7 Lawn Services (Other Than Mowing) Needed For A Healthy Yard

 

When it comes to maintaining a lush and healthy lawn, there's much more involved than just regular mowing (although a trim lawn is important.)

Today, we're diving into a variety of lawn services that are crucial for maintaining a vibrant, healthy lawn year-round. 

Understanding these services will not only boost the health of your lawn but also enhance your property's curb appeal and value.

Fertilization: A Nutrient Boost for Your Lawn

A well-fertilized lawn is healthier, greener, and better equipped to resist disease and weed invasions. 

Lawn fertilization involves applying specific nutrients, based on the soil's chemistry. 

Professional lawn services perform soil tests to determine the necessary nutrients your lawn might be lacking.

The time you’re supposed to fertilize your lawn depends on what type of grass you have. It’s most important to fertilize cool-season grasses in the late summer and early fall when they are recovering from summer stress. Warm-season grasses should be tended to in the late spring as they’re waking up from their winter dormancy.

The healthiest lawns receive fertilization through several season phases, although you don’t apply the same amount throughout the year.

Weed Control: Keep Invaders at Bay

Weed control is crucial for maintaining the health and beauty of your lawn. 

Unchecked weeds compete with grass for sunlight, nutrients, and water. 

Professional lawn services use pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides to effectively manage weeds.

Pre-emergent herbicides prevent weed seeds from germinating, while post-emergent treatments are used to eliminate existing weeds.

Weed eating is another important part of lawn care that is used as an addition to mowing. 

With weed eating, you can shore up the edges of your lawn so they are clean and professional-looking. It’s also helpful for reaching areas of your hard where a mower is too clunky to navigate. 

Aeration: Breathing Life into Your Lawn

Lawn aeration involves removing small cores of soil from your lawn to improve oxygen, water, and nutrient flow to the grass's roots. 

This process helps relieve soil compaction, allowing your lawn to breathe and grow more robustly. 

Your aeration schedule reflects your level of commitment to a beautiful lawn. 

If you’re using a lawn care service, you’ll want one that aerates your lawn once a year. 

If you’re aerating on your own, you can get away with waiting every two to four years.

Regular aeration is also recommended for lawns on heavy clay soils or those with heavy foot traffic. 

Aeration is recommended at least once a year, particularly for lawns on heavy clay soils or those with a heavy foot traffic.

Overseeding: Enhance Lawn Density

Overseeding sounds like it could be a bad thing, but it’s actually great for your lawn: It is the process of sowing new grass seed into existing turf. 

This is particularly useful for repairing thin or bare patches and introducing new grass varieties that are more resistant to pests, diseases, or drought.

The best time for overseeding cool season grasses is usually during the fall when the temperatures are cooler and there is ample moisture.

You should overseed warm season grasses in the late spring or early summer.

Pest Control: Safeguarding Your Lawn

Pests like grubs, chinch bugs, and sod webworms can cause significant damage to your lawn.

Professional lawn services can provide targeted treatments to eradicate pests and prevent future infestations. 

Here are some methods used to control lawn pests:

• Pesticides - Pesticides are an effective way of getting rid of unwanted creatures, and expert lawn care services know the proper ways to minimize their impact on the environment and humans, including targeting specific areas of the lawn, only applying what’s necessary, and avoiding spraying on windy days or around waterways. 

• Barriers - Lawn care services can use different types of barriers to keep pests out, including plants and mulch that repel insects.

pH Balancing: Correcting Soil Acidity

The pH level of your soil has a significant impact on plant health. 

Most grass types prefer a slightly acidic pH (between 6 and 7).

 If the soil is too acidic or too alkaline, it can hinder the absorption of essential nutrients. 

Lime can be applied to raise the pH if the soil is too acidic, while sulfur can be used to lower the pH if it's too alkaline.

Dethatching: Removing Lawn Thatch

Thatch is a layer of plant material that accumulates between the soil surface and green vegetation.

A small amount of thatch can be beneficial, but too much can prevent moisture, oxygen, and nutrients from reaching the soil. 

Dethatching removes this layer to promote healthier lawn growth.

Dehatching is done with tools. For yards with a little bit of extra thatch, a stiff rake is all you need. For more clogged yards, you may need a motorized power rake or verticutter. 

Get Your Lawn Serviced and Healthy

Lawn care involves much more than just mowing. 

By incorporating these essential services, you can ensure your lawn remains healthy, vibrant, and beautifully green all year round. 

Professional lawn services are equipped with the knowledge and tools to perform these tasks effectively and efficiently, ensuring your lawn is not just maintained but thrives.

 Investing in these lawn care services is investing in the health and beauty of your property.