Avoid These Common Lawn Care Mistakes

Maintaining a lush, healthy lawn requires proper care and attention. Unfortunately, many homeowners make mistakes that can harm their grass and hinder its growth. To help you avoid these pitfalls, here are ten common lawn care mistakes to steer clear of.

Avoid These Common Lawn Care Mistakes

Neglecting to pick up clumps of grass after mowing:
Leaving clumps of clippings on your lawn blocks sunlight and suffocates the grass. Remove clumps by raking or mowing over them again once they are dry. Failure to do so can lead to the death of your grass over time.

Aeration and seeding at the wrong time:
For best results, aerate and seed your lawn during the growing season. This allows the grass to heal and fill in any bare areas after removing soil plugs.

Using dull mower blades:
Dull mower blades tear and shred the grass instead of providing a clean cut. This can result in moisture loss and give your lawn a brownish appearance. Check for frayed grass blades as a sign that it’s time to sharpen your mower blade.

Mowing in the same direction every time:
Mowing your lawn in the same direction repeatedly causes the grass blades to bend over, leading to a less healthy and dense lawn. Vary your mowing pattern each week to encourage upright growth. If you notice the grass bending over, lightly rake the lawn before mowing to help it stand up for a cleaner cut.

Improper watering – under or overwatering:
Watering your lawn incorrectly can lead to problems. Overwatering can wash away nutrients, promote fungal growth, and stress the grass, making it more susceptible to disease. Most lawns need one to two inches of water per week, so find the right balance to avoid issues.

Lack of a yearly plan:
To maintain a healthy lawn year-round, it’s essential to have a plan in place. Determine the specific needs of your lawn at different times of the year and ensure it receives the necessary care and maintenance.

Ignoring seasonal changes:
Seasonal changes impact your lawn’s health and recovery. Prepare your lawn for each season by adjusting mowing frequency and height, watering practices, and considering aeration when needed.

Neglecting to use fertilizer:
Fertilizing is crucial for a vibrant, envy-worthy lawn. However, knowing when and how to fertilize can be challenging due to the wide variety of products available. Educate yourself on proper fertilization techniques to ensure optimal results.

Choosing the wrong grass type for your climate:
Selecting the appropriate grass type based on your climate is essential. Warm-season and cool-season grasses thrive in different conditions. Planting the wrong grass for your region can result in wasted time and money, as it will eventually die off.

Cutting the grass too short:
Repeatedly mowing the grass too short, also known as scalping, depletes the grass’s energy reserves, weakens it, and makes it more susceptible to weed invasion. Maintain an appropriate mowing height to promote healthy growth and a lush lawn.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to achieving a beautiful and thriving lawn that enhances your outdoor space.

Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now and let our team take care of your lawn.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Lawn Maintenance: Preventing Mushroom Invasion

Among the many reasons why many homeowners continue to seek more effective lawn maintenance strategies is to prevent mushroom invasion. Like weeds and unwanted grass, mushrooms often grow in lawns and yards along with other types of fungi. In fact, these are commonly considered by experts as a natural part of lawns.

Lawn Maintenance Tips

How mushrooms benefit lawns

Believe it or not, mushrooms and fungi actually benefit lawns. And in many cases, lawn maintenance experts will not suggest removing them, especially if they do not exist in large quantities. These organisms serve an important role in the soil food chain that helps keep your lawn and grass healthy.

What mushrooms do is they feed and break down organic matter that exists in your soil. The organic matter may come from old roots, remnants of buried wood, branches and thatch. As they do this, they recycle the nutrients from the organic matter and bring it back to the soil for your grass and plants.

You will be surprised at how big mushrooms grow. The mushroom cap that you see peeking through your grass and lawn are just small parts of a larger organism that is buried in your lawn. This larger organism is what actually feeds on the dead organic matter in your soil.

Removing mushrooms and fungi

Like what is mentioned earlier, experts will often recommend leaving mushrooms alone on your lawn. In many cases, their presence does not negatively affect your lawn and plants. But if you really want to remove them, you will have to hire a professional. Conner’s Lawn Care Service will work to identify the specific species of mushroom that is growing in your lawn by looking at their size, color and shape. Learning about their species will help professionals determine the appropriate strategy to remove them from your lawn.

The only time lawn care in Myrtle Beach will recommend removing them is when they grow into larger quantities that follow a circular pattern. This is what is often referred to as fairy rings. And the first obvious sign of a fairy ring in your lawn is when you see darker portions of your grass in the lawn.

Fairy rings become a huge lawn problem because the fungi that create fairy rings release unwanted nutrients back into the soil after they feed and decompose organic matter in the soil. One of these nutrients is nitrogen, which can negatively affect your grass and plants. This is what actually causes your grass to become darker in color. If not kept in check, fairy rings can grow bigger and larger until it consumes your entire lawn.

Industry experts will recommend the use of fungicides along with continuous aeration of the lawn to treat and effectively remove fairy rings. Regularly aerating the lawn, especially in the area where the fairy rings exist, will allow more water to penetrate in the soil and this is what will help prevent the growth of the fungi.

Looking for professional lawn maintenance assistance? Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Guide To Fertilizing Your Lawn

Fertilizing the lawn should be part of your maintenance routine if you want to keep a healthy and green lawn. Unfortunately, many homeowners do not bother with this because they have no idea what products they need to use or when and how to apply them. And further complicating the matter is that when the lawn fertilizer is incorrectly applied, it could actually be more harmful to the lawn.

Expert Lawn Care and Fertilizing Tips

Spring is the best time to fertilize the lawn because the soil temperature, not the air temperature, gets to as high as 55º Fahrenheit. You’ll know that the soil has reached that temperature because the lilacs will start blossoming, and you’ll notice the grass growing.

You can also purchase a soil thermometer and determine the temperature of the soil at any time. In many parts of the country, the first application of these fertilizers must happen around mid-April.

When looking for fertilizers, you’ll see three numbers on the label, which represent the percentage of potassium, phosphate, and nitrogen, which are the main nutrients required to feed lawns.

Slow-acting lawn fertilizers will break down nutrients over time, so you can wait longer between applications. These products will allow you to fertilize your lawn between 6 to 8 weeks, based on your watering routine, rather than every four weeks, saving you money and time.

Slow-release fertilizers containing nitrogen are highly suggested but ensure it’s not too much. You should only use one-tenth of a pound of nitrogen per week. This will keep your lawn green. If you use more than the recommended amount, you will mow your lawn more often than required.

During the growing season, giving your lawn between two and three pounds of nitrogen is ideal. So within the span of four weeks, it will be a quarter pound of nitrogen every week, which is far too much.

Professional landscapers have tanker trucks that spray fertilizers over your entire lawn, which means the task is done in just a few minutes. They do this every day, which means they know how to consider different factors like wind and what should be done so that the yard will get even coverage. On the other hand, homeowners tend to use granules, which can easily be applied using a spreader.

The second feeding must take place about four weeks following the first application. Once done, you should continue to fertilize every 6 to 8 weeks and then straight through October. When it is time for the third feeding, you should use an organic material like manure rather than a conventional lawn fertilizer.

Fall feeding is an important part of your overall lawn care in Myrtle Beach routine too. Grass will continue to grow throughout this period. The roots will go down into the soil and will require fertilizer. This is considered the most critical fertilizer application for the entire year.

Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service if you need the help of experts in maintaining your lawn.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Lawn Care Tips for a Lush Summer Landscape

For those battling hot days, scorching sun and the occasional drought, landscape designer, Conners Lawn Care, offers some suggestions for keeping the lawn healthy and green until cooler days return.

Follow these essential lawn care tips to ensure your lawn remains healthy and green until cooler days arrive.

Summer Lawn Care Tips

Optimal Grass Length

Allowing your grass to grow a bit longer during the summer heat can work wonders. Longer grass develops deeper roots, preventing weed growth and reducing competition for water. Moreover, denser turf requires less water overall. Aim for a blade height of approximately 4 inches during the summer months.

Sharpen Mower Blades

Maintaining sharp mower blades is always important, but it becomes even more crucial in hot weather. Dull blades cause the grass to fray, increasing the likelihood of browning. Keep your mower blades sharp to ensure clean and healthy cuts.

Mowing Schedule

Reduce mowing frequency during the summer and consider mowing early in the day or as the sun begins to set. Freshly cut grass is more susceptible to sun damage, and keeping your lawn cool can minimize the appearance of brown spots.

Embrace Mulching

Instead of bagging grass clippings, use a mulching mower. Allowing the mulched grass to settle back onto the lawn acts as a natural moisture trap, keeping the soil cooler and better hydrated. Mulching mowers are beneficial year-round, but their advantages are particularly pronounced in combating summer heat.

Fertilization Considerations

In most cases, you can skip fertilizing during the summer months. If your lawn is struggling, it’s best to have the soil tested for any deficiencies before resorting to fertilizers. If fertilization is necessary, opt for organic, time-release fertilizers to avoid damaging your lawn.

Optimal Watering Times

Aim for approximately one inch of water per week to maintain a healthy lawn. While an irrigation system is ideal for consistent hydration, the timing of watering also plays a vital role. Contrary to popular belief, watering during the hottest part of the day won’t harm the grass. However, rapid evaporation can be problematic. Opt for deep, infrequent watering in the morning to ensure efficient absorption by the root system.

Contact our team of experts today at Conner’s Lawn Care Service, and let us help you maintain a green and healthy lawn, even during the hottest summer days.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Effective Lawn Care Tips For Healthy Lawn

Proper and effective lawn care – to achieve and maintain a healthy lawn does not need to be time-consuming and costly. Experts agree that a healthy lawn is not due to the time and money you spend caring for it. It is actually due to how you maintain your lawn using the necessary processes at the right time.

Here are some things you can do to ensure effective lawn care, which will help you achieve and maintain a healthy lawn.

1. Maintain an appropriate height of lawn grass based on the current time of year
Many homeowners are not aware that the height of their lawn grass should be maintained depending on the current time of year and on their local climate. If it is particularly colder in your area, your lawn grass should be at least 1 1/2 inches in height at your first mowing of the year. The second time you mow, leave the grass at a 2-inch height. And before the year ends, mow them back to 1 1/2 inches in height. If you live in a warmer area, add another 1/2 inch to their height every time you mow.

2. Always mow with a sharp blade
Maintaining the tools you use to maintain your lawn is essential to effective lawn care in Myrtle Beach. You need to ensure the tools that you use are well maintained so they will not damage your lawn. This particularly applies to your lawn mower. You need to keep their blades sharp at all times before using them. Note that dull mower blades tear through your grass and cause more damage rather than take care of your grass.

When your lawn grass is left with a tear instead of a clean cut, it will eventually turn yellow and weaken, making them vulnerable to diseases. As a result, you would need to water them more frequently and add more nutrients to help them recover.

This is why it is important that you keep your mower blades sharp all the time. You can ensure they are in top condition by sharpening and balancing them at least three times a year, more frequently if you hit many rocks when mowing your lawn.

3. Soaking your lawn instead of running the sprinkler makes you use less water
According to industry experts, including Conner’s Lawn Care Service, soaking your lawn in at least 1 to 2 inches of water is healthier for your lawn than using your sprinklers. Deep soaking effectively reaches through the deep roots, helping them develop more quickly and produce healthier lawns.

Sprinklers, on the other hand, only wet the grass and the surface of the soil, missing the deep roots that need water and nutrients more. Because of this, you often find yourself watering your lawn more frequently, especially during the summer.

4. Mow when the grass has grown an inch more than the required height that you are maintaining

This allows you to mow only the top one-third of your lawn grass, which is usually thin and leafy. You want this part of your grass left on your lawn to decompose because it provides the nitrogen your lawn needs to grow healthy. Aside from this, leaving these thin and leafy clippings on your lawn to decompose also creates a layer that prevents the water on the soil from evaporating quickly. Plus, it also protects your lawn from weed germination.

Remember to mow only when the grass is dry, and the weather is fine. Avoid mowing your lawn at noon when the sun is up and blasting heat because this can stress your grass, and your mowing efforts will not gain the desired results.

Looking for professional lawn care assistance? Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Is Lawn Care Service Worth It? Why Hire a Professional?

You might wonder if lawn care services are worth the money in this DIY era where many people seem to be doing things themselves.

Why pay for something you can do yourself? You might think that you can do the lawn care services yourself, such as fertilization and weed control.

Should you hire a Myrtle Beach lawn care company? Let’s answer this question by highlighting some key factors to consider.

Lawn Care Services are Worth it for These Reasons

We’ve put together a list of reasons why you might want to hire a lawn service company versus doing it yourself. We want you make the right decision for your home.

1. The Lawn Treatment Process is More Complex than Many People Think

When the lawn doesn’t look its best, people tend to reduce lawn care to a simple matter of dumping some weed killer and fertilizer on it. In reality, the process is much more complicated than most people realize. DIY lawn maintenance can be overwhelming for those who are not prepared.

You can actually ruin your lawn by choosing the wrong solution for a problem. DIYers can end up misdiagnosing a problem and wasting time and money by buying the wrong lawn products.

They could also end up doing even more damage to the lawn, which would mean that it could take longer to achieve the desired results.

2. Your time is valuable

People tend to underestimate their time when comparing DIY lawn care with professional lawn care services. This is partly due to the fact that many homeowners underestimate just how much time it takes to maintain a lawn. They think they can do it on weekends.

It takes time and effort to make multiple trips to the shop, find the perfect day and weather for the project (and how much time is needed), clean up and store the materials. Many people find that once they start, they have other things to do.

3. DIY Lawn Care is more expensive than you think

The number one reason people think about DIY lawn care is to save money. There are a number of hidden lawn care costs that can add up.

The first step is to purchase a spreader and then the products you will need.

Making mistakes can cost you money. There can be costs associated with rectifying mistakes.

When homeowners consider the costs of purchasing what they need (plus the trips to the grocery store), it may be worth the investment to hire a professional to maintain their lawn.

4. Do-It-Yourself Lawn Care is Dangerous

There are some safety issues or dangers associated with DIY lawn maintenance.

One thing to note is that working outside can be gruelling. Professional lawn care workers work outside all day (and therefore are better acclimated) but many homeowners underestimate how difficult and exhausting it can be to do this in the heat.

Snakes, scorpions, wasps and other insects can be encountered when working outdoors.

You’re also working with chemicals. These products are perfectly safe when used and handled correctly, but you will not be given the same training as a professional to know how to use these products. You’ll also need to store these products safely.

5. It is possible that you may not get the results you desire

In the comparison of DIY versus professional lawn care, we believe that the lacklustre results you might get if you do these services yourself is one of the most important things to note.

You’ll get better results by hiring a professional (assuming that you hire a qualified professional). This is because professionals invest in commercial-grade, high-quality products that produce better results. You can’t buy these products at your local hardware store.

Professionals also know how to use these products correctly, which can make a big difference in the final results.

You can choose professional lawn care experts if you want to have the best-looking lawn in the neighborhood without having to deal with all the hassles.

We understand why some people choose to do their own lawn care. However, it is not always worth the effort. It’s true that fixing mistakes can be more expensive and frustrating than investing in good lawn care.

We can now answer the question, “Are lawn care services worth it? The answer is YES. You will not save money or time by doing it yourself.

Are you ready to have a lawn that looks professional? Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/

Practical Lawn Care Tips for a Soaked Yard

It can be difficult to maintain a yard that has been soaked in rain. Rain is good for the grass in the spring but it can make it difficult to maintain a regular routine of lawn care. Here are lawn care tips to maintain a lush, healthy yard in prolonged rainy weather.

Lawn Care for a Soaked Yard

1. Avoid Mowing Wet Grasses

It can be difficult to avoid mowing the grass when it is raining heavily. Mowing wet grass is not recommended. Let it grow longer than cut it while it’s wet. If you mow your lawn yourself or hire a local lawn care expert to do it, this can lead to compaction and ruts. It can also stress out the grass.

2. Stay off your rain-soaked yard

When you walk on a lawn that is soggy, the roots can be pulled out. Compaction can also be caused by increased traffic. It is best to wait two days following heavy rain before using your lawn as normal.

3. Clean Up After a Heavy Rain

Many homeowners overlook the importance of cleaning up debris left behind by heavy rains or flooding. Check your lawn for debris such as old grass and leaves. Remove any debris you find. If you don’t clean up, it will lead to dead spots and additional lawn care.

How to care for a soggy lawn?

These tips are for the weekly lawn maintenance routine in wet conditions during the entire season. Here are some additional tips that you should consider long-term.

Improve Drainage

You may wish to improve drainage in areas of your yard that collect water. Here are six ways to improve drainage in your yard.

Regularly Aerate the Lawn

It can help in improving drainage and allowing your grass to breathe more effectively, especially in wet conditions. This will improve drainage, and your grass can breathe better in wet conditions. Learn more about the importance of aeration in lawn care by reading this article.

Hire a Professional

You can maintain your lawn all year round with the help of a professional lawn care service.

Our team is ready to help you with all your lawn care needs. Call Conner’s Lawn Care Service now.

Conner’s Lawn Care Service
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-504-4901
http://connerslawncare.com/