There's More to Effective Lawn Care Than Fertilization

Fishkill is not far from the omnipresent crowds and cacophony of New York City and yet it seems almost like another planet. Here there are lawns, anomalies among the steel and concrete that you've left behind. From the Cape Cods and Victorians that grace the town's streets to the most modern of custom-built homes sprawling over former farmland, Fishkill, NY residents enjoy the outdoor living that their lawns make possible. And they take care of them. Throw on a little fertilizer, sprinkle with water, mow and you're good to go, right? Not quite. Here are a few things that Lehigh can help you with to make sure that your lawn thrives.

Weed Control

Regular lawn fertilization is a good thing, but if weeds have taken hold, you’ll be doing little more than feeding noxious species of plants that compete with your turf for nutrients, sunlight and water. Furthermore, many of the weeds that take hold and occupy large swathes of lawn space are annuals. This means that come the first frost, large portions of a weed infested lawn are reduced to brown chaff that can be unsightly. These dead patches remain until the weeds reseed come spring, never giving grass the opportunity to reclaim its territory. Weeds such as crabgrass and dandelions, as well as a host of broadleaf weed species that form an impenetrable layer of foliage over the ground, can be controlled through a scheduled weed control program.

Grub Control

Weeds aren’t the only cause for a threadbare lawn. Lawn grubs, such as the larvae of the European chafer and Japanese beetle, can cause dead, brown patches of turf as the grubs feed on the soft roots of your lawn. A good indication of grub infestation is if dead patches of a lawn pull out of the ground with little effort. You may also notice birds such as starlings flocking around these areas to feed. This can be remedied with grub control treatment, particularly around August when the grubs are still in the early stages of their life cycle and sensitive to mild pesticides.

Aeration

Compacted soil has a number of different causes including over watering, heavy rain and frequent foot traffic. Soil compaction reduces the ability of the soil to hold air and water and retain nutrients necessary for a healthy lawn. If this is a concern for your lawn, your lawn will need to be aerated. Aeration loosens the soil so that healthy air, water and nutrient retention can be maintained. This is done with a lawn aeration machine that essentially pierces or removes plugs from the compacted layer with a number of spikes in order to break up the hard layer of soil. Aeration also offers a good opportunity for overseeding as well.

Irrigation

Effective irrigation is another vital step toward a thriving, immaculate lawn. Over watering and watering at the wrong times can be devastating to a lawn, not to mention a waste of precious water. Have an automatic irrigation system installed to ensure that your lawn receives the right amount of water at the right time of day - first thing in the morning.

Related: Why Summer Lawn Care Is So Important in Fishkill, NY