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Kansas City Landscaping- Total Annual Yard Treatment

By Ken Lopez


You don't have to pay someone for a full-care lawn service. But a common weekly trim is not enough for an immaculate yard. Kansas City landscapers apply a spectrum of services that this post will briefly go over.

It is necessary that you realize the needs of your grass as a living thing. Grasping this and being diligent to meet those needs will end with a happy and healthy yard. Over time you will be alert to signs of stress or disease. Then you will understand better how to handle these issues.

Preparing the top layer of soil is always the first step professional Kansas City Landscapers take. Try to create a texture with the right balance of organic material, sand and clay. Professionals know the important of soil that is conditioned for the ideal water and gas exchange.

The soil should also have the right level of acidity (pH). A Kansas City landscaping supplier will have a test-kit for pH. Then balance the acidity with organic elements that will also provide nutrition- acidifying nitrogen, garden compost, cow/horse/pig manure, and lime are the most common. A slightly acidic pH (6.8) is the best for most grass varieties. Kansas City landscaping suppliers will have the price on materials and instructions.

Kansas City's snow and heavy rain create problems of erosion and standing water, which will result in bare areas and potential disease. You have to guard the top layer of soil or the grass will die. Erosion will remove nutrients and loose soil at the least and the grass and yard soil itself at worst. And stagnant water will bring pests, disease, and stress to the yard. Standing water is easily avoided by removing the source water and re-grading low spots. Heavy erosion may require more than re-grading, however, and landscaping to change the yard itself may be needed.

The next step after soil-preparation is planting the grass itself, either in small bare areas or for a whole new lawn. Sod and seed are the two choices that you will have to look at and apply at your discretion. If you have the money and need for pre-cut sod it is the best choice when laying large areas, while Seed is cheaper and allows you to mix varieties of grass.

Some yards have issues like heavy traffic and erosion, which will mean you may need to look into planting two varieties in tandem. This will cause the yard to thrive, though the lawn may not be uniform in color and texture. Your unique needs may require the advice of a professional Kansas City landscaper.

It is very important that you understand proper watering methods. Many people unknowingly water at the wrong times or too often, resulting in an unhealthy lawn. Kansas City landscapers view each yard as unique and watering as a science that is just as varied in application. Warning signs of over-watering include- Fungus, Thatch (dead layers of grass throughout the yard), yellowing patches, burned grass (in the Summer heat), and an abundance of weeds. Yards rarely need more than 2 inches of water in Kansas City.

Your yard can become choked and overly stressed by thatch over time. If it is too thick on the ground the grass will not prosper and spread efficiently, creating patched spots and stress. A small layer is fine as long as the shoots and leaves are easily covering it.

De-thatching is therefore a required part of regular lawn-care. A simple stiff hand-rake or power-rake will accomplish the job. The main objective is to simply remove extra thatch. This replaces the normal decomposition process. Remove the thatch with a mower or by hand, making sure not to simply mulch it back into the yard.

Snowfall and frost will compress the soil every year. Consequently the grass roots won't be able to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide effectively; a major obstruction in raising a beautiful yard.

Kansas City landscapers take care of this dilemma by aerating. This breaks the top of the soil and places holes several inches deep. With any luck, the aeration will permit the roots to grow and work as they should.

Kansas City landscapers always apply a weed-preventative chemical known as a "pre-emergent" in the early Spring. Pre-emergent is a combination of an herbicide and a fertilizer that is created specifically to stop weeds from germinating. Thus, the weeds are kept from even beginning to compete for precious nutrients and space. This will save a lot of time and labor trying to take out established weeds.

Food is needed if your grass is going to stay healthy. Soil will lose elements over the years when you bag the grass while mowing. Food must be put back in the soil or the grass will become malnourished and stressed. Spring and Fall are the best times to replenish the soil. Manure and other organic materials are good alternatives to common chemical fertilizers.

Bear in mind that fertilizing should be done when the grass is not too long so that the nutrients reach the soil, otherwise the pellets of fertilizer will not be spread properly. Yet fertilizing just after mowing can be even worse as the the cut leaves will be vulnerable to chemical burns. It is significant to point out that Kansas City landscapers and lawn-care pros usually set their equipment higher than many people would because of the strain the lawn undergoes if it is cut too low.

Every year Kansas City landscapers apply a fungicide for preventing fungus spores from germinating. If your yard or garden is overly shaded or constantly damp you should be particularly watchful. The Kansas City climate can make fungus thrive, so be watchful, even if you do treat the yard.

Reliable Kansas City landscapers know that the best defense against disease and pests is to keep the lawn in peak health. Making your lawn reach its peak health now will help it when hard times come, just as a healthy person will fare better when sickness comes. A stressed or underfed lawn can be fragile and permanently harmed by even one day of bad weather but a strong yard will last through drought and disease much better.

These are the fundamental issues that every lawn-care strategy should include. Don't give up if things take a while and stick to the plan. Cultivating a lush yard is extremely rewarding. So what are you hesitating for? Get moving!




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