San Francisco, California
Get Lawn Care for Your San Francisco Home
Keeping your lawn healthy is among the most important aspects of maintaining your home. Frequent maintenance not only enhances curb appeal, it also prevent damages from water and pests. By keeping the grass even, soil healthy, and edges trim, beautiful lawn care can increase the value of your property and your neighborhood.
It's important to be consistent in performing lawn case, as new problems can resurface every season. It may be worth it to hire professional lawn care in San Francisco, especially with the amount of tools, products, and equipment required to get lawns into good shape. You can achieve a renewed appearance for your lawn and have the time to enjoy it year-round. Below are additional facts about commonly used lawn care techniques:
Mowing— Among the most common mistakes made in lawn care is mowing at the incorrect height. Depending on which season it is, various grass types require different mowing schedules. Cutting your lawn too short could scalp the soil and destroy the roots and stems. In order to stop lawn damage, grass should be cut according to the recommended height for the type.
Watering— Although plants need water to thrive, overwatering could prevent the roots from growing to its fullest potential. This can lead to lawns becoming more susceptible to weeds, diseases, and other lawn problems. Still, it's important to water on a needed basis, particularly during droughts. In most cases, it's better to water lawns deeply and occasionally as opposed to pouring it over the soil at once.
Fertilizing— Another key lawn care practice is fertilization. There are several factors to consider, such as climate, grass type, and type of fertilizer. Fertilizers can be organic, made from materials like food, compost, and grass clippings, or synthetic with nitrogen, potassium, or phosphorus. Remember that using more fertilizer doesn't necessary mean the grass will grow faster. This is a common misconception that should be avoided.
Aerating— Even though aeration is mostly used on lawns with compacted soil, healthy lawns can still benefit from it. As it breaks up the soil, aeration permits oxygen, water, and nutrients to distribute easily throughout the soil. Regions that experience regular rain or lawns with heavy foot traffic have a greater need for aeration.
Southwestern Lawn Care Techniques
Weather has a major impact on lawn care, including homes in San Francisco with lawns featuring common Southwestern grass types. Warm-season grasses may be able to survive in extended periods of heat, but year-round care and maintenance are still needed. This generally means consistent care during the summer and spring with minor care in the cooler seasons. Read on to see additional lawn care tips for a healthy lawn in the Southwest.
For the best results in lawn care, combine regular watering, fertilizing, weed control, and maintenance throughout the year.
- Bermuda
- Zoysia
- St. Augustine
Spring
With its dry climate and desert landscape, the Southwest takes in less rain than most other regions in the country. For this reason, cities in the Southwest, including San Francisco, may become sensitive to drought. Fixing the sprinkler or irrigation system beforehand can help prevent high temperatures from affecting new plants.
Apply broadleaf weed killer to stop weeds from growing and spreading across your lawn. Read the label of herbicide products carefully before purchasing.
Use sods or plugs to plant new warm-season lawns. It is best to do this before the summer arrives and the heat prevents grass from rooting into the soil.
Lawn thatch that has grown over the winter can sometimes block nutrients from reaching the roots. To help plants receive these nutrients, dethatch the grass to unblock the soil.
Summer
Compared to other regions, Southwestern lawns are at the highest risk of extreme drought. Drought can lead to lawns going dormant. If this is the case, scale back on watering to at least once a week.
Fertilizer should not be applied in the summer. Extreme temperatures could cause it to burn rather than help the soil.
Set sprinklers to go off early in the morning so that the lawn has the entire day to evaporate. This can also get rid of beetle larvae, which feed on plant roots.
Fall
Once the temperatures cool, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weeds from sprouting.
For homes at higher elevations, planting cool-season grasses are a great idea. Higher-elevated areas offer the best chance at receiving heavier rains and cooler temperatures.
When the leaves begin to fall, it can make it difficult for lawns to receive the sunlight they need. Try raking and removing leaves once a week to help grass grow.
The summer heat could potentially cause fungus and diseases to appear. Catching these growths can help prevent damage from incurring on your lawn.
Winter
As winter arrives, many Southwestern lawns will go dormant. Foot traffic should be limited in order to prevent damage.
Pocket gophers can also pose a problem for lawns in the winter. They can be helpful in aerating the soil, but also destroy crops.
Combine your lawn's grass seeds with annual ryegrass, a cool-season grass variety. This helps fill in the places that may go bare as the warm-season grass goes dormant for the winter. Regular mowing and watering should follow once overseeding is complete.
The winter is also a good time to apply pre-emergent herbicide as it will help stop weeds in the summertime.
Seek Professional Help Now!
Doing your own lawn care can be a worthwhile experience. However, constant maintenance can be demanding. In addition to other household priorities, lawn care can easily go from a hobby to a full-time priority. This could cause your lawn to degrade, losing value on the property, and fall into disrepair.
To keep this from happening, get help from a San Francisco lawn care service that is professionally equipped to meet your lawn's needs. Professional lawn care not only saves you time, but money in achieving a healthy lawn more efficiently. It also saves you from spending heavily on costly damages. Contact a lawn care specialist now to get started on growing your San Francisco lawn to its best potential - call today!
