Caring For Your Lawn The Right Way- Kansas City Landscaping Strategies

An informed and motivated person does not need to leave a professionally kept lawn to the professionals. But full lawn care involves a lot more than cutting the yard and fertilizing once a year. Kansas City landscapers use a range of methods that we will cover briefly.

First you must acknowledge that the grass needs much more than water and sunlight if it is going to reach its full potential. Grasping this and being diligent to meet those needs will provide you with a great lawn. Being cognizant of the demands of your grass isn’t the end of the matter however. You must then take care of them properly.

For new lawns or bare areas, Kansas City landscapers recommend thinking about the upper 3 inches of soil. Find out what your soil needs and aim for a texture that is somewhat compressible and retains moisture. The reason for this texture is proper moisture retention and gas-diffusion. Experts are aware that roots need to “breathe” some oxygen, yet stay moist.

The soil should also have the right level of acidity (pH). Your Kansas City landscaping supplier or garden store will have a test-kit. After testing, the next step is to condition the soil to raise or lower the pH. Lime and ash are know to raise the levels (make more alkaline), and organic compost, mulch, or nitrogen-rich material will lower (acidify) the level.. Kansas City lawns are commonly too acidic (low pH) and need to be brought to near neutral. Kansas City landscaping shops will have the tools and materials you need. Application methods depend on the material you are using, so ask about what you should do

Kansas City’s snow and heavy rain create problems of erosion and standing water, which can eventually harm grass roots. You have to guard the top layer of soil or the grass will die. Erosion removes the protective layer of soil over the roots and dries them out while standing water suffocates the roots and prevents the exchange of nutrients. To prevent this you should re-grade areas that are too steep or that are prone to standing water. Installing sod in steeper areas or utilizing landscaping technology like erosion blankets can help in especially steep areas.

You will need to choose between using sod or seed for covering bare areas. Sod gives you instant grass. That’s its greatest strength. But if you are needing a mixed variety of grass or needing to stay on a budget, seed is superior.

A great way to find out which varieties of grass will grow well in your yard is to spread several seed varieties and see which one thrives the best. This can be particularly helpful if more than one condition is present- like when one area of the yard is heavily shaded and another receives full sun. This is a common practice used by professional landscapers in Kansas City to combat the varied conditions in the local region. Seek advice or help from a professional for your unique regional needs.

Correct watering is more crucial for your lawn than maybe any other issue. Most Kansas City landscapers work with a weekly irrigation pattern that will allow water to drain properly while keeping the soil moist. Thatch and fungus are a result of over watering, while watering too little will obviously dehydrate the roots. Two inches of water once a week should work for most lawns.

Your yard can become choked and overly stressed by thatch over time. This breeding ground for pests and disease can harm the grass in several ways. Nevertheless, a small amount of thatch under a lush lawn is fine. It can even help hold water and micro-nutrients in the soil.

De-thatching the yard will be needed here and there, if the yard is healthy or not. To remove thatch Kansas City landscaper de-thatch with a power-rake or hand-rake. The process is meant to rake the dead layer of grass up out of the living grass and remove it. A mower is typically used to remove the thatch. Just remember not to mulch it back into the yard but bag it.

Rain, snow and foot-traffic will compact your yard’s soil all year long. Grass roots will then be impaired as they attempt to draw water and nutrients- a main obstruction in developing a proper yard.

Kansas City landscapers remedy this difficulty by aerating. The aerator will provide you with an even series of holes a few inches deep. This will lessen the problem of compacted soil and permit the roots to do what they do best.

Kansas City landscapers always apply a weed-preventative chemical known as a “pre-emergent” in the early Spring. Before weed-seeds activate, this chemical stops the activation process. That means the weeds don’t even take root. This is much more effective than attacking the weeds after they have been established.

Food is needed if your grass is going to stay healthy. The soil will lose nutrients over time through various processes. Nutrients must be replaced or stress and disease can permanently harm the yard. Kansas City landscapers recommend at least two feedings per year. And if it does not get too hot, where the grass is too stressed to feed, a Summer feeding is ideal. Chemical fertilizers are one option or, a more natural method, organic materials like composted foliage.

When the grass is too long, or if it has gone to seed, it is best to mow it and wait a few days before fertilizing, or else the nutrient will not be uniformly spread. Yet, if the grass has just been cut the nitrogen can damage the plant by burning it. Make sure to wait a few days after mowing.. It is necessary to highlight that lots of people believe cutting their grass shorter will save them work later, but this is not true. Imitate professional landscapers in Kansas City and use the higher settings on your mower.

Kansas City landscapers always apply a fungicide at least once per year because local yards are prone to infection. Yards that get flooded or have poor drainage can be infected suddenly, almost overnight. Kansas City landscaping is principally vulnerable to fungus in milder seasons while it rains and the water does not dry completely.

It is as true in life as it is in landscaping, diligence and working hard in the good times will give you the extra assistance you need in tough times. There is no alternative for a vibrant yard as the best way to prevent problems. Everyone knows an unhealthy yard dies easily but a healthy yard will stay strong through tough times.

Every Kansas City landscaper understands that doing all these methods and strategies is hard work but it is necessary if your lawn is going to be healthy and happy. Enjoying the process and learning as you go will guarantee an enjoyable and valuable experience. So have fun and have a great time!

You should take a gander at the hyperlink to the right to get a little more information about Kansas City commercial landscaping.