Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS

LAWN CARE FAQ's

What are the most important lawn care steps? 
Lime Application - With heavily fertilized lawns, the pH levels of the soil can be off due to highly acidic chemicals used. To check the soil pH, Natural Beauty Lawn & Landscaping performs soil testing to make sure your lawn is in the correct level. If the pH is not at a neutral level the grass will not absorb the necessary nutrients and elements in the soil. Lime will lower the pH to the correct level.

Aeration - After time continuous mowing, foot traffic and rain compact the soil in your lawn. Once extensive compaction has occurred, the air spaces in the soil diminish making it harder for the roots of the grass to grow. This also slows the penetration and percolation rate of water into and through the soil. This causes weak thin grass to grow which is more susceptible to drought and heat.

Fall Fertilization - This step is extremely important to a healthy turf. Over the winter when the grass is in its dormant stage it is actually still growing. You cannot see this growth with your eyes but under the ground in the root system the grass is storing carbohydrates and sugars which it will use for the next season. If this most important step is skipped the grass will not be able to store all of the potential energy and will not be as strong as it could be at the start of the season.
What kind of grass should I plant?
Proper selection of species and variety of grass should be based on the following three criteria to deliver great results. All grasses need some amount of watering, mowing and fertilization to resist pests and disease. How much of these inputs you decide on will affect the appearance of your lawn.
  1. How much maintenance time and money you will have to devote to the lawn
  2. The climate and growing conditions prevalent in your area
  3. What the lawn will be used for
Low Maintenance Cool Season - Perennial Rye is a cool season grass with a coarse texture and wide blades. It spreads by seed and profuse tillers. Its rapid establishment from seed makes it a popular choice where quick cover is needed, but it may not survive either prolonged drought or extreme temperature. It tolerates both high maintenance and low maintenance options, and its traffic tolerance is moderate.

High Traffic Cool Season - Tall Fescue is a cool season grass with a coarse texture and wide blades. It spreads by using underground stolons and seed. Its dark green color and dense foliage make it a prized grass among homeowners in the northern and western two thirds of the country. It tolerates both high maintenance and low maintenance options, and its traffic tolerance is excellent.

High Maintenance Cool Season - Select unblended Fine Fescue or unblended Kentucky bluegrass. Bluegrass is a cool season grass with a coarse texture and wide blades. It is spread by tillers and seed. Its rich, dark green color and luxuriant foliage make it a prized grass among homeowners in the northern and western two thirds of the country. It tolerates both high maintenance and low maintenance options, and its traffic tolerance is excellent.
When is the best time to plant seed? 
Early fall is the very best time to seed your lawn. Spring can also be a good time to seed if you are able to make sure the tender, newly germinated seed is adequately watered during the extremely harsh conditions that exist during the summer.
 Weeds are beginning to take over my lawn. How do I kill them? 
Weed control plays an important role in a lush lawn. If weeds are taking over your lawn, they need immediate attention. However, you must be familiar with the types of weeds that are overtaking your lawn in order to implement appropriate action. Some weeds do not respond well to particular herbicides, and certain chemicals can harm the healthy sections of your lawn. The most important thing is that you address lawn weeds without delay before the problem worsens. Contact the experts at Natural Beauty Lawn for additional info . . .
 What are some Mowing Tips? 
Here are some easy tips to keeping your lawn healthy throughout the mowing season!

Mow at the Proper Height.
Always make sure you cut your grass to a height of 3”-4”. Longer grass blades will prevent sunlight from reaching the soil below keeping the lawn cooler while preventing weed seeds from germinating. The result will be a greener, healthier lawn that requires less water and has fewer weeds.

Don’t Scalp the Lawn.
When you mow, make sure and cut only 1/3 of the total plant.

Keep your Blades Sharp.
You should sharpen your mower blades at least 2-3 times per season. Dull mower blades can cause a lawn to have a brown, hazy appearance and allow disease pathogens to attack your lawn.

Don’t Mow When it’s Wet.
Mowing a wet lawn cuts the grass unevenly and causes clumps. Also if your lawn is infected with a disease it will spread rapidly. 
Should I mulch or bag my clippings? 
Mulch in most cases.
Mulching returns nutrients to the lawn, as well as organic matter and it also helps to retain water.
Sometimes it may be helpful to bag if you have an annual weed infestation which is setting seeds, or if your grass has gotten extra long between mowings.
 My area has been very dry this season - how should I water my lawn? 
We do not suggest you water your lawn every day, whether it has been dry outside or not. What you should do, however, is encourage grass plants to grow deep roots, by delivering it "all at once" instead of over several days. The goal for most lawns in our area is 1"-2” per week.

Watering deeply and infrequently encourages grass plants to grow longer roots, which helps them to be more drought-resistant in the long run.
How do you know how long to run the sprinklers? Here are some quick steps to determine your water output:
  • Place short, straight-sided cans around the area that gets watered (tuna cans work well).
  • Run the sprinkler for 15 minutes and then measure the height of the water in the can. If, for example, 15 minutes of watering gives you ½ inch of water, you'll need to water for a total of two hours per week to get two inches of water.
Determining what your target output of water is per week will depend on the type of grass you have. Some grass types, for instance, need one inch of water per week, while others need up to three inches.
What is “mower stress” on the lawn? 
There are several things that can cause mower stress on lawns . . .
One of the most common is dull mower blades. Make sure you sharpen your mower blades professionally twice a year.
Never cut your grass too low - we recommend a minimum height of 3". Each time you mow, you should cut no more than 1/3 of the grass height. And finally, when the outside temperature is very hot (usually over 90) the wheels of your lawn mower can break the blades of your grass leaving brown tire tracks. Your lawn generally will recover in two to three weeks if you are properly watering!
When can I let my dog out after an application of fertilizer/chemicals? 
As soon as the grass is dry - this is usually within an hour on a sunny day!
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