Wednesday, 27 March 2013

Properly Look After Your Lawn Year-Round- Information From Kansas City Landscapers

By Thomas Bell


You don't need to pay a professional for a high quality yard servicing. Yet the normal watering and mowing routine is not enough for an immaculate yard. In this article we will cover fundamental methods that many professional Kansas City landscapers implement.

You cannot ignore the needs of your grass as a living thing. Realizing this while also answering the plant's wants will provide you with a great lawn. Understanding needs isn't the end of the matter by any means. You must then meet them.

Kansas City Landscapers understand that the upper 2" of earth should be conditioned if the lawn is going to reach its full potential. Find out what it will take to condition the soil for a loam-type texture with plenty of organic matter. The reason for this texture is proper moisture retention and gas-diffusion. Grass roots need both water and oxygen.

The next step in soil-preparation is the acidity of the soil. Any Kansas City landscaping store will have a test-kit for pH. You can then use organic materials like lime or peat moss to raise or lower the pH. Kansas City lawns are commonly too acidic (low pH) and need to be brought to near neutral. Kansas City landscaping suppliers will have the price on materials and advice.

Erosion and standing water tend to be big issues in the Kansas City region. Proactive management will save you a headache later on and prevent damage to your house and property. Grass in standing water will be stressed and prone to fungus. Grass that is not well-rooted will be killed by fast-moving water and the essential top layer of soil will be removed. The solution is relatively simple- level off and re-grade areas that are low or prone to high drainage, and plant sod or erosion-resistant vegetation, or place mulch, rock, or erosion-controlling materials over extremely steep areas.

Bare areas and new lawns will have to be covered by either sod or seed. You must choose which one works best for your situation. 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.

Strategically using a variety of grasses together will confirm which one will grow efficiently in your particular situation. This can be particularly helpful if more than one condition is present- like when one area of the yard is heavily shaded and another receives full sun. This is a common practice used by professional landscapers in Kansas City to provide a healthy shield against varied conditions and knock out competing plants. If additional landscaping or advice is needed you should contact a professional.

Correct watering is more important than many people realize. Kansas City landscapers know it is an art that should be given attention. This is because fungus and other disease flourish in constantly wet environments, while watering too little will obviously dehydrate the roots. With correct soil preparation, watering should be done once per week at 1.5-2 inches.

Thatch cannot be ignored for years or it will become a major factor in stress and disease. The yard can switch into a different mode of growth that leaves bare areas of soil that are covered with debris. At the same time, it is healthy for the lawn to have a small layer of thatch unseen beneath the grass leaves.

De-thatching is therefore a required part of regular lawn-care. Kansas City landscapers would simply burn the dead grass in the winter months but this is no longer legal so they power-rake it into piles instead. The goal is to draw much of the thatch out of the yard and remove it. Once removed, the thatch can be easily composted (if it's not contaminated with fungus or insects) or simply thrown away.

The weather throughout the year is going to gradually compress the soil. The compacting of the soil will inhibit several important processes and therefore must be dealt with.

Kansas City landscapers get rid of this dilemma by aerating. The aerator will deliver an even series of holes a few inches deep. Ideally, the aeration will permit the roots to grow and work as they should.

At the conclusion of Winter or very beginning of Spring Kansas City landscapers employ an enzyme-inhibitor called "pre-emergent". Before weed-seeds activate, this chemical stops the activation process. This will give the grass a distinct edge over competing plants that will steal nutrients, water, and sunshine.

Food is needed if your grass is going to stay healthy. The soil will lose nutrients over time through various processes. These nutrients must be replaced or your yard will be vulnerable to stress and disease. Kansas City landscapers recommend at least two feedings per year. And if it does not get too hot, where the grass is too stressed to feed, a Summer feeding is ideal. Chemical fertilizers are one option or, the more effective method, compost and manure.

Understand that fertilizing should be done when the grass is not too high so that the nutrients reach the soil, or the nutrient will not be uniformly spread. Cutting the grass too short is at least as bad, however, as the the nutrient will draw water out of the cut leaves and dehydrate the plant. Remember that grass that has been cut too short will be forced into a more intense growth mode that stresses the plant. To avoid this, Kansas City landscapers use higher settings on their mowers.

Kansas City landscapers always apply a fungicide at least once per year so that the infection of fungus, which can destroy entire yards, is stopped before it starts. Lawns that are overly shaded or constantly wet are more liable to this threat. Kansas City landscaping is primarily at risk of this in Spring and Summer when people are watering their lawns and it is raining.

Wise Kansas City landscapers will keep the yard in the healthiest state possible. There is no alternative for a vibrant yard as the best way to prevent problems. Kansas City landscapers always advise people to be proactive before drought and harsh weather come and not after. Don't be foolish and think you can wait until the hard times to work on your grass.

Every good Kansas City landscaper will tell you that it is not easy but it is worth it. Lawn care may be hard but it usually is worth the effort. And few tasks can add value to your home at less cost than proper landscaping. So get out there and enjoy the work!




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