Tuesday, 2 April 2013

Kansas City Landscaping- Ways To Care For Your Lawn Year-Round

By Carri Fitzgibbons


You don't have to pay full price for a high quality yard servicing. But as the same time a lush yard requires much more than a mowing and watering routine. Kansas City landscapers put into practice a variety of proactive services which are needed for that ideal yard.

You must understand what the plant's need as a first step in cultivating the yard. Properly working with each part of the lawn- root and leaf- will produce a flourishing and luxurious lawn. With attentiveness, you will gradually become aware of signs of disease or stress. And you will know how to treat the threat.

The first step that Kansas City landscapers take for any new yard or bare area is to prepare the soil. Find out what it will take to condition the soil to result in a composition that is rich in organic matter and somewhat "sticky", retaining moisture yet draining properly. superior water retention and oxygen exposure.

The next step in soil-preparation is the acidity of the soil. A Kansas City landscaping store will have a test-kit for pH. Once you know which level you are at, use lime or ash to alkalize (raise) and compost or manure to acidify (lower) the pH. A level of around 6.7 (slightly acidic) is good. With all of the various methods and materials out there, refer to a Kansas City landscaping supplier.

For grass roots to anchor properly there must not be too much erosion or standing water. Unless you are mindful, this will harm the grass roots and expose the yard to stress and disease. Fungus and other diseases come from standing water, along with a suffocation of grass leaves and roots. Grass that is not well-rooted will be killed by fast-moving water and the essential top layer of soil will be removed. Use extra soil to re-grade steep or bowl-shaped areas. Installing sod in steeper areas or utilizing landscaping technology like erosion blankets can help in especially steep areas.

The next step after soil-preparation is planting the grass itself, either in small bare areas or for a whole new lawn. Sod and seed are the two choices that you will have to research and implement at your discretion. If you need to mix varieties of grass or simply fix a few patches, seed is your best bet. If you want an instant lawn, sod can't be beat.

When seeding, using mixing seed types could be useful in places that have one or more threatening circumstance, many yards have high-traffic areas that are also heavily shaded, for instance. A downside to using several types is that the hue of the lawn my be mottled. If this is an issue, more drastic landscaping may be necessary to remove the varied conditions. A Kansas City landscaping contractor can give you advice if you need to choose varieties or remove the varied conditions in your yard.

A smart landscaper knows that watering too little could hurt your grass just as bad as watering too much or too often. Keeping the soil partially damp but not flooded is the general rule for most Kansas City landscapers. Thatch and fungus thrive when a yard is too wet. Thatch is a layer of dead grass that blankets the soil and results in patched grass, leaving a hiding place for pests and disease. Two inches of water once a week should work for most lawns.

Your yard can become choked and overly stressed by thatch over time. Fungus and pests not only breed in it but the grass shoots are likely to be choked and stressed. Ideally it should be present but not easily seen beneath the thick leaves of the lawn.

This means that sometimes you will need to de-thatch the lawn. The most common method employed by Kansas City landscaping professionals for de-thatching is a power-rake. This is simply meant to rake the dead layer of grass up out of the living grass and remove it. The dried grass can be a fire hazard so make sure to throw it away or compost it.

Each year water fall (rain and snow) will compact the soil around your grass roots. The compacting of the soil will inhibit several important processes and therefore must be dealt with.

To fix this problem of compression Kansas City landscapers aerate the yard. The aerator cuts holes throughout the yard that simulate the natural holes of foraging birds and animals. This will let the roots exchange water and nutrients properly.

At the conclusion of Winter or very beginning of Spring Kansas City landscapers apply a pre-emergent chemical that keeps weeds from germination. Pre-emergents are just what the name implies- a chemical that stops the weeds before they emerge. This will give the grass a distinct advantage over competing plants that will steal nutrients, water, and sunshine.

For your lawn to develop and metabolize it needs food. Over time essential nutrients are extracted by erosion and the removal of grass-clippings. You must replenish these nutrients 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. Compost and manure are great options for replenishing the soil.

At the time for fertilizing, be sure the grass isn't so long that it effects the spreading pattern or else the nutrition will never reach some areas of the yard and be too strong in others. At the same time, be careful not to cut the grass too short. That will add stress to the grass as it tries to grow back and potentially burn the cut leaves, sucking water from them. Keep in mind that cutting the grass too short will force the grass to switch into a survival mode and stress it. This is why many landscapers in Kansas City use higher settings on their mowing equipment.

Annually Kansas City landscapers apply a fungicide to prevent fungus spores from germinating. Grass that is continually moist for long periods will attract mold, mildew, and fungus that can destroy a yard. The Kansas City climate can make fungus thrive, so be watchful, even if you do treat the yard.

It is as true in life as it is in landscaping, proactive cultivation and diligence will make all the difference when tough times come. There is no better strategy than simply keeping the lawn as healthy as possible. Kansas City landscapers know that you need to take advantage of the good times and work hard. Don't be foolish and think you can wait until the hard times to work on your grass.

Every good Kansas City landscaper knows that being diligent and proactive is not easy but it is worth it. Cultivating a lush yard is extremely rewarding. So what are you waiting around for? Get started!




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