How high do I cut my grass?

Lawns in our area are mainly fescue and bluegrass. Mow at least 3 inches high. A lawn cut too short cannot battle weeds and will not handle dry conditions very well.

Do I bag my grass clippings or not? [back to top]

Bagging really isn't necessary; but it does look better when it's done. However, if your clippings are damaging the lawn or not decomposing in about a week, I would remove them.

What is lawn aeration? [back to top]

Aeration is a process of pulling cores of soil out of the lawn. This relieves soil compaction. Aeration allows air, water and nutrients to more readily reach the root zone of the grass plants in your lawn. It accomplishes this by relieving compacted soil and opening up the thatch layer. It also stimulates new growth, improves drainage, provides a better environment for overseeding and increases the effectiveness of applied fertilizers and control products. THIS IS NOT ACCOMPLISHED WITH A SPIKER-TYPE AERATOR. THESE ACTUALLY COMPACT THE SOIL.

What type of grass seed is best? [back to top]

The best lawn grass seed for our area is the seed classified as "turf-type" tall fescue. There are many different blends of "turf-type" tall fescue. Look on the tag for seed that is weed free. It should say "0% noxious weeds found." Today's turf-type tall fescues are more hardy,
are disease resistant, and produce a richer green color.

Why does a lawn need lime? [back to top]

Lime is a product used to balance soil pH. A soil pH of 6.5 is preferred by most turf grasses in our area. Soils become acidic from the leaching effects of rain, removal of grass clippings, and the use of nitrogen fertilizer. Lime neutralizes or reduces the acidity of soils. As the acidity is reduced, the availability of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus increases, as well as many other plant nutrients. LIMING NEEDS TO BE DETERMINED BY A SOIL TEST. We test the soil pH annually for our Lawn Service Customers. Soils limed too much can increase the pH level over 7.0 and can reduce the availability of the micro-nutrients zinc, manganese, copper, iron, and boron.

How do I get rid of moles? [back to top]

There are two methods I use to attempt this task. One method is not attacking the mole, but eliminating the food source. Moles eat grubs. By limiting the grub population this can limit mole activity. However, they also eat earthworms. Earthworms are beneficial and exist naturally in the soil. They are part of your lawns overall good health. Moles also like bird feed. Many lawns have bird feeders in them. Bird feed that spills onto the ground is very attractive to a mole.
Another method is baiting the mole. This involves injecting a bait substance into the mole run. I've found this to be moderately successful.

The best defense against moles is a good offense. If you ignore the care your lawn needs, a pesky mole can destroy it. Keep your lawn healthy and vigorous. A lawn that is properly cared for can withstand a little mole activity.