Fall Lawn Care Tips in Carolina Forest

lawn care

  • Fall lawn care in Carolina Forest depends on whether you have a warm-season or cool-season grass. More than likely in the Myrtle Beach area you will find a warm-season grass such as Bermuda or Saint Augustine.
  • Those lawns with warm-season grass who want to have green grass in the colder months need to apply a winter annual rye. This grass will grow and be green during the cold months and then die off in the warmer months allowing the normal warm-season grass to grow
  • Fall is the time to start lowering the level of mowing slightly, this helps build the roots ensuring that the grass will survive the winter months and grow back strong the next season.
  • Fall is also time to aerate your lawn to loosen up the soil that has been compacted over the summer months.
  • Grubs lay their eggs during July and August, so the fall is the time when grub control is important.
  • Fall is also the time of year to pick up the falling leaves. A pile of leaves on a lawn will kill the grass and cause a bare spot.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service can make sure your lawn is ready to survive the colder months by being in the healthiest condition possible. We will apply any fall fertilizers, bug control, aerate your lawn along with our normal lawn maintenance services of mowing, trimming and weed eating. If you decide that you want to have a green lawn year-round, we can help your lawn stay green and maintained no matter the season.

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Discover more lawn care tips when you call Conner’s Lawn Care.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

 

Lawn Care Tips: Fertilizing, Watering, Mowing, and Seeding Your lawn

lawn careIt’s time to care for your lawn! These are our top tips to maintain a healthy lawn during the growing season. Proper watering, fertilizing, sun exposure and weed control are key factors in growing grass. It is easier to let nature do the hard work than you. Check out our lawn care tips.

The Great Lawn Care Debate

As a recreational surface, grass is the best. It’s better than concrete and has a positive impact on the environment by regulating temperatures and purifying the air.

However, lawns have a dark side. This is due to the excessive use of synthetic chemicals. The U.S. has used more synthetic chemicals on its lawns than what India has on its food crops. Suburband and urban residents are more exposed to pesticides than rural counterparts.

Lawns have existed for hundreds of years without heavy chemical use. Beautiful lawns (and gardens), on American estates and homes were common before World War II. Many European lawns don’t use chemicals.

Take a look at our suggestions and consider ways to decrease your dependency on the chemical industry. Grass doesn’t have to be green!

General Lawn Care Tips

You can mowing your lawn without using a bag. The grass clippings can be left to feed the lawn. You can also use a modern mulching mower to cut the grass into manageable pieces for your lawn.

Mix low-growing flowers such as red clover and white clover with your grass seed to increase the nitrogen fixer. This is why clover is often added directly to grass seed. Clover is low to the ground, smells great after being cut and can often stay green even after other lawns have turned brown. Check out our article about clover.

You might consider converting some of your lawn to meadows. You can let wild grasses, dandelions and wildflowers grow in a meadow or slightly wild lawn, which will add color and variety to the landscape.

You can let more sunlight in if trees or shrubs shade your lawn by cutting and removing lower branches. Seed in the shaded areas with 5 lbs./1000 square. Red fescue is about 3.5 ft.

1. Do not forget about the soil!

Let’s start with the “secret” of a healthy lawn, which we seldom see in any lawn care brochure. Nourish your soil! Fertilizer is not meant to feed soil. It is a fertilizer that feeds plants. Organic matter provides nutrients for plants by providing soil with food. Organic matter also suppresses weeds, and prevents plant disease.

When you plant new turf grass, make sure to work the compost 2 to 3 inches deep into the soil. Use manure-based compost if you can. Manure can be used as a natural fertilizer to add nutrients to the soil. Manure rich in nitrogen is best for lawns as it encourages green growth.

We recommend topping-dressing existing lawns with 1/4 inch manure rich compost once per month during the growing seasons. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus can keep your lawn healthy. This will make the soil porous and drain more efficiently, which can help prevent root rot.

You’ll see a healthier lawn and less weeds by simply adding the first step of nourishing your soil. Continue to top-dress the soil with 1/4 inch compost each year and continue building it.

2. Fertilizing Your Lawn

SPRING: You will need to apply a balanced complete fertilizer (organic and synthetic). There is much debate over when fertilizer should be applied. To give the turfgrass a boost and to stimulate recovery from a long winter, some experts recommend that you apply a quick-release fertilizer in the early spring (late march/April). Others recommend waiting until the spring to apply slow-release fertilizer. This will replenish the root’s carbohydrate reserves, which could be low. Your lawn will thank you for a light application of fertilizer in spring. Don’t overdo it.

If your lawn is covered in thatch, it may be necessary to dethatch it. A spongy lawn is an indication that your lawn has too much thatch. If you try to get your finger in the soil, it will be too hard to reach. Dethatching can be very difficult on tender young grass shoots, so wait until the spring. Find out more about dethatching.

SUMMER: Fertilize your lawn in late summer (September is fine) to help it recover from the summer stress. This will develop your root system for winter. This will help prevent injury and disease during winter.

Common cool-season grasses include Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass.

Use high-nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 0.5-1 lb annual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. feet

3. Lawn Care

Preventing weeds is the key to success! Remember that there are many products for controlling weeds that can be used organically and not chemically.

PRE-EMERGENCY CROUGHS CONTROL: Prevent annual crabgrass by using pre-emergent crabgrass controls. You have a limited window to control crabgrass. For three consecutive days, the soil temperature must be at 55°F. Crabgrass will quickly spread once temperatures rise to 65-70degF.

SPRING: Spring is the best time to apply broadleaf herbicides to keep perennial weeds under control. We would not use broad weed treatments to the lawn if weeds have already emerged. You should inspect your lawn for weedy perennial grasses like bentgrass or coarse fescue. If you find them, either dig them out and/or spot treat with broadleaf herbicides.

Mulch can also be helpful in controlling weeds.

4. Seeding Your Lawn

SPRING: It’s a good idea to overseed and plant new grass seed in areas that are bare or have been tangled. If you are applying non-selective control weed control, don’t seed in the early spring as you will be killing grass seeds.

SUMMER: Seed new lawns in mild climates (not the south) between mid-August and mid-September. You can also seed the bare spots in existing lawns.

In the late summer or early fall, it is best to seed cool-season turfgrasses (Kentucky bluegrasses and perennial ryegrasses), lawns.

5. Mowing your Lawn

Properly mowing your lawn can make a huge difference in its health. Did you know that the height of a lawn’s cut has a direct correlation with how many roots it can sustain? These 5 tips will help you avoid making mistakes when mowing.

To avoid injury to your mower blade, pick up any sticks, leaves, or acorns that are on your lawn before you mow.

Keep your lawn mowed regularly but not too short. Although you may believe you are saving time, you will end up with a more ugly lawn than if your grass is cut at the right length. Do not mow more than 1/3 of the grass blades in one go. Constant scalping can reduce turf density and create opportunities for weeds.

In the past, 1.5 inch was the recommended cutting height. For cool-season grasses, it is recommended to maintain a height of 2 1/2″-3 1/2″. Southerly locations should keep warm-season grasses at 1 1/2″-2 1/2″. Higher-cut lawn grasses can withstand more stress. This is particularly important in the summer heat. Higher density grasses have a significant shading effect on the soil surface. This reduces the likelihood of weed seeds germinating, especially crabgrass. This is a great way to reduce herbicide usage.

When the grass is not wet, mow it.

To prevent grass from being ripped (which can also lead to disease), keep the blades clean when mowing your lawn.

Clippings from lawns provide nutrients that soil needs, so it is important to keep them in place after each mowing. Clippings, along with manure dressing, are all that healthy lawns need. Clippings should be left on the lawn for a few days to allow nutrients to seep into the soil and decompose.

Spade the edges between lawn and beds, and remulch planting trees rings and lawn beds to protect them from mower nicks.

You can use a grass trimmer to cut flower beds and other areas that the mower cannot reach. You should not use a trimmer to cut the grass around tree trunks. You could damage the bark and expose the tree to pests and diseases. It is easy to accidentally cut off garden flowers.

6. Watering your Lawn

Throughout the growing season, keep your water intake at a minimum of 1/2 to 1 inch per week.

Water heavily in the morning and water well. Allow the water to soak into the roots for at least 30 minutes. Shallow watering promotes weak root growth and weeds. To penetrate 6-8 inches of soil, it will take approximately an inch of water. To measure the water amount, place shallow cans in your sprinkler area.

Don’t overwater. The lawn will find its own water source, which will help it grow stronger roots. Reduce water consumption, especially in the middle of summer, to allow your lawn to go dormant and strengthen it for fall or winter.

Overwatering can lead to the loss of nutrients and attract insects. Lighter waterings are better than deep waterings for lawns.

Reduce fertilizer usage during droughts.

Additional Lawn Care Tips: Aerating your Lawn

Aerating your lawn is an option if you have problems with heavy thatch and hardened soil. Aeration involves the mechanical removal of small pieces of soil and thatch from your lawn to allow air, water and nutrients to reach the roots. A healthy lawn is dependent on root growth.

Many home lawns have a disturbed natural soil. Often, fertile topsoil was taken away. This left subsoil that is less compact, clay-rich, and less suitable for healthy lawn growth. Even if topsoil was added before the lawns were planted, it is usually too thin to support proper rooting. It will reach 8 inches below the surface. The soil is further compacted by walking on it and irrigation.

You can rent an aerator at your local hardware store or hire a lawn care service in Myrtle Beach to do it. Fall is the best time to aerate. Aeration will accelerate thatch degradation and allow oxygen and water to reach the roots. It will also increase fertilizer uptake.

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Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now if you need expert help in taking care of your lawn.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Lawn Care Tips To Keep It Healthy in Summer

Lawn CareYou all know that summer is not complete without hot and dry days. Many lawns seem to be prone to burning in the heat. You’ll find a few lawns in your neighborhood that are greener than others. Here are four lawn care tips you can do to make your lawn look great in the heat.

  1. Keep your mouth watering

After 6-8 weeks, the soil microbes have absorbed most of the nutrients your lawn needs. These nutrients must be replenished with another feeding. The lawn will grow thicker and more densely if it is well fed. This helps the lawn to withstand heat. If your lawn is inactive, wait for the rain to revive it.

  1. Mow High

Avoid cutting your grass short. Longer grass length allows for the growth of roots that can reach lower for water, even on dry, hot days. Simply set the mower at the highest setting. It will be amazing how much this one simple lawn maintenance step can make a big difference.

  1. Watering

You will need to water your grass more often if it has been cut short throughout the season. But longer grass requires moisture. If you do water your grass during dry weather, make sure you water it deeply and not very often. Regular, shallow watering can encourage grass to grow shorter roots and cause grass to become stressed out in droughts. A good rule of thumb is to water your lawn once a week. This will help you keep it green in the heat of summer. To reduce evaporation, water your lawn as soon as you can, between 6 AM and 10 AM.

  1. Replanting and renovation

Older lawns might have grass varieties that aren’t able to withstand the heat. The grass might grow in large numbers or have thick, unattractive blades. Hot summers can cause bare patches and thin lawn. New varieties of grass have been created to withstand scorching heat while still looking great.

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Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service if you need the help of experts in maintaining your lawn.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Lawn Care: How To Kill Crabgrass

lawn careDo you have crabgrass on your lawn? It’s not uncommon. This unsightly weed is pervasive and could be taking over your yard right now. Here are some lawn care tips you need to know.

Crabgrass is a summer annual grassy perennial weed that germinates from seeds in the spring, and then lives its entire life cycle in the summer before dying off. Overwintering seeds experience spring’s warm arrival, and the annual cycle continues.

Crabgrass Identification

Crabgrass has sharp, pointed, and light-green leaves that are prone to spreading aggressively.

These are the three most common varieties of crabgrass:

  • Smooth (Digitaria ischaemum)
  • Southern (Digitaria Ciaris)
  • Large or hairy (Digitaria sangialis)

They are all pale green and have five flat blades. They thrive in moist, fertile environments in warm weather, especially full sun.

Crabgrass Seeds

Crabgrass seeds can be overwintered as seeds. They germinate once soil and air temperatures reach 55 degrees. Additional seeds may germinate later, up to June. Crabgrass is easily propagated by its prolific seed production. One plant can produce up to 150,000 seeds. They spread easily by wind.

These invasive weeds are very low to ground so mower blades won’t reach them but will stir the seed heads and scatter seeds, accelerating their propagation. If left unmanaged, crabgrass will quickly grow and spread along lawns and cracks in the pavement. Crabgrass won’t survive the first frost but the seeds will continue the cycle when the warm weather returns.

Crabgrass Prevention

Seeds are available for those who have had problems with crabgrass in the past. Pre-emergent herbicides are the most effective and popular way to get rid of crabgrass. Pre-emergents stop crabgrass seedlings from maturing and solve the problem before it starts.

These are some tips for applying the crabgrass prevention:

When it comes to lawn care in Myrtle Beach, you should apply it a few weeks prior to the last frost date in the area. According to the label on pre-emergent, water after application.

To achieve good control, two applications may be necessary. You can submit a second application within 45-60 days of the first one, depending on the label on your pre-emergent.

Pre-emergent herbicides can still be used once crabgrass has been established. However, other strategies should be used to stop the spread of seeds from mature plants.

Pendimethalin and prodiamine are the pre-emergent herbicides. Although corn gluten is an organic option to synthetic herbicides in pre-emergent form, but it isn’t nearly as effective.

Lawn Care Tips: Maintain a Healthy Lawn

The best way to deter crabgrass is with a thick, lush bed of grass.

It is part of the basic ecology. Other grasses would be prevented from entering the area by plant competition with the desirable grass.

Crabgrass thrives when it is exposed to sunlight. Crabgrass thrives in sunlight. A lawn that is too short or has bare patches will make it easy to grow. These low-profile weeds will be outcompeted by a healthy lawn that is taller and free from bare patches, thus reducing their spread.

Proper mowing and regular aeration are key to maintaining a healthy lawn. For the right height for your grass type, consult your local extension agent.

Crabgrass growth can also be controlled by proper watering. Consistent watering will encourage the germination of crabgrass. What you should do instead is to water the turf of occasionally and deeply, letting dry completely between each watering.

What to do if crabgrass is already established in your yard?

Getting Rid of Crabgrass

Post-Emergent Herbicides

You can apply post-emergent herbicides at any time during the growing seasons. They disrupt the cellular processes of the plant. They destroy existing plants and not those that are yet to be developed. After applying a post-emergent herbicide, grass seed can be safely sown. Some post-emergent herbicides may delay germination. For more information on timing your planting, please refer to the label.

You should make sure you choose the right post-emergent herbicide for your turf and area. Smaller plants will benefit from post-emergent herbicides. Sometimes it may take several applications to control larger plants.

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Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now if you need help in maintaining  your lawn and make sure it’s in tip top condition.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Lawn Care: When To Aerate

lawn careIt may be time to aerate your lawn if your lawn shows signs of wear and water isn’t reaching the surface. Here are some lawn care tips you need to know.

Backyard soccer games, hundreds upon hundreds of laps by the dog, hot temperatures, and that all-too-competitive father/son badminton match have probably left their mark. The result is thinning grass and soil that feels hard underfoot. You could give your lawn a breather — literally.

Lawn Care: Aeration Tips

Aerating refers to the act of digging holes in your lawn, so that oxygen, water, and nutrients can penetrate deeper. You can also aerate soil that has been hardened from summer heat.

When is it time to aerate your lawn?

Aerating lawns when they are actively growing is the best time to do it. Depending on the climate, this is the best time to aerate.

Cool-season grasses, such as fescue and rye — August through October

Warm-season grasses such as Bermuda or St. Augustine, can be aerated in the warmer months of May through June.

Is my lawn in need of aeration?

Clay soil lawns are more likely to get compacted from heavy foot traffic. Is rainwater able to run off your lawn and not soak in? After a few days of heat, did your lawn become brown? It might be time for you to aerate.

Another way to check is to dig into a square foot of your lawn and see how deep the roots are. It’s time for you to aerate if they reach less than 2 inches deep into the soil.

Before you Aerate

The best aerating machines have hollow, metal tines. These tines penetrate the soil and pull the soil plugs from the lawn. The tines can be made to penetrate the soil deeper through lawn watering at least two days before they are applied.

Give the grass about one inch of water. This is how you measure the watering when you’re doing your lawn care in Myrtle Beach. Put a small tuna container in the middle of your lawn, and then turn on the water. You’ve watered enough when the can is full.

Flags can be used to mark any lawn obstacles or sprinkler heads. These flags will be important to ensure that the machine is operated safely around them so the aerator doesn’t eat them.

Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now if you need help in maintaining your lawn.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Lawn Care FAQ

lawn careListed below are some common questions about lawn care:

Lawn Care Questions and Answers

Q: How often must I cut my lawn?

A: As a part of a top-quality lawn maintenance, cutting with a mower regularly must be observed and the grass must be cut to a height that’s even. Cutting the lawn once every week must be enough.

Q: What is the purpose of raking the lawn?

A: This is performed to get rid of dead grass. A lot of people rake their lawn during the fall season because the leaves start to cover the yard, however, a part of effective landscaping needs lawns to be raked during other seasons too.

Q: Does lawn care include watering the lawn?

A: Not everybody does this, however, it is highly recommended for lawns to be watered so as to avoid having dried and brown grass. When this happens, you may be left with brown areas in your yard.

Q: I have a pet dog and he is wreaking havoc in my yard. Can I still replant my lawn?

A: Lawn care in Myrtle Beach and dogs are not usually compatible, however, they can work together. If you replant your lawn, you should consider using seeds that are designed specifically for areas that get high traffic. Other factors that may worsen the effect that your dog has on your lawn may include a chain that’s dragging the grass and then exposing the dirt surface underneath or when your dog loves to dig.

Q: Can I use harsh chemicals on the lawn to get rid of insects and pests?

A: Using harsh chemicals is wrong for several reasons. In case you have kids who play in the yard, this might not be healthy for them. The same holds true for your pets, who love to dig or eat grass. Apart from that, harsh chemicals do more harm than good to your lawn and are not a friend of nature. Instead of that, try other means of getting rid of pests and insects from your lawn.

If you do not have time to take care of your lawn or maybe just not up to this task, Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service and our team will be happy to give you a quote for their lawn care services.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

How to apply lawn fertilizer

lawn careIf your lawn isn’t looking its best, you might think about applying fertilizer. Although this instinct is not always correct, it’s important to remember that details are everything when it comes to lawn care. It is important to consider how fertilizer should be applied to lawns, as well as the best time. You could end up with a burnt lawn or wasted fertilizer if you don’t take these things into consideration.

Find out how to make your lawn look great and be the envy of everyone else with these tips for lawn care in Myrtle Beach.

Lawn Care Tips: When to apply fertilizer

The type of grass that you have will determine the best time to apply lawn fertilizer. The northern United States tends to grow cool-season grasses while the South grows warm-season grasses. Both types of grasses are best treated by lawn growers late in the spring or late in summer. Cool-season grasses require a third application, which is usually done in the fall.

The late autumn feeding is the most crucial for cool-season grasses. Winterizing is more than just preparing your lawn for winter. The nutrients provided will also help to get the lawn ready for the spring.

Before you get started

You can buy the fertilizer in advance and keep it handy so you are ready for when it’s sunny and you have time to apply it. Before you start, make sure to check the forecast.

Measure the area of your lawn. The calculation can be done once, unless your lawn is larger. Keep the calculation for later use. Even if your yard is irregularly shaped, you don’t need any fancy math tools or a lot of mathematical knowledge to calculate the area.

Your lawn can be divided into rectangular sections. Decide beforehand on how big you want your lawn to be, and then use the tape measure to measure the area. Spray paint is used for marking the edges so you know exactly where you are. Continue to do this for each section of the lawn until it is all covered.

Pick a spot to fill your spreader

Do not put any spreader out on your lawn. You could end up burning it if you spill any on your lawn. Spread it on a driveway or other hard surface instead.

Check the Instructions for Bag

For application guidelines, check the bag. It will show you where to set your spreader, and how much fertilizer to cover 1000 feet. (Be aware that too much fertilizer can cause lawn damage).

Setup Spreader

Adjust the spreader settings to match those in the instruction manual.

Make sure to fill your spreader

This is where you will need to measure the area of your lawn. If the directions say to fertilize 1000 feet of lawn, but your lawn is only 500 feet in size, then you should fill the spreader with half the amount. You’ll need to double your spreader if you have 2000 square feet.

Perimeter Fertilizer

Begin by applying the fertilizer along the lawn’s edges. Then, walk at a steady pace.

Finalize Fertilizer Application

To avoid any uneven fertilizer application, turn off the spreader after you’ve covered all edges. Turn the spreader off and apply fertilizer to the remainder of the lawn. Moving at an even pace around the perimeter, continue walking. You can check coverage as you move; if gaps exist, make overlapping passes.

The Fertilizer Needs Water

Because rain can provide even coverage, it’s best if the earth follows up with moderate and steady rainfall. If nature isn’t cooperating, you can water the fertilizer yourself.

Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now if you need professional help in maintaining your lawn.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

How Often Do You Need to Mow Your Lawn?

lawn careMowing your lawn is one of the most time-consuming lawn care task. Mowing your lawn will make your home look great and help your grass grow at its best.

There are many factors that affect how often you mow. You will need to consider the following factors: rainfall, grass type, fertilization, time available, and how long you can spare. These are some guidelines that will help you determine the best mowing time for your lawn.

Lawn Care Tips

Different Types of Turf

Grasses are green living plants that are often grouped together to make a single entity, called turf. This makes up a lawn. Turf can grow at different rates depending upon the type of grass, climate and amount of shade. Some varieties prefer to be cut higher than others, while others prefer to stay closer to the soil. You can determine the height of your turf’s active growth to help you decide how often to mow it to keep it uniform.

Cool-season grasses

Cool season grasses like fescues, bluegrass, and ryegrasses grow quickly in spring and autumn. They will need to get cut more frequently when the rainfall is higher. Broadleaf weeds can be controlled by mowing at the highest height possible during spring months. In the summer heat, grass growth will slow down and will require less mowing.

Warm-season grasses

In states that have hot summers and mild winters, warm-season grasses are more common in the southwest and southern hemispheres. St. Augustine Bermuda, Buffalo, and Zoysia grasses thrive in the heat of summer, but they don’t overwinter like cool-season grasses. These grasses require more frequent mowing during periods of heavy rainfall.

Shade grasses

Many types of grass thrive in sun. It is difficult to grow grass in the shade. Although special mixes are available from most retailers that sell grass seed for shade, germination is dependent on the light which makes it difficult to maintain a lawn in shade. These conditions are generally better for cool-season grasses. You might want to mow higher and less often in these areas.

New lawn

Once a lawn is active, it should be mowed as you would a mature lawn. It is best to not mow too soon as it can cause damage. However, it is fine to start cutting new grass after it has reached the ideal height for its type.

The 1/3 Rule

The stems protect grass blades from damage when it starts actively growing. The stems can be damaged if you cut your grass too low and the grass will die.

The blades will begin to flower after a few months. As new leaves begin to grow, the stem expands to accommodate them. Roots also start to spread. To remove as little as one-third to one-half of the new leaves, raise your mower’s height.

This will prevent you from making a common error when it comes to lawn care in Myrtle Beach: mowing too closely. Cutting the grass below its optimal height can hinder root development, which can lead to weed infestation, drought damage, and injury.

You should mow the grass less often if it grows above the recommended height. You may need to repeat this lawn maintenance process several times, taking a few days off between each pass to let the turf recover.

Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now if you need expert help in taking care of your lawn.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Lawn Care: When To Apply Fertilizer

lawn careYou should include fertilizing your lawn in your annual lawn care tasks, which include mowing and trimming. Did you know that fertilizing the lawn at the right time of the day will give it greater benefits? There are specific rules and guidelines that you need to follow, depending on what fertilizer you use and the type of grass.

Lawn Care Tips: Why Fertilize Your Lawn

Your lawn will have a nice green color due to nitrogen. The nitrogen helps give your turf a great look by reducing weed problems. NPK ratios are labels that indicate the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium used to make a specific fertilizer. You can test your soil by taking it to an agriculture extension office in your area. This will tell you if the phosphorous or potassium levels are adequate. If yes, your lawn won’t require those amendments for many years. Apply nitrogen annually to promote good color and growth.

Different Fertilizer Application Types

There are many options for lawn fertilizers, but most commonly they are applied in liquid or granular forms. Organic fertilizers such as composted manure or organic fertilizers are options too. However, these must be first broken down in the soil before they can be used for lawn maintenance. There are both advantages and disadvantages to liquid fertilizers, but it is important to understand when to use them and when to stop.

When is the best time to apply granular fertilizer on your lawn?

The Granular fertilizer may be either water-soluble or insoluble. This is also known as slow-release. Both have been used successfully on lawns for many years. Water-soluble granular fertilizer must only be applied to grass when it is cool and dry. This fertilizer must be watered in regularly to prevent leaf burn. Slower release formulas are less likely than fast-release formulas to cause damage to grass leaves, so it’s not essential that grass is dry. After spreading, water should be given to allow the granules to get into the soil.

When is the perfect time to add water-soluble granular fertilizer to your lawn?

  • Before a steady rain
  • Mid-morning, after the dew, dried
  • Evenings with low temperature

When is the best time to apply slow-release fertilizer to your lawn?

  • Mornings before temperatures get hot
  • Before a steady rain

Avoid applying any granular fertilizer:

  • After rainfall
  • Prior to a heavy storm
  • The hottest time of the day

When is the best time to apply liquid fertilizer to your lawn?

Liquid fertilizer has one advantage: it is quick and can be applied to your lawn within days. However, liquid fertilizer is not as effective as granular fertilizer. It needs to be applied more frequently and doesn’t last as long. It is important that the grass be completely dry before applying any liquid fertilizer. Any water present on the lawn will dilute it and make it less effective. Granular fertilizers are meant to nourish the roots. However, liquid fertilizer can be used to foliar feed the leaves. If applied when the lawn is still growing, liquid fertilizers can quickly burn the grass.

When is the best time to apply liquid fertilizer to your lawn?

  • Evening with cool temperatures
  • No rain for at least two days
  • Dry grass

When to Avoid the Application Of Liquid Fertilizer

  • If the grass is wet from rain or morning dew
  • Rain is expected
  • The hottest hour of the day

Use Granular Fertilizer or Liquid Fertilizer

You can use both types of fertilizer on your lawn, but not simultaneously. To maintain healthy roots throughout winter, slow release granular fertilizer may be applied on a cool fall day. A liquid application during the early stages of spring growth can strengthen grass leaves and give them a uniform green color.

Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now if you need professional help in taking care of your lawn.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Lawn care: How Often Should You Fertilize Your Lawn?

lawn careHow often you fertilize your lawn depends on its type, ingredients, quantity, soil texture, nutrient levels and many other factors. You need to consider all factors when deciding when to fertilize your lawn as part of your lawn care routine.

Important Reasons Lawn Fertilization is Important

Lawn fertilizers contain the major nutrients, nitrogen, and potassium in different combinations and concentrations. The lawn fertilizer’s nitrogen content is always highest because nitrogen is the main nutrient that promotes leaf growth. While phosphate is essential for root growth, potassium aids with water and nutrient absorption. However, their numbers are usually lower since most soils already have enough of these two nutrients.

What Fertilizers to Use and How Much

There are three types of lawn fertilizers: organic, synthetic, and liquid water-soluble. Granular slow-release fertilizer, which slowly releases nitrogen into the grass over several months, is most commonly preferred.

A soil test in a laboratory is the only way to determine how much fertilizer your lawn requires. Over-fertilizing the lawn can cause more damage than using zero fertilizer.

Low and High Maintenance Lawn

It is important to decide what kind of lawn you want and how much money and time you can spend. A conventional synthetic lawn fertilizer should be applied at regular intervals to maintain a beautiful lawn. Organic fertilizer can be used if you prefer a natural-looking lawn that is low-maintenance.

Fertilization of Warm Season vs. Cold-Season Grasses

The type of grass determines the frequency and timing of fertilization.

Cool-Season Grasses

Perennial ryegrasses are good cool-season grasses. They thrive in cool temperatures, especially spring and autumn. These grasses need to be fertilized at least twice per year.

After the cool-season grasses have broken their winter dormancy in the spring, you can give your grass until late spring to allow it to grow and replenish its carbohydrate reserves. Before the summer heat sets in, apply slow-release fertilizer.

Cool-season grasses enter survival mode in the summer and fertilizing them is a wasteful and harmful practice that damages the grass. The second fertilization should take place in late summer, or even early to mid-fall. The fall fertilization, unlike the spring application, is intended to increase leaf growth. It is important to time it so that the grass still has several weeks of active growth before the hard frost begins its dormancy. It might not be necessary to fertilize again in the spring after this fall application, but again, only a soil analysis will determine if your lawn requires fertilization and how much.

Warm-Season Grasses

Warm-season grasses– buffalo grass, bermudagrass, St. Augustine grass, zoysia grass, and centipede grass — grow extremely active during the warmer weather. They are fertilized twice per year, just like cool-season grasses. However, the timing is slightly different.

You should apply fertilizer approximately six weeks after the last spring freeze when the grass turns green.

In the fall or late summer, second fertilization is recommended. This does two things. It replenishes the grass’ energy reserves, making it more resilient to heat and winter weeds. A soluble, easily available nitrogen fertilizer is recommended for the second fertilization.

The third application of nitrogen may be necessary for warmer areas with longer growing seasons. This will help to maintain grass growth through the winter and fall. Between applications, wait at least 45-60 days.

When is the best time to fertilize?

It is important to fertilize at the right time of day, not only when it is the best season for lawn care in Myrtle Beach. When the weather is cool, the grass is not too wet from the dew and fertilize in the morning. Apply fertilizer to the grass only when it is dry enough. The fertilizer must not stick to the grass blades.

You should keep an eye on the weather forecast as fertilizer should not be watered within two days of being applied. Fertilize before it rains. This should be a steady, slow rain, and not a storm. Otherwise, the fertilizer will get washed away, and will end up in streams and storm drains that pollute waterway. Alternative to rain, water your lawn with at least 25% of the water it receives after fertilizer has been applied.

Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now if you need help in maintaining your lawn throughout the year.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/