Bare Spots

When a lawn has bare spots that are appearing frequently and don’t seem to go away no matter how much you water them or fertilize them, it’s a sign that you need to replace the sod in that area. The bare spots could be due to an insect infestation, or the grass is simply dead and won’t soak up anymore nutrients.  Bare spots can also be due to heavy foot traffic on the lawn, or due to urine from your pets completely killing the grass.

Weed Overpopulation

If your lawn is taken over completely by weeds, then it is definitely time to replace your sod. You can try a  weed killer at first to see if you can resolve your problem that way, but you may have to start with new sod and create a new lawn. Some weeds are very persistent and will not go away until they are killed at the root, and even then you have to be careful to not leave any traces of the roots because they can grow back even if there is the smallest bit of root still left in the ground.

You Want to Change the Type of Grass

This seems like a very obvious reason, but you’ll need to replace your sod if you want a different type of grass. If your lawn came with a St. Augustine grass and you want to switch to a Bermuda grass, you’ll need to dig and till your current lawn before planting the new grass.

What Time of Year?

Depending upon what type of climate you live in, you’ll need to plan to re-sod your lawn at different times of the year. For warm climate grasses found in the southeast United States, you should sod your lawn from April to July. These grasses grow the best when they are planted during these months. For cool season grasses, you should plan to re-sod anywhere from March to Septemer.

If you have a large lawn care job that needs a professional’s help, feel free to contact us at for a free estimate.

Where’s My Problem?

There are two places where your sprinkler system can break: the sprinkler head or along the main line. Breaking sprinkler heads is a very common thing and can be fixed easily. You can break a head by accidentally running over the grass in your car or with a lawnmower. If you have a break along the main long, it is certainly a more expensive and involved process. A break can occur during aeration, or from a frozen pipe, or a faulty installation. Once you have determined where your problem is, you can follow this guide accordingly.

Main Line

• Determine where the line is broken. There’s usually no problem in finding this part; there’s usually a fountain of water spewing from the area.
• Shut off the main water source!
• Dig around the area so that there will be room for you to maneuver your arms around the pipe.
• Carefully cut the broken area of the pipe. Make sure that your cuts are straight and even!
• Clean and dry off the area because you will be applying an adhesive.
• You will need to purchase glue specific for piping. You should get the kind that has primer and glue so that you won’t need to buy them separately.
• You will also need to purchase an expansion repair coupling. Some people choose to buy just regular PVC piping, but the coupling enables you to expand the piping to better fit your sprinkler line, and you’ll only need to cut out a smaller part.
• Apply the glue to the cut ends of the pipe, in addition to inside of the coupling where it will be joining the pipe.
• Quickly put all the parts together and hold them together to ensure that they fuse properly. Allow the glue to dry for about 15 minutes.
• Turn the water back on to make sure that there are no more leaks.
• If there are no leaks, congratulations! Celebrate by filling in the hole that you dug.

Sprinkler Head

• Dig a hole around the sprinkler head so you’ll have room to work with it.
• Unscrew the sprinkler head, but make sure that you don’t take the riser along with it.
• Clean the area of any dirt.
• Set the old head aside and screw in the new one on the riser.
• Turn on your sprinkler system, and your problem should be fixed.
• Fill in the hole that you created.

Sprinkler Riser

• Dig a hole around the sprinkler to give yourself some room.
• Take off the head.
• Since the riser is broken, you’ll most likely need pliers in order to remove the whole thing.
• Make sure the sprinkler is clear of any dirt.
• Install the new riser.
• Turn on your system, and it should work properly.
• Fill in the hole.

Repairing your sprinkler does take a bit of time and effort, but if you do it correctly, then it should be fairly simple. The most important thing that you can do is to make sure that everything is clean before you replace any part. Having the slightest bit of dirt could cause damage to your system. If your system is still not working after you’ve followed the instructions, then you’ll need to call in a professional because there could be something else wrong with your system. In fact, you can call a professional if you feel intimidated by any aspect of repairing it on your own.

If you need assistance with your sprinkler system, call us at .

There are two types of weeds: perennial and annual.

Perennial

Dandelions, blackberry, and milkweed are three examples of perennial weeds. They all sprout flowers and are extremely hard to get rid of because they are grown by both seed and by root. Pulling them out works at first, but if any portion of the root is left in the ground, they will grow back almost immediately. Sometimes, using an herbicide is the only way to get rid of these types of weeds.

Annual

These are a little bit easier to get rid of and keep away than perennial weeds. They are grown from seeds that have already sprouted from your garden, or they have been brought by a bird or another animal. Chickweed, crabgrass, and knotweed are three examples of annual weeds. They are named annual due to the fact that they grow at certain times of the year.

Cool-season weeds will sprout at any time during the time from fall to spring. Warm-weather weeds can start growing in the spring. No matter which type it is, the only way to get rid of them is to catch them before they start growing and uproot them whenever you’re doing yardwork.

Getting Rid of Them

Now that you understand that there are different types of weeds, you’re wondering how to get rid of the buggers! There are a few different ways to get rid of weeds, and their usages depend on the age of the weed. If the weed is fairly young and hasn’t sprouted seeds, then they are easier to get rid of than weeds that have matured and grown seeds.

Cultural

Cultural weeding involves breaking up the soil surface to make weeds easier to remove. This works well when the weeds are young and smaller, as well as when the soil is moist. For smaller gardens, this can be done with a small trowel, but for bigger gardens and yards, a tool such as a cultivator. For larger weeds, cultivation involves using a shovel and removing the whole weed from the root. In order to make it less likely for the weed to grow back, the root needs to be removed completely. Perennial weeds need to be disposed of in the trash; if they are cut up by a till or cultivator, they can be spread across your lawn, creating more weeds.

Mulching

This isn’t as much as a plan to get rid of them as it is a preventative plan. Mulch prevents weeds by blocking their access to the sun if they are growing at soil level. If there is no light, then the seeds will not germinate and will instead die eventually. Mulch also benefits the plants that you’re actually trying to grow; it conserves soil moisture and keeps soil at an even temperature.

In addition to organic mulch, you can also purchase weed blocker tarp or a black plastic film. They both work similarly to mulch and are referred to as “synthetic mulches.” The difference between these two is that the weed blocker lets in air and water for plants, while the plastic film does not. They both block all light so that weeds cannot grow, but the plastic can prevent even perennials from growing by killing off all sources of growth material.

Herbicides

If pulling weeds and tilling your soil just isn’t cutting it for you or your garden, then you might need to bring in some reinforcements and purchase an herbicide. There are several different herbicides available, even organic ones. The type of herbicide that you’re going to get will also depend on if you’re trying to get rid of perennial or annual weeds.

For professional weed assistance, call us at .

If you happen to have a lot of time to devote to the task of creating and maintaining a lush lawn, then there are quite a few things that you need to know about fertilizer.

No Two Lawns are Exactly the Same

Lawns are all different and therefore require different percentages of each vitamin in their growing processes. On each fertilizer bag, there are three numbers separated by dashes, such as 12-24-12. Each number corresponds to how much of each element is in each bag. The first number is for nitrogen, the second is for phosphorus, and the third is for potassium. Nitrogen gives grass its’ green color in addition to its thickness. Phosphorus helps your lawn to maintain strong roots, and potassium helps your lawn become resistant to drought and sickness. You need to have a proper understanding of how nutrient-rich your grass already is, because having too many vitamins can backfire. Having a professional assess your lawn will make your fertilizer-buying experience an easier task, and you will have more knowledge about which combination is the best for your lawn.

Know the Right Time of Year

Depending on where you live and what type of grass is growing in your lawn, you’ll need to plan to fertilize at different times of the year. In the south, we have warm season grasses. This means that these grasses grow the best in hot weather and should be fertilized before the temperature reaches between 80 and 95 degrees.

Go Organic?

This is more of a personal preference, but whether you choose to purchase organic or chemical based fertilizers can have an effect on your lawn. They each have their benefits and their downfalls:

Benefits

     Organic:

• Better for soil overall
• Releases nutrients over time instead of all at once
• Flexible formulas
• Various forms
• Better for environment
• Easier to maintain healthy lawn after a few uses
• Better for the environment

     Chemical

• Available almost everywhere
• Variety of formula combinations
• Inexpensive
• Easy application process

Downfalls

     Organic

• Slow release
• Limited availability
• Can attract bugs
• Pets will be inclined to roll around in it
• Some forms of organic fertilizer are harder to use
• Not available everywhere

     Chemical

• Short life-span
• Absorbs moisture easily when in storage
• Chemical run-off
• Could possibly decrease soil fertility
• Some nutrients are missing
• Sometimes there is too much phosphorus

It’s important to weigh the benefits and the problems that each type of fertilizer can have before making a purchase. Having a professional do this process for you can teach you which type is better for you and your lawn.

Frequency

Overall, you need to fertilize when the health of your lawn is in bad condition. How to determine how your lawn is doing? Use a soil test once or twice a year. They are easy to use and will tell you the pH level of your lawn, which will tell you how healthy or unhealthy your lawn is. If for some reason doing a soil test is unappealing to you, you can tell that your lawn is suffering if it looks pale or won’t grow.  When applying, it is recommended to use a very little amount and just water more frequently and follow the instructions on the bag.

 Confused? Intimidated?

If you’re standing in the lawn care section of your home improvement store and can’t decide which fertilizer to buy, or how to read your soil test, it may be time to call in a professional. Landscaping companies offer their clients fertilization services that will assist them about how to fertilize their lawns. These companies have employees that have the knowledge to provide the best service to give your lawn the care that it needs so that it is the lushest and greenest lawn in the neighborhood.

If you would like an estimate of your lawn, or would like a soil test performed, call us at .

Clear Your Lawn of Debris

During the fall months, trees shed and become bare for the winter time, and they always leave their leaves on your lawn. With a blanket of leaves covering your lawn, it has no room to breathe or let in light, causing your lawn to suffocate. It’s okay to have a few stray sprinklings of mulch or grass clippings because they can return nitrogen back into your soil. Also, be sure to clear your lawn of anything that could cause bare patches, such as toys or lawn equipment.

Aerate

With the excessive use of your lawn during the warm months, the soil underneath can become compacted and cause various problems. Aerating involves punching 3-4 inch holes in your lawn to allow moisture, air and nutrients in the soil. In order to make the aerating process easier, you should water your lawn a day or two before your plan to aerate so that it is moist and therefore easier to work with. It’s best to go to your local hardware store to rent aerating equipment.

Mow

During the end of fall when you mow your lawn for the last few times, adjust your mower settings so that they are lower than what you normally use. New growth is more susceptible to disease, so lowering your mower settings will prevent new growth. Be sure to lower the settings gradually so you don’t damage the turf. Make sure you bag all of the clippings!  Weeds may be hiding in them, and if you leave the clippings to sit on your lawn then they could take over  your grass during the wintertime.

Fertilize

At the end of fall, make sure that you fertilize your lawn. Instead of using all of the nutrients right away, your lawn will store the fertilizer in its soil and roots while it is dormant and then take full advantage of the nutrients when the winter is over. By using a fertilizer that has time-sustained capabilities, your lawn will absorb the minerals gradually even while it is latent.

Seed and Water

This tip is more-so for lawns that have bald patches before winter even hits. When you seed the bare spots, the cool weather will allow for the seeds to germinate without weeds completely taking over. You should do this early enough so that the empty spots will fill in before the first freeze. Also, it’s important to give your lawn a good dose of water. This will stimulate both the seed and the fertilizer.

For any more gardening help or advice from professionals, call us at .

1) Over/Under Watering

We have all heard that you need to water your garden a lot in order for it to stimulate growth and to quench your plants’ thirst. It’s important to learn the speed at which your plants absorb water and water them accordingly. You shouldn’t be watering your plants every day, because this could potentially drown them. Over-watering can lead to shallow roots, which leaves your plants highly susceptible to disease. Of course, underwatering can kill your plants. If your plants’ soil looks dry or feels dry to the touch, you should probably water the plant until the soil around the roots is moist. It’s best to water in the morning so that the water is less likely to evaporate in the sun.

2) Non-Native Species

Trying to grow plants that will not grow in the type of climate that you’re in is a sure-fire way to make you feel discouraged and like giving up. You should do your research before trying to plant something that is non-native to your area. Also, you need to be sure that you’re planting according to the season during which the plant thrives the best. For example, if you have a flower that grows the best during springtime, don’t waste your time trying to plant it during the fall season. The air may be too dry or cold for it to survive.

3) Killing All Bugs

We understand that seeing several bugs around your garden is a cause for concern, but most of the bugs that live in your garden are actually good ones that keep the bad ones at bay. Yes, there are a few good bugs that will eat leaves on occasion, but they also eat the bugs who are trying to consume your whole garden. Much like all things in life, there is a balance. Drowning your garden in pesticides is not a good way to keep a good balance of good and bad bugs.

4) Overcrowding/Invasive Plants

One of the biggest problems for new gardeners is that they want to plant so many different things, with only a limited amount of space. It is common to purchase so many plants, and when they get knee-deep in soil, they realize that they don’t have very much space. To compensate, they plant everything close together. BIG MISTAKE. Plants need a lot of room to breathe and grow. There are some very beautiful plants out there, however, some of them are very invasive and will take over the rest of your garden. Do your research and decide which plants will work well together and have similar growth patterns.

5) Not Knowing When to Give Up

We know that you want to salvage everything from your garden. But truth be told, there is only so much you can do for a plant that is diseased. Sometimes it’s best to just pull out the problem plant instead of wasting time and resources trying to revive it. It’s important to do this because that one plant could potentially kill all of the rest of the healthy plants in the garden that you have worked so hard to maintain.

Planting a garden is one of the most rewarding and exciting activities you can accomplish, once you know what to do and what to avoid. It’s great to be gung ho about it, but just be sure to follow these tips to ensure that your garden is at its healthiest.

For professional gardening help, feel free to call us at .

Much like seeds, each type of grass has its own type of sod for the growing process.  Some of the types grow better in certain climates than other ones, and therefore require different maintenance routines. Sod can be separated into two types: warm season and cool season.

Warm Season

Warm season grass, as the name suggests, thrives best during hot weather seasons and are ideal for areas in the south.

Bahia

This type grows best in Florida and the Southern Atlantic coastlines. It is extremely drought, bug, and disease resistant; therefore it is perfect for high-traffic areas. It is a very thick and coarse grass, needs to be cut every 5-7 days, but rarely needs to be watered.

Bermuda

It is very common in the south and requires full sun for proper growth. Bermuda grass is very drought-resistant, good for high-traffic areas, coarse, and must be cut at a height of 1-2 inches. During the winter, this grass turns brown and becomes quiescent, but when the weather warms up, the grass turns green again.

Zoysia

Zoysia is a slow-growing grass that grows wells in the southern and transitional zone. It requires full sun, and must be watered if there is a drought that lasts longer than one week.

Centipede

Centipede grows at a very slow rate but is a very low-maintenance grass. It can grow in full sun or partial sun, and thrives well in acidic soil levels. This type has very shallow roots, and therefore can be infected with bugs easily.

St. Augustine

One of the most popular types of grass in the south, it provides a thick and green lawn that does not handle cold weather very well at all. It is not for high-traffic areas, and grows the best in sunny and warm areas.

Cool Season

Cool season grasses are mostly grown in the northern areas that have a cooler climate year-round. When these grasses are exposed to extreme heat or drought, they become dormant and must be kept moist during whilst planting the sod.

Kentucky Bluegrass

It is most often mixed with other types of grass to ensure the best growth results. This type grows the best in loose soil and with shady conditions. One problem with Kentucky Bluegrass is that it sometimes needs to be treated with a fungicide due to it being prone to leafspot disease.

Perennial Ryegrass

It doesn’t need to be exposed to full sun to survive, and is also mixed with bluegrass or fescue grasses to make it look uniform because it grows in bunches. This type is often used to seed grasses in the south that go dormant during cold seasons.

Fine Fescue

There are three different types: creeping red, hard, and chewings. Fescues grow the absolute best in cool and shady climates, so high temperatures will require more water and maintenance.

Tall Fescue

This type of fescue is used mostly in mixes due to the fact that it grows in bunches instead of in a uniform pattern. It is low maintenance and handles high traffic very well, which is why it is the grass of choice on sports fields.

To inquire about the types of sod that we offer, call us at .

Apply an Herbicide

If only some of your lawn has suffered damage, you’ll need to kill the rest of the healthy grass in addition to any weeds. The easiest way to do this is to apply a strong herbicide while your grass is in its highest growth mode (which happens when you fertilize and water your lawn). One application will typically work. If the whole lawn is dead already, then you can skip this step entirely.

Remove the Dead Grass

The next thing to do is to pull up the dead grass. You can do this easily by using a sod cutter, which can be found at any hardware store.

Tilling

After you discard of the dead grass, then you will need to till the soil. This will allow for the new grass to grow strong, get rid of weeds, and to de-compact it. It’s also imperative to install or repair your sprinkler systems. By doing this now, watering your new sod will be a much faster process. For tips on installing sprinkler systems, click here. Also at this time, you should rake the land and get rid of any rock or debris and make sure that the soil is uneven. Sod will conform to any hiccup in the soil, so if you don’t get rid of debris, then the sod will not grow correctly.

Distribute Starter Seeds

The next step is to distribute the sod starter seeds, and then roll the soil so that the seeds are distributed evenly.

Lay Down the New Sod

As soon as the sod arrives, lay it down on the soil as if you were stacking bricks so that there are no gaps in between each piece of sod. You can cut the sod if you have to get around curved boundaries or walls. After you install the first 200 feet, you should lightly water the new sod. After all of the sod is put down, use your roller so that the soil and the new sod are in contact with the other one. Water thoroughly when this is complete.

Upkeep

The grass will start growing, and it will require you to mow your lawn after one week. Continue to water your new grass regularly.

If you would like an estimate of installing new sod in your lawn by a professional, call us at .

If you want to install a sprinkler system, chances are that your home either does not have one, or your old system is not working properly. Automatic sprinklers are best for almost all lawns; due to the simplicity of setting the timer and letting the sprinklers do the watering. For one installation, it saves you many hours having to hand water your lawn.

When designing a sprinkler system on your own for your home, it takes a lot of planning, time, and effort. If you don’t mind the intense process, then this is something that wouldn’t be too hard for you. There are various guides that you can find online to help you with the process, walking you through step-by-step until the job is finished. However, if you have neither the time nor the patience for this long process, there are contractors who are available to do this job for you.

Get Your Information

The first thing that is done when creating a sprinkler system design is to collect all of the information that you’ll need. This involves finding your water pressure (PSI) and water flow (GPM) measurements and finding your sprinkler coverage. It’s quite helpful to have a blueprint of your property and to measure your lawn to give yourself a picture of what you’ll be dealing with.

What Do I Need?

Once you have done all of your research and have collected all of your data, you need to determine the type of equipment that you’ll need.

• Water meter
• Backflow preventer
• Mainlines
• Valves
• Elevation pressure loss
• Sprinkler heads
• Laterals
• Adjustments

As you can see, the equipment that you’ll need is far more extensive than just buying the sprinkler heads. The specifics of each of these items are contingent upon the data that you first collected.

The Installation Process

The next step is to place the sprinkler heads. This step depends upon how large the property is, what type of sprinkler heads are being used, in addition to where you want to place each sprinkler. After this, then you create valve zones and draw in where the pipes go in addition to their sizes. After making sure that you calculate pressure loss and that everything is working properly, the sprinkler system design is finished.

These steps will usually stay the same regardless of if you’re creating a sprinkler system for residential or commercial land. There are various tools that are available online that will customize the tools that you’re going to need for your project, depending upon the size and shape of your land, and the other unique details about your property. This task is not necessarily an easy one to accomplish, which is exactly why there are companies who offer their services to do this for you.

If you would like an estimate about designing a sprinkler system for your property, give us a call at .

Your lawn may have some brown spots of dead grass for various reasons, such as:

• Constant foot traffic
• Pets
• Weeds
• Insects
• The elements
• Lack of water

If your lawn is infested by insects or disease, it’s harmful to your lawn to mow it because the diseased clippings can harm the rest of the healthy grass if it has not been infected yet. If you suspect that your lawn has been invaded by pests, it’s best to consult a professional so that they can properly diagnose and take care of your problem.

For the rest of the cases of lawn deterioration, if it’s a small patch of dead grass, you can easily tear it out and replace it with new sod with few complications. This involves buying new sod seeds and taking proper care of them until they sprout new grass, and then keeping up with the maintenance for a healthy lawn. This will not take care of the situation if you just pour a bag of sod down and not take proper care of it.

If the problem has spread so much that it has taken over your whole lawn, then it’s time for a full sod replacement. You can either tackle this task on your own by tearing up the whole lawn and then applying fresh sod, or you can hire a professional to tackle the project for you. Either way, proper maintenance such as watering the newly planted sod is required by you in order for your lawn to grow back in a healthy state.

If you think that you are in need of sod replacement services, call us at .