You will likely leave the upkeep to a professional if you love your outdoor spacers, a mower and a few tools are all it takes to keep the lawn looking great. And while there’s nothing wrong with hiring someone to run heavy equipment and do a more intensive treatment occasionally, some homeowners want to maintain their yards. Lawn dethatching and aeration are two essential landscaping services that homeowners can easily do themselves, but without a little help, the work can be frustrating.
Essential Lawncare Services
1: Dethatch Service
Dethatch service is the process of removing dead grass and other plant material from the lawn. Dethatch service goes a long way toward improving the appearance of your yard, and it’s one of the simplest tasks for homeowners to perform. It can be done with a hand rake or power rakes designed for the task, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. If you’re looking for an alternative to power equipment, consider simple hand tools such as a garden fork or treenail clippers. And if you want to go old school, you can use a manual dethatching rake. A garden fork, treenail clippers, or a rake will do the trick for most tasks. It’s a good idea to start your lawn care service with a dethatch service every 3–5 years to restore the lawn’s structure and appearance. This dethatch service is great for spring before you put in new seeds and fertilize, in the fall after the lawn has died back, and after large events such as weddings or festivals where people have walked across the lawn. Using dethatch service is simple if you have a long-handled garden fork or stencil clippers to cut out the dead grass. Lawn dethatching and aeration will ensure you don’t break any healthy turf when trimming down to the dirt.
2: Aeration
Aerating is the process of removing soil plugs that form over time to slow the growth of your lawn. Aeration is a relatively straightforward task compared to dethatch service, but it’s often skipped because homeowners believe it doesn’t do much. Aeration can do more than help keep your yard looking healthy. Lawn dethatching and aeration can also improve the texture and structure of your grass, making it more durable and less prone to weeds and disease. It can also prevent thatch from building up on your lawn and help you see where your system of sprinkler heads is. Plus, it can even reduce the power needed to water your yard. It’s about striking the right balance between too much and too little aeration. If you aerate your lawn too frequently, you’re creating more work for yourself and accelerating dehydration. But lawns can turn thin and become vulnerable to weeds and disease if you don’t aerate regularly.
3: Hardscaping
Hardscaping is a general term to describe all the types of permanent items that landscapers can install. It includes patios, walkways, retaining walls, and other similar products. It’s a good idea if you have a large yard or want to add aesthetic appeal to your lawn. You’ll want a professional landscaper who knows which types of hardscaping products work best for each situation. For example, install a retaining wall to keep water from flooding a road or driveway. You’ll want a professional who understands how to install this type of wall. You can choose from several different types of hardscaping, depending on what you’re trying to accomplish. Patios will give your yard a more finished look, while walkways and stairs can be used throughout your yard to provide good access and design flow. Lawn dethatching and aeration can be skipped altogether if you’re planning to install any type of hardscaping. Most high-end lawn care services will have lawn dethatching and aeration services but won’t include hardscaping, but can easily add it for a small fee.
4: Lighting
Lighting can be a good investment if you have a large yard or want to make your yard look more attractive. Landscapers will usually install lighting along walkways, fences, and around flowerbeds. It works well during the evening or at night when it shows off the landscaping done over the year. There are several different types of lights that you can use, including high-output lights, decorative sidelights, and awning lights. Landscapers will work with you to determine the kind of lighting that you want and how many lights you’ll need. Depending on the situation, they suggest adding more decorative landscaping to highlight the area underneath the lights. It’s a good idea to consider where you want your lights placed and their overall wattage and brightness. The landscapers who work for YardMax will often help you with this decision, but make sure you know how much of a reduction in electricity is involved before signing up for this service. Lawn dethatching and aeration can be used along with sprinkling, but for the most part, these services aren’t connected
5: Fencing
Landscapers often include fencing services in their maintenance plans. It is because it can be a good investment for homeowners worried about their pets or kids. It’s also a good idea to ensure your yard is secure from intruders. Still, if you’re interested in this level of security, a professional landscaper can help install the right type of fence for your yard. Landscapers may install other fencing materials, including wood and metal fencing. They’ll help you decide which materials are most appropriate for your yard based on what you’re trying to protect against and also lawn dethatching and aeration. Different fencing styles can be used, depending on the size of your lawn and where it’s located. It is a good idea to have a professional landscaper who loves what they do and is familiar with all types of fencing and how to install the fences most appropriate for your yard.
6: Pruning and Trimming
It’s a good idea to prune and trim your trees every year. If you do, they’ll get rough and clean looking, or worse, and the branches will drop on the ground or into your roof. It’s also important to consider how high you’re pruning and trimming your trees. If you’re too high, you’ll interfere with the natural cooling process for your house. If you’re too low, it could be a fire hazard, and if you cut down part of the tree itself, it can damage your house’s health or structural integrity. It’s also good to do seasonal pruning and trimming on your shrubs. Routine pruning and trimming can be particularly helpful in areas with too much sun or water, where they can be damaged without regular care. It’s also important to remember that some of these dethatch services are more effective than others with certain pests. For example, a brush cutter will work great on an infestation of groundhogs, but it won’t do much to eliminate aphids or red spider mites. Lawn dethatching and aeration are also important for trees, as well as for any other plants in your yard.
7: Mowing
Mowing is one of the most basic dethatch service that a professional landscaper will provide. It involves using a power-driven mower to cut the grass regularly. Most maintenance services include mowing and edging around your lawn and along the borders. Regular mowing helps keep your grass short, which slows its growth and helps out in certain areas like playgrounds or picnic areas. It’s a good idea to mow your lawn once every week or so to keep it shorter than 3 inches in length. Keeping your lawn shorter helps reduce the number of weeds and grass thatch that build up, which can affect your grass’s root zone. It’s also important to note that some lawn areas require more care. In particular, areas with features like fountains, ponds, or tree trunks will require heavier mowing and dethatch service. Depending on the area you’re trying to keep clear, your professional lawn dethatching and aeration landscaper may bring along a variety of weed eaters and other smaller power cutters.
8: Topdressing
The term topdressing refers to the process of adding new grass seed to your yard. A professional landscaper will thoroughly dethatch service and aerate the soil to prevent future weed problems. They’ll then apply fertilizer to promote vigorous root growth and a lush green lawn. Sometimes, they’ll even add topsoil to your yard to improve the soil quality. Topdressing is something you can only do yourself if you’re interested. It’s a good idea to ask your landscaper what they charge for this service. It may or may not be something they provide. Considering what grass seed you want to use on your lawn. There are different types of grass seed for different climates and soil conditions, so make sure you choose one that will work with your area and one easy for lawn dethatching and aeration.
9: Sprinkler System Maintaining
Sprinkler service is the process of connecting sprinklers and other parts of your landscape. It is a good idea for homeowners with installed irrigation systems, especially those older or needing to work better. It’s also a good idea for homeowners who want to use water to control their grass to avoid dethatch service in areas that get too hot or are prone to drought. Because sprinkler service involves connecting several sprinklers, it will cost you more than other services. However, the investment can be worth it if you need to save money on your lawn maintenance in the long run. Choosing a professional landscaper with years of experience with sprinkler systems is a good idea. They’ll know the kind of sprinklers and other parts to install and how to maintain them in the long term properly. It’s also important to consider how many sprinkler heads there are in your yard. Having a system with enough sprinklers is a good idea to get the water where you need it. If you have three or four sprinkler heads, you’re going to wastewater, but if you have enough, you will save money. You’ll want a professional lawn dethatching and aeration to tell you exactly how many sprinkler heads suit your budget and needs.
10: Snow removal
Unless you live in a mountain area,lawn dethatching and aeration services will be required because snow will likely be on the ground in the winter. Maybe you don’t want to plow and shovel it away, but you still want your lawn to look nice. Snow removal is another service that’s included with most maintenance services. It involves clearing snow from your sidewalk and driveway and taking care of small piles around eaves and other low-lying areas. It’s a good idea to have this service in the winter to get to work and back without worrying about snow. Consider how much snow the yard gets before signing up for snow removal service. Not all yards get a lot of snow, so if yours does, it might be a good idea to have snow removal automatically included in your yearly service.
11: Fertilizing and Soil Treatment
If you want to improve the health of your lawn, you’ll need to fertilize it regularly. You must use a fertilizer suitable for grass in your climate, so follow the directions on the product label. You should use a non-restricted slow release that can deliver nutrients over two or more months. It’s also important to ensure your soil is healthy and well-aerated since the grass roots will grow deeper and reach farther into the ground. It is especially important to promote root growth and long-term endurance. It’s a good idea to fertilize your lawn in the spring and again in the fall. This dethatch service is great for spring before you put in the new seed and fertilize, in the fall after the lawn has died back, and after large events such as weddings or festivals where people have walked across the lawn. Lawn dethatching and aeration requires using fertilizers is simple if you have a long-handled garden fork or stencil clippers to cut out the dead grass. Ensure you don’t break any healthy turf when trimming down to the dirt.
12: Weed Control
Weed control is the process of removing the weeds in your yard. It isn’t a glamorous duty, but it’s important because weeds can quickly take over your lawn, especially in areas resistant to other treatments and pesticides. While you can get away with just doing a good job around your foundation, landscape beds, and other features are another story. A professional might perform all of this dethatch service for you as part of mowing a regular service or as an option for an extra service package. Hiring these lawn dethatching and aeration services at least once every year is a good idea. It’s more important in turf grasses with a deeper root system and thin blades, but even on established lawns, you can’t leave weeds to grow year-round. It will cause damage to your lawn, especially if you have bare spots where grass has been uprooted or if weeds grow up into the leaf blades and choke out grass. Weed control is also important for areas exposed to foot traffic, such as sidewalks, patios, and garages.
These are only a few of the many services that landscapers offer such as lawn dethatching and aeration. For more information on these and other services, it’s a good idea to visit the website of a professional lawn service company. This type of business offers many types of lawn maintenance and dethatch service, and they’ll be able to guide you in choosing the best service for your needs. They’ll also be able to work with you to understand your lawn’s needs and choose the best service for the situation.
