St. Louis lawn care services
St. Louis lawn care
Located smack dab in the heartland of the midwest, St. Louis, MO gets hot, humid summers and frigid but short-lived winters. Considered a weather transition zone, it is difficult to choose the perfect grass type that will survive and flourish in such temperatures. Every type of grass has its own pros and cons. It's up to you, St. Louis yard owners, to decide which of the area's most popular grass choices will work for you.
Kentucky bluegrass is an all-time favorite for homeowners all over the country. The grass is hardy and easy to maintain. It is a cool-season grass with a thick and durable sod that survives tough winters well. It can develop some problems in drought and heat, however. It is a perfect grass for transition zones. Kentucky bluegrass can be considered a higher maintenance grass than many other types, but it proves worth the work and expense with a beautiful, full yard. It grows best in the spring and fall since it is a cool-season grass but should be watered all throughout the growing season to keep its shallow roots healthy and bountiful.
If your yard gets plenty of sun, Bermudagrass is your best bet. It is a warm-season grass that tolerates both heat and drought extremely well. It's also a great choice for heavily trafficked lawns as it recovers quickly from damage and wear. No matter what you throw at it, this strong and durable grass will hold up with little to no wear. One caveat to this beautiful grass is its fast growth. To keep it looking its best it must be mowed often. While it does tolerate heat very well, it can struggle in the cooler months without proper care. For this reason, it isn't seen as often in St. Louis yards as other grasses.
A good grass for season-long greenery is Tall fescue. It begins to green in the early days of spring and stays green until the first frost descends. Nothing makes St. Louis lawn service quite as enjoyable as a gorgeous perpetually green lawn. Tall fescue has some issues with hot, humid weather, however, and fends for itself by growing in tight bunches. Tall fescue is disease resistant and stands up well to traffic from walking paths and child's play. St Louis lawn service days are quite a bit easier when you have such easily maintained grass which takes approximately 25% less watering than other grasses. Overseeding can be advantageous since it has massive growth spurts in spring and fall.
Zoysia is a wonderful choice of grass to survive the hot and humid summer days in the St. Louis area but when cooler seasons approach it will show some brown patches. If green grass in the winter isn't a major concern for you, Zoysia is for you. It perseveres through heavy traffic and drought extremely well. Zoysia grass is more difficult to establish than many kinds of grass. This can be frustrating but keep the faith. Once it is growing it produces a strong and dense sod that will return each summer even thicker.
St. Louis lawn maintenance tips
St. Louis lawn care is something many people do to relax. It serves as a point of pride for many to perform St. Louis lawn service to perfection. That isn't to say that it is easy. Choosing the right grass, and learning how to fertilize, and prepare the soil can take the knowledge of a professional St. Louis yard service to get it right. Fortunately, there are a few simple tips for fertilizing and maintenance that any lawn owner can undertake for a healthy, vibrant lawn.
The timing of your lawn fertilization is especially important. Fertilizing too early or too late can have the opposite of your desired effect. Slow-release lawn fertilizers can help keep over-fertilizing from occurring.
If you find that weeds are a recurring problem, there are a couple of solutions. Picking weeds can work if you remove the roots and all. A better solution is to use a fertilizer with weed control. Some lawn owners prefer not to use poisons in their yar. Choosing a natural, organic weed killer is an option.
What could be easier than watering your lawn? As long as it rains every once in a while, you've got it made. Right? WRONG! There is much more to watering your lawn than waiting for a good rain or a few splashes with the water hose. Watering a lawn does not mean getting the blades wet. Although that part is important, it is equally important to thoroughly wet the roots. Since grass types vary in root length, make sure you know what type of grass you have and how long the roots are. An easy way to tell is to pull up a small portion of the lawn with a shovel to check the length of the roots. Use a screwdriver or icepick to gauge how far down the soil has been moistened after watering. The time of day you water your lawn plays an integral part in its health. Water in the lawn evaporates faster as the day goes on and temperatures rise. The best time of day to water your lawn is early mornings, between dawn and 10 a.m.
Professional St. Louis lawn care services
A great way to learn how to take better care of your lawn is to hire a professional service. The more you learn about your lawn, yard, and garden the easier it will become to create the perfect landscape for your family's life. Whether you are in the midst of St. Louis gutter cleaning or mowing, or St. Louis snow removal, there is always something to be done in the yard. Whether you just don't have the time, or lawn care isn't your passion, you might want to consider handing off the task of yard care off to a professional.
Commonly asked questions
Are there any watering restrictions in St. Louis?
In an effort to conserve water, St. Louis Park has some permanent sprinkling restrictions. Lawn sprinkling is prohibited between noon and 6 p.m. In addition, all households and businesses must follow an odd/even schedule when sprinkling lawns. (Properties that end with an odd number sprinkle on odd-numbered days; properties that end with an even number sprinkle on even-numbered days.) Failing to follow sprinkling restrictions can result in fines. Additional measures may be required during critical water shortages. These measures may include limiting watering to once every five days or banning all outdoor sprinkling. If this happens, a public notice will be given.
What are the tree lawn requirements?
The appearance and maintenance by adjacent owners of those portions of street rights-of-way in the City, commonly referred to as the tree lawn, have a substantial impact on the appearance of City neighborhoods and streets and a significant relationship to property values. Deterioration of street landscapes occurs when inappropriate plants and landscape items are installed that are incompatible with the landscape of a given area, neighborhood or business district or are not, or cannot be, maintained to acceptable standards of appearance. This results in a reduction of property values, poor appearance and the impairment of the public health, safety and welfare. Therefore, the City declares it has a governmental interest in regulating the types of vegetation and landscape items installed in its street right-of-way and may establish criteria for the maintenance of said items. Provided, this section shall not apply to the Division or to contractors.
Can I be fined for overgrown weeds?/ What is the height limit for weeds?
The presence upon any lot or lands, other than properly licensed and operated salvage yards, within the City of debris of any and all kinds and varieties, including, but not limited to, weed cuttings, cut and fallen trees and shrubs, rubbish and trash of all kinds, lumber of all kinds not piled or stacked twelve (12) inches off the ground, rocks or bricks of all kinds not piled or stacked twelve inches off the ground, tin, steel, parts of derelict cars or trucks, broken furniture, any flammable material which may endanger the public safety or any material which is unhealthy, unsanitary or unsafe is hereby declared a public nuisance. It is the duty of every owner, occupant or person in control of any lot or land within the City to remove debris from such lot or land forthwith.
Where can I dispose of yard debris?
To reduce waste in Missouri, state law has banned yard waste from landfills. Yard waste can be easily recycled at home. Recycle grass clippings by letting them lie on the lawn, they will decompose quickly and return valuable nutrients to the soil. Compost leaves, grass, and other organic yard waste. Mulch yard waste by spreading leaves or grass clippings around trees and in planting beds. The City of St. Louis operates a weekly collection service for yard waste during the Spring, Summer and Fall months. Yard Waste Collection is discontinued during Winter months for both roll-carts and alley yard waste dumpsters.