Bergenfield lawn care services
At Lawn Love, we understand that the use of these chemicals places a serious threat to the environment, and it's estimated that more than 65% of these chemicals are dumped into the lakes, rivers, and oceans. Additionally, the price of maintaining a healthy lawn is increasing.
Lawn Care In Bergenfield
Lawn maintenance is not an easy task, especially, when you live in New Jersey which is one of the busiest areas in the United States. The green places in Bergen County need care throughout the season, and that can't be handled without any experience. Therefore, the professionals and experts working with Lawn Love would like to share some important factors and steps to ensure your success.
Grass Selection
The most common problem with any lawn is the grass selection, as the grass you choose might not be well suited for the site. Thus, we need to consider:
Climate
Some grasses don't tolerate high or low temperatures and may not grow in dry or wet weather. Some grasses are known for their drought resistance.
Sun or shade
Some grasses need sunlight to remain lush, green, and healthy. If the yard receives sunlight for less than 4 hours, then the plants that can grow well in shade must be grown.
Lawn traffic
Some grass varieties can tolerate foot traffic, but others can't. Choosing a coarse-textured grass variety won't mind foot traffic abuse.
Consider the area
Rocky areas, steep slopes, walking paths, and deep shade are some places where grasses can't be grown. Ground covers, low-growing shrubs, perennials, evergreens, and wildflowers must be planted in these difficult areas. You should make a stepping stone or gravel path for those places that get more foot traffic.
Improve soil
A lawn that is chemically fed has a shallow root system as it gets most of the nutrients from the chemicals and fertilizers we provide from above. A natural lawn receives its water and other nutrients from the soil is grown in. Hence, the soil quality also depends on the quality of the lawn.
You can conduct a simple test to know how good or bad your soil is. Use a shovel or trowel at least 4 inches deep and cut that small piece. Now check if the soil is soft or crumbly from both above or below. Does it have densely patched healthy grass or worms? If it is then, this shows the soil is perfect and healthy for lawn growth.
The organisms and the grassroots prefer airy loose soils. Spring is the best time to aerate the soil is its compacted foot traffic or heavy powerful mowers. Our aim must be opening passageways for the soil to get air, water and other nutrients. You can use the manual or power aerating tool. You can also apply lime or fertilizers when the soil is exposed after aerating.
Make sure to get your soil tested to know the pH value. Most grass varieties prefer pH between 6.5-7 which is slightly acidic to neutral. Getting the soil tested would give you the information if you need to apply lime to make the soil neutral or apply sulfur to make the solid acidic.
Use organic fertilizers
There is no need for any supplementary fertilizers as the soil is already healthy. But it takes time to improve the soil quality, and you would have to apply some organic fertilizers along the way annually.
In New Jersey, there are two types of fertilizing schedules, one is for cool-climate grasses and the other for cold climate grasses. Grasses have different growing cycles, so it's important to understand the grass selection. They are known for being 'heavy feeders' and require lots of fertilizers.
But it's true only with the lawns that have little worms, organic matter, and other soil life. Chemical fertilizers do help in feeding the grass but have a bad effect on soil texture and life. Also, it does not help in increasing organic matter. Applying chemical fertilizers sometimes over-stimulates the growth which makes the lawn vulnerable to insects and diseases.
Organic fertilizers release the nutrients slowly to provide nutrition on long-term basis overtime which encourages soil life and improves the quality of the soil. Leave the grass clipping as they fall, it acts as a rich source of nutrients and other organic matter.
Weed controlling
Weeds are a sign of stressed turf and infertile soil. Weeds visible to the naked eye can be pulled out with bare hands. Bare spots must be reseeded. You might want to reconsider restarting from the beginning if the presence of weed in your lawn is more than 50%. Follow this procedure before weeds start growing during spring.
Reseed the areas immediately, and lightly water them every day until grass seeds germinate properly and have well-established roots. Also, make sure to choose the right grass seed according to the growing conditions and add organic matter to it. Some commonly known signs of bad lawns are:
Moss
The presence of mosses indicates that the soil is shady, acid, and infertile.
Crabgrass
The presence of crabgrass indicates that you might be mowing your lawn too low so that the weeds could be removed and are not healthy and dense.
Nutsedge
This indicates that the lawn soil is wet and poorly drained.
Dandelions
The presence of dandelions indicated that there is a lack of potassium in the soil.
Lawns are addicted to chemical diets, therefore, the lawn needs time to transition. Improving health and soil quality is a multi-year project. Using chemical fertilizers that are low in nitrogen is always beneficial for your lawn. And Lawn Love will always be there to help you plan this project and schedule all the lawn care maintenance processes accordingly.
At Lawn Love, we have all the resources available for a healthy lawn. Following our steps would help you grow a stronger and healthy lawn at your home, making it more resistant to insects, diseases, and weeds. Our independent contractors are well-experienced professionals who have mostly been working in this field for many years. Contact us today!
