Tag Archive: Turf Management

Canal Fulton, Ohio Grass Species

All About Turf Grass Species in Ohio

Turfgrasses are fine textured grass species that form a uniform, persistent population of plants and that tolerate traffic and a variety of mowing heights. These grasses can be divided into two groups, the cool season and the warm season turfgrasses.

 

Cool season turfgrasses- include species that are adapted to the cooler portions of the United States and make maximum growth during cool spring and fall. They may become semi dormant during hot and dry periods of summer. Cool season grasses adapted for turf use in Ohio include Kentucky bluegrass, rough bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, the fine fescues, tall fescue, and the bentgrasses.

 

Warm season turfgrasses- include species that are best adapted to southern areas of the United States. Some of the warm-season turfgrasses also are adapted to the transitional regions between the northern and the southern states. These grasses make maximum growth during hot weather and are dormant during winter, and early spring. Zoysiagrass is the only warm season turfgrass that has sufficient winter hardiness to survive and persist as high quality turf in the southern-most portions of Ohio.

Adaptation

Turfgrass species vary in their adaptation to soil moisture, temperatures, soil fertility, pH levels, disease and insect resistance, wear tolerance, and mowing tolerance. They may also vary in such characteristics as leaf texture, color, growth habit, density, growth, and uniformity. Considerable variation in these attributes can also occur within an individual grass species. Turf grasses which exhibit different characteristics from other members of the same species are called varieties or cultivars.

Characteristics that plant breeders search for or incorporate into turfgrasses may include improved tolerances to climates, increased tolerance to reduced fertility levels, resistance to diseases and insects, and better wear and mowing tolerances. Breeders also search for plants that exhibit medium to fine leaf textures, an aesthetically pleasing color, a decumbent growth habit, increased recuperative potential, good density, & uniformity. Ability to produce good seed yields is also an important consideration in developing improved turfgrass species.

Varieties

  • Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis)

Kentucky bluegrass is a persistent and attractive species that is used in many residential home lawns, institutional grounds, parks, and athletic fields. This species has a medium to fine leaf texture and a medium to dark-green color when it is properly fertilized. It produces extensive underground stems, called rhizomes, which provide good sod forming characteristics and superior recuperative potential when compared to most other cool season species. Kentucky bluegrass is cold tolerant, traffic tolerant, and moderately heat and drought tolerant. It makes optimum growth during the spring and fall and becomes semi-dormant under prolonged periods of heat stress and drought. It usually recovers quickly from dormancy with the advent of cooler temperatures and adequate soil moisture in the turf.

Kentucky bluegrass performs the best when grown in well drained soils and open, sunny areas. This grass does not tolerate poorly-drained soils or heavily-shaded conditions.

Kentucky bluegrass generally requires a higher amount of nitrogen than other cool-season turfgrasses and tends to produce a significant amount of thatch. The germination and establishment period for Kentucky bluegrass is slower than for most other turfgrasses, requiring up to two weeks for emergence from the soil.

Some of the more damaging diseases that Kentucky bluegrass can get are leaf spot, dollar spot, stripe smut, necrotic ring spot, and summer patch.

Some commercial seed lots have 'common Kentucky bluegrass' printed on the label. Common Kentucky bluegrass is a non pedigree form consisting of many genetically different types. An upright grower, it is very sensitive to low mowing heights and very susceptible to leafspot diseases. Unfortunately, seed laws permit named varieties of Kentucky bluegrass to be sold as common Kentucky bluegrass for turf. Some named varieties develop turf inferior to that of non pedigreed Kentucky bluegrass but are extremely high seed yielders. For this reason, some seed producers grow and do market named varieties as common Kentucky bluegrass.

  • Rough Bluegrass (Poa trivialis)

Rough bluegrass is similar to Kentucky bluegrass in appearance, however, it has a lighter green color and produces above ground stems called stolons that allow it to spread and generate new tillers in the soil. It is a highly shade tolerant species that prefers mostly moist soils. It is used for lawns with shaded conditions where there is adequate or excess moisture. When used in well drained, open, and sunny areas, it normally will decline during the hot, dry months of the summer but may recover in cool, wet weather.

Because of its light-green color and tendency to form patches, it's generally not used for mixtures with other Canal Fulton turfgrasses.

  • Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)

Perennial ryegrass is a persistent, dark-green, fine to medium textured turfgrass that is used for residential home lawns, parks, grounds, golf courses, and athletic fields. This species produces a bunch type growth habit & does not form rhizomes. Its recuperative potential is not as strong as Kentucky bluegrass will be for turf. Perennial ryegrass germinates rapidly and establishes quickly. It is very competitive with other turfgrasses and is used extensively for overseeding thin or damaged areas. Because of its aggressive nature, perennial ryegrass is generally not used in amounts over 20 percent in a mixture with other grasses. It is suitable for use alone or in combination with Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescues.

Perennial ryegrasses is wear tolerant and very heat tolerant. It is only moderately tolerant of shade or drought. This species will withstand low temperatures, however, it tends to be susceptible to ice damage in the winter. Perennial ryegrass performs best on moderate to high fertility soils and well drained soils.

Improved varieties of perennial ryegrass have good characteristics for mowing, although some may have leaves that shred and form a gray cast when cut with dull mower blades.

When grown in infertile soils or on soils of low pH, ryegrass may become thin and very clumpy. Thatch forms in perennial ryegrass turf is slower than with Kentucky bluegrass and the fine fescues.

The diseases found and are most damaging to perennial ryegrass include brown patch, Pythium blight, dollar spot, red thread, and rust. Perhaps the most significant improvement in perennial ryegrass within the past few years has been the development of varieties with enhanced endophyte performance. Endophytes, in this case, are beneficial fungi that will reside within the seed and grow and persist in the developing plant. Endophytes produce compounds that discourage leaf and stem feeding insects from destroying the grass. Ryegrasses containing endophytes have shown significant increased resistance to sod webworms, billbugs, fall armyworms, chinch bugs, and green bugs.

  • The Fine Fescues (Festuca spp.)
    • Creeping Red Fescue - Festuca rubra
    • Chewings Fescue - Festuca rubra var. commutata
    • Hard Fescue - Festuca longifolia
    • Sheep Fescue - Festuca ovina


The fine fescues are composed of narrow leaved species in the genus Festuca. The most common grass type fine fescues include creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra), Chewings fescue ( Festuca rubra var. commutata), hard fescue (Festuca longifolia), and sheep fescue (Festuca ovina). These species are used extensively for residential lawns, grounds, and parks. They are ideal for low maintenance turfs, but, are not typically used for sporting turfs. During cool weather the fine fescues produce an attractive, uniform stand with a medium-green to dark-green color. These grasses are extremely fine textured and are compatible in mixtures of most cool season grasses. As a group, the fine fescues tolerate soils of low fertility and low pH, drought prone soils, and shaded conditions. They are not well adapted to hot and humid conditions; poorly drained soils; high-traffic areas such as athletic fields or playgrounds; and high rates of nitrogen. Kentucky bluegrass, the fine fescues become semi dormant under prolonged periods of heat and drought and recover very quickly with the advent of cooler temperatures and adequate soil moisture. They tend to produce a significant amounts of thatch and generally do require periodic dethatching. Diseases that can cause severe damage the fine fescues include leaf spot, red thread, and dollar spot.

Creeping red fescue produces rhizomes, thus, allowing it to fill in thin areas of turf and to make good recovery from the injury. This species has good seedling vigor when they are compared with hard and sheep fescues. Chewings fescue lacks strong rhizome development but has increased great tolerance for low mowing. Hard fescue has received much attention in recent years for its tolerance of low fertility soils and drought conditions. It has a dark green color and good density once they are established. The major disadvantage of hard fescue is its relatively slow germination and rate of establishment in a lawn. Sheep fescue is a bunch-type grass used primarily in low maintenance situations you might find. Sheep fescue is used the least of the turf type fine fescue options.

  • Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea)

Tall fescue is a persistent and durable plant that forms acceptable turf for residential home lawns, grounds, parks, playgrounds, and athletic fields. It is commonly used in low maintenance situations such as utility areas, highway medians, airstrips, and county fairgrounds. Many new and improved varieties have fine texture, higher tiller densities, and a darker green color than the coarse textured, light-green varieties as 'Kentucky 31' and 'Alta.' Tall fescue is considered by many individuals to be incompatible with the finer textured and darker green Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescues. Tall fescue may be fine in a mixture with fine-textured turfgrass species because it will tend to form coarse textured clumps in an otherwise uniform stand.

Tall fescue is primarily a bunch type of turfgrass that occasionally produces short rhizomes. It's somewhat slow to establish extensive root systems and has only fair recovery potential for turf. This species is the most heat and drought tolerant of the cool season turfgrasses available. The increased drought tolerance is a function of its ability to produce a very deep root system. Tall fescue performs well in open, sunny areas and is surprisingly moderately shade tolerant. It is less suited to heavily shaded conditions than the fine fescues are, but is more shade tolerant than Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass. Tall fescue is best suited for well drained soils.

Tall fescue thrives under moderate fertility levels. The most serious disease of tall fescue is only brown patch. This disease occurs in the hot, humid months of summer and is especially severe when the turf is heavily over fertilized with nitrogen. Other possible damaging diseases of tall fescue are net blotch, red thread, rust, and Pythium blight.

 

  • Bentgrasses (Agrostis spp.)
    • Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris)
    • Colonial bentgrass (Agrostis tenuis)

Bentgrasses are fine to medium textured grasses that have a light to medium green in color. These species are used primarily only for golf course greens and fairways, bowling greens, and grass tennis courts. They are not suitable as lawn grasses and are not compatible in mixtures with other cool season grasses. Creeping bentgrass, the most commonly used bentgrass, spreads by stolons and is a very prolific thatch producer. As a group, the bentgrasses are cold and heat tolerant but only moderately wear and drought tolerant unfortunately. Growth is optimum during the spring and fall seasons of the year. These grasses tolerate acidic and wet soils better than the other cool season grasses.

Bentgrasses are very susceptible to injury from a number of herbicides, making weed control very difficult. They are also highly susceptible to a number of diseases including dollar spot, brown patch, Pythium blight and take all patch.

Bentgrasses will tolerate extremely low mowing heights provided that proper management practices are followed. Low cut bentgrasses require irrigation, fungicide and insecticide spray applications, mechanical brushing and thinning, and periodical topdressing to prevent thatch formation damaging the turf.

  • Zoysiagrass - (Zoysia japonica)

Zoysia grass is a warm season species that makes optimum growth during high temperature periods during the growing season. It can form an attractive turf in the southern portions of the state and is used primarily for residential home lawns. Zoysiagrass has a medium to fine leaf texture and tends to have a light to medium green in color. This species produces extensive, thick, stolons that will spread rapidly. Because of its prolific stolon production, zoysiagrass has good recuperative potential, however, it may also spread into areas where it is not wanted.

Although drought tolerant when established, zoysiagrass performs best under moderate moisture levels on very fertile, well limed soils. It will not handle poorly drained soils. Its green color is completely lost with fall frosts, and plants remain dormant until late spring. Due to its relatively short growing season, zoysiagrass is suggested only for the southern most regions of Ohio.

Zoysiagrass performs well under low rates of nitrogen. The best time to fertilize this species is late spring to mid summer. Zoysiagrass should be mowed at lower heights than most other turfgrasses used in Canal Fulton, Ohio. Because zoysiagrass produces extensive amounts of thatch, dethatching should take place on a yearly basis.

Meyer zoysiagrass must be propagated vegetatively by planting sod plugs or sprigs. Development rate depends on plug size, competition from other grasses and weeds, and the growing environment it is in. Quickest establishment is with using 4 inch diameter plugs planted in late spring or early summer. Three to six years may be required to develop a solid stand of Meyer zoysiagrass and requires patience. Cost of establishment of this grass is very high.

 

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December 21, 2018 Canal Fulton Ohio, Clinton Ohio, Cool-Season Grass, Doylestown Ohio, Fertilization and Weed Control, Fertilization Company, Fertilizer, Grass, Grass Species, Jackson Township Ohio, Lawn, Lawn Care, Lawn Care Tips, Lawn Tips, Massillon Ohio, New Franklin Ohio, North Canton Ohio, Northeast Ohio, Portage Lakes Ohio, Stark County Ohio, Summit County Ohio, Turf, Turf Management, Turfgrass, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , Read more >

Flea and Tick control for Kent, Ohio

Fleas and Ticks 

Fleas and ticks are two of the most frequent pet care concerns for Americans. Kent residents remember prevention is the best defense against these parasites. It is important to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of fleas and ticks so you can help your pets.

Fleas are the most common external parasite to plague pets. They are wingless insects that feed on blood and they can jump up to two feet high.

Fleas can live for as few as 2 weeks or as long as 12 months and during this time they can produce millions of offspring.

Pets and Fleas

Symptoms of dogs with fleas.

Fleas are most commonly noticed on a dog’s belly, the base of the tail and the head. Common symptoms of fleas on dogs are:

  • Flea dirt in a dog’s coat that looks like a small dark grains of sand
  • Eggs that look like tiny white grains
  • Allergic dermatitis
  • Excessive scratching or biting at skin
  • Hair loss
  • Scabs and hot spots
  • Pale gums
  • Tapeworms

Symptom cats have of fleas

If you see your cat scratching often then invest in a fine tooth comb and run it through their fur. Pay attention to the neck and the base of the tail when looking for the fleas.

  • Flea dirt in a dog’s coat that looks like a small dark grains of sand
  • Flea eggs that look like tiny white grains
  • Itchy and irritated skin
  • Excessive scratching
  • Chewing and licking
  • Hair loss
  • Tapeworms
  • Pale lips or gums

The Causes of Fleas

  • Fleas are easily brought in from the outside.
  • Fleas thrive in warm and humid climates at temperatures of 65 to 80 degrees.
  • Adult fleas spend most of their lives on pets laying eggs in the fur.
  • These eggs drop out everywhere and hatch into new adult fleas. Then in turn find their living host either human or animal.

Flea facts

  • Fleas can consume 15 times their own body weight in blood, which causes anemia or a significant amount of blood loss over time.
  • This is especially problematic in young puppies or kittens. When an inadequate number of red blood cells can be life threatening to your pet.
  • Some pets have a sensitivity to the saliva of fleas, which can cause an allergic reaction known as flea allergy dermatitis.

Flea treatments

Consult your local Kent area vet if you suspect your pet has fleas. It is important that all of your pets are treated for fleas and that the environment is treated as well. Once your vet confirms fleas, a treatment plan may include the following:

  • Topical or oral treatment on the pet
  • Thorough cleaning of your home including carpets, rugs, bedding and upholstery. Severe cases may require using a spray or a fogger in the home.
  • Lawn treatments will be needed so your pet will not keep getting re-infected every time it goes outside.

Flea Prevention

  • Use a flea comb on your pet and wash their bedding once a week.
  • Keep the outside of your house free of organic debris, such as rake clippings and leaves, and always remember that fleas like to hide in dark, moist, shady areas.
  • The best prevention is to keep regular lawn treatments applied outside during flea season.

 

Ticks

Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of unlucky animals, such as cats and dogs. Like mites and spiders, ticks are arachnids. Although their presence may not even be noticed by a host, ticks can transmit many diseases.


Tick Transmission

  • Most species of ticks require blood meals from a host for its survival.
  • Ticks bury their head into a host when they bite and then gorge themselves on blood.
  • Ticks tend to be most active in late spring and summer and live in brush or grass, where they can attach to a host. Which makes cats and dogs a prime candidate.
  • Can be transferred from pets coming into the household from outside.
  • Ticks prefer to attach close to the head, neck, ears or feet, but can be found elsewhere also.
  • Ticks are particularly prominent in warm climates and certain wooded areas of the Northeast.

How do I find out if my pet has ticks?

  • Most ticks are visible by eye. Ticks are often the size of a pinhead before they bite, and are not noticed until they swell with blood.
  • While these parasites rarely cause obvious discomfort, it is a good idea to check your pet often if you live in an area where ticks are prevalent.
  • Run your hands carefully over your pet every time he comes inside. Especially check inside and around the ears, head and feet.

Complications that can be associated with ticks

  • Blood loss
  • Anemia
  • Tick paralysis
  • Skin irritation and infection
  • Lyme Disease
    • Lyme disease is an infection than can affect humans, dogs, and cats.
    • Its primary carrier is the deer tick. They can attach to a dog or human and transmit the bacteria that cause the disease.
    • Signs of Lyme disease include depression, swelling of the lymph nodes, loss of appetite, fever, swollen, painful joints and even kidney failure.
    • Lyme disease is mostly effective treated with antibiotics.
    • With prompt and proper treatment, your pet’s condition should start to improve within a couple of days.

 

Tick treatment

If you do find a tick on your pet, it is important to take care when preforming the removal. Any contact with the tick’s blood can potentially transmit the infection to your pet or even to you. Prompt removal is necessary by following these step-by-step tick removal instructions:

Step 1: Preparation

  • Put on latex gloves so you’ll never have direct contact with the tick or your pet’s infected area.
  • Because throwing the tick in the trash or flushing it down the toilet will not kill it, you should prepare a  jar containing rubbing alcohol to put a tick in after removal. This allows you to hold it for veterinary testing.
  • If possible find a partner to help you distract and comfort your pet and hold them still during removal.

Step 2: Remove

  • Using a pair of tweezers, grab the tick as close to the animals skin as possible.
  • Pull straight upwards with steady, even pressure and place the tick in your jar.
  • Don't twist or jerk on the tick. This may leave parts embedded in your pet, or cause the tick to regurgitate ineffective fluids.
  • Do not squeeze or smash the body of the tick, because its fluids may contain infection.

Step 3: Disinfect & watch

  • Disinfect the bite area and wash your hands with soap and water immediately, even though you were wearing gloves.
  • Sterilize your tweezers with alcohol or discard them.
  • Monitor the bite area over the next few weeks for any signs of infection, look for redness or inflammation.
  • If infection occur bring your pet and your jarred tick to your vet.

Tick prevention

  • Many products on the market that treat fleas also kill ticks. Speak to your vet about the best product.
  • Ensure a tick-free lawn by mowing it regularly, removing tall weeds and making it inhospitable. Prevention is key and regular lawn treatments applied outside during tick season is a great prevention also.

 

Ready to find out more about flea and tick control?

Call Akron Canton Lawn Care Now for your Free Estimate on any of our lawn care services
(330) 933-2222 or click the Contact Us button to send us an email.

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Medina Ohio Asks: Is this Crabgrass?

Crabgrass Defined 

For an annual weed, crabgrass certainly gets much attention. Crabgrass can turn what was a great looking lawn into a nightmare in the matter of just a few weeks. It grows from seed each year when the soil warms to about 55 or higher for at least a week in the spring but grows most rapidly during the heat of summer. The seed will usually germinate faster in bare soil areas or places near sidewalks or other places where the earth will warm up more quickly. A thick and healthy dense lawn is usually not where crabgrass will be most found because it does not compete well with taller plants or shade.

 

Crabgrass has coarser grass blades than typical lawn grasses and are also usually lighter green in color so the crabgrass plants are quite noticeable. Crabgrass usually has a low growing habit that spreads out along the ground. It will cover a somewhat circular area up to a foot wide but it can also grow up to 2 feet tall in some situations. As the stems arch over and grow along the ground, they will often produce roots at the nodes along the stems. It is very difficult to pull out a mature crabgrass plant because of all of those extra roots that the plant produces. After the stems elongate they begin flowering, usually starting about the beginning of August and continuing until a hard frost kills the plant. The flower heads looks like a hand with the fingers pointing upward. Seeds will ripen within a few weeks with each individual plant capable of producing 1,500 seeds.

Grassy Weed or Broadleaf

Control of crabgrass in Medina lawns is of primary concern for most homeowners that spend lots of money each year trying to prevent crabgrass from growing in their lawns. There are several active ingredients that are effective in crabgrass prevention, but one should check the label to be sure that products they are applying is in fact for crabgrass prevention and not for the control of broadleaf weeds. Those products will have no effect in controlling crabgrass. Commercial lawn care companies may also be able to apply the crabgrass prevention products alone, not in combination with a fertilizer but those products are usually not available to home owners.

Prevention

Crabgrass prevention products are usually quite effective if they are applied at the right time. People often refer to the time when lilacs or Forsythia are blooming as an indicator as to the proper time to apply the product to their turf. If you apply it too early or not enough, it may lose its effectiveness before the end of the summer, allowing for a late flush of crabgrass to emerge and grow. But, if you wait too long in the spring to apply it, you might miss the first wave of seedling germination and still have a major crabgrass problem. Once the seedlings are up and growing these products will not kill the seedlings. Crabgrass preventers will also prevent other kinds of weed seeds from germinating, like the grass seed that you might apply that spring or summer to fill in bare areas or to thicken and existing grass. If you plan to do some seeding, do it late in the fall to avoid problems with spring applied crabgrass preventers or simply choose not use them at all in those areas.

There are a very few post emergence crabgrass killing herbicides available. They can be effective but they need to be applied shortly after the crabgrass seedlings have emerged from the lawn. Once the plants begin to produce multiple stems control is greatly reduced which will make you unhappy because post emergent control is very expensive to apply.  Another very important aspect of crabgrass control is to maintain a healthy lawn in Medina that is properly fertilized, watered and mowed.

 

Ready to find out more about Crabgrass?

Call Akron Canton Lawn Care Now for your Free Estimate on any of our lawn care services (330) 933-2222 or click the Contact Us button to send us an email.

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Is Yellow Nutsedge Inundating Your Copley, Ohio Lawn?

The Invasion Of Yellow Nutsedge

Yellow nutsedge is a major weed that used to be only found in the South, but has made its way North. It is a grass like weed in the sedge family with top growth that reaches 8 to 30 inches tall. Yellow nutsedge has an extensive underground network of basal bulbs, roots, thin fibrous rhizomes, and tubers. The leaves are mostly basal and are bright green to yellow green and bears the inflorescence flower heads. The inflorescence are yellow to brown and consists of spikes borne on 1 to 3 inches of stalks unequal in length.

Dormancy in yellow nutsedge is broken by chilling at 40–50°F for several weeks. Sprouting will begin as soil temperatures rise above 55°F. Tubers can remain dormant and survive up to 4 years.

In Copley, Ohio Yellow nutsedge begins active growth in late spring. A rhizome emerges from the tuber and grows toward the surface of the soil. When the rhizome receives a light stimulus a basal bulb will then form. The shoot that formed will consist of a cluster of basal leaves from this bulb. Then a fibrous root system will develop from basal bulbs and rhizomes.

 

Plant development

Yellow nutsedge remains attached to the mother tuber for up to 10-12 weeks. Within four weeks after initial shoot emerges new rhizomes emerge from the basal bulb and grow up to 20 inches laterally. This will happen over and over again forming new basal bulbs and daughter plants. Yellow nutsedge will continue to spread exponentially in the absence of competition or control measures and will also spread by seed developed in mature plants.

In temperate zone populations of yellow nutsedge, shortening day length in late summer triggers flowering and tuber production. When day length decreases to about 14 hours, rhizome tips begin to form tubers rather than new daughter plants. While top growth slows, prolific tuber production continue to form until frost kills them. Tubers will form as deep as 18 inches.

Where does it grow?

Yellow nutsedge thrives in moist to wet conditions and can tolerate flooding. It can be incredibly prolific in temperate climates with high moisture soils. A single tuber has been observed to give rise to 1,900 shoots and 6,900 tubers within one year in Minnesota and 1,700–3,000 shoots and 19–20 thousand tubers in irrigated fields in Oregon forming a dense patch 6 feet across. Tuber dry weight reached an equivalent of about 4 tons per acre.

Yellow nutsedge tubers are killed by exposure for 1–2 days to temperatures of 113–122°F or below 20°F. Most tubers within 2 inches of the soil surface are winter killed but the weed readily emerges from tubers located 4 inches or deeper where they are protected from temperatures extremes. Yellow nutsedge has successfully spread into southeastern Canada, where snow cover has protected tubers from winterkill.

Yellow nutsedge can tolerate moderate shade with little decrease in growth or tuber production, whereas dense shade reduces total biomass by more than half. Although the weed compensates for shade by growing even taller, and can form some tubers even under 94% shade, competition for light is recognized as an important tactic that can enhance the efficacy.

Yellow nutsedge can form viable seeds by cross-pollination. As many as 1,500 viable seeds per plant and the seedlings  can establish successfully only when the soil surface remains continuously moist.

As you can see Yellow nutsedge is not a weed to ignore in your Copley lawn and should be treated immediately. A delay in the treatment can become catastrophic very quickly.

 

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Best Lawn Care Services in Canton, Ohio


For many homeowners it is finally time to admit it in Canton Ohio. Your lawn needs more time than you can give it right now and you are ready for some professional help from a local lawn care company. But how do you find the best lawn care services that you require? You have googled “lawn care.” But there are so many lawn care companies out there, with no idea of who will be the best lawn care service for you. How do you select the best lawn care services for your lawn? Hopefully the following information will help point you to the best lawn company for the job.

What type of lawn care services does my property need?

Lawn Mowing - If your turf is in good shape, may be that all you need is basic lawn mowing service. Most mowing companies offer weekly mowing services where the mow, trim and blow off all hard surfaces. Usually their commercial equipment will leave a better cut than residential equipment. Professional mowing services will stripe the lawn for a great look and they will know what heights to mow at during certain times of the year to make the grass healthy and look great.

Troubleshooting a lawn that requires some sort of lawn treatments - When you notice that your lawn is looking less than great. Maybe the turf is patchy looking or discolored. It is time to call in a great local lawn care company to evaluate the situation. Lawn care experts are trained to identify and diagnose all lawn problems.

Remedy - Based on their evaluation of your turfs needs, a professional lawn care company should be able to offer an remediation plan, which may or may not include one or more of these treatments for the lawn:

  • core aeration of your lawn (if your lawn's soil is compacted or to thick in thatch, removing small “cores” of the lawns soil will allow oxygen, water, and fertilizer to reach the grass roots)
  • treatment of lawn pests and weed control
  • eradication of lawn diseases

How do I choose the best lawn care services in Canton OH?

Look for lawn care companies with good local references

The lawn company you hire should be licensed wherever required by law and if applying treatments to your lawn should be a licensed with the Ohio Department of Agriculture

Anyone working on your property or lawn should be insured with business liability and property insurance coverage. For your protection and theirs.

If you can get three estimates and compare the prices and services they offer.

Make sure that your lawn contractor knowledgeable and familiar with the particular species of grass and conditions associated with your property.

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Reasons why Portage Lakes residents should fertilize their lawns

Reasons Why It Is Important To Fertilize A Lawn in Portage Lakes OH

It can be very tough to keep your lawn looking as fresh as you would like in Portage Lakes Ohio. Between pests, weather, and other foes, you’ll want to make sure that your lawn looks as healthy as it can. Homeowners in Portage Lakes Ohio have used fertilizer on lawns for centuries, but do you know the reasons why fertilization is so important? Keep reading for some great reasons why lawn fertilizer is important!

1. Lawn Fertilizer Will Work With Important Nutrients in Soil

In order to have a healthy lawn (or any healthy plant life) you will need high soil quality. Using a fertilizer for a lawn is the best way to do so. Over time, your soil will naturally lose many of the important nutrients it needs to survive. If you really want a lush, green lawn, you are going to need to replace them. Fertilizer replaces and replenishes the essentials your lawn needs for a great look.

2. Your Lawn Needs Fertilizer as Much as it Needs Sunshine and Water

Grass needs the correct amount of water and sunshine to be healthy and dark green, but don’t forget to feed it, too! Your lawn needs nutrients to thrive and to survive. For soil to be as rich as possible, it needs 3 elements:

  • Phosphorous
  • Nitrates
  • Potassium

Think of this as the trinity for a lawn. If you do not have even one of these, your lawn will look shriveled and browned. You feed your body, but your lawn needs food also.

3. A Green Solution

Pardon the pun, but fertilizer is a fantastic solution when used right. Since it uses natural chemicals and vitamins, it is a lawn care solution you can feel good about using. Not only are you taking care of your lawn by using fertilizer, you are taking care of the environment. No need to worry about excess waste since fertilizer just dissipates into the soil. In fact, you can even use your own lawn clippings for a cheap, eco-friendly fertilizer solution!

4. It is Easy to Use

One of the best reasons to use fertilizer is that you do not necessarily need a green thumb to use it. If you’re not interested in using the aid of some great local services, you can always spread the fertilizer yourself on the lawn. All you have to do is carefully spread it evenly and follow the instructions. It’s simple with the right equipment, but your lawn will look better than ever.

5. Your Grass Will Grow Faster

You already know that fertilizer is an important part of the diet of your lawn. But did you know that it will actually help your grass grow faster? You can’t rely solely on the soil for great, healthy plant life. You’ll get much better results by using fertilizer.

6. Lawn Fertilizer is Very Cost Effective

Like most homeowners, you are probably worried about the cost. Well, there’s a bit of good news! Using fertilizer is usually quite cost effective. Following fertilization, all you have to worry about is the basic maintenance.

Ready to find out more?

Call Akron Canton Lawn Care Now for your Free Estimate on any of our lawn care services
(330) 933-2222 or click the Contact Us button to send us an email.

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Tips For Watering Your Lawn In Canton, Ohio

Watering the Lawn

Tips on watering your lawn in Canton Ohio

You should be watering for 30-40 minutes per section 2-3 times per week in Canton OH. This gives your lawn a good
deep root watering every time. This allows the water to seep all the way down to the root system and promotes deep root growth. This also will ensure that the lawn is getting the proper amounts of nutrients that it needs. You only need to water a few times a week when you water for long periods. The lawn will take a longer period of time for the soil to dry out.

Busting Myths

It is a common myth that the more water is always better. This is not the case, the more water in your lawn the more issues you can be bringing to your lawn. By using so much water your lawn you run the risk of leaving moisture in the lawn encouraging fungal growth, or you could flood the lawn with water and wash away nutrients that the lawn needs to survive.

Especially in the Summer when the lawn can be under an enormous amount of heat stress in Canton Ohio. The last thing the lawn needs is our cultural practices adding to the stress and making more problems. For example, if your mowing the lawn with a mower with dull blades that are not cutting the lawn properly and will cause the blades of grass to become jagged and those jagged edges are what creates a better opening for the disease to enter into your lawn. Or mowing the lawn to short and scalping can cause browning and thinning of the grass making the lawn more of a target for lawn disease, weeds, and insect damage.

A full, thick lawn is always the best defense to all these lawn problems.
If you start to notice your grass suffering from heat stress you should focus on cultural practices. Make sure you have a proper and effective schedule for watering. Also, make sure the lawn is being mowed at the proper height and with sharp blades. If your grass does become dormant because of the weather and you begin to water, you need to then continually water the lawn regularly.

The lawn uses up its food reserve in the root system to become active again. You need to give it the time that it needs to regain that reserve and not cause further stress. Please do remember that a great healthy lawn takes time and patience. In some cases, it could take a lawn up to a month to start showing signs of “life” again and green up. It is greatly recommended to reseed your lawn after the drought and heat stress has subsided in the Fall months. For a wonderful landscape it is important to keep up with rejuvenating the grass, and keeping your lawn young to fight off the stresses a lawn will endure.

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Call Today! (330) 933-2222 or Click the link below to contact us via email.

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January 24, 2018 Canton Ohio, Communities Serviced, Cool-Season Grass, Drought, Fertilization Company, Fertilizer, Fertilizer Service, Grass, Grass Species, Hills and Dales Ohio, Irrigation, Lake Cable Ohio, Lake Township Ohio, Landscape, Landscaper, Landscaping, Lawn, Lawn Care, Lawn Care Company, Lawn Care Service, Lawn Care Tips, Lawn Diseases, Lawn Fertilization, Lawn Service, Lawn Tips, Lawn Treatments, Lawrence Township Ohio, McDonaldsville Ohio, Meyers Lake Ohio, Middlebranch Ohio, Northeast Ohio, Ohio, Plain Township Ohio, Soil, Stark County Ohio, Turf, Turf Disease, Turf Management, Turfgrass, Turfgrass Disease, Watering Your Lawn, , , , , , , , , , , , , Read more >