The science and art of growing grass, known as Agronomy, is a multi-billion dollar industry that is the pride and joy of many homeowners. The first thing folks see when they arrive at a home is the lawn and the first impression that lawn makes can be important.
The problem with growing a lawn that most people don’t realize is that a lawn is made up of millions of tiny plants all competing for nutrients, water, and air. And not just with each other! There are weeds to contend with, trees, shrubs, sun, and shade along with an entire list of items that need to be addressed all year long. For many of us, we do not have a full time gardener to oversee each and every day. However, there are plenty of very important services that we can provide for our lawn to make it healthy, thick, and green.
Our simple and very effective care for your lawn includes:
- Use only natural products that enhance soil fertility. Stay away as much as possible from synthetic fertilizers! They actually hurt the very important beneficial microbes and fungi that plants need to uptake nutrients and water!
- Core aerate your lawn twice a year. Lawns need oxygen and relief from compaction.
- Top dress with compost. It is the best horticultural practice for your lawn! Especially after aeration. Compost is rich in organic matter, beneficial microbes and fungi, has high water holding capacity, and adds to soil structure.
Apply compost tea during the summer. Compost tea has all of the above without the mess.- Test your soil! How do you know what nutrients the soil is lacking unless you test for nutrients and elements? Call us today to test yours!
- Improve the drainage. Water that sits on soil for too long will drown your plants.
- Test soil pH. If the pH is too low. E.g. below 6.2, then your lawn needs lime. If the soil pH is too low, then your lawn cannot make best use of fertilizer and you will be not getting the benefit.
- Create a watering program that matches the plant, soil, sunlight relationship. Just as too little water is no good, too much water at the wrong time depletes soil of oxygen and actually damages lawn.
- Timing is everything! Applying the correct material or mechanically treating your lawn at proper times is very important. Create a time line for treatment.
- Avoid marketing schemes and multi-step programs. You have less problems then some of these companies will have you believe. Broadcasting herbicides and pesticides, when not required, hurts the environment! You need far fewer chemicals then you are lead to believe!
- Hire a professional! They know the requirements for growing a great lawn and will get you results! Hire the professional that understands the soil food web. Hire a pro that treats the soil.
Remember that the care and work you do now will have results this season and keep in mind that the biggest benefit comes in the following season. Don’t rush it! Mother Nature has her own time table and we must remember to work with her and not against. You never want to upset Mother Nature!
If you need help with your lawn and would like a free pH test, please do not hesitate to call us at (631) 423-2211. You may also contact us via email at irrigationspecialist@rainrich.com.
Rain Rich Sprinklers has been serving Long Island for 30 years and prides itself on providing outstanding service and the best value.
Rain Rich “Creating Rain For Life”
