As we get closer to spring, making the proper preparations can mean the difference between a low-maintenance, manageable lawn and landscape, or a never ending battle all season long. Things you should be thinking about and planning for now are:
1. Weed control for your landscape beds (both pre and post-emerge herbicides and bed cultivation)
2. Dormant trimming for your shrubs and trees
3. Crabgrass control for your turf
Cultivation of your current mulch in your landscape beds is always a good idea midway throughout the winter. This exposes young root systems of any weeds or undesirable plants that may have germinated just before the start of winter that would emerge through that fresh layer of mulch that is installed in the early spring. If exposed, the young root systems will die with any exposure to frost.
A granular pre-emergent herbicide should be applied to the freshly cultivated mulch to help keep weeds from germinating once the weather begins to change. Granular pre-emergent herbicide should also be applied to rock beds as weeds can germinate in the sediment below the aggregate layer of rock on top.
Shrubs and trees should also be dormant trimmed midway through the winter. Dormant trimming helps you to re-gain the shape and re-size those shrubs and trees that may be too overgrown for your landscape. This practice can help save you from having to allocate dollars to replace overgrown shrubs which can be a major expense.
Crabgrass control in your turf is best handled on a pre-emerge basis and is usually done around the end of February or early part of March depending on climate. Crabgrass begins to germinate once soil temperatures reach 55 degrees Farenheit so the timing of your application is definitely important. Most spring fertilizers also contain prodiamine, which is the active ingredient that is most effective in the pre-emergent control of crabgrass. Crabgrass seeds are already embedded in the soil from the previous season and the prodiamine creates a protective blanket that prevents the seeds from germination. The protection from the application is good for 5-6 months but factors such as excessive rainfall, humidity, and extreme heat can dilute the prodiamine content in the soil prematurely. If this happens, it is usually in the months of July, August, and September and post emergent herbicides designed specifically to kill the crabgrass are used to erradicate the problem once it germinates.
If the above mentioned services are something that you would like to explore, please feel free to give us a call as we would love the opportunity to give you a quote! We are state licensed applicators for the pre and post emergent herbicides and have years of experience with dormant trimming.
We also provide mowing services, landscape maintenance and design, hardscape installation such as retaining walls, patios, natural stone, and pool landscapes.
We look forward to working with you!
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