Saturday, March 30, 2013

Kansas City Landscaping- The Best Ways To Manage For Your Yard Year After Year

By Doreen McAllpine


An informed and serious person doesn't have to leave a professionally kept lawn to the professionals. But full lawn care involves a lot more than a mowing and watering routine. In this article we will cover fundamental methods that many professional Kansas City landscapers apply.

You must acknowledge the demands of your grass as a living thing. Failing to meet these needs will result in a lawn which will be vulnerable to pests and disease, not to mention ugly. Being cognizant of the needs of your grass isn't the end of the matter at all. You must also understand how to answer them.

Professional landscapers in Kansas City always treat the first several inches of soil, if possible. The goal of this preparation is a "loamy" texture with the right balance of organic material, sand and clay. The objective of this texture is proper moisture retention and gas-diffusion. Some people don't understand that roots need to stay moist and exchange Carbon dioxide for O2.

Soil acidity is the next fundamental issue in yard care. Kansas City landscapers implement basic pH testing instruments that can be found at most garden-supply retail stores. Then adjust the levels up (more alkaline) or down (more acidic) to provide the perfect acidity and texture. 6.8 is an ideal pH level. With all of the various methods and materials out there, refer to a Kansas City landscaping vendor.

Erosion and standing water can be a problem for many yards in the Kansas City region. Unless you are attentive, this will harm the grass roots and expose the yard to stress and disease. Erosion removes the protective layer of soil over the roots and dries them out while standing water suffocates the roots and prevents the exchange of nutrients. Innovative landscape designs should be a last result in fixing these issues. First, re-grade the areas that are low, steep, or channeling water improperly..

After the soil has been prepared and graded you will want to cover any bare spots (or even plant the lawn itself). You will have a huge variety of grasses to choose from and can either spread it as seed or install it as sod. Seed is much cheaper but is more difficult and labor-intensive while it establishes itself.

When seeding, using mixing seed species may be helpful in locations that have several threatening circumstance, such as shaded areas or damp areas that are prone to fungus. This is a common practice used by professional landscapers in Kansas City for combating the diverse threats to Kansas City lawns. You could need another opinion on the subject. If so, consult with a local Kansas City landscape specialist..

Professional landscapers know that watering too often or not often enough can be detrimental. Most Kansas City landscapers have a weekly irrigation pattern that saturates the soil just right. Symptoms of over-watering include- Fungus, Thatch (dead layers of grass throughout the yard), yellowing patches, burned grass (in the Summer heat), and an abundance of weeds. The soil conditioning plays the largest role in deciding how to water. If it drains too quickly without retaining water or does not drain well you will have to adjust. The goal is to water only once per week.

Too much thatch becomes an issue if left unattended. The grass itself can be choked or over-shaded by it. But thatch that is kept in check, or that decomposes fairly quickly, is actually positive.

Many times this means even a prospering lawn needs a de-thatching. The most common method employed by Kansas City landscaping professionals for de-thatching is a power-rake. The goal is to draw much of the thatch out of the yard and remove it. Once removed, the thatch can be easily composted (when it is not contaminated with fungus or insects) or simply thrown away.

The weather all year round can gradually compact the dirt in your yard. This compression will prohibit healthy gas and water diffusion, thus keeping the yard from thriving.

Aeration is the remedy Kansas City landscapers apply to this issue. This process cuts uniform holes through the entire yard and breaks the surface of the soil. If performed correctly, this will eliminate the problem of compacted soil and enable the roots to do what they do best.

To stop weeds before they even start, Kansas City landscapers take advantage of a pre-emergent. Pre-emergent is a combination of an herbicide and a fertilizer that is produced to stop weeds from germinating. Weeds are therefore greatly diminished before they even take root.

Every living thing needs nutrition and grass needs it as much as you do. Over time essential nutrients are extracted from sunshine, wind, and other processes. These must be replaced several times a year if the yard is going to be healthy and strong. Professional Kansas City landscapers advise two or three feedings every year to replace the leeched nutrients. Chemical fertilization is not the only option. Manure and compost are better alternatives.

You should not fertilize when the grass is too high, if you don't the nutrition will be concentrated in some areas and never reach other areas. Yet fertilizing just after mowing can be even worse as the the cut leaves will be vulnerable to chemical burns. It's important to say that landscapers in Kansas City use much higher settings on their mowers than most home-owners to avoid the trauma the yard will endure when it has been cut too short.

Once a year Kansas City landscapers use a fungicide for preventing the spread of disease. Shaded and damp yards and gardens are particularly prone to infection. Kansas City landscapers may be able to treat an infected yard but sometimes a yard can be lost and must be destroyed.

Defending the lawn should be a proactive job and not reactive. Keeping the yard healthy will provide it with the best chance of fighting off disease and pests, just as your body fights off stress and disease if it is healthy. Neglecting the yard not only makes it look bad now, but means it will die in tough times and consequently need to be replaced.

You cannot neglect any of these issues if your are going to have a professional-quality yard. You will find few home-improvement projects as rewarding as gardening and lawn-care. What are you waiting for? Get started!




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment