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5 Spring Tips for a Better Lawn This Year.

Every lawn has great potential.  And with a little effort a lush lawn can welcome your family, friends and neighbors.

Here are some tips from Lawn Doctor, the guys and gals with 50 years of serving their neighbors with invaluable insight to maintain the home’s greenest asset.

1. Clean-up. Some years are worse than others, but a general clean-up will benefit your lawn in many ways. Too much debris can suffocate the lawn and prevent the emergence of new growth. Raking up even just a few sticks and leaves not only helps get the lawn looking better instantly but it gives you the opportunity to inspect your lawn thoroughly and assess any issues.

2. Rake. Raking to clean up is great, but if you have a thick layer of thatch, you may have to rake a little more thoroughly. Thatch is the layer of decomposing plant material that sits on the surface of the soil. When it accumulates and gets compacted it can prevent the roots of your grass from getting water, fertilizer, oxygen and other nutrients.

3. Manage the moss. Every winter your lawn will stop growing and go into winter dormancy. Meanwhile, moss continues to grow. In the early spring, moss often looks worse than it is. Once the turf starts to grow moss will become less noticeable. Under some conditions, such as heavy shade or habitually moist areas, moss will naturally grow thick and dense. In this case, moss can only be handled by removing it manually with a rake or dethatcher. To help prevent moss and control the spread of it, we recommend a heavy calcitic lime application in the spring and, depending on the soil pH, sometimes again in the fall. Seeding in the fall and proper nutritional care and maintenance can keep the moss from coming back.

4. Fertilize. In the early spring, you’ll notice that your grass is pale green, gray or even yellow, depending on the variety of grass you have. As it comes out of dormancy, it will naturally green up. To bring it back to life faster and see it grow greener you should have a lawn care program. First, start with a high nitrogen fertilizer with other essential nutrients as well as weed control and crabgrass preventative. This service will wake your grass right up and make it look like winter never happened!

5. Prevent crabgrass. It may seem too soon to be thinking about crabgrass but it is imperative to get this pre-emergent onto your lawn ASAP. The secret to lawn care program is TWO applications of pre-emergent. Two applications means double prevention and longer lasting effects. Do not underestimate the importance of premergent!

A little lawn effort goes a long way.

Lawn Doctor is a local, family owned and operated business serving Eastern Massachusetts. Over 50 years of serving neighbors with invaluable insight on maintaining the home’s greenest asset.

Whether you’re looking to fine-tune your lawncare routine or create one from scratch, contact the experts at Lawn Doctor, located at 800 Franklin St, Hanson, MA 0234. For more information about Lawn Doctor, visit http://www.lawndoctor.com/ or call 800-831-1319.

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Lawn Dilemma: To seed or not to seed.

Contrary to conventional thought, spring lawn seeding is NOT recommended.  That’s right, Lawn Doctor experts encourage you to wait on seeding.

There are three reasons why you shouldn’t see in the Spring.

First, seed is very slow to germinate in the spring due to cooler soil temperatures according to Tom Norton, owner of Lawn Doctor.  “Even fast- growing perennial ryegrass will take 3-4 weeks when planted in April.” Secondly, Spring is the biological time for turf to reproduce and therefore expends its energy on the production of seed and top growth and not root development. “Turfgrass knows that spring is time to reproduce. It focuses all of its resources on growing tall, green shoots and seed heads instead of a root system. All the water in the world will not be enough to protect your grass from summer stress if it doesn’t have a developed root system.”

Third reason?

Weeds, weeds, weeds! The most important, time-sensitive thing you can do for you lawn is apply a weed and crabgrass preventative, AKA preemergent. If you seed, you cannot apply pre-emergent, and if your grass can’t make it through the summer, it’ll be overtaken by crabgrass. You’ll end up seeding in the fall again anyway. Even if you watered and fertilized faithfully, odds are, you’ll still end up with patchy, bare areas after the crabgrass recedes in the fall. 

Lawn Doctor is a local, family owned and operated business. Over 50 years of serving their neighbors has provided their team with invaluable insight as how best maintain your home’s greenest asset.

Whether you’re looking to fine-tune your lawncare routine or create one from scratch, the experts at Lawn Doctor can get you on track. For more information about Lawn Doctor, visit http://www.lawndoctor.com/or call 800-831-1319.

Lawn Dilemma: To seed or not to seed.Read More

Bust out. Enjoy Getting Your Lawn Ready for Spring.

Cabin fever is setting in for many of us who have been self-isolating due COVID-19.  But maybe this is an opportune time to get some Vitamin E from the sun and endorphins from the rejuvenating exercise related to preparing your yard for spring?  Many experts note that sunshine and clean air are natures best disinfectant.

Here are some simple and effective tips from Lawn Doctor of Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod.

Tom Norton, President of the local Lawn Doctor outfit, suggests “Some years are worse than others, but a general clean-up will benefit your lawn in many ways.” 

Norton continued, “Too much debris can suffocate the lawn and prevent the emergence of new growth. Raking up even just a few sticks and leaves not only helps get the lawn looking better instantly but it gives you the opportunity to inspect your lawn thoroughly and assess any issues.”

Now what? Lawn Doctor cautions you that raking to clean up is great, but if you have a thick layer of thatch, you may have to rake a little more thoroughly. Thatch is the layer of decomposing plant material that sits on the surface of the soil. When it accumulates and gets compacted it can prevent the roots of your grass from getting water, fertilizer, oxygen and other nutrients. 

Next, manage the moss. Every winter your lawn will stop growing and go into winter dormancy. Meanwhile, moss continues to grow. In the early spring, moss often looks worse than it is. Once the turf starts to grow moss will become less noticeable. Under some conditions, such as heavy shade or habitually moist areas, moss will naturally grow thick and dense. In this case, moss can only be handled by removing it manually with a rake or dethatcher. To help prevent moss and control the spread of it, we recommend a heavy calcitic lime application in the spring and, depending on the soil pH, sometimes again in the fall. Seeding in the fall and proper nutritional care and maintenance can keep the moss from coming back. 

Now for fertilize. In the early spring, you’ll notice that your grass is pale green, gray or even yellow, depending on the variety of grass you have. As it comes out of dormancy, it will naturally green up. To bring it back to life faster and see it grow greener you should have a lawn care program.

Lawn Doctor urges a first treatment of a high-nitrogen fertilizer with other essential nutrients as well as weed control and crabgrass preventative. This service will wake your grass right up and make it look like winter never happened!

Pay attention and prevent crabgrass. It may seem too soon to be thinking about crabgrass but it is imperative to get pre-emergent weed control solution onto your lawn ASAP. The secret is TWO applications of pre-emergent solution. Two applications mean double prevention and longer lasting effects. Do not underestimate the importance of pre-emergent. 

Good start to creating the lush lawn that your family and friend can enjoy.

Lawn Doctor of Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod is a local, family owned and operated business. Over 50 years of serving their neighbors has provided their team with invaluable insight as how best maintain your home’s greenest asset.

Whether you’re looking to fine-tune your lawncare routine or create one from scratch, the experts at Lawn Doctor can get you on track. For more information about Lawn Doctor, visit http://www.lawndoctor.com/or call 800-831-1319.

Bust out. Enjoy Getting Your Lawn Ready for Spring.Read More

Breaking the “grass” ceiling. Women in Lawn Care are Breaking New Ground.

The moment that New Englanders have been eagerly anticipating has finally arrived: the end of winter. Now that spring has sprung, homeowners are scattering to prepare their pools, barbeques and most importantly their lawns and landscapes.  For busy professionals, parents and anyone else who values their personal time, this often means handing over the responsibility to men and women experienced in the lawncare business.

Landscaping companies are breaking through the “grass” ceiling. The stereotype of male lawncare professionals is being shattered by companies like Lawn Doctor. They’re putting a new face on their industry by featuring women in every level of their staff – from boots on the grass to managerial positions. Marissa Donahue of Wareham, Maria Laneau of Weymouth, Meg Salvador of Hanover, Tasha Dixey of Weymouth, Amanda Pereira of Rockland, Sam Mello of  Westport and Kathy Veneto of Easton are just some of the women who make Lawn Doctor one of the most diverse and effective workforces in their industry.

Homeowners are discovering that green thumbs are not a gender-specific trait.  Precision work like tending flower beds, drafting detailed maintenance plans as well as crafting a visually and ecologically balanced landscapes are just as effectively achieved by women than their male counterparts. Additionally, the ability to complete heavy lifting, power equipment operation, and other challenging tasks has much more to do with the physical conditioning of the worker than whether they are male or female.

There can be other distinct advantages to letting the ladies handle your lawn. Women have a reputation for being more attentive and better communication skills.  Many homeowners find they are kept better informed and that their concerns are better handled when there is a woman running the show.

As the modern American family evolves, homeowners’ attitudes about who they choose for hired help are following suit. Decisions are simply based on who can best complete their project. This is especially true for landscaping needs. From maintenance, to design and management roles, women are stepping into the industry with great success. Tom Norton of Lawn Doctor contributes to this trend in the staffing of his operation, insisting, “Passion, work ethic and attention to detail are what we look for. A person who shows those qualities is who we go with.”

Lawn Doctor of Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod is a local, family owned and operated business. Over 50 years of serving their neighbors has provided their team with invaluable insight as how to best maintain your home’s greenest asset.

For more information about Lawn Doctor, visit www.LawnDoctor.com or call 800-831-1319.

Breaking the “grass” ceiling. Women in Lawn Care are Breaking New Ground.Read More

Getting the Bugs out of your Barbecue. Removing backyard bugs and enjoying the bounty of the season.

With summer temperatures soaring and Independence Day around the corner, New Englanders are taking to their lawns to play, relax, cookout, and get together with neighbors. Trees and shrubs accented by cool grass underfoot serve as the perfect space for such seasonal occasions. Unfortunately, unwanted guests like mosquitoes, ticks, and other pests may be crashing the party.

The solution to infestation is multi-faceted.

The best defense against indoor and outdoor pests is to proactively address problem areas on the property through redesign and treatment. Lawn Doctor of Hanover’s Tom Norton attests, “the first step to mosquito prevention is removing standing water around your property like old tires, wheelbarrows, and puddle areas.”

If an infestation is already present more aggressive treatments are available. Once, the pests are eradicated, maintaining a healthy lawn and performing regular treatments will stave off any new invaders.

In sports central Massachusetts we know that even on our home court sometimes the best offense is defense. In pest control this wisdom can be applied to your epic rivalry with mosquitoes, ticks, ants, crickets, spiders, and other creepy crawly nuisances that may end up inside your home by taking preventative measures before infestation occurs. Norton notes, “The best defense from indoor infestations is to treat the actual foundation of the house. At Lawn Doctor Hanover we call it Home Pest Barrier.” The treatment is effective and easy. It’s performed on the outside of the house, no product will be introduced inside the home, and it can be performed while you’re at work – or at the beach.

Mosquitoes, ticks, and other pests are more than annoying. These pests can harbor disease and pose a health risk to people and pets. Preventing this threat in your backyard can be achieved through prevention and maintenance. As mentioned previously, locating stagnant water sources is one of the most effective ways to deter the infestation of mosquitoes. Landscaping should have proper drainage to prevent puddling as well. In addition, maintaining healthy lawn, trees, and shrubs is essential to outdoor pest prevention.

Norton recommends, “Regular maintenance including inspection, disease treatment, insect treatment, fertilization and application of micronutrients will promote overall health and prevent mosquitoes and ticks.” These tasks can be performed by the homeowner or by a service like Lawn Doctor of Hanover.

If you are already slapping yourself in an effort to squash problem mosquitoes and picking ticks off you and loved ones, do not worry. There are still measures that can be taken to drastically reduce or eradicate existing populations of mosquitoes and ticks on your lawn. Norton attests, “There are safe and proven products available to address mosquitoes and ticks through-out all stages of their life cycle.” The effectiveness of these products is often attributed to their application technique and schedule. Consult a lawn care professional before your start spraying.

Lawn Doctor is focused on working in harmony with the science of nature. Every service is designed to boost natural growth. This goes beyond the use of simple, green products. The company’s proprietary technology allows its lawn professionals to precisely measure and apply the optimum blend of nutrients and weed control – doing the right thing for your lawn and the environment.

A healthy lawn creates oxygen, removes dust and dirt, and filters water passing through its roots leaving pollutants behind and many more benefits. Lawn Doctor of Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod is a local, family owned and operated business.

For more information about Lawn Doctor, visit www.LawnDoctor.com or call 800-831-1319.

 

Getting the Bugs out of your Barbecue. Removing backyard bugs and enjoying the bounty of the season.Read More

Weed ‘em and Weep. Lawn Doctor offers Weeding Tips. 

 

This spring, diligent home owners have been reviving their once frost and snow beaten lawns back to lush green carpet teeming with life.  Summer’s elongated days, increased temperatures, and rainfall, have contributed to the near perfect growing conditions in New England. Unfortunately, invasive plants or weeds, love the weather just as much as your lawn.

Though these undesirable tenants of your lawn need not be feared, they must be planned for and regularly addressed. Horticulturist Mike McDonald of Lawn Doctor of Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod attests, “Managing weeds is an essential part of lawn care – right up there mowing or watering.”

Generally, a healthy lawn will have a better chance at being a weed-free lawn. Adjusting simple lawn care tasks with weed prevention in mind can help to avoid an invasion before it can happen. Grass with thick high blades is best for weed prevention as well as overall health.  McDonald recommends “For strong grass: mow high. Higher blade length means deeper root systems. This will keep your lawn competitive with other plants above and below ground.”  Fertilizer can be added to improve thickness as well.

Keep an eye on potentially problematic patches. Areas that are walked on frequently or are near pavement and walkways often become overly compact. Often, weeds are able to triumph in compacted soil. If these weeds are further ignored, they may spread to the whole of your lawn.  So use the walkway instead of the lawn and keep track of parts of your lawn that are already compact.

Bare areas must be addressed as well. The season is still early enough to add seed to bare spots. This will give them a fighting chance at competing with weeds.  Continue to regularly check such patches. Weeds in these areas will cultivate easier than in the thick of your lawn. If left unattended, they may spread throughout your lawn.

The species of weeds found on lawn can bear insight on the cause for their invasion.  Knotweed has wiry stems, oval green leaves and is often seen in between bricks in walkways and in cracks on the streets and sidewalks. Its’ presence often indicates a lack of water. Larger amounts of Dandelions may indicate infrequency of mowing. Dandelions that are mowed down frequently will be unable to mature there seeds and cause further infestation.  McDonald cautions, “Its’ a delicate balance. Ragweed and Dandelions might mean you are not mowing enough. On the other side of the coin, if you mow too much blade length and root deepness will be reduced, weakening your lawns defense against new weeds.”

Lawn Doctor is focused on working in harmony with the science of nature. Every service is designed to boost natural growth. This goes beyond the use of simple, green products. The company’s proprietary technology allows its lawn professionals to precisely measure and apply the optimum blend of nutrients and weed control – doing the right thing for your lawn and the environment.

A healthy lawn creates oxygen, removes dust and dirt, and filters water passing through its roots leaving pollutants behind and many more benefits. Lawn Doctor of Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod is a local, family owned and operated business serving over 6,000 homeowners in the Greater Boston region.  Main offices are located in Hanover, MA.

For more information about Lawn Doctor, visit www.LawnDoctor.com or call 800-831-1319.

 

 

Weed ‘em and Weep. Lawn Doctor offers Weeding Tips. Read More

You’ve Got to Know When to Mow. Lawn Doctor offers tips.

 

Lawn lovers of the greater Boston area have been blessed with a warm and wet April.  Of course, a lawn worth bragging about requires a tad more maintenance than Mother Nature can provide alone. Providing your lawn with some tender love and care can make the difference between a sand lot and turf that Mookie Betts would feel at home fielding.

Rookie and Veteran homeowner alike can benefit from the insights from professionals for whom lawn care is more than a summer pastime. As we ease into the lawn tending season, let’s fine tune our fundamentals from the ground up; starting with the way we mow.

Rethink the length of your lawn.  Besides requiring extra laps around your lawn, keeping the height of your lawn short will make it more vulnerable to problems. All too often homeowners will attempt to keep their lawn around one inch in height, while in-fact a taller lawn of three inches is optimum.

Not only does a lawn with more height retain moisture more effectively, Lawn Doctor of Boston’s Horticulturist Mike McDonald attests that, “Keeping a longer blade length will shade the soil keeping the soil temperature lower which prevents weeds and crabgrass from germinating.” Longer blade length can be achieved by simply raising the height of the mower or requesting that your landscaper does so.

You should always apply the ‘One-third rule.’  Never cut more than one third of the blade at once. The more you cut off the more likely you are to shock the lawn and weaken the plant’s vitality.  Regular mowing is important so that you are only clipping a small percentage of the blade each time.

The debate over lawn clippings precedes the invention of the ride-on and perhaps even the self-propelled push mover. Many argue that trimmings create natural mulch, improving soil quality and reducing the need for more frequent fertilization.  Others retort that clipping smother lawns and cause brown patches.  Both parties are correct to some extent. While the benefits of trimmings are not exaggerated, too much of them will smother the lawn.  Luckily when following the ‘One-third rule’ trimmings will be sparse enough to easily become broken down into nutrients and will not smother. If you do choose to keep a short lawn, the bulk of your clippings should be bagged.

Another way to keep your blades of grass well maintained is by keeping for mower blades sharp and well maintained. Your mower will thank you for sharpening its blades as it reduces stress on its machinery and reduces the build up and clogging of lawn debris that can spread fungus.  Your lawn will thank you for cleanly cutting its blades allowing it to heal quickly. Dull mower blades wound blades of grass. These injured blades have a greater need for watering and a greater potential to cultivate disease.

While ideally you should mow every week when the lawn is growing vigorously, weather patterns still must be observed. Mowing in the rain or when your lawn is wet can become highly problematic. Wet grass is susceptible to tearing, which bears the same problems as mowing with dull blades. And mowing in the rain will compact your soil reducing its ability to transport water and nutrients.

Conversely, mowing should be avoided in long term dry conditions. If there is no rain in the ten day forecast and you lack a reliable irrigation system, hold off on the mowing until the day before the next reported rain.  McDonalds adds, “letting your lawn grow longer in a dry spell will allow it to set deeper roots and create shade for itself, both of which will help retain moisture.” So let your lawn grow!

Lawn Doctor is focused on working in harmony with the science of nature. Every service is designed to boost natural growth. This goes beyond the use of simple, green products. The company’s proprietary technology allows its lawn professionals to precisely measure and apply the optimum blend of nutrients and weed control – doing the right thing for your lawn and the environment.

A healthy lawn creates oxygen, removes dust and dirt, and filters water passing through its roots leaving pollutants behind and many more benefits. Lawn Doctor of Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod is a local, family owned and operated business serving over 6,000 homeowners in the Greater Boston region.  Main offices are located in Hanover, MA.

For more information about Lawn Doctor, visit www.LawnDoctor.com or call 800-831-1319.Mow smile Photo 04 27 15

You’ve Got to Know When to Mow. Lawn Doctor offers tips.Read More