Posts Tagged ‘Grass’

Winter is the time to renew your Turf and Plant Health Care programs.

Published by Mr. Grass on January 18th, 2011 - in Arborist, Green Care Industry Issues, Plant Health Care, Turf

Long and cold winter days and nights often have me daydreaming of once green lush lawns, gardens and trees.  And despite the recent blasts of cold and healthy snowfalls, now is time to think about and prepare for your 2011 Turf and Plant Health Care programs.

Review your Turf and Plant Health Care proposals this winter

The weather plays a large role in the spring, relative to what and when certain treatments can be applied; and success or failure is linked to temperature and moisture levels.  High heat speeds up insect, weed, and disease development; and in some cases by days not weeks.  While this may not seem of great importance, temperature plays a huge role in advancing or retarding certain pathogens, ultimately affecting your landscape.  If you do not have a program “online” or ready to go, this tight window can easily be missed.  Cold weather can slow down the ability of your lawn to recover and green up fast.  The later the first application of fertilizer, compost tea, or lime is applied; the more your grass would be absent the time needed for improved color and recover from winter damage.

I have seen several years in April and May where the temperature rose into the high 70’s to lower 80’s.  This type of rapid spring warm-up can make some types of weed control applications harmful to turf without proper precautions.  The same precautions need to be taken when scheduling early plant health care spray applications.  If not prepared, you simply miss the window of opportunity for obtaining decent results relative to a variety of insect and disease issues.

Moisture content can also wreak havoc on turf and shrubs in the spring; especially if the spring is cold and rainy.  Such weather greatly advances snow molds and leaf spot on turf while creating apple scab on fruit trees.  Low moisture can reduce seed germination without proper irrigation.  Scheduling of overseeding or aeration during the winter insures completion at the proper time frame in the spring.  A great green care company will watch weather trends and activate services during the appropriate time frame.  You deserve and should demand this level of service.

Peace of mind is another reason to have your Turf or Plant Healthcare program set-up during the winter months.  You can relax and rest assured, knowing that your green care needs will be taken care of.  We will insure that all applications are timely and you will see the results.

The last fabulous reason to schedule your green care treatments during the winter includes financial incentives.  You may qualify for multiple incentives.  For example, if you prepay or return a signed contract before a certain deadline, you may qualify.  Look for these kinds of financial incentives; and look to see if you are partnering with an accredited, licensed, high quality and diversified ‘green care’ company.

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Review your 2011 lawn contract before renewing

Published by Mr. Grass on November 23rd, 2010 - in Landscaping, Turf

Did your doctor ever advise you to get a second opinion? Or have you decided to get a second opinion when something just didn’t seem right? Keep that thought in mind while reading this post…
Hundreds of commercial lawn care contracts will be mailed out shortly to residential homes in VT and NH. Even more lawn contracts will be mailed out to commercial customers in the hopes that decision makers like you will just sign, mail, or simply fax it back with no questions asked. I propose that each contract deserves not only a second opinion, but a thorough examination line by line. Let me explain…
Most lawns are not being examined to determine its true treatment needs. Contracts for lawn accounts are being auto-renewed from prior year information like a CD player on repeat. While this automated process may lock you in and generate revenue for national and larger regional lawn care companies, I sincerely doubt you are receiving a turf care program worthy of your hard earned dollars. That is why I recommend that you schedule a complimentary turf & soil evaluation. But, I have more reasons…
Many lawns treated by the competition utilize heavy machines called Perma-greens, Turf-Trackers, or tractors. These machines do an adequate job on large properties or fields but are very heavy and are not ideally suited for your lawn. An operator can inadvertently cause damage while running the machine over frost covered lawns, shaded locations, and the sloped areas of your lawn. Turf can be easily compacted, torn, and ripped up without careful attention from the operator. If these facts don’t cause you to raise an eyebrow, please read on…
Does your treatment price seem great? The low price simply cannot be beat you say! Did you get a free lime treatment? Hmmm…did you really get a free lime treatment? If you get a free or reduced lime, you may receive it combined with a fertilizer treatment with a reduced amount of pelletized lime mixed into one application. The bottom line here is that you get what you pay for. If the price is lower, you are getting less product and/ or time treating your lawn. Are you ready for that free consultation yet? I have more…
Customer Service! Simply put, the large national chains do not provide adequate customer service. It is often outsourced to inexperienced customer service call centers. When you call, does your phone call get forwarded to a call center or does a local person answer your call? Are you able to reach the manager if you have a concern? Do they call you back promptly? Are you supporting your local economy or contributing to a national organization’s bottom line?
Before you sign on the dotted line this year, and before you pre-pay for your entire year upfront…get a second opinion from a local lawn care company. We welcome your questions and the opportunity to make your lawn healthy, green, and beautiful! So, give us a call to schedule a complimentary turf & soil evaluation. You will see and feel the difference…
If you are not in our service area, I have qualified companies I can recommend to you. Just leave a comment and I will get back to you.

Competition vs Chippers (green lawn is treated by Chippers)

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Raking Your Lawn Is More Important Than You Know

Published by Mr. Grass on October 11th, 2010 - in Turf

As the autumn air cools into piles of colored leaves, your lawn beckons attention before the snow covers it with a blanket of white. Some lawn projects can be simple like raking on a regular basis or mowing with a vacuum bag style tractor system. Raking, or specifically a lack of leaves, allows your lawn to capture more sunlight as the deciduous trees lose their green canopy. Increased sunlight can really help shaded and weak areas capture additional energy to help prepare for the winter. In some cases, this vital time period could be a month or more of growing before slowing to the point of near dormancy with the onset of freezing weather. Any leaves left on the lawn can cause a mulching action by inhibiting sunlight from reaching the leaf blades below.

Don’t allow piles of leaves to sit for weeks on end, or the grass underneath will suffer potentially damaging consequences. Keeping your lawn clean in the fall can really improve the chances of winter survival and minimize damage. Turf that is left covered with leaves or pine needles face a lack of air, light, and often succumbs to ice damage. As simple as raking or leaf removal is, it is very important to all lawns to approach winter clear as opposed to buried out of sight under leaf litter.
Autumn is also a great time harden your lawn off for winter. A wonderful mowing height during the growing season is 3″ as a standard. Your mowing height should be lowered as October fades into November. Drop your mowing deck a half-inch a week starting in mid to late October with the final cut in November being between 1 to 1.5 inches in height. The slow drop in mowing height helps harden your lawn off and slows growth in addition to falling temperatures.

Many folks put their mowers away much too early in October when the lawn continues to grow well into November in many years sometimes to the Thanksgiving holiday break in NH or VT. Some of the most simple cultural practices like mowing and raking can make or break some lawns. The preventative care in raking and mowing can yield big dividends over a harsh winter- aiding in survival and spring recovery. Turf that goes into the winter long – and by that I mean a normal height of 3″ or more – will be predisposed to snow mold and ice damage, even more so with leaf or needle debris.

Plan ahead now and rest easy this winter knowing you did all you could to help your lawn make it into a new year!

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High Heat and Brown Grass

Published by Mr. Grass on July 12th, 2010 - in Landscaping, Turf

High heat and a lack of rainfall is double trouble as it relates to the health of your lawn.  Brown grass results in weeks or even days after prolonged high temperatures and an absence of rainfall.  So, what is a homeowner to do?

At this time of year, the best action is preventative.  First, ensuring your mower is adjusted to the proper cutting height of 3-3.5” and not mowing during the heat of the day is just as important.  Applying slow release fertilizer, lime, or mulched clippings to enhance organic matter is very beneficial.  And over seeding with a drought tolerant turf as well.  In terms of precipitation, unless you have an irrigation system or a very shaded lawn, browning is as inevitable as bacon in the skillet on Sunday morning.  Hmmm, you can just hear the sizzle and smell of the lawn drying to a crispy golden brown!

On a serious note, it’s not the browning of your lawn that is most concerning, but what might eat it while it is brown.  It is much more difficult to notice an attack by hungry pests as the lawn may already be discolored.  Now is the time to monitor for chinch bug, grub, or sod webworm activity.  If you can’t monitor yourself, hire a professional licensed lawn care company.

In terms of watering, anything is helpful but don’t expect that magical green you may see in the spring or fall.  Providing an inch or more of water may not even be allowed if there is a ban like many towns have in place here in NH.  And since most grass needs about an inch of water per week, anything will help to keep the dormant turf alive as it remains in a hibernation state.  High heat will brown out and cause all kinds of blotches and spots in a treated or non-treated lawn setting.  Frankly, it is just too hot for cool season grass when the mercury rises above 85 or 90 degrees.  High heat can cause white blotches on the leaf blade and create drought stress appearing as dull blue or purple sections.  Additional stress may result in a tan or light brown lawn as the plant shuts down to preserve itself.  Remember, grass blades are 99% water, so no water = no grass to grow!

By the way, now is not the time to apply liquid fertilizer or herbicides. The result can be a disaster resulting in what I call “corner to corner grey or brown turf”.  A trained eye can easily spot this kind of chemical induced stress.  Also, high soluble fertilizers place undue stress on a lawn that may already be on the edge. Mowing during the heat of the day is like lying on your driveway at noon (hot and unpleasant).  Any remaining moisture is quickly lost from the fresh cuts as the lawn literally wilts. Massive browning can result in a very short period of time (sometimes hours).  Stressed turf is highly susceptible to mower tracks from the weight of a tractor as well.  This is also true when lawn care companies that use perma-greens and other powered equipment to apply fertilizer, lime, or herbicides.  A light touch using smaller spreaders should be used to prevent this type of damage.

In short, high summer heat is not “the norm” in NH or VT.  However, follow these simple steps to insure a healthy summer lawn:

  1. Watch out for insect damage
  2. Water if you can, and what you can
  3. Don’t mow if you don’t have to (especially from 11am to 3pm). And cut high 3” to 3.5”.  Don’t feel obligated to mow when not mowing is really the best course of action.

Take a vacation and have some fun- but make sure you take care of your investment!

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Spring Aeration & Overseeding of Your Lawn

Published by Mr. Grass on May 11th, 2010 - in Turf

May is a great month to help your lawn move forward by aerating and seeding it afterward, often called overseeding.  This is normally a great time to aerate because the moisture content in the soil is high, allowing wonderful plugs to be removed by the assistance of deeper penetration by the machine.  Dry, compacted soil is very difficult to aerate even with professional grade equipment.  While you can rent small aerators, they are not the same in terms of weight, width, and tine health (length of the steel hollow spikes).  I maintain new tines on our machines that are key in breaking up the soil by removing 1″ diameter plug up to 3-4″ in depth.  Why aerate?

Benefits of Aeration.

-      Increases moisture penetration

-      Enhances oxygen exchange (important for healthy roots)

-      Reduces soil compaction (especially soils high in clay)

-      Facilitates penetration of fertilizers and other lawn products

-      Increases rate of thatch decomposition

-      Enhances root development

Want more turf information? Visit Mr. Grass….

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Ticks Are No Laughing Matter

Published by Mr. Grass on May 3rd, 2010 - in Landscaping, Plant Health Care, Turf

May is the ideal month to think about tick control measures for the upcoming season because the adults are waking up and crawling out in search of food – animals or you! While you may see a typical Dog Tick, you are not likely to see a Deer Tick, a primary vector of Lyme Disease. Therefore, treating your turf around the house and into the perimeter of fields or woods is an excellent means to reduce the adult population before they mate and seek out a blood meal. With the mild winter we just experienced this could be a banner year for all kinds of ticks in NH and VT.

Most tick control products work for 2-5 weeks depending upon the rate and type of material used. In fact, many new products are used in pet supplies and products found at your local pet or farm/garden supply store. If you don’t want to apply over-the-counter products yourself, the key to safety is using a responsible, licensed lawn care company like ours. You must have a license in NH or VT to treat for ticks, even if you use an organic or natural product! If you are targeting a pest, you must have insurance and have the training needed to treat for ticks. So before you try this yourself, you might want some advice from a professional.

Additional recommendations for tick control: keep grassy and weedy areas trimmed, and remove wood piles to reduce harborage for tick hosts. When entering potentially infested areas such grassy pastures, prairies, and woodlands wear long-sleeved shirts and long trousers with tight-fitting cuffs. Wear light-colored clothing because ticks are easier to see on a light background. When you are not adequately prepared as described above, avoid these tick-infested areas and restrict movement of your children and pets in these locations.  I know: very hard to do!  Enjoy the outdoors, but be sure to always use an insect repellent to help protect your family and friends.

For more information visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‘Stop Ticks’ page of their website.

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Time to Take Action

Published by Mr. Grass on March 27th, 2010 - in Arborist, Plant Health Care, Pruning, Turf

Spring is in the air and now is a super time to invest just a few moments for planning a landscape improvement project.  The first step to success is gathering proper information from experts that will pay dividends later in the season.  Some companies, like ours, will provide complimentary site evaluations for your trees, shrubs and turf.  The question then becomes: where to begin?  Start with a priority- what is important to you?  What would you like to see look healthier, greener perhaps, or is there a hazardous tree leaning in the wrong direction?  An expert will see things you simply cannot and save you lots of time and effort working on dead-end projects or applying products that will not work.

As a rule, many trees can be pruned to remove hazards, reduce disease, and provide both structural and aesthetic value.  A landscape can be improved “as is” with proper fertilization and/or treatments to reduce insect and disease issues.  If your current landscape is dying, dead, or unhealthy, get input on why things went south or better yet, what shrubs would be better replacementS for the site?  Get a free quote on the cost of installation, plant guarantee, and types of shrubs/trees used for maximum value in terms of flowering and hardiness.  Improving your yard not only provides visual enjoyment to you, the homeowner, but it raises the value of your property and can promote native birds and other desirable wildlife.  And, it just plain feels good!

The lawn is often the most affordable improvement in terms of quick visual impact.  Most turf areas can be improved “as is” and do not require costly major renovations.  Often a basic plan of natural fertilizer, calcium lime, kelp, and aeration with overseeding can really provide a dramatic impact within months if not weeks versus years for trees.  Lucky for you, we provide free estimates in all of these areas.  So pickup that phone or click on your e-mail account and make the first step: ask for help!  You won’t regret the time spent and even if you decide not to do a single thing this year, you will have a written plan on how to improve your own little paradise!

For more information, sign up for our free email newsletter at our website www.chippersinc.com. It is packed with nuggets you can use all year long!  Good luck and may this be your best summer yet!

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Why Turf Is Not Just Vanilla

Published by Mr. Grass on March 5th, 2010 - in Turf

I often read articles describing lawns as boring or requiring too much effort to maintain. These comments cannot go unchallenged by those of us who love lush, green grass because turf is far from vanilla in flavor in terms of environmental, functional, and health benefits. More importantly, all of these benefits can be achieved using natural products to improve and work with your existing lawn. Turf is more than just grass and it is anything but boring: try golfing or playing catch on ground covers or flowers!

The Environment
A healthy lawn reduces water runoff and soil erosion that in turn protects our lakes and streams from sediment moving from the land into the water. Turf is a living filter that protects ground water quality through a vast network of roots, thatch, and leaves. A healthy lawn will also absorb six times as much rainfall as a common hay field, and sustainable grass entraps pollutants with the help of soil microbes and biodegrades them safely.
Functional
A healthy lawn dissipates heat and reduces the energy required to cool homes and buildings, thus saving resources, and turf grasses abate noise and reduce glare too. A mown lawn decreases habitat for disease-carrying ticks and reduces fire hazards near wooded areas. Additionally, well maintained turf grasses reduce injury from sports played at home, school, or elsewhere. A well cared for lawn is actually a low cost asset that can be physically used or enjoyed for pure viewing pleasure.
Health
Studies show the cycle of growing grass and the color green lift human spirits and provide both thoughts and feelings of happiness, privacy, and serenity. Well maintained turf is known to have therapeutic effects on humans as measured by heart rate and blood pressure, thereby increasing the recovery rate of hospital patients.

There are some who prefer alternatives to grass in their landscapes for a variety of personal reasons. But for those of us who love turf, with today’s eco-friendly care and maintenance techniques, we can have our green and feel good about it too!

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I Fear My Lawn

Published by Mr. Grass on January 25th, 2010 - in Turf

At this time of year the white frozen landscape can mimic a black and white silent movie bringing on the winter “blahs.” While many folks will cheerfully review seed catalogues seeking color and future planting joy, the middle child (the lawn) is often overlooked.  Many simply think the job is too daunting and large in size to adequately tackle without the help of a professional consultant.  The word professional invokes terror of written plans and costly fees, before any work is even done.

Ironically, it is these same professionals who will save you- the homeowner- considerable lost time, frustration and more importantly, improve your lawn area without the need for pricey renovations.  Very few lawns actually need to be completely renovated such as bringing in new loam and starting from scratch.  A solid turf-building program should start with the soil and work up from there with conditioners, aeration, overseeding, natural fertilizers, and other proven methods.  A green carpet can be yours with proper planning, adding to the enjoyment of your home each and every day.

So while you have those colorful catalogues out and are making joyous plans for a great garden or flower beds, please don’t forget to include the middle child- your lawn!  Our site visits are always complimentary!

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The “Final Cut”… Not Just the Last Album from Pink Floyd

Published by Mr. Grass on October 28th, 2009 - in Turf

The last mowing of the year is more important then you may think.

I was recently reviewing some lawns and came across a client who has left their summer home for the season.  Although things look great, the lawn has not been mown in weeks.  Not only was this a real potential problem for the normal growing season, it is especially problematic given it is now the end of October.

As a general rule, most turf in our growing area should not be any longer than 2” maximum, with an ideal cut at around 1-1.5” in November.  Why so short?  Grass actually continues to grow slowly under the snow over the winter.  In addition, if the grass is left long, 3” or more- your chances increase exponentially for incurring winter damage, ice damage, and snow mold in the spring.

Long grass will fall over, matt down, and lower the oxygen level at the ground level, an ideal environment for snow mold to take hold and to cause injury or death to the crown (living point) of your grass plant.  A small ounce of prevention can reduce, minimize, or sometimes prevent what would otherwise be dead turf come April.

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