Is Your Lawn Ready for Summer?
Now that the 2017 lawn and garden season has begun, this is a good time to review the basics of lawn care. A well-maintained lawn not only bolsters your home’s curb appeal, but it also provides a place for family activities and entertaining guests throughout the summer months.
Last winter's weather included plenty of blustery days which brought down a bumper crop of fallen leaves and branches, so the first step is to tidy-up your yard. For a quick and painless fix, Cape Cod Tree and Landscape offers seasonal clean-ups. However, for those who are inclined to do their own yard work but do not have the means or place to dispose of the debris, we suggest you take advantage of our You Rake It, We Take It service.
After all debris has been removed and the yard is thoroughly raked, it is time to aerate the lawn. This ensures that water and nutrients are able to penetrate the sod, which may have become compacted due to foot traffic and other use over the year.
Whether installing a new lawn or sprucing up a lawn to remedy bare or thin spots, the homeowner has several alternatives to consider. Sodding provides an instant lawn, but it is the most expensive option. Slice seeding is another possibility: that is the process in which the ground is scored and the seed is inserted directly into the soil. Some people prefer to overseed (use a spreader to broadcast seed over the ground), which is the cheapest method and the easiest for homeowners to attempt on their own. However, slice seeding is more effective since the seeds are sown directly into the earth where they will have a higher rate of germination.
Just like any other living thing, grass needs to be watered and fed. A newly sown lawn will need to be watered daily, either by natural means or with help from irrigation or sprinkler system. After your lawn is established it still must receive moisture on a regular basis; how much moisture depends on weather patterns, soil conditions and local regulations. The local authorities may have laws which effect how and what we can use to feed our lawns, as well. Contact the Barnstable County Extension Agency or visit their website at: http://www.capecodextension.org/ for more information about lawn care and regulations within your area. Their website also contains helpful data regarding weather patterns, providing graphs that show conditions over the last day, week, and month to assist in your watering plans.
And last but not least, we address another facet of lawn care: keeping mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and other pests at bay. Now that mosquito and tick-borne illnesses have received much attention in the media, The Yard Gard (http://www.theyardgard.com) offers a timely solution. They utilize organic barriers to protect both residential and commercial properties. The Yard Gard's services include fertilizing programs as well.
And after you have invested all that TLC into your lawn, then you can look forward to reaping the rewards... maybe while lounging in a comfortable chair with good book, or perhaps playing a game of badminton, or you might host a cookout on a balmy summer evening... or, maybe just the simplest pleasures… ahhh… the sweet smell of freshly cut grass, so soft and lush beneath your feet.
