Lawn Services of Omaha - Lawn and Landscaping

Growing Grass Under Trees

by David Steg on 02/22/16

Is it Possible or Impossible to Grow Grass Under Trees?

More times than not, we see ugly patches of little to no grass beneath our trees. It seems like a constant defeat to get grass to grow, but fear not! It is possible to grow lush green grass under your trees. There are two factors that make growing grass under trees a rather difficult task. One of the main reasons, is that grass has to compete with the tree roots for water and nutrients. The blades of grass are also shaded by the tree’s canopy, so the grass beneath the tree gets little sunlight.

A few key points to note when trying to promote grass growth under a tree:

Thin out the tree’s canopy to allow the maximum amount of sunlight to reach the ground. This should be done every few years, but never top off a tree. This will eventually kill it, and is unlawful in may cities.
Keep the height of grass taller under the tree when mowing. The longer the blades of grass, the better they are able to grab the available sunlight. Also, the longer the grass the deeper the roots, which allow for them to obtain more water.
Especially in dry weather conditions, water the area under the tree thoroughly. The area under a tree is very dry, since the tree roots will take up as much water as possible. Keeping the ground moist, will promote healthier grass.

If you wish to grow grass under a tree, re-seeding is essential. Most lawns will need to be reseeded very year or two, especially in areas under a tree. For best results, it is important to add enough soil to create a seed bed. This will allow for root growth on the grass and help cover some of the tree roots. Please beware that when adding soil near a tree that it shouldn’t be in large mounds. Adding too much soil can harm your tree. Also, if the soil is too close to the base of the tree, it can cause the trunk to rot or promote fungus. It is best to contact an arborist if you plan to add additional soil around a tree.

Some tree’s will not allow for grass to grow, no matter what you do. Instead of wasting time and money, it may be best to mulch those areas. Again, be sure to spread the mulch thinly and evenly to keep your tree happy and healthy.

Comments (0)

6 Step Lawn Fertilization Program

by David Steg on 02/15/16

Do I Really Need to Follow a 6 Step Fertilization Program?

As a homeowner it seems like their are so many options out there to help promote a nice green lawn. It is common to hear 6 step program on even lawn care site, but can’t I skip a step? I would say the answer depends, but to see optimal results it is recommended that a 6 step program is followed. This blog will highlight what each step does to help promote a lush green lawn.

Step 1- Early Spring

Fertilization in the early spring will help attach crabgrass before it starts to germinate. This round will include the chemicals urea and potash. This is also the prime time to apply weed control product, to prohibit the growth of broadleaf weeds.

Step 2- Late Spring

This round of fertilizer will contain nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, and iron. The iron is essential to promote greening of the grass and also helps trees and shrubs nearby. The weed prevention products laid down will target dandelions, chickweeds, clover, and other unwanted weeds.

Step 3- Summer

This treatment will another round of fertilizer and weed control that is suited for summer conditions. This step will also help control lawn damaging insets.

Step 4- Late Summer

This is a weed and feed application and will arrest the weeds that have migrated to your yard by wind, water, or animals.

Step 5- Early Fall

As the temperatures start to change most of our perennials have died off, but the weeds are still a threat. Another round of weed control is applied to make sure that more don’t pop up in your lawn and potentially attack in the spring months. This round will also help lawns recover from the heat stresses of summer and prove new growth.

Step 6 - Late Fall

This is the best time of year for weed prevention and winterization. In late fall, the treatment will go directly to the root of the weed and kill the entire plant. This will help keep your grass healthy, until the grass becomes dormant for the winter months.

Comments (0)

Winter Effects on Lawn Health

by David Steg on 02/08/16

What is winter kill and what does is do to my lawn?

We often think the lawns should only be cared for during warmer weather, but that isn’t true. Lawns should be taken care of year round for the best possible results. After winter, many homeowners will notice brown / dead spots in their lawns, which is known as winter kill. This can be a sign of seasonal maintenance problems. There are a few common causes for this phenomena, including disease, freeze damage, and general stress.

• Disease – Funguses and plant viruses attack grasses that are under stress, then weaken and infect them. The fungus will take away the required nutrients for healthy grass and can cause die-off during the winter.

• Freeze Damage – Hard soil and the lack of moisture are the two main causes of freeze damage that leads to winter kill. Dry soil becomes is more easily compacted and becomes hard, which allows for it freeze faster and deeper than well-hydrated soil. During very cold weather, these conditions cause damage to grass roots, which are unable to tolerate the extreme cold.

• General Stress – The largest factor to winter kill is stress. This can come in the form of disease, root damage from dehydration, or continued damage from drought. The best solution is to remove sources of plant stress to ensure a healthy lawn come spring.

What Contributes to Winter Kill?

The biggest cause of stress to a lawn is improper watering. The roots become stressed and are therefore prone to disease and weaknesses, because they are unable to get nourishment . These roots are unable to grow deep into the ground which will usually cause the grass to die. To prevent winter kill, a homeowner must provide adequate care according to their grass type and local weather conditions – especially in the fall. Feeding, aerating, and dethatching should be performed regularly. Most importantly, a homeowner must learn how to water correctly to promote deep, thick roots. It is important to understand the type of grass you have and follow the suggested watering. Saturating the soil can be goo because this will cause the roots to grown deeper and make the grass stronger. Too many surface roots, will more likely die with improper watering and hot summer days. Winter kill is a devastating condition that can affect lawn that are not as healthy as they appear It is always good to consult with your lawn care specialists to ensure your lawn is getting the proper care it needs.

Comments (0)

Strategies to Help Eliminate Weeds

by David Steg on 01/27/16

Weeds, weeds, weeds; everybody has them, but nobody likes them! As a homeowner, we pride ourselves in our well kept lawns, but nobody said it was easy to keep it weed free. Sometimes it feels like we can do all the right things and they still come. Today I will go over a few strategies that will help simplify your weed control.

Mow at the correct height:

Each type of grass has an ideal cutting hight, which helps promote optimal health. I will provide a table to show the appropriate cutting height for the most common grasses, and it is important to make sure we don’t cut below that ideal height. Also, longer grass will help prevent weeds because it can provide shade to the ground. This will keep the ground cooler and will retard the germination of weed seedlings. Also, when the grass is taller the weeds have a harder time getting additional sunlight and will not grow as quick. Although mowing is nobody’s favorite chore, it is important to mow when your grass needs it. The best time to mow is when the grass is 1/3 above the ideal cutting height. Depending on the weather, this can mean mowing twice a week, or maybe once every two weeks. When we mow our lawns, we are clipping off weed seed heads before they an take over our yards.

Ideal Mowing Heights:

Cool Climate Grasses:

-Bent grass - 1/4 to 3/4 inches

-Tall Fescue - 1-1/2 to 3 inches

-Kentucky bluegrass - 1-1/2 to 3 inches

-Perennial ryegrass - 1-1/2 to 3 inches

Warm Climate Grasses:

-Bermuda grass- 1/2 to 1 inch

-Blue grama grass - 2 to 3 inches

-Buffalo grass - 2 to 3 inches

-Carpetgrass - 1 to 2 inches

-St. Augustinegrass - 1 to 3 inches

-Zoysia grass - 1/2 to 1 inch

Correctly Identify Your Weeds:

Most consumers will go to the store and grab the largest bottle of weed kill, but this won’t typically solve your problems. It is important to know what kind of weeds you have and plan your attack accordingly. The three common classifications of weeds are broadleaf, perennial grassy weeds, and annual grassy weeds. Each type of weed will require a different treatment type and application method.

How to Control Broadleaf Weeds with the Least Amount of Herbicide:

There are a few different methods to control broadleaf weeds, and usually less is more. When going to the store, be sure to select a broadleaf herbicide when trying to tackle these pests. It is also key to get the smallest applicator necessary to complete the job, because a little goes a long way.

Some yards will get a weed here or there, so treating the whole yard would be unnecessary. Spot treating the weeds would do the job with the use of a trigger- controlled, pump-up pressure sprayer. Should you have weeds in larger patches, it is best to treat those with a standard 1 or 2 gallon tank sprayer. Lastly, if your yard is out of control, then a more aggressive approach will be needed. The best method to treat this situation is with a dial sprayer attached to a garden hose. It is both fast and efficient. It is important to cover all flower beds, since this type o herbicide will kill anything that has leaves on them.

Kill Perennial Grassy Weeds One by One:

Quack grass is one of the best examples of a perennial grass that will come back each year, just like your normal grass. They have extensive root systems and can also spread through their abundant seed pods. Pull grassy weeds by hand will result in pulling a small portion of the root system. The only true solution to eliminate these weeds is the use of a “nonselective” plant killer (Ex. Roundup). Using this type of plant killer will kill everything in the area. To prevent killing the grass around the area or other plants, it’s best to wipe the blades of with a nonselective herbicide. Within a few days, most of the weedy grass will have died. Additional treatments may be needed for any surviving plants.

How to Control Crab Grass:

Crab grass is a very common annual weedy grass that dies at the end of the season, but spreads it’s seeds for early germination in spring. The best method to keep grab grass under control is by applying grab grass preventer between the first few mowings. This treatment will prevent the seeds from germination, but timing is everything.

For the best results, make notes where the crab grass seems to thrive. Making these notes will allow you to spread product where it is needed, which will save time and money. Crab grass is attracted to areas where the ground warms quickest, especially by concrete surfaces.

There are three methods to removing crab grass:

Hand-pull the clumps so that it is unable to reseed itself. Add new grass seed if the patches create bare spots in the yard.
Let it grow and wait until the following spring to treat, since the weed will die in the winter.
Treat the clumps with a post- emergent crab grass killer. This will be most effective for younger plants, but once the seed heads form in the late summer this method will not work. It will be better to wait until the spring to apply a preventer.

Don’t Fight Weeds:

Sometimes there are areas where grass won’t grow. Don’t spend hundreds of dollars in product to force what mother nature doesn’t want. Applying mulch or rock is a great alternative to areas where grass won’t grow. It is best to place down a weed barrier before applying one of these medians.

Comments (0)

Over-seeding in Spring

by David Steg on 01/15/16

Over-seeding in the Spring

In a few short months spring will be upon us and you know what that means! Life will become festive and our lawns will need a little TLC. There are various options to making your lawn stand out, but most prep needs to happen in early spring. Over-seeding can produce great results as long as the seedlings have enough time to mature before summer strikes.

We all want beautiful thick green grass, but this doesn’t happen with only sun and water. Spring over-seeding might be the best option for returning a thin or damaged lawn to health, because it will help fill in damaged areas and bare patches. This technique is used for larger areas where the turf is thin, but not bare. Spring overseeing will also help lawns resist stresses that an be caused by diseases, insects, and drought.

The effectiveness of over-seeding is enhanced when it is combined with lawn aeration. Aeration will allow water, air and fertilizer to penetrate the soil and have better access to turf grass roots. When overseeing, aeration will also allow for better seed-to-soil contact, which greatly aids seed germination and the growth of seedlings. It is important to note, that the use of fertilizers and pesticides should not be used when overseeing. These chemicals will halt the germination of the seedlings and will not provide the desired results.

Comments (0)

Main | Older Entries »