Do You Want A Beautiful During The Spring and Summer?
Here are 3 common mistakes home and property owners make with their lawn.
Having a beautiful lawn in Winnipeg isn’t easy. It takes a lot of work when the weather cooperates and it starts with the initial prep that went into your property before planting seed or rolling out sod.
#1. Lack Of Irrigation
A vibrant and lush green lawn takes a proper watering regime. Ideally you have an underground sprinkler or irrigation system installed as this is generally the easiest way to keep your lawn from getting to thirsty and dry during the summer months. For small lawns you might be able to get away with a sprinkler attached to a hose but you need to make sure the entire lawn is getting watered, usually morning and night for short durations.
Note: While your lawn needs to be watered frequently it can also get too much water, which will starve the roots of oxygen and kill your grass. If your water is pooling up and submerging the grass during a watering you’re giving it too much.
#2. Wrong Type Of Grass
There are many different species of grass and they all have their own growing characteristics which include preferred climates and soils. It’s not OK to just run out and buy any type of grass seed and expect to get beautiful results. Unless you have a green thumb it’s best to have a professional lawn care and landscape professional come and take a look at your yard and determine your soil composition. But for the sake of this article, here are the 3 most commonly found types of grass when you buy seed.
- Kentucky Bluegrass (thick blades, great deep color)
- Perennial Rye (very good all around, durable grass)
- Fescues (extremely thin bladed, likes shadier areas)
The weather we get in Winnipeg calls for a grass that is durable and suitable for our extended winters. Perennial Rye is durable, has good-sized blades and will have that beautiful, vibrant green color most people want in their lawn. You’ll find Perennial Rye in soccer fields, rugby fields, baseball diamonds and public parks where it’s durability makes it an easy choice. Kentucky Bluegrass is another very common option for our area.
#3. Lack of Proper Aeration
Much of the soil we find on our customer’s properties in the Winnipeg area are heavy, clay-based soils that are very prone to compaction. When the soil becomes compacted it leads to poor drainage, decreased permeability, of the soil and very low oxygen levels for the roots. These conditions aren’t ideal if you want beautiful, healthy grass!
Aerating your lawn is the process of loosening up the soil to reduce compaction thus allowing more water, nutrients, air, and sunlight into the ground which promotes a stronger root system and therefore a healthier lawn. Aeration of your lawn is best done during the growing season, either in the spring or in the early fall.
#4. Wrong Type Of Soil
If you’re starting out with the wrong type of soil and base for your lawn then you’re going to fail each and every time… It’s really that simple! Your soil is the growing medium, it must be the right composition to allow your grass roots to breath, while holding moisture and encouraging the uptake of nutrients from the soil (this is also largely determined by your soil PH).
For a healthy happy lawn, the soil should be made up of a mixture of sand, silt and clay in roughly equal parts. In the lawn and landscaping industry this soil is called “loam soil” (not to be confused with normal topsoil or garden soil). Loam soil helps retain moisture even though it drains well. Because of the sandy composition it makes it easier for the grass roots to breath, even after heavy watering.
Don’t worry if your soil isn’t right on your property. Your unproductive soil can be removed and hauled away as fill and then replaced with the proper base of loam soil. Starting with the right type of soil to begin with, is the best way to get a beautiful lawn.
#5. Lack of Proper Fertilization
A healthy lawn demands more nutrients from the soil and if you aren’t fertilizing the lawn then it’s going to slowly turn brown and die off. There is a fine line though, between feeding your lawn just the right amount to overduing it and causing damage that way (think of it like a chemical burn to the grass!).
Like all plants, your lawn thrives on the elements N.P.K. This stands for Nitrogen (good for the lush green growth), Phosphorus, and Potassium. Your grass requires these elements and other trace elements in varying amounts throughout the year. For example, in the spring when growth is happening very quickly your grass will need lots of Nitrogen, moreso than other elements.
Fertilizer isn’t just a one-time deal either… If you want a healthy looking lawn then it needs to be fed regularly usually in 4-6 week intervals for the best results. There are literally thousands of lawn fertilizing products on the market but there are only a select few that work exceptionally well on Winnipeg lawns.
Why Choose Terrace Property Maintenance Ltd. For Your Landscaping, Lawn Care and Property Maintenance Needs?
When you choose Terrace Property Maintenance Ltd. to provide your landscaping, excavation, property maintenance or snow removal in Winnipeg you are partnering with a team of professionals who will care for and maintain your property as if it were our own.
You can count on great communication, reliable service, and fair prices.
Our team takes great pride in the work we do and we listen to the needs of each and every customer as no two properties are alike and we want to make sure you are happy with our services!
If you’d like to receive an estimate for services from Terrace Property Maintenance Ltd. please give us a call (204) 202-6939 or send us an email through our contact form and we’ll get right back to you.
