Springtime in Arizona is a great time of year. The days are warm, the breezes are cool, and the steady whine of leaf blowers once again fills the air. Phoenix commercial property owners take a great deal of pride in their yards, spending about $6.4 billion (nationwide) a year on lawn care, according to the Professional Lawn Care Association of America [source: The Lawn Institute. They buy seed, fertilizer, herbicide, lawnmowers, string trimmers, and other equipment in an effort to create the ideal lawn: a lush, green expanse of grass that feels cool between the toes.
A healthy summer lawn starts with spring maintenance. Winter can alter soil pH, compact the soil, and create conditions friendly to weeds and disease, so it's crucial that you properly clean, fertilize and mow your yard early in the season. So what can you do when winter's changing temps cause bare spots, invasive plants and other problems with your patch of green? Don't panic -- break out the broadcast spreader and click through our list of spring lawn care tips.
If your lawn is already well-maintained, all you need to do is give it a light raking once the ground has dried out. However, problem areas should be addressed quickly, as they can stress your lawn and make it more susceptible to weeds and disease.
One common problem is uneven ground. Low spots cause poor drainage, while high spots are often scalped by the lawn mower. Since these situations create poor growing conditions for grass, grab a shovel, cut away areas that are raised, and fill in those that are depressed.
Another issue that plagues lawns, particularly in high-traffic areas, is soil compaction. This occurs when the soil becomes densely packed, making it difficult for grass to take root and allowing hardier weeds to take over. To test your yard for this problem, stick a garden fork into the ground. If the tines fail to penetrate 2 inches, your soil is compacted and should be loosened with an aerator designed to remove small plugs of soil from your lawn.
First try to address the soil conditions that prevented grass from growing in the past. Call your local Cooperative Extension office to find out where you can get a soil test; this will tell you what nutrients your lawn is lacking. Once you've corrected your soil composition, aerate the ground to avoid any problems with soil compaction.
Well that should get you started in bring your commercial property back to a lush summer lawn.
At Greens Keeper Landscape we want you to know how to take care of your property. If you don’t want the headache of landscape maintenance we take care of your landscape for you. To find out how we can help just give us a call at 623-848-8277.
Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net
Those beautiful Arizona Spring days that we love so well is part of what leads to all of our spring plant growth, both good ones and bad ones.
I know you planned to get your lawns protected from those pesky weeds. But all the wet weather and full sunny days have lead to a great crop of spring weeds. The lawns of your commercial properties are now infested with all kinds of unwanted growth.
It is way too late to use a pre-emergent to treat those lawns. When the weeds have started growing you need to use a Post Emergent herbicide treatment.
Grooming a gorgeous lawn requires persistence and patience as you work to eradicate weeds. Herbicides are a key weapon in the lawn weed control arsenal. Two types of herbicides are commonly used: pre-emergent and post-emergent. The names describe when the herbicide kills weeds. Pre-emergents kill weeds before sprouts emerge from soil. Post-emergents decimate actively growing weeds that have already emerged from soil.
Post-Emergent Herbicides
These herbicides tackle both perennial and annual broadleaf weeds (weeds with leaf shapes that don’t resemble grass), and some even control grassy weeds (weeds that resemble grass). Choose post-emergent herbicides to control existing weeds in a lawn. It’s an ideal herbicide for spot-treating lone offenders.
Secrets to Success
Young, actively growing weeds die most easily and create less of an eyesore than mature weeds, which might require repeat applications for complete kill.
Inspect the lawn frequently (while mowing is a good time) to look for new weeds that have germinated and require treatment.
If you aren’t looking for another DIY project then give us a call at 623-848-8277. It doesn’t matter to us whether you want lush lawns, desert landscaping or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.
Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net
Across the country people are getting ready for spring and the Phoenix Metro area is no different. Well for commercial property owners and managers it can be a time that is often neglected. Well, at least in one area and that is proper watering.
After seeing your grass cover areas going to a dormant state it is easy to forget that they still require proper watering to make a healthy spring comeback.
If your property uses irrigation or it uses sprinklers you need to add springtime watering to your “To-Do List.”
Shift to an as-needed approach to watering. So, if Mother Nature helps and it rains during the week, you don't need to pick up the hose; if the weather's been dry, then turn on the tap. You need to water if you see:
wilted, curled or folded blades of grass
a color change from vibrant green to dull bluish
less "bounce" (when you walk on the lawn in the morning, do your footprints remain for more than a few moments?)
When to Water
Knowing when to water can save you money and effort. Spring and summer are high-demand times on water systems everywhere and it's costly to waste this valuable resource. Here's how to be water wise:
Both evening and early morning can be good times to water because, with the sun low in the sky, less water is lost to evaporation.
Water in the early morning, particularly if your lawn is subject to fungi. Moisture stays on blades of grass for less time than if the lawn is watered in the evening.
Start a watering schedule in time for the growing season (in the South, as early as March and in the North, usually by mid- to late-April), after soil has partially dried.
Water daily on newly seeded or over-seeded areas until they are established.
If you aren’t looking for another DIY project then give us a call at 623-848-8277. It doesn’t matter to us whether you want lush lawns, desert landscaping or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.
Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net
One thing about springtime in Arizona is the weeds that seem to be everywhere. This is really for many good reasons you have breezes to scatter the seeds, good moisture and plenty of sunshine for growth. That wonderful weather is what brings folks to our Valley of the Sun.
As a commercial property owner or manager you will be looking for ways to control those weeds. Today let’s talk about pre-emergent weed control.
Weed seeds exist in almost all lawns and gardens, and can be spread in a number of ways. They can be dispersed by wind, water, animals, soil amendments, poor quality grass seed and lawn and garden equipment. Many weed seeds remain dormant for years before they begin to grow since they must reach the soil's surface and receive the proper amount of sunlight and moisture before they germinate.
In the early Spring inspect your lawn area as the warm weather approaches, then decide on the treatment. Apply a pre-emergent shortly before annual weeds, such as crabgrass, begin to grow in the spring. A good rule is to apply the pre-emergent before the weeds begin to grow and bloom. You may decide to use a pre-emergent combined with fertilizer as an early lawn treatment.
Pre-emergent herbicides are applied before the targeted weed germinates, and are an effective preventative method for controlling weeds. Crabgrass preventer is a good example. Pre-emergents establish a chemical barrier that will not kill established plants, but will prevent weeds from successfully growing. The protective barrier breaks down in six to eight weeks. Use of a pre-emergent, therefore, requires proper timing to be effective. Be aware that pre-emergents can harm some desirable ornamental plants and turf grasses. As always, read and follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.
This time of year try to use selective herbicides. When they are applied as directed by the manufacturer, they kill only certain plants.
A good example of a selective herbicide is a lawn weed killer designed specifically for the removal of broadleaf plants. These products will remove the weeds without killing the established lawn in which the weeds grow. Young, freshly sewn grass would still be susceptible to the herbicide, however, since it would not have had an opportunity to fully establish itself.
If you aren’t looking for another DIY project then give us a call at 623-848-8277. It doesn’t matter to us whether you want lush lawns, desert landscaping or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.
Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net
