Services

Weed Control

The best defense is a good offense! A healthy lawn will win out in the competition against weeds for light, moisture, and soil nutrients. Two factors are important in determining the method to use in managing weeds. The type of weed is first. They are classified as either broadleaf, grass, or sedge.

The life cycle of the weed is the second factor. Annuals have a one-year life cycle, biennials have a two-year life cycle, and perennials have more than two year life cycle. Annual weeds usually get a pre-emergent treatment where the herbicide acts on the sprouting seed and keeps it from forming roots thus killing the weed before it emerges (i.e. dandelions, clover, etc). Perennial broadleaf weeds are better treated with a post-emergent herbicide. Once weed grasses have emerged they are much harder to control (see CRABGRASS CONTROL)

Crabgrass Control

Crabgrass forms thick clumps of light green leaves. They are highly competitive with turf grasses and are a persistent weed that germinates with each irrigation.

The Pre-Emergent used by us has the highest rating of any crabgrass control on the market. Under normal weather conditions, it is possible to achieve 90% or greater control of crabgrass. Excessive spring rain or extreme heat in the summer can reduce this effectiveness. There is no 100% crabgrass control on the market. Post-Emergent control is also applied, as needed.

Insect Control

Insect control is offered as a preventative or curative service, applied once a year. The product we use treats grubs, chinch bugs, fleas, ticks and other surface feeding insects. Most lawns in this region are plagued year after year with these insects, causing your turf to yellow and brown out.

GRUBS: Grubs are the larval stage of literally hundreds of types of beetles. You can usually find them curled up and range in length from one to one and half inches. These pests feed on the roots of the grass, severing them so that the blades will be easily pulled up. The turn will be loose and you will be able to roll it up. Affected areas may be several feet wide. Birds and moles and skunks increase the damage as they hunt for this easy meal – many times causing more damage than the grubs themselves. A lawn with recurring grub infestations need annual application of insecticide before the egg hatch period begins.

CHINCH BUGS: If you see patches of yellow or reddish grass in areas that get a lot of sun you may have chinch bugs. Chinch bugs bite into a grass blade and suck out the juices. Further damage is caused by toxic saliva that is injected into the plant. This is when the wilting and yellowing occurs. Female lay about 200 to 400 eggs so it is important the problem be dealt with at an early stage. The bugs can hibernate through the winter and emerge in the spring. Warm, dry conditions favor the chinch bugs. Properly cared for turn will withstand small infestations. Damage is most easily seen is late June through August.

FLEAS & TICKS: You will never control fleas and ticks just by bathing your pet. In fact, your pet acts like a flea and tick vacuum cleaner when crossing your lawn. Insecticide will effectively end the cycle of fleas and ticks (recommended 3 times a year for full control).

Core Aeration

It is estimated that over 66% of residential lawns are growing on compacted soils. Many times, there is no evidence of insect or disease activity, yet the lawn seems to be off-color, thinning and shows signs of stress in high temperatures. If this is the case, then chances are that the lawn hasn’t been aerated in the past few years… if ever.

Compaction is a physical process where the soil gets more and more compressed so that there is a reduction of the amount of oxygen contained in the soil and movement of nutrients to the roots of the grass plant. The roots need oxygen, and, as they grow they give off carbon dioxide. Eventually the lawn thins, until, ultimately, the soil can no longer support any turf growth.

Aeration is the removal of small cores of soil to allow air, moisture and fertilizer down to the root zone of your grass. Both drought and heavy rain stress your grass. During drought conditions aeration helps water reach thirsty roots. When rain is heavy, it allows air to penetrate and help dry up excess moisture. Core aeration creates healthy roots and thicker, more beautiful lawns.

Tree & Shrub

All County Lawn Care Tree & Shrub is able to make sure that your trees and shrubs get the same level of care that your lawn will receive. Usually trees and shrubs get much of the nutrients they need from the fertilizer that is put on the lawn. Unfortunately, this means that the lawn will be losing some of the nutrients that it needs to grow and be healthy. Fertilizing trees and shrubs ensures that both they and the lawn get all the nutrients that are required.

The same principle applies to groundcovers that may share the same space as trees and shrubs. We will give each element of your landscape design the exact balance of nutrients that it needs to be healthy and flourishing. This is especially important in flowering varieties of plants and trees.

There are two ways to tell if your tree needs fertilizer. The easy way is to simply look at it. A light green or yellow-green color indicates that is short on nutrients. Another indication is if it has a lot of dead wood, sparse foliage, or if the new growth is shorter than it should be. Dark green leaves and excessive growth of new shoots means you can delay fertilizing for another year.

When necessary, Deep Root Feeding allows the fertilizer to be delivered right into the tree’s root system. A slow-release fertilizer is used since it will not burn the roots. It can be distributed evenly around the tree in holes drilled about one foot deep and two feet apart.

Deciduous trees and shrubs have a special need for nitrogen. They should be fertilized in either early spring or late fall. This will keep the height of their growing season in mid-summer and will protect the plants from sustaining damage to new growth as the winter approaches.