Fall is the best time to prepare your lawn for how you want it to look when spring comes back around. The cooler weather should be a relief from the past few months you’ve spent in your lawn in the scorching heat. Cooler temperatures allow the grass to focus on its root growth and building density.

Here are some tips for fall that will have your lawn looking green and healthy next spring:

• Attack weeds. Fall is the best time to tackle those weeds. This is the time to apply herbicides to broadleaf weeds.
• If your soil is in need of a reduction in acidity, apply lime. If you’re not sure, have a lawn care company perform a soil test.
• Make sure to rake up any leaves that have fallen onto your lawn.
• Water during warm spells only. Watering isn’t as necessary in the cooler months as it is in warmer months. Be sure to water when temperatures are unusually high.
• Fertilize your lawn if you have cool season grass such as fescue.
• Raise the height on your lawn mower. Do not over cut the lawn.
• Grass clippings can be beneficial this time of year. Leave clippings where they fall unless a large amount has been cut.
• Overseeding should be done to fix bare patches in lawn or to keep lawn looking green throughout the winter.
• Call a lawn care company such as Northwest that can come assess your lawn and let you know what steps should be made in the fall to be sure that you have a healthy, green lawn in the spring and summer.

This summer’s extremely warm temperatures may have left your lawn damaged.  But with a little work, it’s possible to repair the damage and be ready to go for the upcoming seasons.  As we mentioned before, fall is the best time to get your lawn back on track.

The first step is to assess your lawn.
Begin by walking your lawn to identify any bare or brown patches, damaged trees or shrubs, or pest infestations.  If the issues seem to be overwhelming, consider a lawn care company such as Northwest.  If you have a pest infestation, call Northwest Exterminating.  By hiring a professional pest control company they will ensure that your pest problems are taken care of without damaging your vegetation.

The second step is to reseed.
Fall is the time to seed your yard.  Whether you are overseeding to make sure the lawn is thick and dense or spot seeding for bare spots, fall is the best time for seeding.

The third step is to water.
If you do any seeding to your lawn, make sure that you water those areas.  If not, only water when temperatures are unusually high for the fall season.

The fourth step is to fertilize.
Feed your lawn by fertilizing it.  If doing it yourself, be sure to read and follow the directions.  If you are not sure, call your lawn care company.

The final step is maintenance.
Enjoy spending time in your yard in the cooler season.  Rake leaves, clean beds, and use a blower to rid your lawn of any debris that may be found.

Call Northwest for a professional lawn care company that will get your lawn looking green and healthy for the spring.

Soon, this summer’s brutal Georgia heat will begin to fade away to the cool breezes of fall.  Cooler temperatures make maintaining your lawn much more bearable.  It is also a great time to start a lawn care schedule that will ensure your lawn is the envy of all your neighbors throughout the year.  Any good service starts with a plan, or in this case, a lawn analysis.

Each lawn is different; therefore, it is important that each lawn has a unique action plan that is best suited for its specific needs and challenges.  Think of this step as lawn care advice or lawn tips straight from the experts.  Northwest offers this analysis for FREE!  When you receive your analysis, a trained professional will start by gaining a thorough understanding of your lawn.  This will include the health of your lawn, grass and soil type, turf density, disease, weed problems, and pet or insect damage.  Based on the information that we gather, we will develop a detailed, customized solution for YOUR lawn.

Remember that a healthy lawn is only as good as the soil underneath it.  By beginning your treatments early and maintaining your lawn throughout the year you can ensure that you will have a beautiful, lush and green lawn to be proud of.

Disease, lack of water, heat or bad soil are just some of the reasons why your grass may look pitiful at the end of this summer.  Overseeding your lawn is one of the most important things that you can do for your lawn in the fall.  By overseeding, you can make sure that your lawn is green and healthy throughout the year without tearing up the grass and starting over.

Overseeding should be done in the fall to ensure that the root system has developed enough for the grass to stand up against the hot weather of other seasons.  The end of August through mid November is the ideal time because the soil is warm but the temperature is getting cooler.

Lawn care is unique in the fact that you can see the results of your work pretty quickly, when done correctly.  For best results, it is always a good idea to go with a lawn care company when overseeding your lawn.  Using a lawn care company will ensure that your grass is not damaged, all products are used properly and you get a professional opinion on what is best for your lawn.

 

We typically think of fall and winter as being the “off-season” for our lawns but maintaining your lawn care schedule at this time is vital to the health and appearance of your lawn throughout the year.

In order to achieve a weed free lawn next spring, it is essential that you maintain your lawn care treatments throughout the year.  Timely applications of pre and post emergents start in the fall (mid September) and continue until mid spring (early May).  The first application will target fall and winter weed control and prevention followed by applications that target spring and summer weed control and prevention.  These applications will also target strong root systems and contribute to the overall health of your lawn with potassium and nitrogen.

A great looking lawn requires timely applications of herbicides and nutrients.  When any of these essential steps are missed it can create an opportunity for weed invasion and unhealthy looking turf.  There are factors like mowing and watering properly that also play an important role in the overall health and appearance of your lawn.

For professional lawn care services, be sure to call Northwest.

States such as Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and South Carolina, are going into month number 3 of temperatures in the 90’s. Not only is the heat taking a toll on humans, it’s probably taking a toll on your lawn as well. With temperatures so high, there are less people mowing and more people using their sprinkler systems. Using a sprinkler system can be beneficial to your lawn, ensuring it does not dry out. When a lawn becomes dry it can develop patches of grass that can turn brown or thin.

Here are a few tips on how to keep your lawn green and healthy as we head into fall:

• Check your irrigation system to ensure that the sprinkler heads are covered properly
• A deep watering 2-3 times a week is best for most lawns. However, if you’re lawn is in full sun you may need to water 4-5 days per week
• Water in early morning hours to avoid evaporation
• Raise the blades on your mower – taller grass does a better job at retaining water
• Wait for a cooler day to mow the grass to minimize water loss
• Say no to fertilizer. Extreme temperatures and fertilizer are a bad combination. Wait until the cooler fall months to fertilize your lawn
• Have fun while watering your lawn. The whole family can enjoy cooling off by playing in the sprinklers while keeping your lawn healthy.
• For your own safety, mow in early morning or late evening when the temperatures are lower

Call Northwest for your FREE Lawn Care Analysis on how to keep your lawn healthy all year long!

As summer comes around and we’re spending more time outdoors, we want to make sure our yards are looking good for the season!  Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or a Northwest Lawn Care customer, this article featured on HGTV.com will be a helpful tool while getting your lawn in top seasonal shape.

HGTV’s 25 Biggest Landscaping Mistakes

25. Excessive Lawn Ornamentation

People often make the mistake of putting too many decorative items in their front yard, which can be a distraction from the beauty of the natural landscape. Before setting out that lawn ornament, ask yourself why are you putting it there and how it fits in to the context of your overall design and plant materials. Stick with one crisp choice, even if it is a little silly. One little whimsical statement goes a lot further than 10.

24. Forgetting to Recycle

Yard projects tend to produce a good amount of waste, which most people don’t realize when they set out to do the work. Instead of tossing out the branches, clippings and other debris, dispose of them in an eco-friendly way. Rent a shredder and turn them into mulch, and put lawn clippings back on the lawn — they are both great fertilizers. Another idea is to create a compost pile. Compost containers have gotten more attractive. Some almost disappear into the landscape.

23. Planting in the Wrong Place

Improper plant placement is another common mistake. People often do not take into consideration the proper sunlight and exposure for their plants. Be sure to pay attention to the little tag that you get when you buy the plant. When it comes to planting trees, you need to remember how big they could get and how much space they are going to need. Also think about focal points — choose something that’s going to look good year-round.

22. Planting Too Deeply

One of the quickest ways to kill a tree is to plant it too deeply. Some folks figure the more soil they can put around it, the better. But doing so can actually choke the tree to death because there is no air allowed to go to the root system. Going too deep can also encourage root rot. Avoid these scenarios by looking at the main stem, where the largest branch is and then where all of the tentacles come out. That’s the root ball, and that’s what you want to meet, right along the surface. A good rule of thumb with plants is to dig to the actual height of the container in which it came.

21. Cutting Grass Too Short

It’s a common myth that cutting the grass shorter means you have to mow it less. That’s actually not the case, and you can do more harm than good. If you scalp the lawn, it could result in a bare patch, which could make it too inviting for insects and/or susceptible to disease. The key is to cut the lawn different lengths throughout the year. During the summer, the lawn needs a little more shade, so let the blades grow just a little bit more. That way the water doesn’t evaporate so quickly. During the winter, cut it a little bit shorter so that the sunlight can actually get into the soil.

20. Forgetting the View From Your Window

It may seem like common sense to think about the view from inside the house, but a lot of people forget it. Keep in mind what it looks like from all angles. Place your containers where you want them, and then go inside and look look through every major window to see what they’ll look like before you plant. It should be like a painting. When you look out, you should see the glass framed with beautiful trees and foliage.

19. Using the Wrong-Size Pots

It is best to start a plant in a larger pot than it comes in to allow it to room to grow. However, if you put a plant in a pot that is too large, it can shift, sink down into the soil, get too much water or dry out too fast. Also, remember that you are going to have to re-pot it, eventually. It’s easy to tell when that’s necessary because little roots begin to stick out at the bottom. A word of caution related to re-potting. Be sure to give a plant plenty of time get acclimated to its new pot before re-potting again.

18. Failing to Fertilize Properly

There are two ways that fertilizing can be a mistake. The first one is not doing it at all. The other is fertilizing too much or fertilizing improperly. Ask someone at your garden center to recommend a proper fertilizer for your yard. It’s a good idea to do it at least twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall. You should never do so in the bright sun, and watering always needs to follow. It’s also a good idea to mix in fertilizer when planting new plants. Make sure that, when I dig the hole, I mix in new soil and I also mix in fertilizer. So the plant, over the period of a year, is going to have a nice time release of fertilizer.

17. Picking the Wrong Plants

Just because a plant looks pretty doesn’t mean it actually belongs in your yard. You have to take into consideration your particular backyard, with filtered light or shade, and what’s going to work best for you. If it’s a really hot, sunny spot, maybe you want to go with a succulent. Get a great landscaping book for your area to help you figure out what to plant and when, as well as how and when to fertilize.

16. Not Accounting for Wildlife

Before you decide what to plant in your garden, think about what pests you have in relation to what you’d like to plant. For example, pretty flowering plants can attract deer, so you might want to throw in some bitter-tasting ones among them. Once they taste the wrong one, they are likely to stop coming around. If there are wild rabbits around, you may need to shelter your garden bed by building a small fence. Chicken wire is another option.

15. Being Shortsighted

Being shortsighted is a common problem because many people don’t know what the eventual growth of their plants will be. You need to find out how they spread, how they reproduce and what type of maintenance they require. There are actually software programs available where you can design a landscape and then click a button, and it will show you the growth rate of those plants over a year or two years and so on.

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Starting your own garden can offer you and your family many benefits.  Fresh fruits and vegetables hold more nutrients than their store bought counter parts.  By planting your own garden you can control how much money you spend, the chemicals that are used, and what you grow and eat.  Not to mention the benefits of exercise and being in the fresh air which offers numerous benefits both physically and mentally.  A fresh home-grown garden can be a sense of pride for its owner.  After all, it does take hard work and dedication.

Tips for creating a healthy, successful garden:

• Use compost for soil.  Use clippings from the garden mixed with kitchen scraps to create a compost.  One common rule of thought is to use one part organic matter to two or three parts garden soil.
• Gardens require at least six hours of sunlight a day.  Make sure your garden is planted in a well lit area of your yard for the most efficient growth.
• Plant garden beds at least six feet apart.  This encourages air flow between plants and keeps from overcrowding.
• Use a soaker hose to ensure that your plants are being watered sufficiently without wasting.  It is better to water deeply with a soaker a couple of times a week rather than using a regular hose everyday.  Everday hoses do not go as deep into the plant and can often waste water.
• By building your plant beds above the ground a bit can help save water from running off and wasting.
• If you are a beginner or don’t have the time for a big, elaborate garden, you can purchase the plants already blooming from your local garden center.
• Beginning gardeners may want to start with herbs, tomatoes, or peppers, as these are less maintenance.  Beginners should choose a few plants to grow in a small area rather than taking on too much, too soon.
• Blueberries are also known to be an easy fruit to grow. 

Remember that growing your own garden can offer you many benefits.  Although it can be lots of work, it can be well worth it.

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We’ve been talking a lot lately about the approaching spring and getting your lawn growing and healthy.  After the harsh winter we had, lawns are looking dull and dry.  Now is the perfect time to bring them back to life. 

Northwest’s Lawn Care Program is an 8 step program that will keep your lawn growing and healthy throughout the year.  The program is based on a year round schedule that will ensure that your lawn is constantly getting what it needs.  Because the program is customized specifically for your lawn, together, you and Northwest, will establish a watering and mowing schedule for maximum impact.  The result will be a thicker, healthier and greener lawn.

8 Steps:

Jan: Post & pre-emergent broadleaf and grassy weed control

Feb-Mar: Post & pre-emergent broadleaf and grassy weed control

Apr-May: Fertilizer and crabgrass pre-emergent weed control

Jun: Fertilizer and post-emergent weed control

Jul: Fertilizer and post-emergent weed control

Aug-Sept: Fertilizer and post-emergent weed control.  Aeration and overseeding for Fescue lawns in late August.

Oct: Pre-emergent weed control for winter weeds and potash to support strong roots; Fertilize Fescue lawns that have been overseeded

Nov-Dec: Lime; Pre-emergent weed control for winter weeds and potash to support strong roots; Fertilize Fescue lawns that have been overseeded