During the hot summer months, it can get too hot or dry for the cool-season grasses. When temperatures rise about 90 degrees, cool-season lawns can start to go dormant and turn brown until cooler weather and enough moisture reach the soil. During these hot summer months, we recommend watering 2-3 inches a week (click here to learn more about "measuring rainfall") during the morning hours either by rainfall or irrigation.
During the cooler months, a healthy lawn needs 1-2 inches of water a week. When a lawn receives more water than normal, this allows moisture to build in the soil. Having too much moisture can bring diseases into the lawn. If possible, let your lawn dry out for the next couple of days and continue with the recommended watering instructions.
Having your grass cut at the right height — recommended at three inches — will cause less damage to your grass and prevent any stress that could negatively impact your lawn. With proper height and alternating trimming patterns, your lawn will be healthier — which allows for shading, fights against weed growth and protects the grass against insect damages.
A backflow prevention assembly is a mechanical device installed on your property after the water meter. It prevents water already in your property pipes from “backflowing” into the city water system, possibly contaminating the city’s potable water system. All customers that have a land irrigation system, including those installed at a residential location, that is connected to a public water supply must install either a Reduced Pressure Principle device (RP) or a Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB).
Proper maintenance of your home’s irrigation system can reduce water waste and improve plant life. Maintenance is fairly simple — check the system at least two times seasonally when first turned on and halfway through the season. Regular maintenance includes inspecting the controller, updating any times or dates, checking all wire connections, replacing backup battery and turning on each zone to check for damages.
Overseeding and aeration provide the most optimal results for your lawn when done in the fall. Overseeding will give your lawn healthier and thicker grass, helping to improve your home’s curb appeal. Lawn aeration increases the airflow to grassroots which improves their depth and strength. Aeration and overseeding work hand in hand as lawn aeration provides a good foundation for overseeding.
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Fertilizing your lawn is a necessary lawn care task to ensure your lawn has proper nutrients to ensure healthy growth and attractive quality. Fertilization provides a slow release of organic nutrients along with carefully blended amounts of nutrients which help your lawn by promoting new leaf, cell wall development and root growth. In northern areas of the country, like Western New York, it is recommended you apply fertilizer once per year in the springtime.
You do not need to be home for our fertilization program. Trained technicians will care for your lawn and leave you with an invoice. Be sure to check your invoice after each visit for any notes the technician may have left regarding the care of your lawn. Gates should be unlocked and pets are in the house.
For most applications, people and pets should remain off of the lawn until the weed control has had time to dry. In most cases, this will take less than an hour. Once the weed control has dried, there is no danger of being on the lawn.
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When selling your home, the landscaping is often one of the first details prospective buyers notice — and attractive and well-maintained lawns and plantlife adds curb appeal and a welcoming aesthetic. With a well-landscaped property, you can even see up to 10% home value added, so take your landscape project seriously.
Many may assume springtime is the ideal season for landscaping installations, but for plantings like trees, shrubs and grass, fall is the best time for projects because of the warm days and cool evenings and the increased precipitation that assists new plant establishment. With fall plantings, you’ll have six to eight months to get roots established before warmer months, weeds are less frequent and the soil temperature is still warm. However, for perennial and annual flowers, springtime is the best time for planting.
Color theory refers to the aesthetic art of mixing colors and the visual effects of those color combinations — to create a relaxing feel, make small spaces seem larger, attract attention to an area or tie areas together, for example. In landscaping, the color spectrum is divided into four groups:
Using color combinations, you match colors to complement each other and tertiary colors are often used as transitional colors.
Some types of trees that grow well in Rochester, NY, are the American Hornbeam, Hackberry and a variety of lilac trees such as the Japanese Tree Lilac. These species not only grow best in Rochester’s weather patterns and soil conditions, but they also give lawns a touch of beauty.
Not all trees thrive in all regions! Find out more on how these regions are broken down at the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones.
Cool-season grasses grow best in Rochester due to the colder temperatures seen. Which grass is best for my Rochester, NY, lawn?
Cornell University recommends that homeowners choose from the following five grass types for that stand-out lawn.
There are still some factors you need to consider. These characteristics are unique to your property and will help you fine-tune your eventual selection.
There are many different types and sizes of water features that can be added to your yard landscape, so the cost varies based on the water feature you choose and the size of it. Some of the different types of water features you can install to upgrade your lawn include fountains, ponds and waterfalls.
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In the Rochester, NY area, there are several things you can to do prepare your lawn for the colder weather and winter season. Some of the best things that you can do to prepare and prevent a dead lawn when the spring comes around are:
Staking your lawn helps to show snowplow operators where your lawn meets the road or sidewalk edge. Other items you should mark for snowplows include fire hydrants (3ft all around and clear to the street), retaining walls, curbs, driveway stops and patio edges. The best way to mark your lawn is to place markers at any obstacle that a snowplow may hit or damage during the snow removal process.
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Trained technicians, in general, should be using a blend of insecticides designed to target both adult pests as well as their eggs. This insecticide will then be applied to your property with a misting system. The mist will be sprayed throughout your landscaping, trees (up to 20 feet in height) and across the entire lawn.
Mosquito control treatments will provide you with protection for up to 21 days. A technician will visit your home every 3 weeks to ensure that the mosquito barrier never has time to break down. That way you can consistently enjoy your outdoor space all season long.
It is recommended that you stay off of the treated areas for a minimum of 30 minutes after treatment. This will ensure that the products have had time to dry. Once the treatment has dried, your property is once again available for your enjoyment, without danger to your family and pets.
For the most effective control for an event you might be planning, it is suggested to have at least two applications. One treatment will be applied two weeks before the event and another two days before the event.
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