Marks, Mississippi
Getting Lawn Care in Marks
Guarding the health of your lawn is an important part of taking care of your home. Not only can regular maintenance enhance curb appeal, it also protects the home's structure from experiencing water or pest damage. With trim grass, healthy soil, and neat edges, good lawn care can add value to your property and to the neighborhood.
Because new problems can arise every season, it's important to regularly practice lawn care. Finding help through professional lawn care in Marks can be worth it, especially with the amount of tools and equipment required to keep lawns in spotless condition. This helps establish a new and revived appearance for your lawn, as well as more time to enjoy it throughout the year. Read on to learn more about common lawn care practices used by professionals and homeowners alike:
Mowing— Mowing at the incorrect height is one of the most common mistakes in lawn care. Some grass types require a different mowing schedule, depending on the season and climate. Mowing your grass too low can cause scalping, which destroys the roots and stems. To avoid lawn damage, grass should be cut to the appropriate height for the season.
Watering— Even though plants need plenty of water to grow, overwatering could limit grass growth. This may lead to lawns becoming exposed to weeds and diseases. Nevertheless, watering is essential, especially during seasons of drought. For the most part, lawns are best watered in a deep and infrequent cycle rather than a single flooding.
Fertilizing— Fertilizing your lawn is a major part of growing strong and healthy grass. There are some things to consider when fertilizing, such as the climate, grass type, and grade of fertilizer. Fertilizers can be organic or synthetic, composed of food compost or created with nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus nutrients. Despite popular belief, adding more fertilizer does not mean grass will grow faster. In fact, over-fertilizing should be avoided at all costs.
Aerating— Aeration may be commonly used on lawns with compacted soil, but even healthy ones can still benefit from having it done. In loosening the soil, more air can reach the roots of plants, in addition to more nutrients and water. If your lawn is in a region that experiences heavy rain or foot traffic on lawns, it's likely you will need to aerate the soil at some point.
Southern Lawn Care
The way you manage lawn care in Marks can change depending on the current season and type of grass you have on your lawn. In the South, lawn care is characterized by warm-season grasses that thrive in the spring and summer and low maintenance in the fall and winter. Some of the most common warm-grass found in the South are:
To maintain a green and healthy lawn all year long, combine watering, fertilizing, weed control, and mowing to maintain the best results.
- Bermuda
- Bahia
- Centipede
- Zoysia
- St. Augustine
Spring
In the South, spring is one of the best times to build and strengthen lawns. With the warm temperatures, humidity, and rain showers, grass is able to grow healthy and strong.
Make sure that any cool-season grass seeds that were mixed in while overseeding die off completely before restarting a mowing schedule. If you didn't overseed your lawn during the winter, boost growth by using a spring fertilizer treatment.
Start up a mowing schedule after the lawn has been treated with fertilizer and as the weather warms.
Apply pre-emergent herbicide before temperatures become too hot. Otherwise, plants may end up damaged from the chemical.
Test the lawn mower and tweak it to make sure it's ready for the summer.
Summer
Summer is when Southern lawns grow the most and the fastest. Be ready to mow the grass every few days while fending off pests and diseases. Protect your grass under the heat by performing aeration, dethatching, and fertilization.
Consistent and plentiful watering is vital to the survival of Southern lawns in the summer. Put an irrigation system into place so that your lawn receives water in the morning. This allows it time to evaporate as the day goes by.
Cut the grass low each time you mow. Be prepared to mow at a minimum of twice weekly. A lower grass height helps repel pests and weeds, eliminating the need to apply weed or pest control.
Soil can become compacted when there is either too much or too little water. To prevent plants from dying, aerate the soil so that the roots can receive water and oxygen.
If you find any bald patches, reseed later in the summer just before fall arrives. Warm-season grass seeds will need natural warmth to properly grow and root.
Fall
Fall lawn care is mostly spent preparing Southern lawns for the dryness and cold of winters in the region. Start using fall fertilizers and any pre-emergent herbicides you may have. To strengthen your lawn against the cold, use a mixture with cool-season grass seeds while overseeding, such as annual ryegrass.
Cut back on watering to around twice a day for 10 minutes to let the new seeds grow. Mow only once a week to prevent stunted grass growth.
Stop watering if your lawn has gone dormant. Wait for the grass to grow and strengthen before doing anything else to the lawn. Continue mowing the dormant lawn, but make sure not to scalp it.
Winter
Don't panic if your grass turns brown; most warm season grass lawns will go dormant and change colors when it gets colder. Once spring arrives, the lawn will usually turn green once more.
Keep lawns hydrated during dry winters by watering once a week. Dormant lawns still need some water to stay alive.
Refrain from mowing non-overseeded lawns during the winter - growth could be stunted. If you did overseed, mow only slightly. Scale back on watering once the frost arrives. Use the time to service and maintain your lawn mower.
Prevent weeds from seeding and sprouting by digging them up or applying spot-spray. For taller weeds, a lawn mower will most likely be needed to get rid of them. This should be one of the few times a lawn mower is used in the winter.
Southern lawns should remain relatively calm and untouched during the winter as much as possible. Because the grass slows in growth during the winter, foot traffic should be limited to prevent damages.
Hire Professional Lawn Care Now!
Doing lawn care on your own can be rewarding, but it also involves a lot of work. Lawn can be time consuming, especially on top of other household priorities. This could lead to lawn deterioration, a drop in property value, and overall disrepair.
Avoid this by seeking help from a Marks lawn care expert. Allowing a professional lawn care company to take care of your lawn can help save valuable time and money spent on lawn care. You'll also save on costly damages by preventing them early on. What are you waiting for? Contact a Marks lawn care company today and get started on a healthy, green lawn now!
