Category: Lawn Care Company

Get you soil pH levels tested this Spring.

Local Soil Test Results

Soil Test Results

Located in Central Pennsylvania and just looking for a soil test service? Great! Contact us for more information. Interested in learning what it all means? Great! Read on ..

The results behind a soil test may look cumbersome, but really they are not. It comes down to three important factors based on your specified grass type.

The  Soil pH level, the Phosphorus level, and the Potassium level.

Each turf type requires an optimum blend of three nutrients, and a test is designed to show you exactly where those levels are currently at. Depending on the company or lab where your test is diagnosed, easy to understand recommendations are printed out with instructions that, if followed correctly, will balance your nutrients out  to optimum across the chart.

For an example using the following image, if your lawn is low in pH, optimal in Phosphorus, and high in Potassium, a list of fertilizers and the rate for pound per square footage the fertilizer should be spread is listed. Since the pH level is low, you will want to increase that of course. But what fertilizer are you going to need. The paper shows a 33-3-4, so lets look at what that means.

Local Soil Test Results

Soil Test Results

 

 

Every time you read a bad of fertilizer it lists three numbers,  ##-##-##. What are those three numbers? They represent three nutrients, N, P2O5 and K2O – or easily enough Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.

 

Nitrogen..

is the primary found in most fertilizers. Many times you will hear,

“If you want a green lawn, add nitrogen”

While that is true, be careful.  The greener your grass, the more photosynthesis that can occur (that is your lawn eating, BTW). Buttt to much nitrogen can easily ruin your lawn. So don’t just spread a Nitrogen rich fertilizer and expect great results. Remember, your lawn needs a complimentary blend of the Three nutrients to look (and be) its healthiest. To much nitrogen the lawn is going to grow like a bad weed, causing more cutting, which causes the grass more stress and then oh no…

To much stress…

To much nitrogen leads to stressed out turf.

Stressed turf.

 

Phosphorus

The second number that dominates fertilizer ingredients. Inside your grass there are  energy-rich phosphate bonds that  fuel the “metabolic machinery” and  ultimately growth. Without Phosphorus, leaf,  root, and stem growth slows dramatically. Phosphorus also helps keep higher quality soil, denser, absorbing more water.

The root systems of your lawn benefits greatly from Phosphorus. But be careful not to smother your lawn with to much phosphorus, that can be another factor of stress, and we know where that leads to.

Phosphorus can be dangerous not only to the lawn, but to the environment if to much is used. Some states are promoting a no P fertilizer program (No phosphorus). Phosphorus can cause algae build up in water which has caused ecological unbalancing. But did you know pollution from Phosphorus can be WORSE by letting the levels get to low? Strange, but when the soil becomes less dense, water runoff (Phosphorus run off..) is higher.

Potassium

I don’t know why, but whenever I hear Potassium the first thing I think of is bananas. Odd first thought, I know.

Potassium is key for strong root formation and plant health overall. It is responsible for playing a role in keeping your turf alive during the winter, fending off disease, and fungus problems. Let the levels get to low and you are opening the door for a ton of problems ranging from ring spot, red threat, neuritic ring spot, etc. etc. etc.

So..

Hopefully this post helps you understand test results easier and the basic needs of your lawn. Your lawn grows in soil, the key to a lush green lawn is perfectly aerated, nutrient rich, worm loving all around awesome soil. And a soil pH test – I am assuming you want a beautiful lawn, you are reading this after all – should be on your list every Spring if possible.

Need some help? Great – that is why we are in business. We can help you figure out the result & create a plan (no charge!) , or we can perform the test, diagnose the results, and formulate a plan of action for a one time low fee. Simply follow the link on the top right of the page or click here -> “Contact us

By the way, from the list above my recommendation would be the 33-3-3 fertilizer, raise Nitrogen while effecting Phosphorus and Potassium as minimal as possible.

11-year-old Chatham boy runs own landscaping business

An 11 year old boy in Chatham Borough seems to be running a pretty successful lawn care business on his own.

“The lawns he works get professional treatment. He goes over every inch of every yard — front and back.”

“I can’t leave something messy when I have my name on it”

A couple years ago, when a tree fell across the street from Robbie’s home and the fire department came because of downed wires, Robbie was there, too.

“He had the turnout gear, the helmet, the whole works,” said Chatham Detective Ed Uranyi. “He helped me put up the crime scene tape. It was really cute.”

But now Robbie is the one giving orders. The landscaping business began in the fall of 2009 when he was 9. Now 11, Robbie runs a full-service operation, taking care of the lawn during the summer, the leaves in the fall and the snow in the winter. He’ll even clean off your car on snowy mornings.

Robbie, his mother Sally said, has always had a serious side to him — the kind of kid who played cops and robbers but insisted on being the cop.
“He only ever wanted to be the good guy,” she said.

Good luck kid!

Read the full article here: nj.com

Town Bills Residents Ridiculous Prices for Lawn Care Services

Phillipsburg Charges Resident $5,475 For One Day of Grass Cutting

Residents of Phillipsburg are being charges extremely high bills for code violation clean up projects. The town recently charges a woman $650 to mow her lawn. But that was not the largest bill handed out on May 28th, while workers performed services on nine other overgrown properties.

Owners of a property in the 100 block of Woodlawn Road were charged almost $800.00 from the Phillipsburg Department of Public Works for four and a half hours of work.

A local resident, Tim Bachman, was billed $437.50 by the town.
I could not keep up with the payments and left the property two years ago,” said Bachman, who still lives in Phillipsburg. “The house is foreclosed and the price the town is charging to mow is ridiculous.”

Backman, who used to cut the lawn, said he could not beleive it took the town two and a half hours to perform the task.

“I used to cut the lawn in 15 minutes,” Bachman said. “What did they do? Sit there and take a break?”


“It’s not like cutting grass in your yard,” Superintendant Dennis Viscomi defended, “Some weeds are 2 to 3 feet high and you need a weed whacker to cut them before you mow. Plus, every 30 seconds you need to change the strings (on the weed whacker), which takes time.”

What do we have to say about this..?
Changing weed whacker string every 30 seconds?
Excuse me Phillipsburgh, do you purchase electrical one line battery operating machines from the local Walmart?

Don’t be over charged for overgrown lawn cleanup!
Contact Lego Services today and have the service completed for a fraction of the cost. Visit blaircountylawnservice.com/services/city-code-cleanup for more information.

Angie’s Lists Tips to Find The Best Lawn Care Company – I Think We Are Good!

  • Check with AngiesList.com to get feedback from your area about lawn care companies.

    I do not think Angie’s List even has anything on our area at this time..

  • Be sure the company meets state and local regulations. Insurance, Licenses, and any certifications needed for chemical spraying.

    All check except certifications for chemical spraying – we don’t do pesticides and other similar chemicals

  • Be weary of any company that promises a quick cure. Plants are living organisms and require special treatment. Quick fixes may actually cause more damage than anything else. And a damaged plant takes that much longer to cure.

    We find the root of the problem, and discuss what we think with you. We research before we take action. Measure twice, cut once. No fast acting sprays here1 (unless they are weeds, of course).

  • Any changes to a contract or service agreement should be brought to a customers attention and signed off by all parties involved.

    We have a Service Agreement, no contract. If the service agreement is changed, we make it known that it is changed. If you do not agree with the changes, you do not have to accept it. We put customer satisfaction first. And our agreement helps us provide just that!

  • A good lawn care company will offer tips and suggestions to home owners for no other purpose than to just help out.

    We do this often!

  • Manage your expectations. Be aware that jobs may be delayed because of weather or a lack of supplies. Check that contingencies are included in the written contract.

    If a delay occurs and your service is not completed within one week, it’s free. Says so right in our agreement.

We think we scored really high with this list. What do you think?

Angie’s List actually compiled a pretty useful blog post. Check it out! ksat.com.

What is that Brown Spot in my Lawn?

The most common question at The Lawn Institute is the most difficult to answer. Asking through an email or a phone call about the health of your lawn and expecting results is about as successful as calling your doctor and asking why you are sick. Brown grass can be caused by many things. Some are harmful to the grass and some are grasses natural response to the environment that allows lawns to be successful.

Brown grass is caused by stress. Either biotic (living) or abiotic (not living) stress placed on a plant. Often both are a direct result of how we take care of our lawns. Biotic stresses include things like insect damage and disease infestation. Abiotic stress can include drought, temperature and lack of nutrients along with many other factors.

Biotic Stress

Insects- There are a tremendous amount of insects that feed on grass. Many beetles begin their lives as grubs in the soil that feed on the roots of grass. The caterpillars of some moths also live out a part of their lifecycle in lawns. For the most part insects will feed on one part of the plants, roots, crowns (the growing point at the base of the plant) or shoots (blades of grass). Root and crown feeders are usually the most devastation because shoots can readily grow back when damaged. Most insect feeding will cause rapid turf decline in irregular patches often growing larger as the insect populations increase. There are far too many insects to try and describe the damage of all in this article. The key is to try and determine if an insect is in fact killing your turf. Insect damage often makes grass look water starved or wilted because the roots are damaged and the plant can’t get water. If you suspect insect feeding is the cause for your damage we can flush them out.

Remove the bottom of a clean coffee or paint can. Push the can into the ground at the margin of a damaged site, making sure to include some undamaged turf. In a large bucket mix one quarter cup of dish soap with two gallons of water. Slowly pour this mixture onto the grass that is in your coffee can. Repeat until water will stand on top of the soil. This will cause most insects in the turf to float to the surface.

Soil burrowing insects will not surface using this technique. If grubs are causing the damage then the grass will easily roll back like carpet. Other root feeding insects can be found by parting the grass and looking at the soil surface for insect movement. There are many scavengers and beneficial insects that call your lawn home, do not assume that all insects could be the culprit. The collected insects can be taken to a local garden center or Agricultural Extension office for identification. These people can also discuss your treatment options. A healthy lawn is the best defense against lawn feeding insects.

Diseases- Lawns are attacked by a few bacterial diseases and many fungal diseases. Fungus easily breeds in some turfgrass environments. Fungal diseases are often an indication of another problem. Just as it is more difficult for a healthy person to come down with an illness it is difficult for a healthy lawn to come down with an illness as well. A lawn that has balanced fertility, good soil health and adequate moisture is less prone to disease. Different diseases affect types of grasses in different geographical regions. It is difficult to make generalizations about these diseases but for the most part fungicides are not needed to cure the problems. Diseases will occur when environmental conditions are correct for their development. Some fungal diseases can develop even when below freezing air temperatures are present. Taking a soil test and fertilizing according to its recommendations is a great way to decrease the likelihood of lawn diseases. Often times too much fertilizer is more of a problem than too little so always follow your soil test and local recommendations for fertilizer applications.

Removing surface water by better contouring of the surface, increasing soil drying by aeration to increase downward water movement and decreasing leaf wetness by irrigating in the morning are all ways to decrease disease occurrence.

Other- Animal waste elimination is a large cause of brown spots. Dog urine has long been known to kill grass. Also large birds like heron and cranes can cause burning of the turf. The damage is caused by the high levels of nutrients and salts in the waste and can only be combated by immediately applying water to the affected area to dilute the concentrations.

Abiotic Stress
Grasses require a certain set of conditions to grow correctly. Brown spots are most often caused by abiotic stress. High or low temperatures can cause grasses to brown as can drought conditions. Often the browning is caused by protective plant dormancy. When conditions become favorable for growth again then the grass will begin growing green shoots once again.

Nutrient deficiencies or imbalances and high or low soil pH levels can cause grass to brown. Different plants grow best under differing conditions. A soil test is usually needed for diagnosis of these problems.

Excess fertility caused by spills or overlaps can often cause brown spots in lawns. Every year homeowners over apply fertilizer and cause grass to brown. To reduce these problems always fill your fertilizer bag over a hard surface and follow the fertilizer manufacturers recommendations for application.

Things you would never think of can also cause brown spots in grass. Bug spray is a huge culprit. Often found are two green footprints with brown grass surrounding them. The bug spray could not get under the shoes of the applicator but the bug spray affected all of the surrounding exposed grass.

Differing conditions under the grass can cause brown spots as well. Pockets of stone or sand can cause the grass above to dry out rapidly. As well clay below ground can decrease the grasses ability to root once again causing brown spots. Some times the brownspots are even caused by having different species of grass in the same lawn.

Mowing is a repeated stress on grass and if not done correctly can easily cause brown spots or even a brown tint to the entire lawn. When grass is cut to short it will often expose more dead grass and expose more of the soil. Not only does this cause an unsightly appearance it is also not good for plant health. Dull mowing equipment can also cause the grass to appear brown because it tears grass and leaves rough edges that dry out.

The reasons for brown spots in lawns are numerous. Diagnoses of lawn problems beyond the rudimentary almost always need a trained professional or a seasoned veteran. Universities offer advanced and specialized degrees on the subject and thousands of books have been written. Determining why that brown spot is in your lawn is not as easy as you might think so do not be discouraged if you get differing opinions.