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At Green Team, we know the importance of educating our clients. On this page you'll find information on best practices for your grass, garden, pools, patios and a plethora of other tips for maintaining your outdoor living space. Wonder why your grass isn't as green as your neighbors, or why your flowers haven't bloomed yet? How about how to make that murky green pool clear again? These are just some examples of the questions were going to answer here.
Check Back here for more information every Wednesday!
Mowing
Improper mowing can lead to many issues with your turf. Mowing your grass too short can lead to restricted root growth and weaken your lawn and its defenses against insects, disease, weeds, and drought. Mowing at 3 inches is within the optimal height for most grass species. Mowing frequency depends on grass growth; it varies depending on your specific lawn. When mowing, you want to remove 1/3 of the leaf blade or less; for example, if your lawn is mowed down to 3 inches, the next time you should mow is when it reaches 4 inches. If you miss a mowing, cut your lawn higher and gradually lower it back down over the next few mowings. A sharp mower blade is essential for a clean and healthy cut. Be sure to sharpen your mower blades a few times a season for a more attractive lawn. The best time to mow is mid-morning after the dew subsides or early in the evening when the temperature has cooled. Leaving the grass clippings on your lawn after mowing recycles valuable nutrients back into the soil. Lawn clippings do not contribute to thatch because they break down quickly. As long as your mower spreads them evenly and the clippings don’t shade your grass, the clippings will only be beneficial to your lawn.
To learn more about lawn maintenance check out this article from Purdue
Intro to Best Practices!
In this new series we plan to answer the questions we get asked the most, common misconceptions and our tips for how to best maintain all aspects of your property. You can follow along on our social media profiles!
New videos and information come out every Wednesday!
Low Maintenance Landscape
Plan ahead, have an idea of the look you want to create, and take into consideration the layout of your property and how you want to utilize it. No plant requires zero maintenance, but plants that are native survive much more easily with what nature gives them. Make sure to be mindful of the sun and watering requirements of the plants you choose; grouping plants with similar needs near each other makes maintenance simpler! If variety is your concern, there is no need to worry; there are plenty of options for flowers, shrubs, and trees with varying appearances that are native to northern Indiana. Groundcover plants like creeping phlox or bunchberries are great options. If you’re looking for perennial flowers, the black-eyed susan or lilies are beautiful and come back year after year. Evergreens are great because of their consistent look no matter the season and their versatility, plus they are great for privacy. Mulch and stone both have their pros and cons. Mulch is great for your plants; it helps retain moisture and keep unwanted heat away from them, but it needs to be constantly refreshed and is much more prone to weeds. A stone bed with something like river rock is only needed once and is generally more weed-resistant; however, it does not provide any real benefits to the plants within the bed.
To learn more about low-maintenance landscapes, check out these articles:
Low Maintenance Landscaping Ideas for Easy Upkeep in Your Front Yard | Tilly Design
Zone 5 Plants – Find the Best Plants for Hardiness Zone 5 | Breck’s (brecks.com)
Grub Control
White Grubs are a common pest in Indiana turf. There are over 30,000 species but the most common are Japanese, Oriental and Green June beetles. Grubs are their larva or the early stages of development for these beetles. Grubs can cause serious damage to your lawn. Early indicators of grub damage include patchy areas and discolored or stressed turf that doesn’t respond to irrigation. The result will be easy to pull or dislodged patches of turf. To test to see if you have grubs in your lawn, we recommend taking a shovel and cutting a wedge 3 inches deep. Then carefully breaking apart and examining your soil for any grubs within it. Secondary damage can be caused by animals that consume grubs including raccoons, skunks, moles or even turkeys. There are three ways to handle a grub infestation, preventive, early curative and rescue.
For more information check out this article from Purdue University
Crab Grass
Crab Grass is one of the most invasive weeds in Northern Indiana. It is a summer annual weed that germinates when the soil temperatures reach about 60 degrees. Crab Grass is extremely resilient and reproduces at a rapid rate. Purdue University home to the leading turf specialists in our area recommend applying 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen every year per 1000 square feet. This will create a dense lawn and reduce crabgrass populations. A crabgrass pre-emergent herbicide prevents the crabgrass from germinating and should be applied in early to mid-April in northern Indiana. DO NOT plant new seed for at least 6 weeks before or after applying a pre-emergent herbicide. A post-emergent herbicide is also an option, this is most effective on small crabgrass plants and is much more difficult than a pre-emergent. If you are looking to take care of the crabgrass on your own make sure to read the instructions thoroughly, also make sure the area is well watered, do not mow for 24 hours after the application and only apply in temperatures below 75 degrees (preferably with low humidity). Click the free quote button at the top of the page to get an estimate for your property!
To learn more check out this awesome article from Purdue University!
