Tag: lawn care

Don’t start paying attention to your gardens and lawns quite just yet..

The weather doesn’t seem to resemble winter too much, and at times the temperatures remind us of an early Spring. But don’t get the Spring mindset just yet.

Some are starting to perform yard work that should not be started yet!

Don’t let the weather fool you, starting now could cause more harm then good once the lawn is actually ready to wake up. Allowing your lawn and garden to wake up on its own – gradually, is the best thing for it. Starting to soon can end up killing new shoots, cause flowers to bloom to soon (leaving them dead when you want them most!) and opening the door up to fungus and diseases.

When should you consider starting your lawn work?

Normally April-May are the best months for our area. It differs though from year to year – February is definitely way to early to start lawn maintenance.

What should I start with when it is time?

Raking. Clear out the left over leaves from Fall, give the lawn a good raking. This will provide a small amount of de-thatching and help new blades get oxygen & sunlight. You may want to consider a sprint aeration service or professional de-thatching service as well.

Get your soil pH tested.

The second step I would recommend is to get a soil pH test from a local garden center / home improvement store. They normally cost around $8.00 – $10.00 and give you valuable information regarding the condition of your soil. Poor soil returns poor lawn grass, so don’t under estimate this step. We also provide soil testing services that get returned with documents that explain all recommended fertilizer applications – which really helps put you a step ahead for spring maintenance.

View a complete list of our available services at www.blaircountylawnservice.com/services/

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Tips to survive a drought.

Drought Riddled Lawn

The weather is scorching and rain is not falling in central Pennsylvania. With high temperatures and little water your lawn and garden is facing a really stressful situation. If you are not careful, it could end up dead.

The following tips will help you prepare your lawn for drought conditions

Watering your lawn

Wait for your lawn to turn a blueish-gray color before watering. Water deeply and infrequently instead of daily with a little bit of water. The intention for this is to build a strong deep root system. Try to water between 5:00 AM and 8:00 AM, try to pass up watering in windy conditions. You would like the water to soak in, not evaporate.

Mowing your lawn during a drought

Be cautious while mowing your lawn in harsh conditions. You should keep the mower deck 3″ and above all season long, but do not cut more than 1/3 of the grass during the dry period. Make sure your blades are sharp. Dull blades will only add to the strain level on your grass.

Fertilizing during a drought

Do not apply fertilizers through out a drought period. The salt in synthetic fertilizers will absorb what little moisture the grass and soil does have. Fertilizing during a drought will cause more stress then positive effects.

Compost during a drought

Apply a light layer of compost, not to much. Don’t smother your lawn. A rich compost will add minerals and nutrients, along with extra moisture for the soil and grasses.

Aerating and Dethatching during a drought

If your soil is compacted or you have a thatch build-up, aerating and dethatching will help build stronger root systems and allow more oxygen into your soil.

Watch where you step

You would be surprised how a much a little bit of foot traffic will stress out your lawn during a drought period.

Herbicides and Fungicides during a drought?

Do not apply either one of these products during a drought. They will cause way more harm then they will good.

Still having problems with your lawn this summer? Ask us a question at www.blaircountylawnservice.com/questions/

Organic Lawn Care – Corn Gluten

Corn Meal Fertilizer

Corn Meal Fertilizer

What is Corn Gluten?

One of the most important discoveries in organic lawn care has been the accident Corn Gluten. Discovered by mistake at Iowa State University researcher Nick Christians, has been a giant breakthrough. This organic product (made from Corn Gluten Meal) is a natural herbicide that has been patented and sold by many companies as an alternative to Weed and Feed products.

Corn Gluten Meal is a powdery byproduct of the corn milling process. Used for years as a supplement in hog feed, this natural protein is very effective for lawns and gardens as a plant food as well as a weed suppressor. Corn gluten meal products offer a non-toxic, yet effective alternative to traditional, chemical-based weed and feed products for weed control in gardens and lawns, paths and driveways.

As a plant food, corn gluten has a N-P-K ratio of 9-1-0, or 10-percent nitrogen by weight. As a weed suppressant, corn gluten acts as a natural “pre-emergent” – it inhibits seed germination by drying out a seed as soon as it cracks open to sprout. These qualities make corn gluten an ideal ‘weed n feed’ product.

Organic Lawn Care? What are the Basics?

You have probably seen all the new organic foods and organic cleaning products it super markets. Organic bleach, organic chips, and so on. Now, there is organic lawn care well. Organic lawn care is rising fast, and includes using eco-friendly methods of lawn maintenance and a wide range of natural products that are now available. A lot of people do not realize how many of regular yard maintenance tasks can be extremelly harmful to the environment. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of water are waisted each year alone on lawn watering and irrigation methods. Organic lawn care could be as simple as recycling rain water to provide for your lawn. The methods bellow will get you up to date and up to speed with organic lawn care so you can do your part to keep our planet and environment beautiful.

Read more about organic lawn care

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Altoona PA Lawn Service – Red Thread Disease

Have you ever had a brown patch with a reddish tinge on your lawn and wondered what it is? If it’s not spray paint or your kid’s paintball gun, it’s probably red thread lawn disease. Red thread is not the deadliest lawn disease, but you don’t want to take it lightly. Severe cases of this disease can kill the grass completely.

Red thread lawn disease is common in red fescue grass and perennial ryegrass. Bermuda, bentgrass and Kentucky bluegrass are sometimes affected.

Read more about red thread lawn disease

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