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Lawn Care Services, Lawn Treatment Solutions Blog

Lawn maintenance typically isn’t a priority during the winter months. However, there are two things you can do in late winter for an improved summer lawn.

It can be hard to give much thought to ugly summer weeds such as crabgrass or spurge when it’s cold outside, evenings are dark, and the lawn isn’t getting much use. Late winter (which is February meteorologically in the Wake Forest/Rolesville and surrounding area) offers an important opportunity to get started on reducing weeds through the spring and summer – when we’re again spending time outdoors enjoying the warmer weather, sunlit evenings, and family time on the lawn.
 
Here are 2 basic late winter lawn care tasks that will help you have a better lawn during summer:


1. Remove Tree Debris – If your lawn is littered with tree debris then remove as much as possible with a rake or leaf blower before weed pre-emergent is applied. In addition to improving pre-emergent coverage, removing pine cones or sweet gum pods has the added benefit of removing some of the seeds that would otherwise produce tree seedlings in your lawn during spring and summer.

2. Mow Down the Brown – Before weed pre-emergent is applied, mow lower than normally recommended during the growing season and bag/remove the clippings. Shorter top growth will allow the pre-emergent to reach the soil where it needs to be. After the first mowing, raise your mower to the recommended height for your grass type.

After doing these two basic tasks, applying a pre-emergent is key to reducing summer annual weeds such as crabgrass that would otherwise sprout and grow throughout the summer. When a lawn is cleaned up and mowed before the first treatment of the year, more of the pre-emergent applied will coat the soil and it will be more effective at preventing weeds that grow from seeds during summer.
 
Beginning lawn treatments very early in the year sets you up for the best return on your lawn treatment investment. If you are already a Crownover Green customer, then we will be on your lawn very soon for its first treatment this year.
 
If you are not already a Crownover Green client and are interested in getting started with our lawn treatment services, visit our website to request a quote: https://crownovergreen.com/get-a-quote/

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Lawn Care Services, Lawn Treatment Solutions Blog
My lawn is brown during the winter. Will it be okay?

This is a common question. 
 
Winter can be hard on a lawn even in our area where the cool season is typically relatively mild with short periods of freezing temperatures. Along with sometimes frigid temperatures will come lawn with some brown.
 
In our transitional climate zone, most plants experience color changes during winter and all of the turfgrasses that are common in our area experience some degree of browning.

Bermudagrass, Centipedegrass, and Zoysiagrass 

Bermudagrass, Centipedegrass, and Zoysiagrass (the most common warm-season turfgrasses in our area) turn sandy tan in color during dormancy from late fall through early spring. This is normal and there is nothing that can be done to keep warm season grasses from going dormant in winter.
 
Bermudagrass is usually totally dormant during the winter and it would be hard to damage. Extremely cold temperatures or heavy use of a dormant lawn could potentially cause some winterkill (loss of turf), but this is unusual and Bermudagrass will typically rebound well from winterkill.
 
Centipedegrass and Zoysiagrass may not actually be fully dormant during the winter even though they are completely brown in color. They tend to be more vulnerable than Bermudagrass to damage from extended frigid temperatures, fungal disease, or heavy usage. They do rebound reasonably well from winter damage, though typically not as robustly as Bermudagrass.
 
Fescue Grasses 

Fescues (both Tall and Fine Fescues) are cool-season turfgrasses that are semi-dormant during winter in our transitional climate zone. During winter, Fescue grass blades do not grow much, but the root system may continue to grow (except during the coldest weeks of winter). Fescues tend to retain some of their green color during winter, though some yellowing or browning is normal. Damage from frigid temperatures is unlikely, but Fescues may suffer some wear-and-tear damage during winter.
 
Tall Fescue lawns that are greener than others during winter may be the result of high levels of nitrogen fertilizers being applied to those lawns in late fall. Crownover Green fertilizes with a healthy level of nutrients in the fall but we will not overdose a lawn with nitrogen for the sake of color. When a lawn is overdosed with nutrients late in the growing season, the grass may not use all of the nutrients and the excess nutrients either drain into our groundwater or run off into our waterways. Lawn over-fertilization contributes to problems with ecosystems downstream.
 
Will My Brown Winter Lawn Turn Green Again?

Browning of turf during winter in our area is normal and every type of turf generally returns to its beautiful green color during its growing season. We cannot guarantee that your lawn will totally escape winter damage as there are numerous factors that we cannot control. However, we do guarantee that if your lawn experiences damage during winter, then we will work with you to get your lawn looking beautiful as quickly as possible.
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Lawn Care Services, Lawn Treatment Solutions Blog

What is aeration?
 
In lawn care, aeration (also known as core aeration) refers to the loosening of soil particles to enable air, water, and nutrients to penetrate through the root zone of the turfgrass, which contributes to healthier and thicker grass. Core aeration involves pulling small plugs of thatch and soil from the lawn with a machine. This mechanical method of extracting cores aerates the soil instantaneously, and for Tall Fescue lawns, serves the additional benefit of…

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Lawn Treatment Solutions Blog

We often talk with clients about watering lawns (especially this time of year when it’s HOT, HOT, HOT) and the most frequently asked questions related to watering are:
 
 1. How often should I water my grass?
 2. How long should I run my sprinklers?
 
How often should I water my grass?
 
The answer to this question is simple: Usually not more than twice per week unless you are establishing a new lawn with sod or seed. More frequent watering…
 

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Lawn Care Services, Lawn Treatment Solutions Blog

Almost every Bermudagrass lawn that we encounter has areas where the grass is thin. What do these lawns have in common? Shade.
 
Bermudagrass Needs Sun (A lot of it!)
 
Bermudagrass needs a lot of sunlight to stay thick. If you have a Bermudagrass lawn, then you have probably noticed the phenomenon of having thin spots in your yard.
 
Your Bermudagrass lawn is most likely a hybrid. Builders of the new subdivisions in the Wake Forest/Rolesville area seem to prefer the hybrid Bermudagrasses to other types of grass. This is probably because they are…

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Lawn Care Services, Lawn Treatment Solutions Blog

The controversy over the adverse health effects of Glyphosate, which is the main ingredient in Roundup, is well documented. It is also important to note that there may be even more toxic lawn chemicals than Glyphosate on the shelf at your garden center.
 
We at Crownover Green think there are good reasons to be cautious about spraying a toxic substance in areas where our loved ones (people and pets) relax and play. 
 
In general, we think it is a good idea to…

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Lawn Care Services, Lawn Treatment Solutions Blog

Should I Bag My Clippings When I Mow?
 
It is usually (but not always) best to leave the clippings on the lawn.
 
Grass clippings decompose quickly and return nutrients to the soil. This can improve the appearance of your lawn without additional fertilizers. Mow as frequently as necessary to keep the clippings manageable by the natural decomposition process and your yard…

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Lawn Care Services, Lawn Treatment Solutions Blog

Regardless of the type of turfgrass you have, one of the most important things you can do to help it grow healthy and green while minimizing weeds and fungal diseases is to mow it at its optimum height.
  
A common misconception exists among homeowners and some professional mowing services alike that the higher the grass is mowed, the healthier it will be. However, field studies indicate that there is an optimum mowing…

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Lawn Care Services, Lawn Treatment Solutions Blog

Getting the Most Out of Your Fall Fescue Lawn Renovation
 
Tall Fescue lawns in the Wake Forest, Rolesville, and surrounding area can suffer damage during the summer from drought, heat, fungus, lawn equipment, pests, pets, and/or playtime. Fall is the only viable season in our transitional climate zone to fix the damage and…

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Lawn Care Services, Lawn Treatment Solutions Blog

Most Bermudagrass lawns have areas that are thin or bare, and naturally Crownover Green clients want to know if they should overseed or spot seed to make these areas thick and healthy like the rest of their lawn.
 
Before you decide what to do about the bare or thin areas you should first determine if your grass has adequate sunlight.
 
Often, the reason Bermudagrass becomes thin or bare is due to inadequate sunlight. Bermudagrass needs at least…

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