Are you fighting weeds in your lawn?

This time of year our phones are ringing off the hook and when those calls are about a client's lawn, there are two questions I hear all of the time. The first is "What can I do about the weeds taking over my lawn?" and second,  "Why isn't my lawn as healthy as the others in my neighborhood?".

 

While I wish I had a quick and easy answer to these common concerns the truth is that are a myriad of factors from the type of turf and mowing height to micronutients in the soil and drainage that need to be taken into consideration. There are, however, some common themes I find when a client's lawn isn't where they would like it to be.  In simplest terms the health of your lawn comes down to its most basic needs being met - Sun, water, and food. By taking a look at your lawn you can make a quick evaluation that could rule out one or two of these issues.

 

At Least 4 house of Sunlight

If you have dense tree cover from large oak trees and get less than 4 hours of direct sunlight a day, this is going to be your top problem and it's one of the more challenging issues to correct. You may also have an additional concern because you haven't fertilized or had any weed control done in your lawn recently - but your main reason why the lawn isn't as healthy as you want it is due to excessive shade. Canopy trimming, shade landscaping, and a couple other ideas can really transform your lawn quickly. Take a look at our full article about how to salvage a yard in deep shade. 

 

The Right Amount of Water

If you have a good bit of sunlight and the nutrition of the lawn has been handled well, the third concern to address would be the lawn's watering. We recommend that you conduct an annual inspection of your irrigation system to verify coverage is corect. Many times we see plants have grown up to block sprinkler heads, valves don't open properly, or heads have gotten out of adjustment and are missing the very area of the lawn you were concerned about. Also, using that inspection to verify the rain sensor is working properly and that it's set to run enough during the week and at the optimum times as well. We have a full article on water in regards to what happens if the lawn is watered too much, not enough, and how to fix it. 

  Fertilization and Weed Control

If you know you haven't had your lawn fertlized in more than 4 months, a lack of nutrition may be the main problem you are facing. It's important that your lawn get the correct balance nitrogen, potassium, and iron to help green up and choke out the weeds.  Carefully managing weeds and turf pests is another area that can be a challange for some of our Gainesville lawns. A good lawn care program is one that focuses on the overall health of your lawn and encourages healthy growth rather than just spraying pesticides.   

We hope this quick tip has been of assistance to you in getting your lawn bouncing back for spring. If you have time, take a look at our full article on lawn nutrition and how The Master's Lawn Care differs from the competition in our area. We also have selective weed control products that won't harm your lawn but will kill out the weeds that are invading. If you would like to get our professional opinion please don't hesitate to call our office at 352-378-5296 or e-mail me directly at rusty@themasterslawncare.com.