lawn care tips Archives - Page 2 of 2

Posted on October 29, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

Did you know the average American is outside working on their lawns and gardens for 70 hours out of the year? That’s over an hour every week just keeping things maintained. Part of that maintenance revolves around the war on weeds.

Weeds are ugly, they spread quickly, never give up, and suffocate surrounding plants. Homeowners are always trying to figure how to get rid of a lawn full of weeds–for good. Consider your search over, we have the tips you need to get rid of them once and for all.

This is Weed Eradication 101, your guide to a healthy lawn.

How to Get Rid of a Lawn full of Weeds Permanently

First, before we start throwing down every weed-killer and substance onto our lawns, let’s cover some basics. Weeds are a generalized term for plants. They might be completely harmless, but if they’re ugly and spread like grass, they’re a weed.

Taking a blanketed approach or a “magic bullet” product and going to town on your yard is risky. You don’t know how surrounding plants will react. Most weed-killing sprays are made to protect grass only.

In order to target weeds and keep them from thriving is to make conditions as unwelcoming as possible. This starts with not over-mowing grass, monitoring soil health, and regular watering.

Steps to Success

The first step is to know thy enemy. Which type of weed is it exactly? If you do plan on using weed herbicides, you should go for family-specific types like crabgrass, dandelion, and etc.

Put down pre-emergent products everywhere that you don’t have weeds. There’s nothing worse than treating a lawn for weeds, only to have them pop up in another corner of the yard.

Check the soil condition of your yard. Make sure it is moist, loose, and has plenty of nutrients. You should check the pH levels at least once a year an perform a mow and fertilization treatment before temperatures dip at the end of the year.

When the cold air moves out, begin your cycle of pre-emergent weed defense. As your lawn grows, try to avoid falling behind on mowing. Frequent mows taking off only one-third at a time are ideal.

When you over-mow, grass can be in a vulnerable state and create conditions for weeds to take root.

Professional Weed Maintenance

If you’ve already done the above and either have failed or don’t have the time to fight weeds, that’s okay. If you’re afraid of ruining your lawn with an improper application of weed-killers, you should consider hiring a pro.

We know how to get rid of a lawn full of weeds without any risks involved. Years of experience working with all the native plant species in Palm Beach area.

Get rid of that ugly blight on your home’s landscaping. You can contact us today and set an appointment to get a personalized solution for your home. This includes immediate extraction and future upkeep for both residential and commercial lawns.

At East Coast Sprayers, we know the importance of keeping plants healthy and lawns manicured.

Posted on October 22, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

Do you dream of a picturesque yard with an abundant amount of plants and lush green grass, but are stumped when it comes to picking out a lawn fertilizer?

You’re not alone.

Keeping your yard looking picture-perfect can feel like a burden sometimes, but not when you properly fertilize.

Now, not all fertilizers are the same, and there is no one-size-fits-all in terms of lawn fertilizer. In fact, the selection of lawn fertilizers can be quite intimidating when you go to make your purchase.

Luckily, we are here to make purchasing lawn fertilizer as easy as possible.

What is Lawn Fertilizer?

Yes, fertilizer makes your grass grow, but what exactly is it? Fertilizer is made up of three nutrient components, which can be found on the front packaging of any fertilizer product in the following order.

1. Nitrogen promotes the lush green color of grass and rapid growth.

2. Phosphorous promotes floral growth and a strong root system.

3. Potassium promotes drought resistant and prevents any plant diseases.

To learn more about what fertilizer is and how it benefits your grass, click here.

Choosing a Lawn Fertilizer

Now you know what fertilizer is made of, but you may be wondering where to go from here. There are many ways to determine what kind of fertilizer you want to use.

Based on pH Levels

To start off, take a sample of your soil to determine the ph level. This is important because if your pH level is off, it will affect the ability of the grass to absorb the nutrients.

Any soil below the pH level of 5.5 needs a lime fertilizer, and any soil below 7.0 needs gardener’s sulfur fertilizer.

Based on Location

The state that you live in determines the type of climate that is affecting your lawn. If you live in a cooler, northeastern state, you want to purchase a slow-release, organic fertilizer, and you want to fertilize your lawn around St. Patrick’s Day.

If you live in a warmer southern, central or western state, your grass is going to need a little more attention due to the harsher climate. Look for a high-nitrogen, slow-release fertilizers, and you want to fertilize your lawn around Easter.

Types of Lawn Fertilizer

There are three types of fertilizer you can find at the store. The question is, which one should you buy for your lawn?

Organic Fertilizers

These can be purchased at the store or even made at home with compost. This makes them all-natural, and they slowly release into the soil as it breaks down over time.

Granular Fertilizers

These allow you to control exactly when your lawn is fed with their wide selection of time-release formulas. This fertilizer can come in handy when you are looking to fine-tune your lawn fertility. Plus, it is cheaper when it is bought in bulk.

Water Soluble Fertilizers

These are ammonium-based, which means it is quickly absorbed into the grass. Water soluble fertilizers yield fast results in both growth and color. This is where your backpack and push sprayers will come into play.

What Lawn Fertilizer Will You Choose?

Now that you know a little more about what fertilizer you are looking for, you can get started on that lush lawn you have been longing for. Contact us today so we can help you make that first step.

Posted on October 15, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

Pets are amazing additions to the family, especially dogs. It’s fun to watch them frolic around in the grass playing with their favorite toy.

But did you know letting a dog use the yard as a potty could wreak havoc on your lawn? It’s true. Those brown spots on your once beautiful, green grass are from doggie urine.

Dog urination burns grass. It’s loaded with nitrogen, which when it’s too high can affect the health of your grass.

Other factors matter as well, like the pH levels in the dog’s urine. A normal pH for a dog’s excretion is between 6.6 and 7.0.

Anything outside of this range means the pH in the urine is acidic, which will burn the grass. But you can get all this under control and protect the health of your grass.

If your dog or neighborhood dogs are doing a number on your grass, don’t fret. It’s not the end for your yard. Here are a few ways on how to prevent pet urine from killing grass.

How to Prevent Pet Urine from Killing Grass

You’ve probably given up all hope that your grass is going to grow back. It’s rained a hundred times and gotten plenty of sunshine, but those brown spots won’t grow away.

You can manage this problem with plenty of water, the right fertilizer, and adding training.

Fertilize Right

Three compounds make up fertilizer: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium–nitrogen being the key ingredient. Too much of it will damage your lawn.

Applying excessive fertilizer to your grass increases the nitrogen and salt levels. Add dog urine–which contains concentrated nitrogen–and you have the perfect recipe to kill grass.

Cut back on applying fertilizer in areas where your dog urinates. Or forgo fertilizing on your own. Contact a professional to have a professional grade of fertilizer applied to your grass.

The right amount of fertilizer helps your grass stay green and healthy.

Rinse with Water

Dogs relieve themselves without warning sometimes. One minute they’re playing and the next they’re going on the grass.

Add a spray nozzle to the end of your hose. Use it to spray the spots where your dog urinates. Diluting the urine puddles with water reduces the amount of nitrogen the lawn absorbs.

If additional water usage worries you, let your dog roam the yard a half hour before the sprinklers come on. That way, if he or she urines, the water from the sprinklers will dilute the urine.

Additional Training

Designate a potty area in the yard, then train your dog to go in that area only.

Keep the area free of debris and teach the dog to go on command. When you let him out, take him to that one spot and don’t let home leave until he relieves himself.

Use a non-toxic pheromone pee post. The smell from the stake will attract your dog and encourage him to eliminate in that spot only. Remember to reward him.

Lawn Repair Treatment

When all else fails, apply a lawn repair treatment that’s safe for dogs. Most pet-safe treatments contain organic enzymes that absorb nitrogen in dog urine.

Lawn repair treatments stop lawn burn and begin to repair the grass.

Keep your Lawn Healthy

These tips on how to prevent pet urine from killing grass are practical ways for keeping your grass healthy.

Consider them and others, but always enlist the help of a professional if you’re ever unsure.

Posted on October 8, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

The lawn: It’s part of the white picket fence dream that most of us grew up with. A nice house in a great neighborhood, two kids, the family car, the large, fenced-in backyard and a golden retriever.

The problem is that it’s nowhere near that simple. Even the most basic aspects of keeping up a home and a lifestyle can require a lot of work.

Take the lawn, for instance. The law requires that the grass has to be under a certain length, which means you have to mow it every so often.

Not only that, but there’s also the issue of winter lawn care. What if you want your lawn to stay green so that it still looks great when the snow melts away? The good news is that this is totally possible, and we’ll show you now in the paragraphs below.

Fertilization

Fertilizing your lawn is a great way to ensure that grass continues to grow there, and maybe a few other things too. That being said, there are a few arguments that come up when talking about fertilizers.

There’s always the question of money. Unfortunately for that whole white-picket-fence image, most of us don’t have the money to just go around buying things whenever we want.

Plus, most fertilizers these days are made by major companies, people we don’t know and whose methods we can’t personally verify. This is especially troublesome with all the claims constantly popping up about gardening supplies and the things they can supposedly do to our bodies or the land.

Aeration

A healthy lawn should be well-aerated. Aeration is the act of loosening up the soil so that plants can more easily receive oxygen and water in their roots, and it’s essential in winter lawn care.

When to aerate and how often varies, but it mostly depends on what kind of plants and soil you have in your lawn.

One of the biggest obstacles is thatch. Thatch refers to dead grass that has been left behind on the ground. If thatch develops into a layer too thick, and even a half-inch can cause problems, it can block lawns from receiving the nutrients it needs.

The good news is that there are tools specifically designed to aerate lawns. Before and after tilling, though, a lawn should be watered fairly well. Otherwise, the whole process goes to waste.

Mowing, Raking, and More

There are more things you can do to help keep your lawn healthy, but most of it is fairly simple things that you probably already do, such as mowing and raking the leaves. You might also take up weeding if you have any.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Winter Lawn Care

We all know the basics of caring for our lawn, but many of us may not even be aware that winter lawn care is even a thing. That’s totally understandable, because why would you have to do anything during the season where all the plants die and then regrow next season?

There are actually a few things you can do. For instance, you can fertilize your lawn, loosen up the soil and grasses, mow it, and rake the leaves.

If you want to know more about lawn care, please visit our site. We can teach you about some common mistakes people make with their lawns and how to avoid them. We can also give you advice on some of the best lawn care equipment out there and why you need it.

Posted on October 1, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

The lawn industry is worth $40 billion a year. If you need to replace your entire lawn with sod, it could cost you a pretty penny – anywhere up to $4,500 depending on size. That’s why it’s important to take care of your lawn.

Don’t let grass bugs destroy your beautiful new lawn. Here are the five most common lawn bugs to watch for and how to get rid of them fast.

1. Grubs (Beetle Larvae)

One of the most common and most damaging of all lawn pets are beetle larvae or grubs. These plump, c-shaped larvae arrive in the spring, summer, and early fall to eat the lawn grass roots. You will find them just below the soil surface.

To get rid of grubs, you can get nematodes, which are microscopic bacteria that invade the grubs and ultimately kill them. You can also try milk spore. The other options are chemical applications either preventative or curatives to kill immature larvae.

2. Chinch Bug

Chinh bugs kill grass by sucking on the blades. While they are feeding, they secrete an anticoagulant which prevents the grass from absorbing water. The grass withers and then dies.

These bugs mature quickly, so it’s important you treat your lawn immediately. Find insecticides labeled for cinch bugs. You should also water and feed your yard regularly to prevent further damage.

3. Sod Webworm

The webworm moth’s larvae eat grass blades and the entire stems. The young sod webworms are about 1 inch in length and will become green or brown with dark spotting. Look for find silken tunnels at the turf level.

To control sod webworms, you need to keep your yard fed and water so it can recover. Next, use a pesticide labeled for sod webworms. They feed at night, so apply in the late afternoon.

4. Armyworm

Armyworms eat the stems and blades. They feed at night or early in the morning.

If you have armyworm damage, these worms create bare spots in a circular shape. They can also make a lawn look like it moved if you have a heavy invasion.

You can try using neem oil spray to kill the larvae. If the damage spreads too quickly, look for the right insecticide which you can get in the organic form.

5. Cutworm

These worms about 2 inches long and are brown or gray with black marks. These worms burrow during the day. You can spot these worms at night or on a cloudy day.

Cutworms bite grass stems completely off. You can find the burrows and the sheared-off grasses if you look closely.

There are a couple of methods you could try to get rid of cutworms. You can spread a mulch of oak leaves or Bacillus thuringlensis, which is a natural method.

Effective Lawn Bug Control

It’s important to apply fertilizer and water your lawn. This helps your lawn stay as healthy as possible to bounce back from pest damage. You can get rid of insect pests yourself or hire a professional for insect control.

Unfortunately, pest damage to your lawn can go unnoticed until major damage shows. You can be proactive in applying preventative treatments to get ahead of the damage.

Want More Lawn Care Advice?

Everyone wants a beautiful lawn free of lawn bugs. Check out our blog today for helpful lawn care tips like seven common lawn care mistakes.

Posted on September 17, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

We all have that one neighbor with the gorgeous lawn. You know the one, so deep green and lush it almost looks fake. You want one too?

We hear you! Their secret is lawn fertilization. Keep reading to see how you can benefit from using it on your lawn too.

What Lawn Fertilization Can Do for Your Grass

In simple terms, applying a lawn fertilizer provides your grass with the nutrients it needs to grow and thrive. Kind of like how we take vitamins and eat right to nourish our bodies. The environment threatens your lawn’s health, as well as the type of soil it’s growing in, insect attacks, and disease.

Applying a yard fertilizer has the following benefits:

Deep green color
Thicker grass density
Faster growing grass
Lower air temperature through the transpiration process
Quicker damage recovery
Greater resistance to stress

As you can see, these are significant benefits for your lawn. Getting them through the simple act of fertilization is a no-brainer.

Choosing the Right Kind of Yard Fertilizers

Nutrient Profiles Explained

There are many kinds of fertilizers in various formulas, so how do you know which one to buy? Let’s start with the number combinations on the container. For example, 20-10-5.

In order, these numbers represent the percentage of the nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the lawn fertilizer.

Nitrogen is responsible for the green color and is also the most important element in a fertilizer. Phosphorus helps seeds and roots grow which is essential if you’ve planted new grass seed. And lastly, potassium makes the grass healthier and builds a tolerance to disease.

Choose a ratio that specifically helps your lawn issues and local weather conditions. If you have sandy soil, you’ll likely need more nutrients for your grass since the nutrients can leave when the water drains out through the soil. Clay ground tends to hold nutrients well, but the lack of drainage can also cause problems.

Complete vs Incomplete

Not all fertilizers have nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in them. Complete formulas include all three nutrients.

In contrast, incomplete yard fertilizers only contain one or two. You can tell an incomplete version by a zero in the number label, such as 20-0-10.

Organic and Synthetic

Synthetic forms of fertilizer come in two types, quick-release or slow-release. Which one is best for your lawn? Let’s review each so you can make an informed decision.

The quick-release formulas allow the nitrogen into the soil faster resulting in a greener lawn much faster. However, since the yard cannot absorb all the nutrients as fast, you risk future damage and disease. The quick-release formulas may also burn your grass leaving it brown and sparse, defeating your purpose for grass fertilization in the first place.

The slow-release granules won’t give your lawn that instant deep green color, but they won’t burn your lawn or require frequent applications either. These types of fertilizer allow the grass to retain more of the nutrients. Organic fertilizers are slow-release and made from all-natural sources such as feather meal.

When to Fertilize

Naturally, your budget of time and money should determine how often you fertilize. However, according to agronomy research, the most effective regimen is to apply your fertilizer three times throughout the year:

Spring (light application)
Early Summer (light application)
Fall (heavy application)

What’s the Bottom Line?

The benefits of lawn fertilization far outweigh the effort involved in applying them. Now that you know more about yard fertilizers, get started making your lawn the envy of the neighborhood.

Posted on September 10, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

Americans love a green and lush lawn. In fact, the lawn industry is worth nearly $4 billion. Homeowners spend thousands on fertilizers and other lawn products.

With big money invested in the lawn, you want it to be in the best condition possible. If your lawn is important to you, then read on to learn about the most common mistakes made in lawn care. Explore 7 common lawn care mistakes to avoid so you can flaunt the best green in the neighborhood.

1. Overwatering

Many homeowners make this mistake. These misinformed lawn maintainers believe that an extra dose of water is a cure-all.

If the soil is saturated, grassroots have a difficult time absorbing the water. It is possible to drown your grass. The best rule of thumb to follow is giving your grass one inch of water per week.

2. Failure to Water Enough

Grassroots cannot survive without water. If you don’t provide enough water, the roots lose access to water supply.

The water has to soak deep enough into the soil to reach the grassroots. Failing to do so will result in dead grass.

3. Watering At the Wrong Time of Day

It is best to water the grass in the morning. The reason is that the morning is the coolest time of the day.

Watering during the afternoon is inefficient. The water evaporates and the grass does not receive as much water as needed.

4. Fertilizing During Summer

The best time to feed your lawn is during the spring and fall. This is because temperatures are cooler.

Your lawn is more receptive to food and nutrients during this time. By fertilizing in the heat of summer, you run the risk of drying out the lawn.

5. Cutting Too Short

Many homeowners like a shortcut because it looks nice at the moment. It also requires a longer time period in between cuts.

However, there are serious downsides to cutting too short. First, short grass is more susceptible to be overtaken by crabgrass and weeds. Second, shorter grass shoots retain less water and are weaker.

6. Bagging the Lawn Clippings

The cheapest and easiest way to feed your grass is with clippings. Grass clippings are rich in nutrients like nitrogen.

Many homeowners make the mistake of bagging clippings. Take the collection bag off the mower and let the clippings work their magic.

7. Pets Gone Wild

Americans love their pets, but there are downsides when it comes to lawn care. First, pet urine is bad for grass health. The salts, ammonia, and nitrogen in pet urine tend to burn the grass.

Brown spots are not the only byproduct of free-roaming pets. Dogs also like to dig and can make holes in the yard.

Lawn Care Mistakes – Wrapping It Up

Having the nicest lawn on your street does not have to be hard or expensive. Avoiding common mistakes improves the odds of a green lawn.

Steps, like raising your lawn mower blade or watering in the morning, produce favorable results. If you want to learn more about lawn care, please contact us for assistance.

Posted on September 2, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

Many people want to show off their home by surrounding it with beautiful landscaping, but find themselves struggling to find time or lacking the expert knowledge to keep it look it’s best. Most lawn care tips listed below are easy for the average homeowner to keep on their honey-do list, while others can require expert advice to get the job done. At the end of the day, hiring a professional can eliminate stress AND help your lawn maintain its beauty throughout the seasons.

Whether you want to do-it-yourself or hire an expert, we have tricks that can help any homeowner make the best choices for the lawn. In this post, we will share some lawn care tips and tricks on how to fulfill that dream of a beautifully maintained landscape.

1. Grass Care

Having a large area of grass might seem like a time saver, but in reality, grass requires a lot of upkeep. Not only does it have to be mowed at least once a week (sometimes more) to keep it looking beautiful, it also requires regular applications of fertilizer, weed killer, etc. Most homeowners rely on the professional advice of a lawn care expert when it comes to their home’s landscape. East Coast Sprayers is the go-to team of licensed technicians for the Palm Beach County area for a variety lawn fertilization and pest control needs.

Looking for a low maintenance lawn care tip for a large lawn? Consider adding generous areas of stone around the home and maintaining a more manageable grassy lawn area. A stone patio or fire pit area creates a unique outdoor gathering area while cutting back on landscape care. You may also opt to add in large natural stone as a decorative accent throughout your landscape design. Although installing stone might require an initial amount of work, if done properly, areas covered with stone require very little maintenance and add a beautiful appeal to your home.

2. Plant Hardy Flowers, Shrubs and Plants

When shopping for outdoor plants, trees, flowers, etc., it is often very tempting to select something that looks amazing at the outdoor nursery. Upon reading the care instructions, you find it requires a substantial amount of maintenance or may not thrive in your space.

You need to ask yourself if you are truly willing to commit to the consistent watering, pruning, and fertilizing the plant requires in order to grow and thrive. Understand that garden nurseries spend their entire day doing all the necessary maintenance so their plants will look beautiful in order to encourage sales. Instead, select trees, shrubs, and flowers that state clearly they are hardy plants that require little maintenance. If you love the beauty of ornate trees and shrubs, we recommend hiring a professional to keep up with their needs and provide them with the nutrients they need to flourish.

3. Mow Reasonably

Many people think they have to cut their grass to its shortest possible length. But that is not necessarily beneficial for your lawn. Cutting grass too short leaves it susceptible to heat damage, drought and weed invasion. In South Florida, our weather can effect the growth of our lawn, and if its cut too short, the bright, hot sun can severely damage it.

Of course, you don’t want to neglect your grass either because when you finally do mow, the process is often slower and will more than likely leave large amounts of grass clippings that need to be disposed of. A good rule of thumb is to cut no more than 1/3 of the total length of your grass blades. If you know what type of grass you have (i.e. Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine, etc.) it can help you determine its ideal height.

If not, then gradually raise your lawn mowing deck every time you mow to find the ideal balance between under and over-mowing for your particular grass species.

4. Call A Lawn Professional

With today’s busy lifestyles, it can be difficult for individuals to find the time to perform all the lawn care and maintenance. The expert touch can not only improve your lawn and surrounding landscape, but alleviate the time and stress of doing it yourself. The best lawn care tips always lead back to lawn experts. Lawn care professionals have extensive experience to help them easily diagnose any issues with your grass and allow them to create the perfect mix of nutrients it desperately needs.

This is where East Coast Sprayers comes to the rescue. We offer a variety of services in Palm Beach County, FL to make your life easier and your landscape lush, green and beautiful. Our services include lawn fertilization, pest control, weed control, tree and shrub care, and much more! Contact us today for your free estimate!