We have started a podcast (online audio broadcast) that offers FREE lawncare advice and fundamental education for anyone interested in making their lawn and landscape greener as well as doing their part to make their neighborhood more beautiful.

To learn more about what a podcast is, and how it works, visit our podcast page.

We have always been committed to educating our customers on what types of treatments we are performing on their lawns, what services are coming up, and how they can maximize the effectiveness of our services that we provide. Our new online audio broadcast is simply another way we can distribute this information to you.

Topics that we will strive to cover in our podcast every month will be:

1. Scheduled treatments & services that we are currently offering, as well as optional services that can be done to prepare your landscape with the changing of seasons throughout the year.

2. General lawn and landscape advice concerning not only your lawn, but your trees and shrubs, as well as insect and disease control.

3. Special promotions and discounts to help you save on services.

Our existing customers will be receiving 2008 pre-pay information sometime during early winter. With pre-payment for your 2008 service, you can save money. Pre-payment for your 2008 service is also a great way to ensure uninterrupted treatments throughout the year and promote consistent color and weed control on your lawn.

Remember, in order to insure timely service on your lawn and landscape, our service is a continuous service, so we will continue to come out until we are notified otherwise.

The leaves from your trees are going to be falling very soon, if they have not done so already on your lawn. This may have an impact on your fescue if you overseeded this fall. Be sure to consistently keep those falling leaves off of your lawn to allow the seed to germinate properly. Too many leaves on your newly germinated fescue turf will smother it, and keep it from receiving the nutrients and water that it needs.

If you have a blower, use it to remove the leaves from your lawn, or if you use a rake, be careful, raking very lightly over your fescue as to not pull up the tender seedlings that are there trying to develop a strong root system.

Also, many fescue lawns that were overseeded this fall should be ready to be mowed by now if your lawn was overseeded in late September or early October. It is best to wait until the lawn is as highest as you can get it, but 2 to 3 inches of top growth should be okay to mow as long as you are careful with your lawnmower and do not tear up the grass when you are turning it. If you have not sharpened your mower blade this year, now would be an excellent time to do that to so you can get started off mowing that new fescue correctly.

For tips about how to properly maintain your lawnmower, click here.

Q:  When my Bermuda or Zoysiagrass lawn turns brown in late fall and early winter, does that mean it is dying? 

A:  No, it is not dead, it is just going into winter dormancy. Warm-season lawns such as Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass are just that—they actively grow and are green only during the warm growing season when soil temperatures are above 55 degrees or so. The grass plants are still alive, it is just their stems and leaves that are brown as they shut down photosynthesis and stop producing food. The root system and crown (the growing point) are still alive and somewhat active.

Since the grass plants are not active, there is no need to fertilize a warm-season grass over the winter.  At LawnAmerica, we stop fertilizing well before the turf goes dormant, as we do not even want to push the plant to grow and stay green deep into fall and early winter. This only sets up the turf for more Spring Dead Spot disease, and increases the chance for winterkill. You may need to keep some irrigation on the turf over the winter, as we can sometimes become pretty dry at times. Since the crown and root system are still somewhat active, some soil moisture will help protect the plant from harsh winter temperatures, which can sometimes affect warm-season turf, even to the point of killing it with severe winter sub-zero weather conditions.

3. Mow your lawn properly.

Never remove more than 1/3rd of the leaf blade with mowing. At some times, that means mowing your turf every 5 days or so. Use a sharp blade. Mow a little higher on Fescue turf—never shorter than 2.5”. During the summer and late fall, raise your mowing height, unless you have a shorter Tiff variety of bermudagrass.

4. Do not mow weeds down before a service call.

If your lawn has just been mowed, it is difficult to see weeds in the turf and hard to get enough herbicide on the weed surface for good control. Nutgrass especially is nearly impossible to control if the lawn has just been mowed. Wait several days after mowing to allow weeds to grow higher and then call us. We will be out within one day to treat the weeds then. You can then mow a day or two after that, removing the top parts of the dying weeds.

Every fall we offer this optional service, and we consider it to be the most important treatment of the year for your trees and shrubs. This treatment includes a specially formulated liquid ornamental fertilizer into the root zone of your ornamentals which is absorbed and utilized by the plants the following spring. Proper fertilization helps provide the plant with the nutrients that it needs over the winter, and cause it to perform better, grow more, and stand up to pest problems better.

It is easy to schedule this treatment for your ornamentals! Visit our Tree and Shrub signup page on our website by clicking here, and when you sign up online, you will receive a $5 discount for the service!

Copyright LawnAmerica 2006