Clark Meadows….LOVES Fall!

We love when our grass looks full and healthy in the summertime………right?

Well guess what? A beautiful summer lawn starts in the fall of the previous year, so if you want your lawn to be pristine for Summer 2020, according to lawndoctor.com, here’s what you should do for preparation now:

1. Keep mowing. Grass doesn’t stop growing until it frosts over in winter, so there’s no reason to stop mowing come autumn. Continue cutting your grass at its normal height until it stops growing. Once you call it quits for the season, you’ll need to winterize your mower. This includes sharpening the blades, changing the oil and spark plugs, inspecting the mower for damage, and cleaning the air filter.
2. Water when needed. Autumn rain results in less evaporation, providing plenty of natural moisture for the grass to sustain itself. Even so, you should keep tabs on how much water your grass is getting with a rain gauge. If the lawn isn’t getting one inch or more of moisture per week, you should water it.
3. Rake often. When leaves fall on your lawn, they block out sunlight and can prevent plants from making food. Additionally, the soggy moisture they hold can lead to lawn fungi. Raking also helps remove any thatch that may have built up. A leaf blower or vacuum won’t remove thatch, so it’s important to use a traditional rake occasionally. Start raking as soon as the leaves fall in order to keep these passageways open. Even after the leaves stop falling, you should continue to rake as the wind blows them onto your property.  Raking once a week isn’t too hard right?
4. Now is the time to think about aeration. Over the summer, your lawn has probably suffered from some degree of soil compaction and heat stress. These two problems often cause most (if not all) of the brown or thinned grass you may have experienced last season. Aeration is the process of removing soil plugs from a yard in order to free up passageways for precious nutrients to reach the grassroots, nutrients they often struggle to bring in under compaction and stress. Aerating in the fall will help your lawn be green and healthy for the next year. This task is most effective when professional machinery is used, and our exclusive Turf Tamer equipment can help your lawn recover and turn lusher than ever next spring.
5. Apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer. If you want your lawn to look better and be healthier, fertilize in the fall. This process will give your lawn plenty of nutrients to get it through the winter and help the grass grow stronger in spring. As a result, fall is the single most important time of year to fertilize for a healthy lawn. If you decide to aerate in the fall, you should fertilize soon afterward in order to ensure that the nutrients will reach deeper into the soil.
6. Seed to fill in bare and burned spots. As we’ve mentioned, many patches of lawn can die during the summertime, so it’s a good idea to reseed those areas with the right grasses. Keep in mind, however, that seeds that don’t touch the soil won’t germinate, and it can be difficult to cover an area of grass thoroughly.
7. Keep up with lawn pest control. Insects that live in your lawn now can cause serious problems once it starts growing after winter ends. If you notice a lawn pest problem on your grass, take care of it in early fall to limit the damage. You can apply a pesticide, or reach out to us to identify and eliminate lawn pests, such as grubs and armyworms. Fall is also an excellent time to eliminate many types of weeds, so weed control is a beneficial activity as well.

There are local service companies that can maintain your yard for you! Here are some suggestions for lawn care maintenance:

• TruGreen Mcdonough – 1-844-565-0186
• Simply Green Lawn Care Plus – 770-923-0387
• Turf Masters – 866-473-5140

If you are a do-it-yourself-er here are some product suggestions to help you:

But fall cant be all business….right? Enjoy this wonderful break from cutting grass and…….

PLAY IN THE LEAVES!!!!!!!!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!!

So….. not everybody lives in Home Depot or Lowes! We get it….*insert thumbs up icon here* LOL. We have your back! Tis’ the season to prepare for the weeds. I know…. we hate them, they are SUPER annoying, and unattractive….But, guess what? They can be prevented!

According to trugreenmidsouth.com, the best ways to prevent weeds this spring are:

• Healthy grass. The best prevention method for weeds is to have a healthy lawn. Weeds popping up is typically an indication that your lawn needs more nutrients or there is a problem with the soil.
• Deep watering. Watering your lawn properly will help it fight off weeds. Water your lawn about once a week, and give it about an inch of water. This will help the roots of your grass grow deep into the soil, preventing weeds from taking root.
• Tall grass. Set your lawn mower to one of its highest settings. Tall grass is thick grass, and that shades weeds seeds, making it harder for them to sprout.
• Mulch. For areas of your lawn where you want to have flowers, or just don’t want grass to grow, lay down about 2 inches of mulch. Mulch will keep your soil cool, help plants thrive, and not let weed seeds take root and see light.
• Pre-emergent herbicides. These will stop weeds from taking root in your soil.

They also notate that the best way to treat weeds are:

• Pull them out! After it rains go outside and try to pull weeds out by the roots. It’ll be easier to do this when the soil is moist. Sometimes weeds can grow back if the root stays in the soil.
• Prune. If you can’t pull a weed out by its roots, cutting off the top is the next best thing. This way it won’t be able to germinate.
• Post-emergent herbicides. When your lawn is overcome with weeds you need a solution other than pulling them out. These herbicides absorb into the weed and attack its roots in order to kill it.
• Glyphosate. Found in products like Roundup, this is an herbicide that will kill any growing plant that it comes into contact with. That means you need to be very careful. Don’t spray it on windy days, and try to only use it for weeds that are isolated.

Keep your yard looking tip top this spring!! Well maintained yards keep our neighborhood looking beautiful!! Here are some popular products to buy for yard control:

• ORTHO Weed B Gon
• Roundup Weed and Grass Killer 
• Spectracide Weed Stop

Or…. if you would rather kill two birds with one stone and take a giant leap towards keeping your yard plush and weed-free this spring try these:

• Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed
• Sta-Green Weed and Feed
• Vigoro Ready-to-Spray Concentrate Weed and Feed

Or….if you would rather just have someone else do it, here are some local companies to contact:

• TruGreen Mcdonough – 1-844-565-0186
• Simply Green Lawn Care Plus – 770-923-0387
• Turf Masters – 866-473-5140

Have fun!!!! Yard work is not as boring as it seems and its an awesome way to show your personality in your home!