It is that time of year again, spring! Our green-thumbed friends are busy restoring their gardens and lawns from the winter damage, but soon, crabgrass will be an issue. Between mid-summer and early fall, plants produce thousands of seeds. When the first frost comes, it kills the plants, and those seeds will remain dormant through the winter. When the ground temperature warms up, the seeds begin to grow. This is what causes crabgrass to rapidly grow during the warm summer months. The Simply Green Lawn Care Plus team has put together a short guide to help you prevent crabgrass from spreading, below. Check it out!

• Mow your lawn often to keep the grass a fairly consistent length.
• Crabgrass requires plenty of light to germinate, so keep the grass as thick and long as possible to create shade near the soil surface.
• Cut no more than one-third of the grass blade at one time when mowing.
• For established lawns, water frequently for long periods of time.
• Watering on an irregular schedule and only when needed promotes deeper root growth that is essential to healthy turfgrass.
• Fertilize your grass at least once a year, following the package instructions.

For more information about our services at Simply Green Lawn Care Plus, visit our website or give us a call at 770-923-0387. Are you a current Simply Green Lawn Care Plus customer? Rate and share your experience with us in the review section of our Facebook page today. We always enjoy hearing from you!

Spring is finally here and that means that it’s time to access your plants and fertilize them. Due to the lack of cold this winter, unfortunately, we are anticipating lots of harmful insects this season, so at Simply Green Lawn Care Plus, we’re applying a custom slow release fertilizer and systemic insecticide.

Using Integrated pest management (IPM), we inspect your plants for potential damaging insects and disease. We only treat plants that require treatment which minimize use. Don’t wait until the last minute to have your plants treated. Give us a call for your free estimate today!

What is IPM?

Integrated pest management, or IPM, is defined as a process used to solve pest problems while minimizing risks to people and the environment. This method can be used to manage all kinds of pests anywhere—in urban, agricultural, and wildland or natural areas.

What’s a custom slow release fertilizer?

Slow release fertilizers include products in which the nutrients contained within the product are either slowly soluble, slowly released, or held in a natural organic form (which require mineralization and nitrification in the soil).

What’s so great about systemic insecticide?

When systemic pesticides are applied to the soil, beneficial insects, birds and even pets and people are much less likely to encounter the pesticide in the form of residues or spray drift.
For more information about our services at Simply Green Lawn Care Plus, visit our website or give us a call at 770-923-0387. Are you a current Simply Green Lawn Care Plus customer? Rate and share your experience with us in the review section of our Facebook page today. We always enjoy hearing from you!

Spring is near and as the plants come out of winter hibernation so do the bugs. It’s time to adjust your winter lawn care routine and prepare for the warmer days. Horticultural oil, also known as dormant oil because it is used during the season of inactivity, can eliminate a range of pests at this very sensitive stage of plant development.

How does horticultural oil help you keep your garden healthy?

Cold weather is the best time to use pesticides based on oils because these substances might affect the plant adversely in heat. Lighter versions of products are created for summer months. However, the ideal conditions for this type of treatment to be most effective are cool air and young plants. Dormant oils work by suffocating the insects and their eggs. The pests which can be removed in this manner include mites, spider mites, aphids, leafhoppers, mealybug, caterpillar eggs, whiteflies and others. Remember to always strictly follow label instructions, as pesticides might also kill good bugs which are needed to help pollination.

Gentle transition from winter lawn care to early spring treatment

Trees and shrubs need to be treated proactively while considering the impact of weather changes. Having an annual schedule of various chemical treatments is a way to make sure your care routine follows the natural yearly cycle of plant life. In early spring Aeration of soil is necessary for grass to develop. Cut grass as soon as it becomes strong enough to be mown safely. Keep the blades lower to remove the leftovers and dead leaves. Water well and fertilize after the first cut. Applying pre-emergent can stop weeds from affecting the growth of new grass and keep the lawn looking nice and green for the months to come.

Plant food and fertilizers are all made with their ingredients mixed in accurate proportions. However, the ground is not chemically inert and substances within it mix with the fertilizer and alter the composition of nutrients. This is why soil testing should be an essential part of your winter lawn care.

Ph level – the most important parameter to measure

The best Ph level for lawns is slightly acidic 5.8-6.5, just under the neutral 7. If it becomes too alkaline the absorption of iron, zinc, and manganese is affected, which may lead to iron chlorosis and other problems. If it is too acidic, these and other elements may be absorbed in excessive quantities and become toxic to the plant. Acid affects the transmutation of the main nutrient nitrogen into a form available to the root system, meaning a lot of fertilizer applied would be wasted.

Soil testing with or without equipment

There are multiple ways to test the Ph at home. You can dig a small hole in the ground, fill it with distilled water, and test with a commercial probe. If you don’t have probing equipment you can use vinegar and baking soda. Add vinegar to a sample. If it fizzles it is alkaline. If not, add water and baking soda to a new and clean soil sample. If the mixture fizzles now, it is acidic.

Professional assistance

An affordable and accurate solution is to have a sample tested by a professional who can help you with various aspects of winter lawn care. Simply Green provides analysis which also shows the levels of minerals important for maintaining correct chemical balance in the ground to ensure that your plants receive proper nutrition.