Lawn Care Blog

Our lawn technicians attended the Maryland Turf Grass Council Conference in early January.  Held at the University of Maryland in College Park, the conference is a fundraiser for turf grass research at the University.  Hillside Lawn Service attendees experienced a variety of seminars and trade show booths showcasing the latest lawn and turf technologies.  

The general session opened with a discussion of the 2011 Fertilizer Act, moderated by Dr. Gary Felton of the University’s Department of Environmental Science and Technology.  Our professional lawn care specialists attended Lawn Care and Lawn Turf Sessions that highlighted nitrogen fertility, organic weed control, green lawn projects, water conservation with irrigation, and white grub behavior and disease management, among other topics.  Ornamental Care presentations educated our staff on healthy trees, the Emerald Ash Borer and Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, and pest control for ornamental trees.  The conference also covered golf course turf and athletic field turf technologies.

"Attending the conference allows us to stay current on industry trends and improvements and stay compliant with the MDA. The end result is a better product for everyone involved. Simply put: It's better for business, it's better for the customer and it's better for the environment," says Rob Rosolowski, one of our lawn and tree specialists.

You can be sure that all of our technicians will apply their newly acquired knowledge to the customers of our Harford County lawn service, giving them the latest in ornamental and professional lawn care in Maryland.  

If you’re thinking of investing in your lawn this spring, one of the items you might consider is a lawn irrigation system or automatic sprinkler system.  Expensive?  Yes.  An investment?  Yes.  But if you regularly water your lawn, a system can be both convenient and conservative.  

Convenience comes with not having to move the sprinkler, roll out the hose, move the hose, forget about the sprinkler, and have saturated grass in one area.  Conservation comes with the well-thought-out plan for sprinklers placed strategically throughout your yard and put on a timer.  They will eliminate over-watering, water run-off and wasting water because you forgot to turn off the hose.  The lawn will be healthier and less likely to harbor weeds and pests.  Pesticides and fertilizers can be applied and watered as needed.  The system will also result in a beautiful, green lawn throughout the season, because it will be convenient and conservative.  Remember that this lush lawn will require more mowing and lawn care maintenance from your lawn care specialist.  

Your irrigation or sprinkler system should simulate natural weather patterns, according to about.com.  Water should go deep in the soil; shallow and frequent watering leads to a weak plant, but deeper watering helps develop strong root systems.  Drought and extreme heat have less effect on healthy grass.
 
Finally, if you are considering a system, consider having it professionally installed by a professional lawn care company in Maryland, like Hillside Lawn Service.

Remember the Charles Schulz Peanuts comic strip with Lucy behind her wood-plank stand giving out advice?  The sign read, “Psychiatric Help - 5 cents.”  So for a nickel, one could get a psychiatric analysis.  You can get a lawn analysis for free from professional lawn care specialists at Hillside Lawn Service.  While Lucy’s analysis probably included a review of her customer’s problem and a few questions before she gave her advice, Hillside Lawn Service’s analysis will be comprehensive and complete.  Our expert lawn technician will make an appointment to talk with you about your goals for your yard and landscaping.  He will view your lawn from all angles and assess the soil health, grass growth, weed growth and fertilizer needs.  He’ll note the types of trees, bushes and flower gardens throughout the yard, as well as their proximity to your home and walkways.
 
Within two days, you’ll have a personalized lawn analysis plan, including solutions for a greener, healthier lawn.  We are among the best Harford County lawn care companies whose technicians are trained on care and landscaping.  They attend various annual seminars to stay up-to-date on technology and new techniques for lawn maintenance.  These technicians are the ones who will be treating your lawn and evaluating its progress.  Contact us to get your personal lawn analysis – free!

Even though its early February, the unseasonably warm weather has kept us busy promoting the business and delivering free estimates for lawn care.  Springtime seems to be on everyone's mind.  If you've ever considered getting a free estimate, but were afraid that we might be a marketing company disguised as a lawncare business, don't be.  Hillside prides itself on delivering good service at a reasonable price for customer satisfaction.  We're into service agreements and not yearly contracts.  All programs come with free service calls, and being a customer starts the moment you call in to request an estimate.  At Hillside, we know your time is valuable and appreciate the opportunity to earn your business! 

Continuing our discussion of limestone, Hillside Lawn Service is beginning its lime applications as part of its professional lawn care in Maryland. We use pelletized limestone, because it can be applied thoroughly and evenly to lawns, helping to neutralize acidic soils. Pelletized lime can be applied either by using a spreader or by hand, and it has the advantage of not producing dust, keeping walkways and flower beds free of lime debris. Additionally, it is the most abundant type and more cost-effective than burnt or hydrated lime. While burnt lime and hydrated lime can be harmful to human skin, pelletized lime is easier to handle.
 
Not only does lime counteract the acidic soil and offer nutrients, it also reduces the toxicity of elements like aluminum, manganese and iron in the soil. It regulates zinc, copper and phosphorus. Lime also improves the activity of bacteria, enriching the soil’s composition.  
 
Winter in Harford County and Cecil County, Maryland is the ideal time for lime applications, due to the alternate freezing and thawing. This helps lime to be absorbed into the soil more easily. Early spring rains also allow it to penetrate the soil. So, if you’re considering an ongoing lawn treatment package this year, start now with lime application and get your lawn ready for spring.

One good thing about the cold, winter dormant season: its the best time to dig and move your landscape plantings.  If there is a particular tree or shrub in your yard that needs a new location, all you need is a shovel and a strong back.  Roots will tolerate being cut at this time of year which allows you to move plants with relative ease and success. I recommend cutting a nice size root ball, carefully lifting the tree (while keeping the root ball intact) onto a tarp or wheelbarrow. Next move the specimen to the pre-dug whole at its new location.  Then, following proper planting procedures, plant your plant. 

Not everyone thinks of working in the yard in February.  But if you need to re arrange your landscape a bit, now is the time.  Once you've completed your task, you may be ready to have HillSide Lawn Service come and re-mulch your landscape beds.  Call or click now for a free estimate!

Last week we talked about soil testing and focused on potassium. Your soil tests will also show pH levels. The University of Maryland Extension recommends testing every three to four years to check for acid levels. Emphasizing the importance of good soil for plant growth, its website uses an ideal quote, “It’s better to plant a $2 tree in a $25 hole, than a $25 tree in a $2 hole.”

Harford County and Maryland soil in general is often acidic, blocking the ability of nutrients to get to the lawn. If the soil is acidic, dolomitic limestone pellets can be applied in the winter months. This will lower the acidic levels and provide nutrients for the lawn. Wisegeek.com defines dolomitic limestone as “limestone that has been replaced with 10-50 percent dolomite and 50-90 percent calcite.” Dolomite forms within the limestone naturally, and according to this resource, it has also been known as magnesian limestone, dolostone, or dolomite rock. Dolomitic limestone usually contains at least 30 percent magnesium. Hillside Lawn Service offers dolomitic limestone applications for acidic soil. But be sure your soil needs it, because too much can be harmful to the soil. In addition, it takes several months for the limestone to have an effect, so it is wise to apply it before spring arrives.  

At Hillside Lawn Service, we’re offering granular potassium applications to our Harford County, MD residents during the winter months. Why is it important to have the right level of potassium in the soil? This nutrient is needed by plants and lawns so that they can tolerate drought and disease. It is also thought that plants need potassium to move water, nutrients and carbohydrate molecules inside the plant itself. According to the University of Minnesota Extension website, plants with a potassium deficiency lose their green color and often turn brown and die from the ground up. So, it is wise to have your soil tested for potassium.  

The University of Maryland Extension recommends soil testing every three to four years for lawn care in Harford and Cecil Counties. Soil testing will provide results not only for potassium, but also for pH (the alkaline or acid levels in your soil), phosphate and magnesium levels. You can test your soil yourself or have our experts at Hillside Lawn Service do it.  If you are doing it yourself, the University of Maryland Extension offers a soil test fact sheet on its website. It gives tips on taking a soil sample, interpreting test results and steps to take for fertilization. It also recommends eight soil testing labs in the region.

Regardless of whether you do it yourself or have it done professionally, if your soil shows a potassium deficiency, you’ll need to fertilize now to have the soil ready for springtime lawns and plants. Potassium is found in most fertilizers, and you can determine the portion of potassium by looking at the third number in a three-digit fertilizer number. Natural potassium comes from rocks in the soil, as well as wood ash and manure.

The biggest mistake that I see homeowners making on there lawncare is timing of the applications. Even though you may have the best of intention, and done your research, the application ends up going down late due to normal delays such as weather, prior commitments, equipment failure, etc.  Most lawn care products are time sensitive and will not work properly if applied out of the designated window of opportunity.  Crabgrass and weed control are the two best examples.

One of the best ways to alleviate this problem is to hire a reputable lawn care provider that specializes in treating lawns with fertilizers and pesticides.  This company will need to be state certified in the areas pertaining to your needs. They should also have a clear, definitive plan of what they are going to apply and when they will be applying it.  All of this information should be made available to you before a service agreement is reached.

 

HillSide Lawn Service is a Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania States certified company.  We have six certified applicators working for us making applications and recommendations for over 3000 customers in the tri-state area.  We are very good at getting our timing right, and we also use tested products at the correct rates.  This all adds up to you getting the best looking lawn available at a competitive price. Call us today to have a free estimate and start service before the lawn care curve is on the downslope!  

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to save money or be more fiscally responsible, start by putting lawn care in your budget. Take a good look at the tools and supplies you use throughout the year – grass seed, fertilizer, gasoline for your mower and edger, equipment maintenance, just to name a few. Come up with a total anticipated dollar amount for both lawn and garden maintenance and improvements. Then, decide where that money will come from – and budget the time it will take to do what you have planned. If you are startled by the numbers, both in dollars and hours, consider other ways to get the job done.

Don’t be afraid to explore options offered by lawn care services. You may be pleasantly surprised at the cost effectiveness and flexibility of professional lawn care. You can have your lawn mown weekly for as little as $25 for a half-acre plot.* Hillside Lawn Service has a variety of lawn maintenance packages that are designed to fit your budget and needs. We can work with you to do part or all of your lawn and garden care. From simply maintaining your lawn to year-round fertilizing treatments for grass, trees and shrubs, we can personalize your service within a budget designed for you. Click on our Services to explore the options and update your lawn care budget in the new year. 

*Note: While we recognize the necessity for regular lawn mowing, Hillside's services focus on maintaining healthy soil, grasses, trees and shrubs. We do not offer lawn mowing service.