Maintain a lush, green lawn. Weeds grow faster than grass and compete for water, sunlight, and nutrients. Weeds also attract bees and can be poisonous to children and pets.

Use weed control, soil care, and tree and shrub care services to keep your property looking great. Core aeration relieves soil compaction and thatch, improving water and air movement, and overseeding with endophyte-enhanced perennial ryegrass or turf-type tall fescues helps prevent diseases. Contact Lawn Care Cornelius NC now

Your lawn needs aeration, like your body needs nutritious food. Lawns often get sick when they aren’t getting the right nutrients. Soil compaction, thatch buildup, and disease can prevent your grass from getting the oxygen and nutrients it needs to stay healthy. Aerating breaks up compacted soil, allowing water and nutrients to flow freely and reach the roots.

Your yard may need aeration if it has heavy foot or vehicle traffic, is used for sports or other activities, or if your property is on clay soil. It’s also a good idea to aerate your lawn regularly if you have fast-spreading grass such as Bermuda. Thatch (decomposing organic material between the soil surface and grass) should be measured and aerated if it reaches a quarter inch or more.

Aeration also allows rainwater to soak into the ground rather than puddles on the surface, which can pollute nearby waterways and creeks. This type of permeable soil helps to reduce erosion and decreases the amount of fertilizer, chemical and sediment runoff into waterways.

Aeration involves puncturing the lawn’s soil with special equipment, removing small plugs of dirt and thatch from the turf. Core aeration is the best method for relieving soil compaction, managing thatch and improving water and nutrient access to grass roots. Other methods of aeration, including spike and liquid aeration, are less effective and can actually stress or worsen the lawn. A professional lawn care service can recommend the correct aeration technique for your yard and region, as well as the best time of year to do it. Aerating is an investment in your yard’s health, but the results are well worth it.

Fertilization

In order for your lawn to thrive, it must have a balance of nutrients. Lawn care services include fertilization, disease management and proper irrigation to keep soil moisture in balance.

The best time to apply fertilizer is in fall or spring for cool-season grasses and mid-spring through summer for warm-season grasses. A soil test will help you determine the amount and type of fertilizer to use. The results will also give you an idea of how much to water, as well as the optimum times for sowing grass seed.

Fertilizer is available in liquid and granular form. Liquid fertilizer is more easily absorbed by plants and can be applied with a sprayer or connected to your hose. Granular fertilizer is cheaper but can be challenging to spread evenly. It is important to follow the package instructions when applying lawn fertilizer, as excessive amounts can be harmful.

Do not mow your lawn right after fertilizing it, as this sacrifices healthy root growth for leaf growth. Instead, wait a few hours before mowing. It is also beneficial to allow grass clippings to remain on the lawn when mowing, as they supply about 25% of your lawn’s annual nitrogen requirement.

If your soil is very acidic, a lab soil test may recommend liming to raise the pH level and make it more favorable for turfgrass growth. Lime is available in a granular form that can be spread with your fertilizer spreader.

Weed Control

Lawn weeds can rob your turfgrass of valuable nutrients, water, and sunlight. Weeds are often difficult to remove or eliminate, so a comprehensive lawn care plan is vital.

Pros use both cultural and chemical methods to control weeds and maintain healthy grasses. Cultural practices include proper mowing and edging of turf areas, and regularly scheduled irrigation. Proper lawn fertilization is also critical to a healthy stand of turf. This includes the correct application rate and a balanced approach to nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Weed control involves using herbicides to kill existing weeds and prevent new ones from sprouting. These herbicides can be organic or synthetic. Organic herbicides are derived from natural sources and do not create environmental or human health concerns when used correctly. Synthetic herbicides are manufactured in laboratories and don’t decompose as naturally, which can have an impact on the environment and human health if they are not used properly.

To ensure the safety of children and pets, all chemical applications should be made before kids or animals go outside. You should also keep your lawn mowed as high as possible to help shade the soil, preventing weeds from getting sunlight and moisture.

A pre-emergent weed control application can be applied in the fall for warm-season grasses or in the spring for cool-season lawns to prevent unwanted plants from germinating in the first place. If weeds do grow, pros use post-emergent herbicides to kill weeds once they are visible. To avoid overusing herbicides, it is important to identify weed species and understand their growth habits. This information can help determine whether or when chemical control is needed and the best product for your yard and weed type.

Lawn Mowing

Lawn mowing is one of the most basic, yet most important parts of lawn care. It is not only a subjective aesthetic benefit (a well-groomed, manicured look), it also reduces vermin. Rodents and ticks don’t thrive in mowed grasses but are more comfortable in higher plant matter such as woody plants or fallen leaves. Mowing also promotes lateral growth, which improves shoot density and makes the grass thicker.

Most professional lawn care companies have a standard mowing service, but many homeowners need more than just regular mowing services. They may need to take advantage of aeration, fertilization, overseeding, or other services to get their lawn looking healthy and green again.

A good lawn service company will be able to customize services for the client’s specific situation and needs. They will also be able to adjust schedules based on the weather and growth patterns. For example, during the spring, it is often necessary to mow more frequently (perhaps up to every 5 days) than at other times of the year because the grass is growing so fast.

Another factor to consider is how the lawn service company handles clippings. Some choose to bag the clippings to eliminate clumps, while others leave them on the grass to provide nutrients. They will also be able to recommend the proper mower height for each lawn, based on grass type, growing conditions, and season.

Starting a lawn care business can be a rewarding endeavor, but it isn’t without its challenges. As a business owner, you will be responsible for hiring and firing any crew members, as well as managing billing and customer communications. Additionally, you will need to acquire, maintain, and operate the lawn equipment.

Leaf Removal

When the trees start to shed their leaves in the fall, it’s important to keep them cleaned up. Leaves that aren’t removed quickly can build up and promote the growth of harmful molds and fungi in the soil, as well as choke out grass roots and suffocate other plants. Leaf removal services help remove the debris from your yard and dispose of it for you.

Professionals can use a number of methods for removing your leaves, from blowing them into piles to bagging them and composting them. Oftentimes, a combination of methods will be required for the most thorough job. Some pros will use a leaf blower and a rake to gather the leaves into a consolidated pile for easy bagging or composting, while others may utilize a large vacuum that sucks up the leaves directly into a trailer or container.

Another option is to mulch your leaves using a leaf shredder or mulching mower. This helps break the leaves down into small pieces that re-deposit nutrients back into your yard’s soil. The process can be more labor-intensive than the bagging and disposal options, but it’s often the most environmentally friendly choice.

In addition to leaf removal, many lawn care companies will provide other services that improve the health and appearance of your yard. For example, they can trim and shape shrubs and bushes to improve curb appeal, as well as apply preventative fungicide treatments that protect your turf from common lawn diseases like brown spot and summer patch. Other popular services include mowing, aeration, seeding, and weed control. Having these services done regularly will help your property retain its value, minimize pest infestations, and keep it looking great all year round.