Aeration: Get the ‘Hole’ Story
“I never realized aeration could make such a difference in my lawn!” It’s a comment we often hear from homeowners a few months after trying aeration for the first time.
Lawns don’t have to be in poor shape to need core aeration. In fact, aeration is an important part of any good lawn care program. It strengthens your turf against drought and helps protect it from pests, diseases and weeds. It’s a professional lawn “secret” known by golf pros and turf managers everywhere. The experts who maintain some of the best-looking turf in the world aerate several times a year. For the average homeowner, we recommend aeration at least once a year.
Exactly what is core aeration? Aeration pulls “plugs” of soil, thatch and grass about 2-3 inches long from your lawn. Most core aerators remove between 6 and 9 plugs from each square foot of turf. This process opens the soil and creates thousands of tiny growth zones that attract the roots of your lawn. It’s the best way to get water, fertilizer and oxygen into the root zone of your lawn.
It’s also the best answer for handling thatch accumulation. Without aeration, heavy thatch can cause problems for many kinds of grasses.
Now’s a great time to aerate.
For more information on aeration or other lawn services, call today and see for yourself how aeration opens up your lawn’s health!
Planting and Protecting Your Spring Bulbs
The most colorful kick-off to spring brings right now with the right care and planting of spring bulbs.
When?
Once your displan is thoroughly planned (taking into account blooming times, heights and flower styles), it’s time to get a little spring into the ground. Planting can take place any time before the ground freezes, but the earlier the planting, the more time bulbs will have to establish a strong root system.
How?
Here are a few tips for getting the most out of bulb planting:
- Examine each bulb to make sure it is healthy and firm with no blemishes.
Make sure bulbs are right side up with the pointed side toward the sky. - Plant in groups or clumps of 10-15 bulbs for the best-looking display.
- Plant large bulbs about eight inches deep and six inches apart, small bulbs four inches deep and three inches apart.
- Add a fertilizer rich in calcium, phosphorous and magnesium, such as bone meal.
- After planting, cover bulbs with soil and water thoroughly. This not only supplies nutrients, but also settles the soil and eliminates air pockets. Watering should continue until the first freeze.
- Protect tulip bulbs from rodents like moles and chipmunks by mixing in these varieties with daffodils (which are poisonous to rodents) or by protecting the bulbs in baskets.
- Don’t forget to mulch the area for protection against soil heaving through winter.
