Benefits & DIY Tips
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Summer Maintenance & Lawn Mowing
Our lawn expertise will keep your lawn in top condition with mowing, fertilizing and weed control. We will maintain the other areas around your property as well to make sure aesthetics and functionality are always in check. As season’s change, we will check on your shrubs, eavestroughs and irrigation as well!
Winter Maintenance & Snow Removal
We keep your property clear of snow, usually before you even wake up in the mornings! Early AM shifts means ultimate safety for clients and crews, and service is provided every 24hrs regardless of continuing snow. Check-up routes are conducted to keep up with Wind Drift Removals as well as Ice Management during freeze-thaw cycles.
Core Aerations
Core Aeration can be done 2x per year, in Spring and in Fall… Really Core Aeration can be done at ANY time throughout the growing season. Our prairie soil is prone to compaction and nutrient loss when it comes to our homes yards. Core Aeration, combined with OverSeeding and Fertilization is one of the best ways to fight soil compaction and introduce new nutrients and grass seed into the ground!
Soil Enhancement(Advanced Fertilization)
Our Advanced Fertilization program, which we call Soil Enhancements, consists of a liquid additive applied to the lawn and watered in immediately. It contains natural nutrients and a beneficial bacteria to speed up the breakdown and intake of those nutrients. A minor dose of granular fertilizer is applied as well for slow-release value, but the formula works like adding a natural compost layer into the soil and helps to unlock idle nutrients as well!
Lawn Care Tips
Some easy “How-To’s” for caring for your lawn are:
-Watering should be infrequent, and deep. Water when soil temperature is coolest and ideally before the sun is out for the day. The goal would be to give your lawn 1-2 inches of water each week. The easiest way to measure this, set an empty tuna can or 1 inch tall dish in the average(not heaviest, not lightest) area that your sprinkler hits.
-Do not over water, watering established grass too often will open it up to the possibilities of disease and weed growth.
–Over-Seeding should/can be done two times per year, but realistically only one time per year is best. The best time to Over-Seed would be in Spring, but for lawns that are lacking in health, Over-Seeding can be done again in the Fall just after the last cut of the season, and it is always a good idea to put down some slow-release, specialized Fall fertilizer at this time as well.
-Aerate(Core Aeration) lawns atleast 1x per year, preferably 2x being in Spring and again in Fall. Pair this Aeration with OverSeeding and Fertilization for best results.
-Depending on Fertilizer used, Fertilize lawns 3-4x per growing season. Use nutrient rich slow release granules OR ideally a natural, liquid compost blend that also improves soil structure and beneficial bacteria counts.
-Dog waste is one of the biggest killers of grass, urine should be avoided whenever possible and fece’s should picked up as soon as possible.
-Grass Lawns shouldn’t be cut to any less than 2 inches, the best and healthiest height being between 3 to 4.5 inches.
-Only ever remove about 1/3 of the grass blade at a time when mowing, so typically allow the blades to grow to 4.5 inches, then cut the blades down to 3 inches with a SHARP mower or string trimmer.
-Cut grass when dry, this is best for your mower and also prevents your grass from losing moisture it could potentially need.
-Clippings can be left on the lawn, as they help to give back essential nutrients.
–Do not fertilize or use weed killer on new grass, specialized fertilizers for new grass can be bought but I do not recommend it. Proper compost however, is great when spread lightly and evenly. This will provide the grass with nutrients and help to choke out weeds. The best treatment for filling in patchy/bare areas is a mixture of compost, top soil, and grass seed.
-After new seed has passed it’s initial 4 week germination period, slow release fertilizers can be applied as well as Selective Herbicides for dealing with Alberta’s typical weeds. A healthy and lush lawn is very capable of choking out weeds on its own, however for issues like Broadleafs, Knapweeds (several varieties), and Thistles, the best treatment is to pull the entire plant and root system from the soil, either by hand or with a proper weed de-rooting tool. Fill this spot with Grass Seed Mixture above to ensure quick growth of healthy grass.
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More Tips and Tricks for your Lawn Care and Property!
Caring for New Sod
-Keep foot traffic to a minimum for 3-4 weeks. Wait 2 full weeks before Mowing the lawn.
-New grass, be it seed or Sod, requires more water than an established lawn. The main goal for the first two weeks is to keep the ground below the sod moist, but allow the Sod to spend a portion of each day dry.. This encourages the roots to penetrate the soil in search for moisture. Dependant on natural precipitation or daily temperature, adjustments may be needed. Early morning waterings are always best as that allows excess moisture to evaporate off during the day, but high summer temperatures may call for more frequent waterings.
-Water daily for first two weeks. Then watering can be spread out, but water much “deeper” or heavier each time. Every 2-3 days, water the lawn for about 30-45 minutes, preferably in the morning before 6AM. How much water your lawn needs is dependant on weather, but the general rule is to give your lawn about an inch of water every 2 days. This can be measured as simply as setting a tuna can or comparable size dish on the lawn to determine how long to water for. Once the can is full, thats enough! Spreading the waterings out 2-3 days encourages the roots to grow deeper in search of water.
Caring for New Seed
–For 6-8 weeks keep foot traffic to an ABSOLUTE MINIMUM, meaning none if possible. Do not mow until new grass reaches about 4-5” in height, and remove small amounts at a time, do several passes if needed to complete GENTLE mowing.
-Water regularly, KEEP DAMP. It does not require a lot of water each time, excess water can wash away soil and germinating seeds. DO NOT FLOOD, just water enough to moisten soil and allow a positive environment for new growth. Early morning is best, but if the soil dries during the day then it is important to water it again in the evening! Mid-day waterings will likely be needed as well if high summer temperatures are being reached.
-After 3 weeks when the grass has begun to germinate, less water is required but your new grass will still require MOSTLY damp soil, especially during high heat. Morning watering is best, still only enough to just keep soil moist. Your new grass will not be using much water at this point, so it does not need a soaking or “deep” watering.. Frequent, dampening waterings are still best for this period, but it is okay now for your soil to be dry for a portion of each day.
At this point you will have a base of grass, which will be patchy and will be very sensitive for it’s entire first 3-4 MONTHS(from time of seeding). Foot traffic should still be avoided as much as possible.
-After the 6-8 week period, and for long term care, watering can be spread out, but heavier amounts in one watering. The goal would be to give your lawn 1-3 inches of water each week. The easiest way to measure this, set an empty tuna can or 1 inch tall dish in the average(not heaviest, not lightest) area that your sprinkler hits, fill this dish every 2-3 days.
DO NOT APPLY HERBICIDES OR PRE-GERMINATION PRODUCTS TO SEEDED/NEW SEED LAWNS
Irrigation Systems
Eavestrough Cleaning
Fertilizations and Weed Control
Lawns, shrubs and trees need regular nutrient additions to stay in top condition. Harsh cold winters and hot summers bring both extremes, and maybe of our lawn grasses are not totally natural to our environment. Fertilizing lawns 4x per summer, as well as Core Aeration and OverSeeding are the best ways to keep your lawn in top shape! Weed Controls are applied on the same schedule but a strong lawn is best and keeping Weed problems under control.