By not having to drag garden hoses all over the yard or having to wait for enough (or too much) water to be applied. You won't have to worry about it while you are away and the biggest thing of all you can just set it and forget it!
It will also increase your properties appraised value. By using only high quality Hunter Irrigation products B & C Landscaping is able to provide their customers with the worry free system that they are looking for.
B & C Landscaping also offers the following irrigation services: Repairs, Spring Start Up and Winterization. If you are wondering why you should have a professional contractor like B & C landscaping do your Spring Start Ups and Winterizing, this is what the manufactures say-
Start up- Its recommended to have a professional contractor start up your system so that they can check to make sure that all components are working properly. Some of the things that they check are the drain valves, proper operation of each zone, check the pressure (low pressure indicates a leak) Check and clean filters on poorly performing sprinklers, reprogram controller and Uncover and clean the systems rain sensor if applicable.
Shut down- Living in New England its important to make sure that your system is shut down properly due to cold winter temperatures. It is necessary to do this correctly or else your system may be severely damaged if there is any moisture left in it during the freezing temperatures. When coming to your home to prepare your irrigation system for winterization B & C Landscaping would take the proper steps by blowing out all zones and inspecting them to make sure that the system is free of water.
The best weed control is a healthy lawn. However, some weeds are invasive and compete well with lawns. Weed control should be practiced only on established lawns. Young seedlings are often injured by weed control agents, even when the control agent is for broadleaf weeds.
Weed control requires knowledge about the weed itself. This includes proper identification and knowledge of the life cycle of the weed. The idea is to control the weed at its weakest point in the life cycle.
The four terms you should be aware of as Master Gardeners are selectivity, tolerance, pre-emergence and post emergence.
Selectivity is ability of a weed control agent to affect one plant (the weed) and not affect another (lawn grass). Non-selective weed control agents kill all plants (weeds and turf). Pre-emerge agents kill seeds as they germinate, while post emergent weed control agents control weeds already established.
Pre-emergence weed control agents are used in the fall and spring at lower elevations and in the spring at high elevation sites. They are used (on established turfs) in the fall to control winter annual weeds. These include annual bluegrass, winter bromegrass, wild barley and other grassy weeds. They are also used in the spring (and early summer at high elevations) to control grassy weeds like crabgrass, southwest cupgrass, goosegrass, stinkgrass and summer annual broadleaves, like spurge and knotweeds.
Most annual broadleaf plants are not controlled by most of the pre-emergence control agents which control grassy weeds. There is one herbicide that works well on broadleaf weed seeds. It is called "Gallery." It will stop turf seeds from coming up at the same time (as most other pre-emergence agents will do).
Broadleaf perennial weeds (live year-round) include dandelions, white clover, medic, thistles and the like. Broadleaf perennials should be controlled by fall applications of broadleaf weed control agents. The second choice, is an application in the spring.
Other weeds include the sedges. Purple nutsedge is prevalent at mid-to-lower elevations, while yellow nutsedge is prevalent at higher elevations. Nutsedge is not a grass, although it is falsely called nutgrass by most people. Selective herbicides are now available for its suppression.
Finally, non-selective weed control agents can be used to spot spray weeds in the turf. These will kill all weeds, including the turf, so care must be exercised. Examples include "Round-up," and the new herbicide "Finale."
Test your sprinkler output and consistency of coverage: Place flat-bottom cups or cans within the sprinkler pattern and measure the water over a given time. Make adjustments as necessary so the entire lawn is watered evenly.
Water early in the morning, or when the winds are calm and enough daylight is left to dry the leaves before nightfall.
Apply enough water to wet the rootzone to 6 to 8 inches deep with each irrigation, and let the soil dry partially between irrigations.To avoid producing runoff, run the sprinklers in cycles, turning sprinklers on for 10 minutes, turning them off to let the water soak in, then repeating.
Adjust the watering schedule depending on weather, seasons and rainfall. Grasses generally require more water during their active growing season than when they're dormant, though all grasses need an average of 1-2 inches of water per week in summer; cool season grasses can take more than this in winter.
New seedings and spriggings require intensive irrigation to ensure successful establishment.
Seedings require light and frequent watering to ensure that the seed and surface of the soil are constantly moist.
Plan to keep the soil moist for up to 30 days following planting. During hot days this may necessitate 3 or 4 light waterings during the day to provide adequate moisture for rapid and successful germination. If the soil dries out during the germination process, the seedling is likely to die.
Areas sodded and plugged also require intensive irrigation. However, frequent light watering is only required until the sod or plug is rooted. Once sod or plugs are rooted, irrigate every second or third day.
To maintain a healthy lawn through periods of stress, the soil should have adequate water, air and nutrients in the top 6 to 10 inches. Soils that are hard and compacted impede root growth, which prevents the grass from developing the deep root system that is essential to survive hot, dry periods.
Core aeration is the process of mechanically removing plugs of thatch and soil from the lawn. Aeration opens the soil, helps reduce compaction, improves water infiltration, improves rooting, reduces thatch and acts in many other ways to improve the lawn and to reduce stress.
Power raking is also an effective way to reduce thatch buildup, but it does not have the soil stress alleviation effects of core aeration. These techniques are labor intensive processes that require specialized equipment, but they may be necessary to maintain your lawn in top condition over an extended period of time.
Core cultivation (aerification) can be used to minimize thatch accumulation, to modify its physical characteristics, and to remove certain amounts of thatch. Core cultivation is not as effective as power raking in removing thatch debris, but serves more immediately to reduce soil compaction. Soil cores are either removed or allowed to stay in place after the cultivation process. When left on the surface, cores can be allowed to breakdown and redistribute soil throughout the thatch. Surface cores when dried can be broken up by raking or dragging the lawn with a weighted carpet mat or chain link fence. Cores can be mowed by using a rotary mower at a low travel speed when using a vertical spring blade (dethatch) attachment. This will usually lift up the dry core and pulverize it. The soil within the core modifies the physical structure of the thatch, making it a better growing medium. Soil incorporation also enhances thatch breakdown by improving physical properties of thatch and introducing microorganisms. Core cultivation can be done once a year during the vigorous growing season for bermuda grass to minimize thatch accumulation. Most turfgrasses growing on heavy clay or layered soils require annual cultivation to restrict thatch buildup and more importantly, to relieve soil compaction. Core cultivation is not a substitute for dethatching!
Solid core cultivation is the process by which holes are poked in the ground, but no cores are removed. Rather, the soil is "punched." This is practiced more on highly compacted soils which are high in silt and clay contents. Solid tine aeration can also be practiced on highly compacted surfaces when it is impractical to handle soil core removal on a timely basis. Both core cultivation and solid core aeration result in better root growth. This results from better soil oxygen content and breaking up of the surface soil layer. Do not attempt to core cultivate if the soil is dry, or poor penetration and equipment wear will result.
It is not necessary to add topdressing as an attempt to fill in the holes in most cases. Most soils will respond to a topdressing of organic matter, but it is difficult to fill the holes entirely with an amendment. However, this is a logical time to topdress. Aerification can be done once a year on home lawns. It is best done on warm season grasses during the first third of the summer and in the early fall at higher elevations on Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass lawns (see Maintenance Table).
Mowing in one of the most important factors in maintaining a good lawn. A good mower, regular maintenance checks and good mowing techniques all help to ensure a smooth, well groomed appearance for your lawn. Never mow lower than the accepted base height of the selected grass. A lawn's density, vigor, water consumption, weediness and resistance to weather stress are affected by how you mow. Never remove more than 1/3 of the height of the grass blades at one mowing. If more needs to be removed do it gradually over the next couple of mowings.
The effectiveness of all other lawn maintenance, i.e. watering, fertilizing, and weed control depends on proper mowing because improper mowing causes more lawn problems than any other practice. The old "adage" of "mowing low once a week" to minimize mowing chores is the worst possible single thing you can do to a lawn. This weakens the lawn and thins it out. The second most common mowing mistake is selecting a mowing height which is lower than the particular grass can withstand. This is a no-win situation, even if the grass gets mowed seven days a week. The tips on mower selection, maintenance, safety, and storage that follow will help you get the best performance from your mower for a beautiful, healthy lawn.
Mowing height and frequency go hand in hand. The closer you mow, the more often you must mow. This is necessary to avoid excessive leaf removal, which puts the plant in a stress-recovery situation. Again, never remove more than 1/3 the height of the grass at one mowing. Turfgrass clippings contribute very little to the development of thatch when proper mowing procedures are practiced. Excess clippings left on the lawn will weaken the lawn and perhaps contribute to thatch. But if you mow at the proper frequency and mowing height, clippings left on the turf do not cause thatch build-up. Clippings should be collected and removed when: (1) the clippings are excessive, (2) lawn is diseased, and (3) if weeds are setting seed. Mulching mowers may increase decomposition of the clippings, since they produce smaller size clippings which allows for faster decomposition.
Mowing tips
- Mow your grass regularly. This encourages it to spread horizontally, to thicken and to choke out weeds.
- Cutting grass short is not the answer to a good-looking lawn. Cutting grass to a uniform height is what gives your lawn a neat appearance
- Remove no more than one-third of the grass blade in any one mowing. When you cut off more than one-third, you remove the green material that absorbs sunlight and manufactures food that is stored in the root system. The grass plant goes into shock and parts of the deeper root system die back
- Mow at the highest setting recommended for your type of lawn. The taller the grass blades are above the ground the deeper the root system is below ground. A large, deep network of roots helps grass plants withstand stress during drought and hot weather.
- Keep the mower blades sharp. Dull blades shred the tops of the grass blades and can make entry wounds for diseases. Shredded grass tips turn brown quickly and look unsightly. Mow in a different direction every time. Otherwise, grass plants tend to develop a grainy appearance, especially at low mowing heights. Overlap swaths by 2 to 4 inches to achieve a uniform cut.
- Avoid mowing your lawn when the grass is wet. A dull blade can actually pull grass plants out of wet soil. Tires on heavier equipment are more likely to compact the soil on wet ground, thus impeding the movement of air and water into the soil.
- During rainy weather, it is better to mow wet grass than to let it get too tall.
- If you must mow overly long grass, take steps to avoid overloading the mower engine. Cut only a half to three-quarter swath rather than full width. A better technique is to mow the lawn twice, cutting only one-half the required amount on the first pass lower the mower and mow at the desired height on the second pass.
- If you mow often enough, the short grass clippings will filter down into the grass and do not need to be removed. Clippings return about 25 percent of the required fertilizer to the soil when they decompose, and are a source of organic matter. Remove long clippings which remain on top of the grass, preventing them from excluding sunlight or encouraging disease development when wet.
- Thatch is a layer of dead stems and roots that can act like a sheet of plastic to impede the necessary movement of water, nutrients and pesticides into the soil. A 1/2 in. thatch layer is beneficial. If you have more than one-half inch, use a dethatching machine with vertical blades that slice through soil and kick out thatch debris.
A well planned (and simple) fertility program is essential to turf maintenance.
Turfgrass requires 16 basic nutrients for growth. Most of these are available to turf from soil, but not in proper amounts for proper growth. Turfgrass fertilizers usually have some mixture of the most abundantly needed nutrients.
The ones needed in the greatest amounts are N-P-K (nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K). Sulphur as a fertilizer component is sometimes included, since it is beneficial in lowering our high pH soils. See the appropriate lawn calendars and fertilization guidelines for fertilizer rates and application dates.
Please contact B&C Landscaping for pricing call 1-603-718-1711 or contact us via email.
Turfgrass dethatching and aeration are two distinct cultural management practices which are used to promote a healthier, more vigorous turf. "Turf" is actually the grass and soil which comprise the "lawn". It is important to manage the soil which indirectly affects the growth and well being of the grass
Dethatching involves the mechanical removal of thatch. It consist of tightly intermingled layer of dead and decaying turfgrass tissue derived from leaves, stems, stolons and roots. Leaf clippings contribute very little to thatch accumulation.
Dead and decaying roots, rhizomes, stolons, and shoots are major contributors to thatch since these structures resist decomposition.
Located between the green vegetation and the soil surface, thatch accumulates when turfgrass organic matter production exceeds decomposition.
Thatch forms to a much greater extent with stolon and rhizome producing grasses. Therefore bermuda grass and zoysia would tend to produce more thatch than ryegrass and tall fescue which are bunch grasses. KBG and buffalograss are intermediate in thatch production.
