NOVEMBER 2017 – What’s something to be truly thankful for in San Diego? Beautiful, mild year-round weather and the opportunity for a lush, green lawn throughout all four seasons when you follow a few simple steps. If you take the time now to winterize your property – by fertilizing, aerating, overseeding, and preventing winter weeds – you can ensure a beautiful landscape now and well into the new year.
Here’s what you need to know about these important landscape winterization strategies:
1. Fertilize
Fall and spring are considered growing seasons and are the best times to fertilize lawns and shrubs. Fertilization now, coupled with the cooler weather and wet nights, will lead to deep green growth this fall and winter. Both organic and chemical fertilizers contain different amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (or N-P-K as indicated on the label). Nitrogen helps foliage grow strong. Phosphorus helps roots and flowers grow, and potassium is important for overall plant health.
There are several different types of fertilizers to choose from including timed or gradual release, which release nutrients over time either at a more predictable rate or as environmental conditions change. Granular fertilizers are widely available, popular and easy to apply. Water soluble/liquid fertilizers are applied with a hose and work quickly. The chemical balance and type of fertilizer you use should be based on the needs of your lawn or landscape.
Our crews can assess your needs on a regular basis, and apply the appropriate type and rates at the appropriate times for optimal results. Rest assured, we’ve got you covered!
2. Aerate and Overseed
For best results to get a dormant lawn growing year-round, aeration and over seeding are often done together, late October through early December. Aeration assists in combating compacted soil by removing plugs of dirt and allowing oxygen, water, and nutrients to penetrate more deeply into the root zone, where these components are most important. Grass seed and nutrients come into direct contact with the soil allowing for an optimal growing environment. A core aeration machine is most often used for this task.
Overseeding is perhaps one of the most overlooked techniques for keeping your yard or property green year-round. Popular grasses throughout San Diego County include a variety of year-round evergreen grass types, like Fescue, but we also see a strong showing of dormant or semi-dormant turf grasses, such as Bermuda, Kikuyu, Zoysia, and St. Augustine. These grasses typically go dormant and turn brown in the winter months. An easy step to ensure green grass through the winter is to overseed with an Annual or Perennial Ryegrass. Ryegrass grows and stays green during the cooler months, then dies once it gets hot – just as your Bermuda grass starts turning green again. Our customers who use aeration and overseeding together often see tremendous results.
3. Prevent Winter Weeds
This time of year, we apply pre-emergent herbicides to our clients’ properties in order to prevent weed growth in large turf, slope, and planter areas. By eliminating undesirable weeds, grass and plants thrive, because they don’t have to compete for resources like water and nutrients. Pre-emergent herbicides kill undesired weed seedlings that lie below the surface to prevent the actual germination of weeds. This is especially important on slopes and in turf areas where it’s difficult to remove weeds once they are growing.
You can have your landscaper apply a pre-emergent herbicide for you, depending on your gardening needs, or you can speak with an Agricultural PCA (Pest Control Advisor) for recommendations specific to your lawn and the types of weeds you have dealt with in the past.
Finally, a few words of gratitude…
As the year winds down, our thoughts at LaBahn’s turn to everything we are thankful for. Our customers top the list. Thank YOU for giving us the opportunity to make your corner of the world a little greener and more beautiful. Thank you for believing in our company and having faith in us to form a long-lasting relationship.
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours…
Not a member of the LaBahn’s family yet? Please give us a call at (619) 571-9151, or visit our contact page to schedule a walk-through. We would love to talk with you about your landscaping project, needs, or ideas.