Most homeowners know what services are necessary for good lawn care: proper mowing, aeration, overseeding, adequate hydration and fertilizer. Aeration is one of the most beneficial lawn care services, especially if you live in an area that experiences episodes of little to no rainfall. Aerating your lawn will allow the water from your irrigation system to reach the grass roots directly and be immediately absorbed. However, even though aeration ensures that your lawn and soil are manipulated, you should go one step further and also have your soil periodically tested by a lawn care professional.

A soil test is a fairly simple procedure and many lawn care companies offer the service for free in conjunction with their lawn care programs. The lawn care technician will take a small soil sample and have it sent to a lab. A qualified soil expert will examine the sample and look at the pH level (acidity); the presence or absence of such macronutrients as phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen; the presence or absence of such micronutrients as iron, calcium, zinc, boron, manganese, copper and other nutrients that deter weed growth and enhance the lawn’s resistance to insect and disease infestations; the soil type, which can help your lawn care technician create a preventative plan to reduce the incidence of compaction; and levels of decomposed plant material, also known as thatch.

Once the results are back, your lawn care specialists can consult with you on what the best plan of action is regarding your lawn care regimen. To schedule a soil analysis, call your local lawn care company today.

Lawn care involves many steps, but perhaps none is as important as proper hydration. After all, a Louisville lawn cannot grow without water. Adequately hydrating your Louisville lawn is not an exact science, but it is close. The best plan is to install a sprinkler system that ensures your Louisville lawn is watered every day at the same time. Sprinkler systems with a timer are even more ideal, but you still have several options there. Lawn care specialists highly recommend pulsating sprinklers for the best results.

Pulsating sprinkler systems spray water into the air and allow the water to fall back down to the ground in a fine mist. There are five different types of pulsating sprinklers: impulse, traveling, stationary, oscillating and rotary. Impulse sprinklers are the top choice of Louisville lawn care professionals who need to water a larger area such as an entire landscape or vast Louisville lawn.

It is important to know if you have high or low water pressure, as that also factors in to which type of pulsating sprinkler you choose for your Louisville lawn care needs. If you have low water pressure, an H-base is a better choice than a spike-based sprinkler which is better suited for high pressure.

Pulsating sprinklers have the benefit of being designed with gusty winds in mind, as well as low-hanging trees or tall shrubs. The height of the water spray can be adjusted accordingly and since the water is typically sprayed close to the ground, its spray is unaffected by the wind.

If you think a pulsating sprinkler may be beneficial to your Louisville lawn, contact your local Louisville lawn care company. Many Louisville lawn care providers also install irrigation systems, especially since proper hydration makes their job that much easier!

Mowing might seem like the simplest of lawn care tasks, but it is actually quite important to know how to properly mow your lawn to ensure the best results. Over-mowing or mowing at the wrong times or height can have detrimental effects on your lawn. Here are some lawn care tips on proper mowing procedures.

Most lawns are dormant during the winter months, so once spring rolls around, it is time to drag the mower out and get back into the routine. But when you should begin mowing? Lawn care technicians recommend keeping the mower stored away until the ground is thoroughly thawed. Once the ground is soft, that means that grass is growing and mowing it will not cause any damage to the crowns or the shoots.

Most people know that allowing the excess clippings to remain on the lawn is beneficial because as the clippings deteriorate, they become natural fertilizer for the soil below. However, for the first few cuts, attach the bag and gather the clippings. Allow your lawn to grow and breathe without the weight of clippings on top of it.

Lawn care professionals recommend mowing your lawn at a slightly shorter height than you may typically have your mower set. If you normally mow at three inches, take it down to two. This will allow your lawn better stimulation to get the season started off right.

If you have any questions about spring mowing, contact your local lawn care professionals.

During the winter we prepare for harsh weather by piling on layers of clothing and wearing heavy coats, gloves, hats and scarves; unfortunately, not many people think about how the living things in their yards and gardens react to the cold.  Trees and shrubs are vulnerable to cold weather just like we are.  If new growth in the early  Fall doesn’t have enough time to harden off, experts say the sudden drop in temperatures can create ice crystals that can rupture cell walls, resulting in dead branch tips and branches.

Officials at a state cooperative extension service say one of the biggest problems for trees and shrubs is the sharp temperature change from day into night during the winter.  They say that dramatic change can actually freeze the water in the trunks of trees, causing them to explode or split open.  That reaction is called frost cracking.  Sometimes these cracks can close when warm weather returns, if the damage isn’t that severe.  Many shrubs can suffer from something similar, called bark split.  Extension service officials say those particularly susceptible are many cultivars of evergreen azaleas.  In most cases plants close over the cracks with no treatment necessary.

During this winter there are some things you can do to protect your trees and shrubs.  You can wrap the trunks with burlap strips or commercial tree wrap.  Experts also recommend painting the trunks white or shading them with a board to prevent bark splitting.  These methods reflect sunlight and reduce temperature fluctuations, like the buildup of heat during the day, that cause splitting.  All wraps should be removed after one season to stop insect or moisture damage.

If there’s anything more annoying than weeds sprouting up throughout your Louisville lawn, it’s pulling each of those weeds. It might even seem like the old wives’ tale about pulling gray hairs applies to weeds: pull one weed and two more grow back. But if you time your weed pulling or weed control treatments right, you might just be able to see a decrease in the following season.
Lawn care specialists advise that if your Louisville lawn is comprised of 50 percent or more weeds, then it’s time for a “do-over.” But if you haven’t quite hit that limit (even if sometimes it seems that way), then you just need to strategize your weed control and come up with an effective battle plan.
For optimal weed prevention, Louisville lawn care experts recommend weeding in the spring and fall when they’re at their weakest point. During the spring, all plants are gearing up to grow, even weeds. The roots are trying to pump as much energy into the leaves as possible, which is where you need to take them out, thus eliminating much of the energy supply and ensuring they don’t have a chance to spread their seeds around.
If your weed problem rears its ugly head during the summer, Louisville lawn care technicians recommend weeding throughout the summer season, but get ready for the big battle in the fall. By treating germinated seeds, you’re able to get the weeds before they’ve even sprouted. If you were lucky enough to jump on the weeds in the spring, by fall they will be still trying to recover from the damage and will likely die off during the cold winter months when their much-needed nutrients and sunlight aren’t as prevalent.
If you’re tired of weeds in the summer, call your local Louisville lawn care company before spring and fall to get a jumpstart on your weed battle!

Many homeowners want a beautiful landscape and property, but just don’t have the time to keep up with expansive lawns. Or, there are parts of your lawn that aren’t growing as well as the rest of your turf, resulting in an uneven-looking landscape. Luckily, there are a few tricks to lessen the amount of work and create a smaller lawn that is still enjoyable, but just less work.
Lawn care experts will be able to suggest grass alternatives for the parts of your lawn that aren’t growing as well. There are a myriad of choices to shrink your turf without taking away aesthetic appeal, including moss and clover. These two choices do not require much, if any, maintenance and essentially are left to grow and be enjoyed! Groundcover alternatives are also ideal for those areas of your lawn that you have a hard time mowing, such as slopes. Imagine the contrast of a beautifully maintained lawn against the velvety look of moss or the whimsical appearance of clover. While your lawn care company will still be keeping your existing turf in perfect condition, you will now have less to worry about, especially when those areas are resistant to growth.
Another good reason to shrink your lawn is for the betterment of your other plants. Any damage your trees or shrubs experience could have detrimental effects on their health. By devoting a portion of your existing turf to a “tree and shrub only” area, your lawn care company will be able to mow and edge without worrying about affecting other plant life.
If you think resizing your lawn will add charisma and simplicity to your landscape, call your lawn care company and ask for a professional opinion! They will be more than happy to help you get your lawn care agenda set in motion.

Choosing whether to sod or seed your landscape can be a tough decision. But as with any decision, you should definitely be well-informed as to the benefits of each choice. Sod is a popular choice because of its convenience; however there are other aspects to consider.
Sod can be much more expensive than seeding because much of the work to perfect the grass has already been established. Sod is grown at professional sod farms where a lawn care specialist has taken the seeds and cultivated an almost-perfect lawn. Once the sod is ready, you will have a professionally grown and mature lawn placed on your landscape, and the roots are already present, so it’s just a matter of time before they take root and continue to grow. With seeds, you have to wait weeks for growth and you’re never sure if the roots will establish, so you may end up with patches throughout your landscape.
Sod is also beneficial because you don’t have to worry about any differences in terrain. If there is an incline on your landscape, the sod will be molded to fit that incline and will stay put even in the event of heavy rains. With seeds, you run the risk of the soil shifting and the seeds getting washed away. Once the sod has been laid, there is relatively little start-up effort since everything is already in place. Of course you still need to water it regularly and take care of it like any other lawn, but for all intents and purposes, your lawn comes ready-made!
One of the best parts of choosing sod over seeds is that the grass is virtually weed-free. Seed requires mulch or hay, which can have weed seeds within. The lawn care pros at the sod farm have grown the sod to be nearly perfect, so weeds shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
If you’re still not sure which is the best decision, contact your local lawn care company and schedule a consultation!

This spring time disease is most common on fine fescues and perennial rye grasses, but will occur on bluegrass under certain conditions.

The disease is characterized by the presence of pink or salmon-colored patches of tangled grass plants4-18 inches in diameter.

Red Thread is favored by slow growing grass and cool, wet conditions. Air temperatures (50-70F).

Another way to improve the appearance and health of your Kentucky Lawn Care program is to increase the cutting height of your lawn mower to 3 or more inches. Cutting your lawn at this height does several positive things for the grass plants that make up your lawn. The longer grass blades produce carbohydrates that feed the grass plants. The taller grass plants cool the soil and reduce evaporation. A taller lawn also shades out weed seeds from the sun so that they do not germinate. A taller lawn makes for a healthier grass plant that is less susceptible to disease and insects. This will greatly reduce or even eliminate the need for pesticides and herbicides. A taller lawn also hides those sparse spots or areas where weeds have just been removed.

Lawn care is the most basic of landscaping chores. If you want to do it yourself and have a great looking home landscape, you need to know a few Kentucky Lawn Care tips. Before you do anything else, such as Kentucky mowing, clean the lawn. Rake up leaves and debris and clear unwanted brush. If you want a level lawn, get rid of bumps or dips:

• To get rid of little dips, fill the holes with topsoil and then add grass seed.
• To remove bumps, use a garden spade to cut an X in the raised area. Peel back the sod and then remove soil as needed before replacing the sod.

By cleaning and leveling your yard, you will make the lawn easier to mow, and your yard will have a pleasing, uniform appearance.

• Mowing Mow the grass regularly. Depending on where you live, and how fast your grass grows, mow once every week or two. Adjust the lawn mower blade so that it does not cut off more than one third of the grass’s height. The surface area of each blade of grass is important in sustaining the health of the lawn. Cutting the grass too short creates an environment conducive to disease.
• Aeration Another essential lawn tip is to make sure that your soil is not too compact. Over time, soil becomes compact and hard beneath the grass, which causes such problems as reduced moisture penetration and restricted grass root growth.
• Fertilizing Fertilizer can help your lawn grow. While you can grow a healthy and attractive lawn without fertilizers, many people find them helpful. However, avoid using too much fertilizer, which can kill your lawn and harm the environment as the excess fertilizer is washed away.
• Top Dressing If you want to avoid using standard fertilizers for top dressing, try the tips offered in the Organic Lawn Care Guide .Top dressing is composted organic matter mixed half and half with sand. You spread a thin layer over the lawn to improve the lawn rooting, creating healthier, hardier grass, without fertilizer.
• Overseeding To prevent weeds and avoid the use of herbicides, you can use the organic lawn practice of over seeding. Overseeding helps crowd out weeds and creates a thick, lush lawn. First, rake or aerate to expose soil. Then spread about one-and-a-half times more than the recommended amount of grass seed.