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When
do applications start in the spring?
First organic lawn care applications are
performed when the soil temperatures reach approximately
60 degrees, which is usually during late March into early
April. A good rule of thumb is that when forsythia
shrubs begin blooming, it's time to start lawn care.
How
often should I have my soil tested?
Soil testing is essential for determining
accurate pH and nutrient levels in your soil. If
these levels are too high or too low, you may have
difficulty establishing a healthy lawn. Testing is
inexpensive and recommended yearly so that we can keep
track of your overall soil profile. Soil testing may
also reveal hazardous levels of lead in your soil.
Should lime
be applied every year?
In New England, soil becomes acidic over
time due to land structure and environmental issues.
Lime is used to raise and maintain soil pH to more neutral
levels. If pH levels are too high or to low, soil
nutrients become "locked up" and are unavailable to turf
roots. In many cases, a neglected lawn may have pH
levels so low, that it will require two applications of
lime per year until levels become acceptable. Yearly
applications of lime are part of a good lawn care program,
and soil tests are used to determine accurate delivery of
applications.
Do I need
grub control every year?
White grubs are the larvae of Japanese
beetles and several other types of insects. Most
lawns have a moderate population of grubs, but if your
lawn becomes dry, weak, and under-nourished, grub
populations will increase, and the damage will become
severe. Grub control is recommended yearly, and the
only way to be certain that you have grubs is to cut away
a small piece of turf in a suspicious area and look.
How often do I need Milky Spore applications?
Under certain climactic conditions, one
application of Milky Spore will do however, in New
England, it is recommended to apply Milky Spore for
several consecutive years since the colder temperatures
tend to kill off a portion of the living bacteria.
Milky Spore disease takes time to spread through your soil
and is a slow but long term solution to grub control.
We do continue to recommend other grub control methods to
be performed regularly.
How often
do I need organic herbicide?
There is only one recognized product on the
market used for weed control that is truly organic.
This granular application is performed as a pre-emergent
weed control only. Most applications are performed
early in the spring, but we do also offer a late summer
application if there is a need to control weeds that
germinate in the fall (dandelion).
Can I over-seed after herbicide applications?
Our pre-emergent weed control will
certainly inhibit the germination of any grass seed
applied shortly after. If over-seeding is necessary,
we will time the applications 4-6 weeks apart from each
other. this may lead to a later than normal
over-seeding, but done properly, most of your grass seed
should germinate.
How often should I aerate and over-seed my lawn?
Your lawn should be aerated at least once
per year. There are many benefits to aeration
included proper de-compaction of soil, increased oxygen,
better water penetration, etc. We recommend
over-seeding at the time of aeration since this is a very
effective way to get grass seed to germinate properly.
I have lots of existing weeds, what should I do?
A few weeds here and there are often
acceptable, but large patches of stubborn weed that will
not allow healthy turf to grow will either need physical
excavation, or at least one application with a chemical
herbicide. After re-establishing the area with
healthy turf, chemicals should no longer be necessary.
What is
considered proper mowing?
Proper lawn mowing is as follows.
Keep mower blades sharp, try not to cut more than a third
of the overall length of the grass blade at a time, try
not to cut your lawn to short.
How often
should I water my lawn?
During rainy seasons, you may not need to
water at all, but as a general rule, your lawn should be
watered 3 or 4 times a week. Try to water in the
morning, water deeply since very light watering can
encourage shallow roots and weed invasion.
Why do I still have weeds after
using corn gluten meal?
Corn gluten meal works as a pre-emergent
weed control by preventing newly germinated weeds from
surviving in the soil. A number of weeds may survive
initial use, but consecutive seasons of using corn gluten
meal will prove to increase its effectiveness.
Continuous weed problems may be a sign of poor soil
condition or stress. Poor soil condition can be
corrected by means of a soil test. Plant stress may
be caused by a number of reasons including improper
watering, improper mowing, soil deficiencies, soil
compaction, or a poor selection of grass type for a
particular location. Since weeds can be difficult to
control, we recommend two applications of corn gluten meal
per year. Spot spray existing weeds with a selective
herbicide, and make sure your soil test shows that all
soil properties are in the normal range. |
