About Fields Of Green Landscaping

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I cut the grass?

Your lawn should be mowed regularly at a proper height. This means that your lawn may require mowing more than once a week during peak growth and only once every two weeks during periods of slow growth. Since the root system of a grass plant grows proportionately to the above ground parts of the plant, a longer cutting height results in a stronger, deeper root system.

Cool Season Grasses

• Kentucky Bluegrass 2.5 to 3 inches (60 - 75 mm)
• Perennial Ryegrass 2.5 to 3 inches (60 - 75 mm)
• Tall Rescue 2.5 to 4 inches (60 - 100 mm)

Warm Season Grasses

• Common Bermuda 0.75 to 1.25 inches (20 - 30 mm)
• Hybrid Bermuda 0.5 to 1.0 inches (12 - 25 mm)
• St Augustine 2.0 to 4 inches (50 - 100 mm)
• Zoysiagrass 1.0 to 2.5 inches (25 - 60 mm)
• Centipedegrass 1.0 to 2.0 inches (25 - 50 mm)

 

Why do I need a professional lawn care company?

One big reason is that you're hiring an expert who can diagnose problems. We can tell you whether or not the problem with your lawn is a disease, an insect or simply a lack of water, and that can be challenging for you, the homeowner, to do alone. In addition, when you hire Fields Of Green, you're buying a guarantee for results, and that's not always the case when you're buying products right off the shelf. We can offer our customers this type of commitment because we know we're applying the right amount of the right products at the right time, and do-it-yourselfers can't be sure of that. We'll keep coming out until the lawn meets your satisfaction. Plus, putting down the right product at the right rate and at the right time is especially important for many lawn problems, including crabgrass, and in some areas of the country you may have to apply an herbicide twice to get control. We'll make sure that happens.

What can I do to make my lawn healthier?

Proper watering and mowing are the two biggest concerns. You need to mow at least once a week during growth periods. When mowing, sharp mower blades are extremely important. Rusty or dull blades rip the grass instead of cutting it, providing opportunities for problems, such as diseases, to infest the lawn. As for irrigation, you don't want to over water because that will set the grass up for disease problems as well. At the same time, underwatering stresses the turf and creates opportunities for weeds to grow. Be sure that your sprinkler system covers the lawn well and irrigates deeply to encourage deep root growth and makes the turf less susceptible to drought. Lastly, as your landscape develops, keep an eye on trees and shrubs and make sure they remain properly pruned or thinned to allow sufficient light to reach the lawn.

How can I keep my pet from damaging the lawn?

Many dog owners get frustrated by the spots their pets leave on the lawn by going to the bathroom there, but there aren't many ways to avoid this other than training your dog to only go in one particular area of the lawn. The problem is that the high quantity of salt in the animal's urine essentially burns the turf. If this problem really bothers you, veterinarians offer some medicines that reduce the amount of salt in animal's urine and will at least minimize the problem.

Are sharp lawnmower blades important?

A sharp clean cut will seal quickly and resist disease attack.

Should I remove grass clippings?

Grass clippings should be left on the lawn when mowing. "Grass-cycling" is natural and an environmentally beneficial practice. Grass clippings are about 90 percent water by weight. Because they are high in protein they should be left on the lawn to decompose and add nutrients to the soil. Grass-cycling also reduces waste and conserves landfill space. It is only necessary to remove lawn clippings if they are long and will smother the lawn.

How much water does my lawn need?

Your lawn needs 1 to 1-1/2" (3-4cm) of water weekly. Mother Nature provides water, but she sometimes needs help. To determine the need for supplemental water, look for these telltale signs of oncoming drought stress:

• Areas of the lawn especially near concrete or asphalt (sidewalks and driveways), under large trees and on slopes, take on a dark, silvery or smoky blue-green haze. In extreme cases the lawn appears yellowish.
• Footprints or lawnmower wheel marks don't spring back shortly after they are made.

If your lawn shows symptoms of drought, water it immediately regardless of the time of day. Under normal circumstances, early morning is the best time to water your lawn so that the leaves can dry slowly and naturally without too much evaporation, and instead with most of the water penetrating the soil. Regular, fairly deep watering is better than daily light sprinklings. Deep watering and allowing the lawn to dry out between watering will force the roots to penetrate deeper in search of moisture.

Do I need weed control?

Weeds compete with desirable lawn grasses for water, space, light and nutrients. They are very aggressive and can take over a lawn if not kept in check. It is when this type of imbalance occurs that many customers request help from Fields Of Green Professionals. Before this happens, a preventive approach to controlling weeds is recommended. It includes regular fertilization, proper mowing and correct watering practices. Weeds can also be controlled through digging or hand pulling. This method is much more labour intensive and is not always effective since many weeds can reproduce through vegetative parts if they are not entirely dug out.

How should I water my lawn?

During the growing season, in the absence of rain, a lawn may need 1-2 inches of irrigation to meet the water needs of your lawn. Infrequent, deep watering is best and only as needed. If you see signs of water deficiency (blue-gray coloring, or foot-printing,) you should water immediately to replenish the turf. In some parts of the country, lawns are allowed to go into summer dormancy and rely totally on rainfall to bring the lawn back to its previous healthy state. For irrigated turf, morning watering is best. Late day watering may promote disease activity in summer months because insufficient time was allowed for leaf drying.

Is it better to aerify or dethatch my lawn? What is the best time? I have a lot of thatch. How often should I aerate/dethatch?

There are a lot of questions here, but here is how we see it. Both dethatching (renovating) and core aeration will help reduce thatch levels. Mechanical dethatching / power raking will physically remove some measure of the thatch layer, oftentimes producing mountains of organic debris to be disposed of. It provides immediate satisfaction for the homeowner, but will often need to be repeated spring or fall annually to reduce heavily thatched areas. Secondly, it can make some lawns look a bit ragged if their root zones or density is already compromised. Fields Of Green prefers the benefits of aeration. Although the thatch reduction is a bit slower, the task is less physically demanding, as it not only reduces thatch over time, but also improves the soil condition by opening up the root zone for better rooting and uptake of water and nutrients. The thatch reduction will not be a result of physically removing thatch, but of creating an environment in the thatch layer that increases microbial activity as the soil and the microbes in the soil are redeposited on top and filter into the layer to digest the unwanted thatch. Kentucky bluegrass, bentgrasses, and fine fescues can build up this thatch layer, but perennial ryegrass and tall fescue seldom have a serious thatch accumulation. Aeration and dethatching should be done when the lawn is growing optimally. This means spring or fall for cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass or tall fescue, and during the summer months for warm season grasses like bermuda, zoysia, and St. Augustine.