LATEST NEWS (8/7/2024)


10/7/2024:

We are almost finished with application #4 - the broadleaf weed spray. The weeds had a very LONG growing season this year! The wet spring/summer allowed them to continue to germinate longer than normal. Then, we had to stop spraying yards for a bit during this recent hot and dry weather. It was best for your turf that we waited until we received adequate moisture for the weeds to take up the chemical. Thank goodness for that last rainfall! Please know we do two blanket broadleaf weed sprays and spot spray on every dry granular application. We will be starting our final round, the winter fertilizer, the week of October 21st. We will finish up the 2024 season mid-November.

Things to be thinking about this fall...

There is no biological reason to cut your grass shorter in the fall. I don't know if that was something that our ancestors passed down to us, but it is not necessary. At this time in the growing season, the plant is storing energy into the crown and the root system. The healthier your turf is going in to winter, the better.

Free Fertilizer! Mulch those leaves up! Take advantage of this free gift from Mother Nature. As long as you can see your grass thru the mulched leaves, your turf will be ok. The soil microbes will break down the leaves over the winter. Please do not leave whole leaves on your turf! This will smother and kill the grass over the winter months. Don't want leaves on your turf? Mulch and blow them into your flower beds. Work smarter, not harder.

If you plan to plant seed in the spring of 2025 - please communicate with us. Some of our rounds affect the germination cycle!

Thank you to all of our great customers. We have appreciated all your kind words and referrals over the season! Contracts for 2025 will be emailed early January. If you have friends/neighbors who would like our services, NOW is the time to share our contact info. The spring gets crazy and we often book up very early spring!

Gary and Katie


8/7/2024:

More info on the latest happenings on your lawns -- that you may or may not notice!!

**We are definitely noticing more weeds in the yards – much more than normal!

  • With all the rain that we received this summer, we are seeing weeds germinating for the entire summer. We already did a blanket weed spray on Round #2. We did a spot spray for any weeds we noticed while fertilizing on Round #3. We will be starting Round #4, the second blanket weed spray, mid-August.
Please be patient. Also, please do not pull any weeds by hand! It is a contact spray -- we need to have the plant material present for the chemical to get into the plant system to kill it. Trust the system 😊

**You might also start to notice that your lawn is beginning to grow out of the fungus Red Thread and Rust. Again, please be patient. These fungi will not kill the turf.

An interesting tidbit….Today Gary attended the turf conference field trials at the OJ Noer Center, on the UW campus in Madison. The main topic our colleagues were talking about was all the rain this summer and all of the fungi that have come with it.

Two main points that stuck with Gary from today.
  • We all need to cut our turf higher. If you look at our previous Latest News topics… we touch on it every time. It’s that important. This gives the root system some shade and discourages weed and crabgrass growth.
  • We need to take advantage of the leaves in the fall. Mulching them up while you mow your grass provides the turf with free nutrients. These nutrients will be help tremendously the following spring. As long as the leaves are mulched and the mulch doesn't smother the turf (you need to be able to see the turf when you are done mulching) you will receive great benefits! It is easier to mulch the leaves than rake them into piles and haul them somewhere!
We are looking forward to the end of summer, cooler weather, and a great fall!!

Gary and Katie
  • 7/24/2024:

    Do your shoes look like this??



    Just as you were getting used to the fungus Red Thread, we have another one to add to the list!

    Turfgrass Rust

    Rust is a turf fungus that causes grass to appear yellow or orange from a distance. The fungus produces powdery orange spores that can easily be picked up just by walking on your turf. Check out the picture of my shoes! Not to worry, rust will dissipate with added fertilizer. Irrigation and rain will also help!


    Gary and Katie


  • 6/10/2024:

    What a wet spring/early summer we are having! Did you know that this is the 2nd wettest spring we have on record? What does this mean for my lawn? Let's get into it...

    RED THREAD -- This is a turf fungus that we are seeing a lot of this year - appearing earlier than normal. How can you spot it? Grab a handful of grass and look at the tips. They will have stringy ends that will also have a red or pink color to it. Will this hurt my lawn? Not really. The turf will simply have less green to it for a while. It will grow out of it. The only way of getting rid of it is to have the plant outgrow it. If it really bothers you, we can add an additional application of fertilizer. This will help make it more green. Please reach out to us if you’d like that.

    MUSHROOMS - Yep, all this wet weather will affect certain areas of your lawn. Some areas will have perfect conditions for mushrooms to pop up. Will this have any consequences for my turf? Nope. Once it dries out a little bit and you continue with normal mowing, they will disappear.

    WEEDS - The weed of the year so far has been Corn Speedwell. This is an annual that germinates in the winter. It will disappear naturally in the summer. For people with a farming background, think winter wheat. When we are there to spray for weeds, we will take care of it. For whatever reason, the conditions have been perfect for this weed to germinate and thrive




    We are getting closer to finishing up Round #2 - the broadleaf weed spray. If we haven't already been on your lawn, we will be there shortly. The rain and windy conditions have definitely delayed our applications.

    Have a lovely start to summer!

    Gary and Katie

  • 4/29/2024:
    Weeds are likely the issue that brought you to us! Please know not every application is for weeds . Fertilizer helps to create lush lawns to keep weeds out, but not every application kills them.

    We will be starting round #2 in early May. This is the broadleaf weed spray that will kill the weeds. It is a contact spray, so the weeds need to be present. Please DO NOT PULL THE WEEDS by hand. We start this round with our new customers. These are by far the weediest lawns that we have. We spray the new lawns first -- even if your neighbor is a longtime customer - we come back later to spray their yard.

    Because of last season’s drought, we are noticing more weeds than normal for this time of year. The drought caused a lot of dead and weak spots in the turf. The weeds took advantage of that! We are also seeing some winter annual weeds. Winter annuals are weeds that germinate in November and December. We will be cleaning these up during this round as well.

    A few things to note:

    --Please do not cut your grass until the day after we SPRAY your lawn (applications 2 and 4.) This allows the chemical time to get into the weed’s root system. When we apply a dry granular fertilizer, it won’t matter if you mow on the same day.

    --Please keep your pets off the turf until it is completely dry. The state’s regulation is to keep them off until sunset the following day.

    --Please do not pick the weeds in your turf! The plant needs to be present for the chemical to get into the root system.

    --With summer coming, please adjust your mower to the healthiest height. The best height to set your mower to is 3-3.5”. Measure the distance from the driveway to the bottom of the mower blade. It should be at least 3”. 3.5” is even better. Last season, we saw a lot of dead grass, due to people cutting their grass too short or cutting during the hottest part of the day. Leaving the grass longer allows the roots to be better protected. Longer grass also keeps the weeds out. Let's work together to get that lawn in the best shape!

 

  • What a crazy winter!  I am not sure if I mean Dec, Jan, and Feb or just the last couple of days!  We are ready to get out and fertilize the lawns. However, all the rain and snow  the last couple of days have held us at bay. 

    Remember last summer?  Yes, we had drought conditions last year.  It is easy to forget!  Some lawns are still showing the scars.  Our first application of fertilizer also has crabgrass control in it.  That means it does not differentiate between germinating crabgrass and grass seed.  Please wait until June 1st if you plan on doing any seeding work.

    While on the topic of grass seed, let's talk about mowing.  In the next 3-4 weeks you will likely be mowing. Please be aware of your mowing height.  Last summer, we saw many lawns burn up, due to lawns being cut too short.  Please cut your grass at 3 to 3.5 inches.  This will help shade out any weed pressure, but will also protect the plant from summer heat and stress.

    We do have limited openings on some of our routes.  Please feel free to refer us to your friends, neighbors and your HOA, sooner than later 😉

    Think Spring!

    Gary and Katie

     

  • Fall is our favorite time of the year! This is a great time for your lawn also. The turf is doing a lot of work that we don't see. It is no longer pushing growth into the stem and crown of the plant, but the energy is going to the root system. The soil still has plenty of warmth. The plant is getting ready for winter and most importantly, getting ready for next spring. We just experienced one of the worst droughts since we have been in business. (The worst was in 1988, followed by 2012.) Our hope is that any spots that were damaged by the drought will repair itself naturally over the winter and spring season. We will keep an eye on any troubled spots.

    THIS AND THAT
    You just fertilized, but I have leaves on my lawn. Will it still do its job?
    Don’t worry, the fertilizer prill will find its way to the turf. Every time the wind blows, every time you cut the grass, every time you rake or blow the leaves, the prill will roll off and get to the turf. It will not be sucked up by the mower. If we see areas that are particularly thick, we will put down extra product just in case.

    What about the leaves on my turf?
    They are free nutrients! Use them! Mulch them up! As long as you can see the turf when you are done mulching, they will decompose. They use the available energy and will be gone come March. Just do not let them decompose without mulching them. This will suffocate the lawn...

    Should I cut my lawn shorter in the fall?
    Simple answer? No. Why do people do it? Some do it to keep the vole population down. Some do it so the leaves blow into the neighbor's lawn. Some because they are tired of cutting it come fall! REMEMBER, come spring – CUT IT AT A HIGHER length. The best mowing height is 3-3.5”. Do not cut it short in the spring or you will be seeing more weeds and damage done to your lawn.

    Thank you to all of our wonderful customers! We look forward to another great year in 2024! Please leave us a Google or facebook review. Our business thrives on referrals. We always appreciate the feedback. Contracts for next season will be emailed in January. Please keep an eye out for them.

    Have a great winter!

    Gary and Katie

  • It has been a dry and hot summer!!  We are very grateful that we received a heavy dose of rain last week.  This will help tremendously as we enter into the early fall season.  We will also start to receive benefits from early morning dew, lower overnight temperatures, lower daily high temperatures, and reduced humidity.  While the lawns definitely took a beating, we believe if we get some decent rain this fall, they will recover quickly

    We are beginning Round #4 at the end of August and will finish up in early October.  This round is a blanket weed spray.  This will take care of any weeds that germinated since our last visit.  It will also provide for a weed free lawn in the spring.  Think no dandelions in your yard come next spring!  What weeds have we been seeing the most this summer?  That would be queen ann's lace and the ever present thistle.  We will be taking care of them this round!

    One thing we want to stress more in the upcoming seasons is the mowing height.  Many people are cutting their lawns way too short.  When it gets hot out, they burn up very quickly, show new weed growth, and also allow the crabgrass to muscle onto the scene.  During the midsummer months, please be sure to cut your turf at 3 inches or higher.  Measure the distance from the pavement to the bottom of the mower blade.  The settings on your machine are often off by as much as an inch! 

    We hope you had a wonderful summer as we look forward to the best most beautiful season of all, fall!

    Gary and Katie

     

  • Happy Spring!

    After a relatively mild winter based on temperature, we are finally getting our snow! Yesterday we got another 4 - 6 inches and it was beautiful! With that being said, we are ready for spring to come.

    Unless Mother Nature has other plans, we have every intention to start the first application on Monday, April 3rd. We will apply the first application to all lawns during the month of April.

    To our new customers, please know that the first round will do NOTHING for the existing weeds in your turf. The first application is a fertilizer with crabgrass control. If you plan to do any seeding this spring, and we have already treated your turf, please wait until June 1st to plant any new grass seed. The product that we applied does not differentiate from crabgrass and new grass seed.

    We are very close to being booked for the season. Thank you to all who have referred us! It’s the biggest compliment you can give us. We are happy to take on a select number of accounts – referrals or neighbors of existing customers. As always, we hope that Mother Nature will provide us with a beautiful spring and before you know it, we will have sunny, warm weather!

    Gary and Katie


  • 1/30/23:  

    Well, Mother Nature has finally returned with winter! Yesterday we received around 9 inches of snow after a few mild months. We always like to see cold weather over the winter -- this helps take care of some of the grubs and other insects. They struggle to survive the winter months in Wisconsin. As we slowly saw the green fade into brown, we eventually saw most of the turf go dormant in December. The turf took up the winter fertilizer and then went to bed for the season.

    What will 2023 bring? Will we have an early spring or a delayed winter? We always hope to begin with our first fertilizing application on April 1st. It depends on Mother Nature!

    All contracts were sent out mid-January. A pre-season discount is an option, if you pay for the full season up front. Payment must be paid by March 1st.

    We have very few openings on our route for the 2023 season. If you have friends or family to refer, please refer early! We always appreciate the referrals. Thank you!

    Enjoy the winter season!

    Gary and Katie


  • 10/17/22:  

    Hello Fall! Mother Nature has been very good to us this summer. We have had nice temperatures along with large timely rainfalls. This has encouraged the turf to grow deeper roots. We also have had very little pressure from fungus and grubs. As we apply the final round of fertilizer to your turf, we have very good moisture in the soil for the fall. This round is a straight fertilizer round, accompanied with a spot spray for any weeds that we notice when we are on your property. The turf is putting its energy into the crown and root system at this time. It is not putting energy into top growth.

    Please do not scalp your turf!  It does not help the health of your turf.  On the contrary, it hurts it.   

    If you have any rough or weak areas in your turf, now is the time to put down some QUALITY grass seed.  It still can germinate this fall, giving it a head start for next year.  If your lawn was aerated and overseeded – don’t be afraid to continue watering!!  Be thinking about the soil temperature, not the air temperature when it comes to growing grass.  The grass will not be dormant until after December 1st. 

    Have a great fall! Contracts for next year will be out in January. 

    Gary and Katie


  • 8/22/22: Read on to see what is happening with your lawn 😊 

    We just started Round #4.  It is a liquid weed spray.  It is the second weed spray of the season to help keep your lawn weed free.  This application will take care of any summer weeds that germinated and it will make for a very weed free yard come next spring.  If the weather cooperates, we hope to be done with Round #4 by the end of September.  

    While we are spraying, we are actively looking for any issues in the turf.  If we notice anything, we will notify our customers.  To date, it has been a relatively quiet year when it comes to insects, grubs, and fungus.   

    If you plan to do any late season overseeding, please note that you need to wait about 30 days to seed after we have done the liquid weed spray.  Please use QUALITY grass seed.  Grass seed is extremely expensive this season.  We would hate to see you waste it!

    Enjoy what is left of summer!  We are looking forward to a beautiful fall season! 

    Gary and Katie


  • 04/04/2022: The fertilizing/weed control season has begun! We are excited for this season. We hope Mother Nature will be good to us to maximize the quality of your turf. Let's begin with the common questions we get every spring and how we handle it...

    • Gary, my neighbor was fertilized yesterday. When will you be by to fertilize my lawn?

      We are out every day during the week. We don't want to put the fertilizer down too soon, because the first application has crabgrass control in it. We don't want that product to wash through the soil profile before it can do its job. The crabgrass control’s job is to kill any germinating crabgrass plants.


    • Gary, I’d like to plant grass seed but you have already applied the first application, now when should I plant it?

      Wait to plant grass seed until June!! The crabgrass control does not differentiate between grass and crabgrass.


    • Gary, I think I already have crabgrass!

      OK, let's look at the biology of crabgrass. It takes a soil temperature of 55 degrees (not air temperature) at a depth of 3 inches for 3 days for crabgrass to germinate. We won't reach that criteria for at least another couple weeks. Plus, our product will kill crabgrass up to the three leaflet stage, so we have plenty of time to address crabgrass.

      What people see in the spring, that they often mistake for crabgrass is tall fescue. Tall fescue has a wide leaf blade and a deep root system. It is usually the first grass variety to grow in the spring. It takes a while for the other grass varieties to catch up. When they do, tall fescue will be less dominant in your lawn.



    • You fertilized my yard, but I still have lots of weeds!

      Excellent! The first application is fertilizer with a product to kill any germinating crabgrass. The second application (weed spray) is the product that will take care of all of your broadleaf weeds, including dandelions, clover, creeping charlie, etc.. It is a contact spray, so we wait until they come out to spray them.

I hope this information helps! Please email if you have any further questions!

Have a great spring!

Gary and Katie


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