Maintaining a Healthy Yard in Extreme Weather Conditions
Introduction
For most homeowners, it is a challenge to maintain a green and healthy lawn, especially during the hot summer or cold winter seasons. We can all agree that is difficult, but it is not impossible. If you lack experience and knowledge on how to keep your yard looking nice, follow this article and you will discover some strategies and a few suggestions that should help you.
Keeping Your Lawn Healthy in The Winter
The key to surviving the long, chilly winter months is routine maintenance. If you want your lawn to keep that healthy glow, it is necessary to apply a proper quantity of fertilizer, implement a regular mowing schedule, water correctly, water efficiently and aerate your lawn. Here is a list of actions that you will need to follow to keep your lawn healthy and green.
-Fertilizing
Three essential elements are required for a healthy lawn: Nitrogen(N), phosphorus(P), and potassium(K), that is necessary for root to develop and overall health. Iron, Zinc, and other elements are also needed for lawns as well. Fertilizers contain a large supply of all those elements.
Before the winter comes, you should apply fertilizer to help your lawn to become beautiful and healthy. Some homeowners add fertilizer near the end of the growing season, but you can also do so before the first cold days in your region. Just make sure to use the amount that is appropriate for the size of your grass. However, if you do not know exactly which measurements to administer and how to apply, then it is recommended to use ProCuts Lawn & Landscaping services to be sure that the work will be done properly.
-Mowing
The second essential step to make your lawn more healthy is mowing, during the winter, maintain your grass at the suggested middle height of 2.5 inches, and remember to avoid trimming too frequently. Too short and regular lawn cutting can cause a number of serious problems in the future. The leaf surface areas are needed to produce Photosynthesis, so, if you reduce and cut the grass too often, it will cause a great amount of stress on each individual grass plant itself.
-Aeration
Your grass develops its roots in the fall as it gets ready for the winter. Aerating your lawn is one of the best ways to stimulate root development, improve circulation and reduce thatch build-up. It is vital to maintain buildup to a minimum because thatch weakens your lawn’s resistance to drought and increases your risk of pets and illnesses. That means that you will have more time to experience a greener and healthier lawn throughout the summer if you aerate your lawn during the spring to help it grow thicker and fuller.
-Watering
One of the most important steps in maintaining a healthy yard in extreme weather conditions is Watering. There is not any specific guideline on how or when to water your lawn, and generally, it depends on many factors like soil type, grass species, and temperature.
Winter is the time of the period when your lawn needs less water. At this time, your lawn won’t receive a lot of sunlight, so we want to provide you with information about how frequently to water over the winter season. We have to mention that without watering your lawn cannot survive, so it is a vital process to keep your lawn healthy and green.
Over the winter, it is enough to water once or twice a week. The lawn can tell us exactly when it requires some more water. When your lawn begins to yellow off in the winter, it is a first warning that it needs water. So, it is crucial to notice it on time and respond accordingly.
Lawn Care Tips During Hot Summer
We have already talked about how to care for your lawn during the cold winter days, but now it is time to discuss what you can do over the hot summers, to keep your lawn healthy and green. As you can imagine, those hot summer days can be harmful to your grass. However, your lawn can look its best by maintaining a regular mowing schedule, watering correctly and effectively, and reducing foot traffic.
-Fertilizing
In general, you shouldn’t fertilize grass when it’s hot outside. Overfertilizing can make it necessary to mow more frequently, and if you fertilize your lawn at the incorrect time, it might permanently harm it. so, the main things that you have to do during the hot summer, are mowing and watering.
Fertilizing during the summer season can cause two serious problems, the first is that it can burn the lawn and the second is promoting the development of weeds. To consider this, our recommendation is not to fertilize your lawn during summer hot days.
-Mowing
In order to assist in shading the soil and retaining moisture, it is crucial to keep your lawn at a slightly higher height in the summer. Usually, about 3 inches is enough. Furthermore, higher grass promotes deeper root development, allowing the plant to reach the healthier ground when the shallow soil dries out from the heat of the summer.
Mowing in the summertime helps your lawn to cope with summer stresses. The most common mowing practice is to follow the “one-third” rule, which means that you should never remove more than one-third of the height of your grass blades at once. It puts the turf under excessive pressure.
-Aeration
Should you aerate your lawn during the hot summer? The answer to this question is yes, you should aerate your lawn in the summer. The main point of aeration is to allow the grass’s roots to expand and produce a stronger and more beautiful lawn. Keep in mind though, there are two types of grass: warm weather grass and cool weather grass. So, in the early summer or late spring, it will be especially beneficial to aerate those warm weather grasses. But remember to avoid aerating during droughts and heat waves.
-Watering
Even the little amount of water applied to the grass once each day might be harmful to the turf. The problem is that the plant develops a dependence on it, which has been shown to limit root development as the plants get used to gulping up the morning spray of water. Furthermore, the evaporation process occurs more quickly than the plant can absorb water. And that means that more water is wasted without reaching the roots.
The best time for watering is between 6 and 10 a.m. in the morning. Before the sun evaporates the water. To correctly estimate your watering schedule and amount, take into account the climate where you live. But generally, one inch once a week or a half inch twice a per week is enough to maintain your lawn looking green and healthy.
More Yard Care Tips for Extreme Weather Conditions
If you want to free your lawn from stress on the hot summer days, you have to care for it properly. Here are some tips that you should consider to help your lawn to survive in extreme heat. It is especially necessary to follow these steps if you want to keep your yard beautiful, green, and healthy during these extreme Weather conditions.
-Limit Watering
After the rain, many people continue to water their lawns, consistently wet soil can lead to a variety of issues for both plants and soil microorganisms. Plant roots are deprived of oxygen in wet soil and that increases their susceptibility to disease. So, our suggestion is to avoid daily watering, lawns only need one inch of water per week.
-Don’t cut too short
The ability of your plants to create energy for growth and development is hampered when your grass is cut too short. So, if you cut it to a proper height, this helps it to develop stronger roots and become more resilient to stress.
-Avoid Fertilizer
While fertilizing your grass during the hot summer may seem like a great option, it is actually preferable to avoid it. Consider that grass uses more energy in the summer than it produces and as we already mention, fertilizer encourages the growth of grass. So that means the grass uses more energy than usual and this action causes more stress on your lawn. The best period for fertilizing is fall.
-Pest Control
Insects and diseases are very common throughout the summer. Chinch bugs, army worms, fire ants, and other insects are the few common lawn pests. To prevent bugs and fungus, one of the best ways is to water the lawn in the early morning and not at night. Also, you can apply the fungicide on cool days after the intense heat has passed.
Ask For Help
If you have no experience or have no appropriate knowledge, you may harm your beautiful yard by not treating it the way it has to be treated. Especially, during extreme weather conditions, it is essential to get help from real professionals. ProCut Lawn & Landscaping services are a low-cost way to maintain a healthy yard. They offer all kinds of top-notch lawn care & landscaping services. So if help is needed, ask for it. Your yard will thank you by looking healthy and thriving well.
Bottom Line
As we already discussed, if you want to care for your lawn properly, you have to learn how and when to water, fertilize, aerate or mow the lawn to build strong roots, especially during extreme weather days. Your lawn responds to the seasons differently, just as any other plant does, it would be beneficial if you take the initiative to become familiar with your grass and learn how to better care for it. Enjoy your property, enhance the appearance and protect your investment. Every homeowner wants a healthy and green lawn in their yard, so it is important to consider and follow every step that we mention above.
5 Lawn Care Mistakes People Often Make
Introduction
It takes more than weekly mowing and watering to maintain healthy grass. Everybody can agree that Knowledge, skills, and experience are required to keep a healthy and beautiful lawn. Many homeowners do their best to care for their lawns properly, but sometimes some little mistakes can cause big problems. Follow this article if you want to get information about what lawn care mistakes you need to avoid to get the best results.
Overwatering
Everybody can agree It is common practice to overwater our grass, especially in the summer. We frequently think that as it receives more water, the greener it will become. but this is not always the case. Sometimes, overwatering can cause serious problems. Too much and frequent watering stops the grass from establishing deep roots that are necessary to access the water deeper in the soil. It is a good idea to water your lawn no more than one inch per week. Remember that Watering less regularly but deeper is preferable. The plant will be encouraged to grow deeper roots as a result.
Furthermore, it is important to consider when is the best time to water your lawn. Between 10 am. And 6 pm avoid watering. It should be done between 6 am. And 10 am. In the morning. During this time period, the sun and wind are typically less intense. So, the lawn has a whole day to dry. If you don’t have time to water in the morning, the optimal time after that is between 4 and 7 pm. But take into account that watering in the evening can promote Mildew and Fungus growth.
Why is overwatering so harmful to our lawn? In short, the supply of oxygen that roots need to operate correctly is greatly limited by overwatering, which means that plants don’t receive enough oxygen to survive. Additionally, it can cause root rotting and root damage.
Too Much Fertilizer
Applying fertilizer correctly promotes lawns to become full and thick. Keeping the grass strong, and able to fend off weeds that try to take root. However, there are multiple mistakes that beginners make while applying fertilizer. They sometimes apply in the wrong period. Fertilizer needs to be applied to the lawns on average 4-6 times annually. When the grass is growing is the ideal time to fertilize. When it comes to fertilizer, contrary to popular belief, more is not always better than less.
Too much fertilizer will make the plant too leafy and limit healthy root growth. Also, it sometimes causes the lawn to burn. Even though most fertilizer packages indicate how much fertilizer should be used on your lawn, we advise consulting us on the proper measurement of fertilizer.
Because like lawn height, it can vary from place to place. Quick-release fertilizers’ high nitrogen concentration may result in an immediate greening of the plant, but it is rapidly washed away and can pollute the water.
Consequently, we recommend you use a slow-release fertilizer. They require less frequent application and minimize the possibility of burning the turf. Also, it is important to consider when you are applying fertilizer on your lawn, it is preferable to fertilize the grass when it is actively growing, rather than during the summer months.
Planting Grass Where It Won’t Grow
The grass is a crucial component of a healthy lawn. Yet, many homeowners attempt to plant grass where it just cannot survive. which often results in disappointment, lost time, and resource waste. Grasses are plants that prefer full sun and have a limited capacity to adapt to a shade. Instead of making pointless attempts to get grass to grow to a shaded location, choose ground covers that will flourish there. If you want to achieve success in the shade, choose plants like Ajuga, Pachysandra, Hostas, or Lamium.
Furthermore, you have to consider that when the soil is extremely compacted, Air, water, and nutrients cannot reach the roots of the grass. As a result, your grass won’t grow properly. heavy foot traffic can compact the soil, which limits grass growth. Also, grass requires five to six hours a day of direct sunlight, and grass won’t grow well in the shaded areas under your trees or along the side of your house. Subsurface issues with the soil might occasionally be more serious. The growth of the grass can be hampered by a deficiency in vital nutrients like Nitrogen or Phosphate. Or maybe the issue is too much deicing salt being applied to nearby sidewalks.
Mowing too short
Cutting the grass too short is one of the major mistakes homeowners make when maintaining their yard. Over-mowing often is an effort to reduce the amount of time or energy needed to mow the lawn by cutting it shorter. However, this time-saving method actually harms the grass by making roots weak and unable to absorb all the nutrients it requires. One of the best ways is to use the one-third rule, which means not to cut more than one-third of the grass height in any one mowing time. You have to follow this rule to avoid hindering healthy above and below-ground development.
Mowing heights vary depending on the season and type of grass. While some grasses like Bermudagrass benefit from being short, others require more height. Over numerous seasons, progressively adjust the mowing heights. Depending on the size of your lawn and your objectives, use the appropriate grass tools to make tasks simpler and less time-consuming.
Buying the wrong kind of seed for your lawn
Choose a variety of grass seeds when you are planting plants so that your lawn will be better able to resist adverse weather conditions. It is also important to keep in mind that different grass species are designed to thrive in specific areas of the nation. There exist three zones: one for warm season grasses, one for cool season grasses, and a transitional zone, where growing grass can be difficult. Be careful to choose the grass seed that will be right for your area.
You might not be aware of it, but most grass seeds also contain weeds, so we advise you to read the labels the next time you are shopping. On the back of the bag, you’ll find a list of percentages of “weed seed” and “other crop” that are present. You have to find a premium seed that has “0% weed seed’ or “0% other crops”.
Additional Tips for Lawn Care
We discussed some mistakes connected to lawn care and everybody can agree that the mistakes we mentioned above are very common. Now we want to offer you some additional tips to maintain your lawn to be beautiful and attractive. These tips will help you to care for your lawn properly. Follow the article and gain more information about lawn care.
-Use the sprinkler in the morning
Adequate water is an essential component of a healthy lawn, unless new grass seeds are developing, you don’t need to water your lawn every day. It is recommended to water two or three times per week. We advise you to use a Sprinkler that covers the full grass to get the most out of your irrigation routine. It is the best idea to plant your watering between 6 and 10 am in the morning period.
-Weed control
It might be difficult for some homeowners to remove weeds from their yards. But, if you know some fundamental lawn care guidelines, this will help you to prevent weed growth from becoming out of control. Deep watering, fertilizer, and mowing your lawn every week are one of the best ways to remove weeds from your yard.
Broadleaf weeds and Crabgrass are two of the most annoying ones. Because certain weed species are extremely difficult to eradicate. You might need to hire experts to keep them under control.
-Train your pets
If you have a dog, remember that it can negatively affect your grass. Backyards with pets frequently have patches of yellowed or dead grass. Dogs probably use these areas to relieve themselves and it might be unattractive in grass that is generally healthy.
There is a technique to stop your dog from destroying your beautiful lawn. You can train your dog and teach them to relieve themselves in a certain spot on the grass. Just like you taught your dog to use the bathroom outside. Make a special site on your lawn for your pet. It is preferable to choose a shaded and secluded spot. Use a leash to start and give them rewards when they use their new restroom.
Bottom Line
In this article, we discussed mistakes that most beginner homeowners make when they care for their lawn, but it is not something to worry about. We hope the information that you gain from this article will help you to avoid some common mistakes and work with your lawn properly.
Most homeowners just want to have a healthy lawn, but maintaining a beautiful yard is frequently easier said than done. Working with local landscaping specialists is the greatest way to make your ideas come to life and design the landscape of your dreams. Therefore, Pro-cut lawn & landscaping services can do all kinds of lawn maintenance and yard work for you and make your life much easier.
Guide to Landscaping Design & Style
Introduction
Although people often think about how they can make their houses, yards, gardens, or other areas more beautiful and attractive, they sometimes don’t know exactly how to start the process of landscaping or where they can find creative designs.
Maybe they need a bit of inspiration or simply just the right guidance to start the process. That’s the reason why we decided to provide you with information about this topic and give you some advice about designs and styles of landscaping. So, what are you waiting for? Read this article and discover some suggestions and creative ideas that may help you to plan your landscaping properly.
What Is Landscaping
Landscaping is a modification of a location’s natural surroundings to give it a certain appearance. Some people think that this field focuses on only gardening, however, landscaping also involves the construction of houses, facilities, and the evaluation of the entire area. There are many reasons why people are motivated about landscaping. Some of them simply have a desire to make some areas more attractive or make a space useful for recreation.
A landscaper typically begins a project by drawing the building and its surroundings, after that evaluating the natural environment and nearby structures. Landscapers can begin to consider design once they have a plan of the area to be landscaped. If you decide to create a landscaping design on your own, keep reading and find out how to plan it properly.
Landscaping Design Planning Guide
Garden landscaping is achievable on the budget, Using the right materials, planting strategies, and landscaping techniques, create a beautiful and fascinating outdoor area that suits your needs and enhances your yard year-round. follow this article and find out what you have to do to get the best results.
Carefully Consider Your Site and Design
The first crucial step is to understand the place that you are working with, it is a very important part that you should have mostly covered while planning your garden design. The main aim of this step is to identify any problems so that you can plan your efforts and resources properly. Doing this will automatically save you money and time.
You have to consider if there is any rubbish, existing planting, or features and structures to remove. You should fully understand ground and topsoil conditions to start your landscaping process properly.
Who will be using your area?
It is essential to think about who will use your yard. Will kids be playing in your area? Do you own animals? Do you intend to host outdoor events in your house? Keep in mind that you can use hardscapes and strategic plantings to divide your landscape into separate areas for different purposes and people can move from one location to another via walkaways.
Clear The Area
Before you start the working process, you have to clear your site, this means getting rid of the weeds naturally, another option is to use one of the best weed killers.
Visible trash is simple to remove, but if the soil is compressed try to use a pick or garden rake. This can be a difficult process, but it is required especially if you intend to create a kitchen garden and have a large planting plan.
Level the ground
This is an essential part since landscaping components like patios and decks cannot be installed on uneven ground. You might be able to level ground yourself if you have a small garden area. Large soil chunks can be broken up with teeth. You might think about hiring a professional (Call us!) if you have a large area with heavily compacted soil. A little height change can help a small yard or garden appear larger but sloped grass is not suggested because it can rapidly become harmful and ugly. The best approach to deal with a sloped garden is definitely through terracing.
Plan Your Planting
This part is a very enjoyable and fun process. Naturally, the sort of garden plants you select will depend on your preferences, the local climates, and the general atmosphere that you want to create in your area. Furthermore, it is important to consider the type of soil you have in your garden.
We have to mention that not forget to consider how your landscape plans will change as time goes on. When you choose a plant, you should get information about its growth rate, needs, and mature sizes. Make sure your plants have adequate space to grow to their full size. Also, take into account that your landscape’s particular conditions have a big effect on the size of your plants.
Consider Climate
If you live in a dryer area or prefer to plant in a more low- maintenance and environmentally friendly way. You can combine Xeriscaping with your landscaping methods for less watering and beautiful results. When you work with your garden, it is essential to consider aspects like soil type and temperature. The interesting thing about this Xeriscaping method is that it is not just for dry climates and also you don’t need lots of plants to make a difference.
Dress your landscape
This is the time to finish up details like water features, ponds, and swimming pools. Additionally, this is a time to begin filling raised beds for growing vegetables and other things. When that happens, you can prepare the lawn or if you want, spread grass around it, so it can grow.
Landscaping Styles
The entire look and feel of your home are greatly influenced by landscaping. Your yard should be a location where you may go to relax from the outside world, depending on the landscaping design you select. Before selecting the design, consider long term-objectives such as creating your yard for kids, sustainability, entertainment, or relaxation. Below We suggested so many styles of Landscaping that you might be interested in.
Woodland
Consider a forest landscape design, if a cozy cottage is your idea of the perfect escape. With little to no human intervention. forest trees, different kinds of plants, and flowers will flourish in their own time.
Traditional options like Oak, Maple, and cherry require a longer time to grow and are an extremely long investment. These kinds of trees hibernate in the winter, so consider how your landscape will look throughout the year. However, trees including Cedar, Juniper, Pine, and Spruce are the type of softwoods and they require little time to grow and keep their winter cover in the winter season. So, if you want to feel woodland and create an atmosphere of wood, you also should consider some structural improvements like wooden seats, stone walkways, and decorative birdhouses.
English Garden Design
One of the most fascinating designs of landscaping is the English garden style. It is also called an English cottage or countryside. This style makes you think of spending the summer in your grandmother’s house in Kent, a place also famous as the “Garden of England”. This style of landscaping changed people’s view of nature, instead of fear, they respect and appreciate it.
A body of water is a typical English garden feature, along with shrubbery, flowers, and trees. This could be a lake or pond, maybe man-made or natural, traditional accompaniments of this design are a bridge, a bench, and a birdbath.
Japanese Garden
The purpose of the Japanese garden is to provide a place for quiet contemplation. This landscape design uses four key elements to create spiritual heaven: rocks, water, plants, and ornaments. It takes inspiration from Buddhist, Shinto, and Taoist teachings.
Water components of Japanese gardens typically include waterfalls, koi ponds, and stone basins. A bridge is also part of this style of design.
Furthermore, Bamboo is a great material for traditional Japanese gardens, it is the best choice if you want to make a place for quiet reflection. do not forget some essential accessories to bring your landscaping design to life.
French
The main key of the French garden is symmetry. After the influence of the Italian renaissance, the French garden design developed, which has several renaissance garden elements but also has unique features and components like fountains, natural stone, columns, simple and elegant furniture, antiques, and pea gravels. The famous French plants that you will find in most French gardens are Lavender, Rosemary, boxwood, and Lily. It is widely known that the French style always leaves an extravagant and fascinating impression on visitors.
Prairie
If you like landscapes without big trees, think about re-creating a prairie with tall grasses and Herbaceous blooming plants. Switchgrass has greens, browns, and sometimes even a little purple or red. It is native to the southwest United States. It can adapt to most climates because it has evolved in a variety of habitats.
Switchgrass is a fantastic alternative if you live in a region with little rainfall because it is also drought resistant.
Bottom Line
The planning process of landscaping is challenging for some people but we believe this article gives you a deep inside knowledge about the styles and designs of landscaping, and that will help you to make your gardens, houses, and other areas more beautiful and fascinating. We know that it is difficult to follow every step and consider every situation. Therefore, if you want to make a beautiful garden and are afraid that you will miss something, Pro cut Lawn & Landscaping company can help you in every step of the way to make your dream garden come true.