Lawn Care Blog

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.

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.

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.

What do you do with all the leaves, thatch and mulch that you clear from your yard this Fall?  

Instead of throwing them over the hill out back and forgetting about them, consider composting. You can start a compost pile with anything from coffee grinds to grass clippings.  Keep adding your yard waste to it and nurturing it through the winter and by spring time you’ll have nutrient-rich material to fertilize your lawn and garden area. Add products like compost worms or vericompost and get an even richer blend.
 
Compost is good for retaining moisture. It also contains beneficial microbes, along with macro and micro nutrients that help prevent diseases and stimulate plant growth. And, it’s the latest way to go “green” for your yard.  

If you don’t want to compost yourself, you can purchase composting products to use to enrich your soil. Or, you can contribute to local green efforts by giving organic waste like wood chips, leaves, manure and moldy hay or straw to a composting company like Veteran Compost in Harford County. See www.veterancompost.com for more information.