Pleasant Pond Landscaping

NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL LAWNCARE

In past years, traditional lawn care companies have neglected the benefit of healthy soil. Relying exclusively on processed fertilizer and frequent broadcast applications of herbicides and insecticides, the soil has become lifeless. These practices render the landscape dependent on the chemical applications. Think of this as the fast food concept. The lawn may look happy because it is feed a quick meal, but a steady diet will result in severe health issues or failure of the turf system.

Pleasant Pond Landscaping programs combine all the necessary elements for a healthy and attractive lawn. Not all landscapes are the same, so we individualize each landscape plan. Soil testing is a critical part of analyzing your landscape, so that we can tailor a program to your properties unique needs. Our natural practices will add all the essential elements your lawn needs to stay healthy and green. Organic-based products add vital organic matter to your soil profile. Most important of all, these practices will dramatically enhance your soil's microorganism activity, the life of your soil.

Our NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL Lawn Care Program consists of the following services performed annually:

Spring De-thatching: Lawns treated with nitrogen based synthetic fertilizers tend to build up a layer of potentially unhealthy thatch. Some thatch may be beneficial however too much may block water and light penetration, reducing the healthy growth of new grass. We use machine mounted tine de-thatchers to remove excess thatch and to freshen up the appearance of turf grass after a long winter of snow, ice and blowing debris.

Soil Testing: Before applying limes and fertilizers any lawn should have soil samples tested. Most homeowners and most lawn care companies skip this critical step. The result of spreading lime, and fertilizers with herbicides and pesticides without testing is at best a potential waste of money and more likely damaging to soil health and the environment. We utilize respected testing labs and use their findings to tailor a plan to your property.

Lime Applications: Our soils have a tendency to become acidic. The acidic conditions can become detrimental to grass health by binding up the availability of important nutrients. By liming the turf, we neutralize the acidity, building a better lawn and a stronger competitor for weeds.

Organic Fertilization: Organic fertilizers feed your soil, providing valuable nutrients and organic matter. Nutrients supplied in organic fertilizers stimulate microbial life within the soil. The nutrients are in forms that are stable and will be made readily available to the plant roots over time. Synthetic fertilizers are high in salts and the high N-P-K (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)) values are in very leach-able forms. Not only are these blends destructive to important living microbes in the soil they also leach out of local soils quickly and end up in our watershed.

Core Aeration: Aeration loosens soils compacted over time. Core aeration also increases the infiltration of water and nutrients to the soil, stimulates root and shoot growth, increases the lawn's drought tolerance. Aeration is also another tool to combat the build up of thatch in the lawn while improving its overall health.

Over-seeding: Over-seeding benefits your lawn by developing a thick, lush and growing turf. By thickening your lawn, weeds have a difficult time getting established. We will tailor our seed mix to the conditions of your property. Many modern seed hybrids though more expensive on the front end will save you money in the long run with their unique characteristics such as resistances to insect damage, drought tolerance, and even slow/low growing characteristics.

Lawn Cutting: A properly cut lawn may be one of the most important aspects in maintaining a Naturally Beautiful Lawn. We start with extremely sharp blades run on high speed mowers that leave a clean cut. Grass mowed over with dull blades is highly stressed leaving the lawn susceptible to disease, insect damage and drought damage. Cutting height is also critical to the health of the turf. Grass cut at 3 inches or higher, shades the soil allowing it to retain moisture keeping the roots cooler. Additional benefits of mowing higher include the shading out of low growing weeds. Taller grass blades also result in longer stronger root systems that produce thousands of up shoots that produce a lush thick turf.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR NEWLY SEEDED LAWN

Watering

Keep newly seed areas damp at all times!
Monitor closely during hot weather to avoid drying out.
Do not over water to the point of standing water, avoid puddles, run-off, surface erosion and channeling.
Water about two or three times per day when below 85 degrees.
When temperatures are 85 degrees or above, you should water approx. 3- 5 times per day.
Water each area covered by the sprinkler for about 10 – 15 minutes per location.
The first 21 – 25 days are the most critical.
After the first two mowings gradually reduce watering to established lawn levels.
Established lawns need about one inch of water per week. Rainfall and watering combined.
Water established lawns deeply and less often to encourage root growth.

Fertilize

Pleasant Pond Landscaping recommends the use of organic fertilizers to build soil health.
Fertilizer was included in your hydro-seeded lawn.
More fertilizer may be applied about 30 days after seeding

Weeds

Hydro-seed mulch contains 0% weed seed.
Pleasant Pond Landscaping only uses high quality seed with 0 weed content per seed labels.
Weeds in your newly seeded areas are from seeds in the soil.
Weed control products should not be applied until 4 mowings have been done.
Do not apply weed control products in hot weather even after 4 mowings.

Mowing

Mow your new lawn when it reaches a height of 3"- 3.5”.
Cut no more than 1/3 of the leaf at each mowing.
Mow at a height no lower than 3 inches for a healthy lawn.
Use newly sharpened blades for the first mowing.
Sharpen blades after every 8 hours use.