannot even mow over these wet areas. Yard drainage problems put your lawn in a compromising situation especially in the rainier months or as snow begins to melt. Poor lawn drainage prevents oxygen from reaching the roots of your grass and garden plants. Aside from killing the grass and plants, the moist areas create a perfect habitat for fungus.

Moist areas damage your lawn and your garden even more.

Aside from killing your lawn and your garden, lawn drainage issues also have detrimental effects on your property. It can cause leaks on your basement, track mud into your home, or cause serious damage to its foundation entirely.

So, if you have water accumulating in different parts of your lawn, you must consider investing time, effort, and some bucks on some good quality lawn drainage solutions. With things like your home’s foundation at stake, it might well be worth the investment to avoid a much larger expense.

Lawns are prone to water logging especially in the later winter months when snow has built up and starts to melt. This season usually brings heavier rainfall and snow. This causes water to sit on the surface of the soil and drain very slowly. This is why you see puddles and even pooling on the surface.

You need to know the soil on your lawn as this is one factor that causes pooling, too.

For instance, high clay content on your lawn soil makes it difficult for water to be absorbed. This causes the pooling on the surface of your soil. Knowing your soil allows you to make the necessary action to deal with your lawn drainage issues with the solutions that best fit your lawn soil.

So before you take some drastic action or dig a trench to get rid of a wet spot, step back and evaluate the situation first. Find out what may be causing the pooling and water logging. For all you know, the problem may be as simple as a downspout or a discharge draining into a low area of your yard. In such cases, redirecting your downspout or running your discharge pipe to a different location might just be all you need to do to fix the problem.

If your problem is caused by the type of soil you have, the best soil amendment method known today is adding organic matter. It may be in the form of compost, manure, or anything that is well rotted.

Organic matter binds with soil particles.

In clay soil, it improves drainage by forcing the small, tightly packed particles apart. In sandy soil, it retains moisture better by filling the large pore spaces and acting as a sponge. The presence of clay soil is the cause of most minor lawn drainage problems. Thus, you will likely find unwanted standing water on your lawn. And a good corrected step you can do on your own is to add organic matter into your soil.

Another solution for lawn drainage problems relative to soil is soil aeration. Regular soil aeration allows the soil to absorb water more easily. This process punches holes in the lawn and adds air pockets, which aids in improving air and water circulation. If you do these basic tricks and you still end up with pools and water logs, another solution you might want to consider is to devise and install a drainage system. With proper evaluation, you will be able to determine if your lawn needs a top dressing. That is, if the problem stems from a higher elevation draining water down into your lawn. A good remedy is to raise the lawn to a higher level by adding a top dressing. Then you can lay down a drainage system beneath the top dressing. Ask your lawn drainage experts for advice on how to go about this.

Additionally, another solution to pooling and water logging that’s becoming more popular these days is a pond or rain garden.

Ponds help collect rain water, preventing pooling elsewhere on your lawn.

Aside from this purpose, this is a feature you can get your garden or lawn that adds aesthetic value! So, if you deem it fit, go dig a small pond in your yard and let the excess water accumulate in it. Turn your eyesore into an aesthetic view. Of course, it is always best to consult experts on lawn drainage before doing something as big as digging a pond or installing a drainage system. It would save you unnecessary expense, time, and effort if these solutions aren’t exactly what you need.

FAQ: What is a French drain and how does it work?

A French drain is a permanent drainage system constructed across the lowest area of the lawn. It is popular because of its versatility in dealing with all kinds of drainage problems. A French drain system utilizes a perforated pipe buried deep in the ground to disperse water over a large area. Gravel normally surrounds the French drain to allow the water to flow through. Generally, a French drain is enough to fix lawn drainage issues, but it can also be used alongside a dry well. How does it work? The water simply soaks into the soil as it flows along the pipe. It requires no inlet or outlet. You can just construct the drain to accept water along its length and just disperse it underground, ridding you of unwanted pools and water logs.

What All American Turf Beauty Says About Improving Lawn Drainage

Winter fading into spring presents different needs for your lawn. One main concern is the wet and rainy period that brings about pools and water logs in some lawns. Not all solutions may work on every lawn simply because each lawn has unique characteristics and composition. Therefore, every lawn has unique needs and require tailor-fit solutions. Get expert advice on improving lawn drainage and find out what is best suited for your lawn. Call us today and talk to our lawn care experts at 1-800-365-8873 or you may visit us at 311 Desoto Rd, Van Meter, IA.

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