Get Your Lawn Ready for Spring.

Here in the panhandle, we can’t wait for Spring! This area really comes alive doesn’t it?

We all can contribute to the beautify of our community by caring for our lawns and getting them ready for the Spring. Spring is about a month or so away, so we should have plenty of time to get the job done.

First Things First

In this article, we will just focus on your lawn. We will cover some other areas in the next few articles.

Removing Thatch

You will want to rake away all the thatch that has accumulated since the fall and winter. What is thatch? It is dried up grass, weeds, etc that is mixed in with your living grass.  If you don’t rake up the thatch, it can prevent nutrients and water from reaching the roots of your lawn. This will help new grass to start sprouting.

Seeding

If you want to re-seed your grass for the spring, removing thatch is again obviously vital. If you don’t your seed will never reach the soil.

Mowing

When you mow your lawn, be sure to cut it at the highest setting possible that will just trip off the top of the grass. A common mistake is to cut your grass short, so that it looks better.

Fertilizer

Right before Spring is a perfect time to fertilize your lawn, and really give it the best chance to sprout new grass. Be sure to do some research to ensure you get the right kind of fertilizer for your lawn. Also, make sure you follow the instructions carefully, so you do not damage your lawn.

You see, not that much work right? If you are regular with these steps each year, your lawn will mature and grow more beautiful every year. If you need a little help, and you are looking for Destin Lawn Care, Panama City Lawn Care, Crestview Lawn Care or Marianna Lawn Care, you can always call Brock Pest Control.

In Florida, you have to admit we have mild winters compared to other places, even though when we get a freeze here in the panhandle, it feels like the world is ending. Living in Florida, we enjoy our gardening and yard work too. We work hard to keep our lawns looking beautiful and lush. But, as we know, one good freeze can undo all our hard work.

Being aware of the weather is a key part of protecting your plants from freezing temperatures. In most areas of Florida, when there is a freeze, they typically give freeze warnings. So keep your ears open. If you are subject to a freeze, you should find these tips useful.

Steps To Help Your Plants Survive a Freeze

Water

Keep your plants watered. You should also move potted tender plants inside. These would include young tropical plants and fruit trees like bromeliads.

Mulching

A nice covering of mulch can go a long way. Mulch, along with moist soil helps protect the plant roots.

This is actually pretty solid protection for most shrubs that can withstand freezing temperatures. Don’t be sad if you some of your plants lose some of their tops. This is to be expected. But as long as those roots are protected, they will likely return in the spring.

Covering

When there is a freeze in our area, you know it. As you drive around, you see blankets and tarps on flowering plants. This preserves the blooms on azaleas for example.

After the Freeze

Resist the temptation to wash your plants that might have some frost on them. This quick change in temperature can damage the plant. After a freeze, remove the soggy damaged parts of the plants.

Dips into the freezing temperatures is just something that we have to deal with in our area. If you take proactive measures though, and add some nice fertilizer in the spring, your lawn and yard will continue to grow in it’s beauty.

Water is VERY Important, and a key to a healthy lawn...

A healthy beautiful lawn is something we all want. But having a lush green lawn in Florida is a real challenge.

There are several keys to having a great looking lawn: Feeding your lawn, mowing it, and watering it. If you are in the Brock Pest home town of Panama City, FL, you no doubt agree that our area is especially unique. We have temperatures that reach over 100 degrees in the summer, and drop down as low as freezing in the winter.

So let’s start addressing our 3 keys to great looking & healthy lawn:

Feed your Lawn

You must fertilize your lawn. Lawn’s, like people need food and nourishment. Often times, especially if you are close the beach, the soil lacks the needed nutrients for lawns to grow. However, careful attention must be given to the amount of fertilizer, the type, and the time in which it is applied.

Mowing

Many find this fact interesting, that mowing can have an effect on your lawns health. How?

A Few Tips:

• Don’t cut too much. Taking more than a 1/3 of an inch off your grass can actually stress it.
• Don’t cut your grass to short. Cut it at the height highest for the species of grass you have.
• Leave something behind. That is, leaving a some grass clippings can provide some fertilization to the lawn.
• Stay sharp. Keep the blades on your mower nice and sharp.

Watering

This is extremely important with the Florida heat. Often times grass does poorly not because the sun burns it, but because the heat drains out all the moisture.

An irrigation system can go a long way in providing your lawn the moisture it needs. Irrigation practices however can often damage lawns. In fact, it is known to be the most common cause of lawn damage! There is obviously much more involved in these 3 keys to a healthy lawn. It takes careful planning , observation and possibly several tweaks to get your long looking great. It can be well worth it to consult an lawn care expert!