Posts Tagged mowing
Fall Lawn Care Tips
Many people have this false belief that as fall and winter approach, they need to spend less time on their lawn because grass grows more slowly in these months. The truth is, this is the time of year grass is busily absorbing energy, moisture, and nutrients in preparation for a long, dormant winter. Give your lawn the attention it deserves now, and you’ll be rewarded with a lush, healthy lawn in the springtime. DK Landscaping provides you with these simple tips:
1. Aerate: Aeration is important because it gives your lawn a chance to breath in autumn and provides room for new grass to spread. Aeration pulls up plugs of grass which help to loosen compacted soil. This improves water, nutrient and oxygen infiltration to reach your grass roots and gives seeds room to sprout.
2. Fertilize: Fertilizing in the fall, before the first frost, helps your grass survive a harsh winter. It provides nutrients to reach roots for your grass to grow a stronger root system over the winter. This will result in a healthier and stronger lawn next spring. We recommend choosing a product high (10% to 15%) in phosphorous, which is critical for root growth.
3. Weed Control: If broadleaf weeds like dandelions have taken over your lawn, now’s the time to fight back. Weeds are germinating like crazy in the fall, so make sure you apply a pre-emergent as soon as possible. The best time to apply a pre-emergent to combat winter weeds is in August or September.
4. Rake: While those leaves can look pretty on the lawn, the leaves decay which negatively affects the grass. When there is a blanket of leaves on the lawn, sunlight cannot get through to the grass. Rake up the leaves at least once a week.
5. Mowing: Mowing your law is the single most important thing you can do to manage the vigor of your grass and its ability to compete against weeds. In the fall, the best results are obtained by mowing at the highest setting on your mower. In no case should the mowing leave the grass less than 1.5 inches (3.75 cm) tall. This will help insulate the grass during the winter.
Lastly, if you are not certain how to proceed or do not want to deal with the hassle, contact a professional lawn company in Sonoma County that provides year-round lawn care.
Why Choose a Professional Landscaper
Now that summer is in full swing, you might be thinking about hiring a professional landscaper to maintain your lawn. Everyone loves having a manicured lawn and weed-free garden full of blooming plants and pretty flowers, but let’s face it! Achieving that look often means spending hours into your yard and garden maintenance. And others, may just lack that green thumb needed to make their gardens thrive. That’s where the professionals of a landscape maintenance company come in. A landscape maintenance service takes care of the lawn, the gardens, the trees, the fountains and patios. If it’s in your yard, there’s a good chance a maintenance service company can build it, mow it, rake it and help it grow.
DK Landscaping provides you some of the few benefits of hiring a landscape maintenance service:
- A landscape maintenance service can save you time! By using commercial-grade equipment, it can dramatically reduce the time it takes to mow and perform other maintenance tasks. Most landscape companies will have multiple employees working on your yard at the same time, allowing them to tackle several projects at once and complete them in a fraction of the time.
- A landscape maintenance service employs professionals who know not only how to mow your lawn and weed your garden, but to also make sure your plants are healthy. They can create sustainable landscapes that not only enhance the beauty of your home but are friendly to the surrounding environment.
- A landscape maintenance service will ensure that your yard will be maintained regularly whether you are home or not. Homeowners tend to overlook their lawn and garden especially in the summer months, in favor of recreation and leisure activities.
- Many landscapers go beyond mowing grass and taking care of gardens. Some of these services include pool cleaning, building decks, installing pavers, patios, mulching, tree pruning/removal and building home irrigation systems.
- A landscape maintenance service will save a homeowner the expense of purchasing the various tools and equipment necessary for lawn and garden maintenance, tools and equipment that include lawnmowers, weeders, edgers, fertilizer, grass seed, leaf blowers, and shovels.
- And last, but not least, if you are a new homeowner and you’re just getting started, a landscape maintenance company will help you design the yard of your dreams.
Choosing the right Landscape Maintenance Service
Get references! Don’t waste time looking through the yellow pages, radio/TV ads, or mailer discounts when your best source is your neighbors and/or friends. Ask them how much they pay, what kind of jobs the service handles and if they’re satisfied with the results. If you don’t have neighbors that use professionals, you can check with local nurseries and garden supply stores. These businesses often keep lists of professional landscape maintenance service contractors.
When interviewing landscape maintenance services, ask questions! Check out the company’s qualifications and references. Reputable landscape companies are proud of the work they perform and will be happy to show you.
Finally, know the work you want to have done and know what your budget is. This will allow the company to determine its best price quote. It’s also a good idea to get quotes from several companies if possible.
Hiring a landscape maintenance service will cost you money, but the convenience and curb appeal will enhance not only your yard but your quality of life and give you peace of mind that it will get done right!
Got Curb Appeal?
First impressions are everything! The same concept holds true when speaking about your landscape. From a real estate perspective, a good first impression, aka “curb appeal” is about using your landscape to enhance the appearance of your home. Whether you want to boost your curb appeal, market the value of your home or simply want to transform your space to make your lawn & garden look pristine, DK Landscaping helps you come up with the inspiration for the look you desire and making your property the talk of the neighborhood:
Here are a few simple ways to enhance and maintain your landscape:
General maintenance: Mowing your lawn, pruning back trees/shrubs weeding, fertilizing, mulching, leaf and debris-free to watering will keep your yard looking beautiful and eye-catching throughout the entire growing season.
Visually inviting entryway: There are a lot of little things you can do to spruce up your front entryway including keeping it debris free. If you have an old, dull concrete stoop with cracks? Update to a beautiful stone stoop or porch.
Providing a focal point: Plantings, landscape lighting like lamp posts, and decorative pieces like a small water fountain are good ideas.
Colorscape: Adding a splash of vibrant annuals and perennials flowers and plants will make a big statement.
Landscaping lighting: A small yet impactful solution, outdoor accent lighting can not only enhance your yard aesthetically but also eliminate any dark, shadowy areas at night and prevent any safety hazards.
Updated driveway and/or walkway: If your driveway is old and outdated or starting to crack, updating it can have a big impact. There are pavers that imitate any stone for driveway landscaping—brick, travertine, limestone, etc. Same goes for any walkway in your yard. A new stone or paver walkway is a great front landscaping idea.
Stairways: Like retaining walls, stairs are ideal for hilly yards. Adding a staircase walkway to your sloped yard is a great way to add curb appeal—and give your visitors easier access to your door.
It is pretty easy to do many of these things yourself, but perhaps your front yard is devoid of plants and eye-catching features. You may consider planting a tree as a focal point, installing a trickling fountain, or even building a patio. In addition to these memorable details, it is important to use color to attract and focus attention on positive attributes of the landscape. This not only requires planning, but you may need a landscaping company to see some of these designs through.
Having good curb appeal makes selling your house easier, as potential buyers are looking for an aesthetically pleasing home. But don’t brush off having curb appeal even if you are not putting your house on the market. An attractive landscape design is always important!
