Tuesday, 2 April 2013

Extensive Lawn And Garden Maintenance Tactics From A Kansas City Landscaper

By Dorothy McAllpine


You won't need to pay full price for the benefits of a professional lawn care servicing. But a simple weekly trim certainly won't cultivate a superb yard. In this article we will cover fundamental methods that many professional Kansas City landscapers apply.

You cannot overlook the demands of each part of the grass as a plant- root, stem and leaf. Failing to meet these needs will result in a lawn which will be prone to disease, as well as patchy. And yet realizing the needs of the plant will not be sufficient. You must then implement that knowledge attentively and with strategic skill.

The first step that Kansas City landscapers take for any new yard or bare area is to prepare the soil. Find out what your soil needs and aim for a texture with the right balance of organic material, sand and clay. Kansas City landscapers know this texture is essential for providing exceptional water and gas exchange.

An alkaline or acidic soil must also be treated. Kansas City landscapers employ uncomplicated pH testing tools that are available at many garden-supply stores. After determining the level you will need to treat the soil. Materials like Limestone and Wood Ash will raise the pH while Peat Moss and Sulfur will lower it. Most lawns are subject to become to acidic and need to be brought to nearly neutral (6.6-6.9 pH). Visit your nearest Kansas City landscaping store for materials and recommendations on the particular application strategy.

Grass cannot survive when there is too much erosion or standing water. There is no other remedy than preemptive management. Water left standing too long can suffocate roots and leaves or promote disease. Erosion will remove pivotal protection from roots and wash away nutrients. Use extra soil to re-grade steep or bowl-shaped areas. For areas that are too steep you may need to re-landscape or put sod down.

The next step after soil-preparation is planting the grass itself, either in small bare areas or for a whole new lawn. Sod and seed are the two choices that you will have to investigate and apply at your discretion. In general, seed is much less expensive and you can mix the varieties you like, while sod is not as vulnerable or time and labor-intensive.

Yards with a range of conditions may require multiple species of grass to fight each condition, such as full sun and dark shade within a few feet. Professional Kansas City landscapers know that mixed seed can make sure your yard is well-covered, with the only downside being that the yard may be mottled in color and texture. Each yard is unique and consulting a local Kansas City landscaping professional or shop may be required.

Correct watering is more crucial for your lawn than maybe any other issue. A large number of Kansas City landscapers have a weekly irrigation routine that saturates the soil just right. Thatch and fungus thrive when a yard is too wet. Thatch is a layer of dead grass that blankets the soil and results in patched grass, leaving a hiding place for pests and disease. The soil conditioning plays the largest role in deciding how to water. If it drains too quickly without retaining water or does not drain well you will have to adjust. The goal is to water only once per week.

Thatch can generate problems for your yard if it is excessive. This layer of dead grass lying on top of the ground will choke the grass, not to mention become a breeding ground for disease. Ideally it should be present but not easily seen beneath the thick leaves of the lawn.

Zoysia is one of several varieties of grass that could benefit from a consistent thatch-treatments. A power-rake is the most common tool for this task, but, if one is not available, a stiff hand-rake will do. Raking should bring the dead grass to the surface and uncover the soil's surface. The dried grass can be a fire hazard so be sure to throw it away or compost it.

Snowfall and frost will compress the soil every year. This needs to be remedied if your lawn is going to reach its highest potential.

Aeration is the remedy Kansas City landscapers use to fix this condition. This process cuts uniform holes all through the yard and breaks the surface of the soil. If done right, this will ease the compression and permit free exchange of elements to and from the roots.

In order to keep weeds from even awakening, Kansas City landscapers make use of a pre-emergent. When the weather in Kansas City warms up and thaws the land, seeds begin to emerge. Before the weed germinates, the pre-emergent will stop the seed from activating and sprouting. The grass can then grow and spread quickly to establish itself. Just be careful not to use the pre-emergent if you are seeding grass because it will do the same thing to grass seed as it does to weed seed.

For your lawn to thrive and metabolize it takes food. Essential nutrition is leeched from the soil over time through various processes. Food must be put back in the soil or the grass will become malnourished and stressed. Skilled Kansas City landscapers recommend two or three feedings every year to replace the leeched nutrients. Chemical nutrients are a common method for feeding or, a more natural method, garden compost and manure.

You should never fertilize when the grass is too high, or the nutrient will not be uniformly spread. But, at the same time, if the yard is cut too short the fertilizer can do some major harm to the already stressed plants. Also, be aware that cutting grass too short in general will harm the yard and waste water and nutrients.. Kansas City landscapers usually grasp this and use higher settings on mowing equipment.

An annual treatment of fungicide is helpful in the Kansas City regions so that fungus is stopped before it infects a yard. Yards that are overly shaded or constantly wet are more liable to this threat. Kansas City landscapers may be able to treat an infected yard but sometimes a yard can be lost and must be destroyed.

It is as true in life as it is in landscaping, being diligent now will be much better in the long run than being reactive later. You will never regret keeping your lawn in good health. A stressed or underfed lawn can be fragile and permanently harmed by even one day of bad weather but a cultivate yard will stay strong and healthy.

Every good Kansas City landscaper will tell you that it is hard work but it is necessary if your lawn is going to be healthy and happy. Cultivating a wonderful yard is challenging but it surely is fulfilling. So have fun and all the best!




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment