Lawn Care & Maintenance Learning Center

Mosquitoes are a nuisance for property owners in Texas, so it's no wonder that you want to take control of the situation with mosquito control treatments. However, as these pests breed quickly and can be difficult to eliminate, consistency is key when it comes to effectively reducing their population throughout the season. This is because mosquito treatments only last for so long, so they will need to be applied on a regular basis to ensure optimal protection from these bloodsucking pests. What's more, the right places will also need to be targeted during each treatment application to produce good results; some common harborage areas include trees and shaded spots. To get the best results though, hire professionals to apply them, as they'll know when and where to treat to effectively target mosquitoes!

Mosquito Control Treatments Only Last For So Long

If you want to achieve effective mosquito control, being consistent is crucial! After all, treatments typically provide relief from mosquitoes by reducing their population for about 30 days. As mosquitoes breed quickly, applying them regularly provides ongoing coverage to effectively reduce their population throughout the entirety of the season, keeping you protected when you need it most. Not only that, but it ensures there's enough overlap between applications to maintain an optimal barrier against mosquitoes. Without regular treatments, you may experience a lapse in protection, leaving you...

The plants on your landscape in Texas influence your property's curb appeal, so you want to be sure they look their best all year long! This is why it's important to trim your plants regularly. Trimming involves removing their long, overgrown branches to shape them and make them look neater. Doing this will make your yard more appealing because the plants are not overcrowded and instead look pristine. It should be done once a month so you can stay on top of your plants' growth and ensure they don't look too unkempt. Make sure you hire professionals to trim your plants because they have the know-how and the tools to get the job done right.

What is trimming, and how does it benefit your plants?

Plant trimming is the process of cutting away any overgrown branches from your plants to clean up their look and restore their manicured appearance. Long branches can grow out of control and make your plants look messy. Trimming these branches will restore the manicured looks of your plants so your yard looks beautiful and appealing as well.

This maintenance task can do so much for your plants. Trimming is a great way to shape your plants and give them a nice, symmetrical look. You will also be able to control the size of your plants by carefully and thoughtfully cutting away particular branches, helping to prevent overcrowding so your property can keep looking neat. What's more, removing certain branches from your plants can help showcase their foliage ...

Your lawn in Texas needs to be properly watered throughout the year to remain healthy and green. For optimal results, it should receive about 1-1.5 inches of water per week and you should water your grass twice a week to reach this goal. This schedule is ideal because it provides enough time for the water to soak into the soil without causing overwatering. When it comes to the best time to water your lawn, early mornings tend to work best. That's because watering during cooler times helps prevent evaporation, allows your grass to absorb the water effectively, and reduces the risk of lawn disease development. Following this watering schedule will help keep your lawn hydrated and encourage strong root development!

Your lawn should receive about 1-1.5 inches of water per week.

The key to keeping your lawn in Texas healthy and looking its best throughout the growing season is proper hydration. In order to achieve this, your turf needs to receive approximately 1-1.5 inches of water per week. Watering less than this amount can lead to drought stress, which can cause brown patches and even result in weakened grass that is more susceptible to stressors. On the other hand, watering too much can also have negative effects such as nutrient runoff or the development of lawn diseases. By making sure your lawn receives around 1-1.5 inches of water per week, you can ensure that your lawn receives just the right amount of water to thrive.

Having an irrigation system on your property in Texas is a great way to keep your vegetation well-hydrated throughout the growing season. However, there are some signs that you should be aware of that could indicate an issue with your irrigation system. If you notice that your water bill has increased for no apparent reason, parts of your lawn are brown while others are green, or there are changes in your water pressure, then there may be an issue with your irrigation system. These issues can range from minor malfunctions to more serious problems like leaks or broken pipes. It's important to address these issues promptly so that your grass and plants don’t suffer from unnecessary stress.

If your water bill has increased, your irrigation system might have an issue.

Your irrigation system plays a vital role in keeping your lawn and landscape hydrated. However, if you notice an increase in your water bill without any noticeable change in consumption, it could be a sign that something is wrong with your irrigation system. A sudden spike in your water bill may indicate that there is a leak somewhere, which means you are wasting water and money. To determine whether the higher water usage is due to an issue with your irrigation system, compare your current water bill to the one from the previous month or year. If the new bill shows a significantly higher volume of water used, it could be a red flag.

You may have an issue with your irrigation system if parts...

While it may be tempting to try to repair your irrigation system in Texas yourself, there are a few downfalls that you should consider before doing so. For starters, you could end up causing more damage if you make a mistake, which can lead to more costly repairs in the long run. You also could just be wasting your time and money if you misdiagnose the problem. Plus, not having the expertise to notice other issues with your system could lead to fixing a symptom rather than the actual issue. Because of this, it's best to always hire professionals to perform these repairs for you. Experts will thoroughly check your entire irrigation system and make any necessary repairs to get it back up and running again!

You could cause more damage to your irrigation system if you make a mistake while attempting to repair it.

When it comes to repairing your irrigation system yourself, one of the biggest downfalls is that you could cause more damage to it if you make a mistake. Irrigation systems consist of many complex parts working together to provide water to your lawn and landscape. So, when you attempt to fix an issue, there is a chance that you could break something else or incorrectly reconnect something, leading to even more problems and costly repairs.

You could just be wasting your time and money if you misdiagnose the problem with your irrigation system.

If you decide to try to repair your irrigation system yourself but end up misdiagnosing the problem, then you ...

It's important to pay attention to the thickness of the mulch ground cover in your landscape beds to ensure that it provides the maximum benefits without impeding the healthy growth of your plants. The recommended depth of 2-3 inches creates an ideal environment for retaining moisture, preventing weed growth, and regulating soil temperatures. Additionally, it's crucial to maintain a 1-inch gap between the plant stems and the mulch to prevent creating detrimental conditions for the plants. In Texas, it's recommended to replenish the mulch in your landscape beds annually so that it continues to provide its intended benefits.

A mulch ground cover should be about 2-3 inches thick.

When it comes to the installation of a mulch ground cover, it's important to consider the thickness of the mulch. If mulch is too thick, it can suffocate your plants, and if it's too thin, it won't provide its intended benefits. Ideally, the recommended thickness for mulch is between 2 to 3 inches. This depth plays a key role in providing multiple benefits for your landscape beds. Firstly, it helps in retaining moisture in the soil, which is essential for the healthy growth of plants. Additionally, a thicker layer of mulch helps suppress the growth of weeds by blocking sunlight and hindering weed seed germination. Moreover, the layer of mulch acts as a natural insulator, regulating soil temperatures and protecting plant roots from extreme heat or cold.

Overfertilizing your lawn in Texas can lead to several problems. Firstly, it can cause fertilizer burn, damaging your grass. Secondly, it can result in nutrient pollution as excess nutrients not absorbed by your grass run off into waterways. Additionally, overfertilization is a waste of money, as the excess fertilizer provides no additional benefit to your lawn. To avoid these issues, consider hiring professionals to fertilize your lawn. They have the expertise to apply the right amount of fertilizer at the optimal times, ensuring your grass gets the nourishment it needs without the negative consequences of overfertilization.

Applying too much fertilizer to your lawn can cause fertilizer burn.

Overfertilizing your lawn can lead to a condition known as fertilizer burn, which occurs when plants receive too much of certain nutrients, particularly nitrogen. This excess of nutrients causes the soil to become overly concentrated with salts, which can dehydrate the plant by drawing moisture away from its roots. The result is often brown, scorched-looking blades of grass and stunted growth, as the plant struggles to absorb water and essential nutrients properly. Fertilizer burn can be particularly damaging because it not only affects the immediate health and appearance of grass but can also lead to long-term soil imbalances, making it harder for future grass to thrive.

It is crucial to follow the correct fertilization schedule to keep your lawn in Texas strong and healthy throughout the year. In spring, you should fertilize twice to promote new grass growth and prepare it for the intense summer heat. During summer, it's best to apply another two rounds of fertilizer to replenish its nutrients and sustain it through the season. In the fall, the last two applications of fertilizer should be applied to help the lawn recover from summer and enter winter in a healthy and robust state, so it can then emerge from winter dormancy with ease.

Fertilize your lawn twice in the spring to promote new growth and prepare for summer.

The spring season is a time for growth, and your lawn is no different. As your lawn gets ready to start growing again after the winter season has passed, you'll want to provide it with the nutrients it needs to start the growing season on the right foot. For the best results, apply fertilizer once in mid-spring (mid-March - mid-May) and once in late spring (mid-May - late June). A fertilizer application in mid-spring will promote new grass growth as your lawn gradually emerges from winter dormancy. This new grass growth will encourage a dense, vibrant lawn sooner in the growing season. Another fertilizer application in late spring will help prepare your lawn for the upcoming summer. If your lawn goes into the summer with a sufficient supply of nutrients to feed off of, it's more likely to not only get...

There are several common lawn diseases in Texas that you want to be aware of, some common ones being take-all root rot, brown patch, large patch, dollar spot, fairy ring, gray leaf spot, necrotic ring spot, and snow mold. Each disease can cause damage to your lawn in a different way, and they can be identified by unique characteristics. If you notice any signs of a lawn disease on your lawn, the best thing to do is to contact professionals immediately so they can identify the disease and apply the correct treatment!

What are some common lawn diseases in Texas that you should look out for?

Here in Texas, there are a variety of lawn diseases that can affect lawns throughout the year. It's important to know what diseases to look out for and how to identify them so you can take any necessary actions to stop them from causing too much damage. Some common lawn diseases found in Texas include:

• Take-all root rot: You'll typically notice this fungus in the spring and it can cause grass to thin out and turn yellow or brown. Poor drainage and over-watering will cause it to grow.
• Brown patch: Your lawn is more susceptible to this fungus during hot, humid weather, especially when the grass is wet for an extended time. It causes brown, circular patches on your lawn with a dark border and if not treated, the grass will dry out and eventually die.
• Large patch: This fungus is most active in the spring and late fall. It causes thin, circular patches of light...

Don't make the mistake of either only fertilizing or only applying weed control treatments to your lawn in Texas. These two lawn care services should always be used together to promote a strong, healthy lawn that's also free of weeds! Using one without the other could result in a less-than-ideal outcome. For example, when you fertilize without applying weed control treatments, you're not only feeding your grass but the weeds as well, encouraging them to grow stronger. If you apply weed control treatments without fertilizer, you'll create a weed-free lawn but not necessarily a healthy one, as it might still lack proper nutrients. When you combine these two lawn care services together, however, you can ensure your lawn receives the nutrients it needs without having to compete with those pesky weeds, producing a robust, weed-free lawn!

What happens if you fertilize without applying weed control treatments?

Applying fertilizer to your lawn is a great way to provide your grass with the nutrients it needs to grow strong and healthy. However, just like grass, weeds utilize nutrients to grow strong as well. If you fertilize your lawn without applying weed control treatments, you won't just be feeding your grass but the weeds, too, making them stronger. This can make your weed problem worse, and it can negatively affect the health of your grass because the weeds will be stealing some of the nutrients that were meant for it.