Santa Ana, California
Getting Lawn Care in Santa Ana
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 Santa Ana 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.
More about Lawn Care in Southwestern Cities
When it comes to Santa Ana lawn care, it’s important to consider how each season affects common grass types in the region. Although warm-season grasses are capable of surviving the region’s dry climate, they must be cared for year-round. This includes frequent maintenance in the summer and spring and strengthening during the fall and winter. The following lawn care tips can bring you one step closer to having a healthier lawn in the Southwest.
To keep up a healthy lawn, a combination of watering, fertilizing, weed control, and general maintenance should be utilized throughout the year.
- Bermuda
- Zoysia
- St. Augustine
Spring
The Southwest receives less rainfall in the spring than other regions. As a result, this region is more likely to have severe droughts, making it more difficult for new plants to sprout in the summer. However, repairing your sprinkler system before the heat arrives can prevent this from happening.
If your lawn is being overrun with weeds, you may need to apply a broadleaf weed killer. When selecting a herbicide, make sure to read the label before purchasing the product.
Plant new warm-season lawns from sods or plugs. Spring is the best time to do this because the grass is growing enough to establish itself.
Thatch buildup can prevent water, oxygen, and nutrients from reaching the soil. However, dethatching the lawn can make it easier for the soil to receive these elements.
Summer
Southwestern lawns are at risk for extreme drought. If this occurs, it’s best to keep the lawn dormant; however, you’ll need to water it once a week to keep it from dying.
Homeowners should avoid fertilizer application during the summer. This is because hot temperatures can cause the fertilizer to burn.
Since grass needs plenty of time to evaporate moisture, it is recommended to set irrigation timers for the morning. This can help prevent this type of beetle larvae from feeding on plant roots.
Fall
Once the temperatures are low and cool enough, pre-emergent herbicide can be applied effectively to get rid of weeds.
For homes at higher elevations, planting cool-season grasses are a great idea. This is because higher-elevated areas are more likely to experience heavier rainfall and cooler temperatures.
Dead leaves can make it difficult for sunlight to reach your lawn, causing the grass to die. For this reason, it’s best to rake and remove leaves once per week.
The stress from spring and summer can cause fungal diseases to develop. However, you can treat these lawn diseases more effectively if you notice them early on.
Winter
Southwestern lawns often go dormant in the winter. Since dormant lawns are less durable than others, it’s important to stay off them.
Pocket gophers are a common problem in the winter. Although these animals naturally aerate the soil, they can also destroy crops and agricultural lands.
Overseed warm-season lawns with annual ryegrass. This will prevent the lawn from looking bare while its warm-season grasses are dormant. Once you’ve overseeded your lawn, it’s important to regularly water and mow it.
Apply pre-emergent herbicide during the winter will prevent lawn weeds from sprouting in the summer.
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 Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana lawn care company today and get started on a healthy, green lawn now!
