Lawn & Garden Maintenance Services | Lawn Care Products & Programs | FAQs & Lawn Tips

FAQs
How do I sign up for service?
What do I need to do after signing up for services?
When will my spring cleanup be done?
What is the weekly lawn cutting season?
My lawn didn't grow much this week. What do I do?
How are fall cleanups done?
When are fall cleanups done?
When will you plow my driveway?

Lawn and Garden Tips
Watering Techniques
Fertilizing Recommendations
Avoiding Thatch Build-Up
Seeding
Mowing Techniques
Heat Stress and Dormant Lawns

FAQs

How do I sign up for service?
Call the Lawnscape Office to arrange for a quotation on the services you require. You can set an appointment to discuss things in person at your property or just have us get back to you by phone after the quotation has been done by the owner or one of our foremen. Detailed quotations can be emailed, faxed, mailed or dropped off  for your review. Confirm the services that you wish to proceed with, sign the form and return it to our office for scheduling.

What do I need to do after signing up for services?
After our office has received signed confirmation of the services requested and has entered your billing information into our system, your service visits will be scheduled on the regular routes for your immediate area. Landscape services such as aerations, garden renovations etc. are scheduled in order of confirmation and are revised according to weather conditions.

When will my spring cleanup be done?
Spring cleanups are completed in one visit throughout April and early May. The date that the service was confirmed will dictate when your cleanup will be completed with priority given to early bookings.

What is the weekly lawn cutting season?
Weekly lawn cutting usually starts the first full week of May and continues through the second week of November. It includes weekly or as required visits and to the best of our ability these are on the same day of the week although weather and holidays can periodically change this.

My lawn didn’t grow much this week. What do I do?
Lawns that grow in sandy soil conditions and those without irrigation systems are often subject to drought stress and grow at a slower rate in July and August. Our foremen will make a judgement on whether it is best to maintain the lawn on your regular cutting day or to bump the maintenance visit a few days ahead or even to the next week. You can also call our office two days in advance of your scheduled cutting day to skip the visit for that week. Depending on your location we can not always work your next visit onto a 10 day cutting rotation as the maintenance crews may be in a different area.

How are fall cleanups done?
The fall cleanups are performed using a variety of methods that include blowing, raking, tarping, and the use of a lawn- vac system that is attached to our lawn grooming equipment. Debris can be disposed of on-site in your compost pile or can be removed and disposed of off site. Services can be performed based on a quoted price for one visit, an hourly rate per man and machine plus disposal or a combination of these options whereby an hourly rate can be adhered to up to a price cap set by the home owner.

When are fall cleanups done?
Depending on the variety of trees on your property some will lose leaves earlier than others. Although we are regularly reviewing how many leaves are down on all of our properties that have confirmed this service it always helps to call the office to let us know when enough leaves are down. We will begin fall cleanups on a property when 80% of the leaves have fallen from the trees on the property. You can schedule a repeat visit later in the fall for a final tidy-up if desired.

When will you plow my driveway?
The depth of snow required before performing our clearing visit will be set out on your contract and can range from 1” or more to 4” or more. Contracts that specify more than 2.5” of accumulation will not be given time calls. Time calls are provided to regular maintenance customers on a best-effort basis with priority given to businesses. That being said we cannot guarantee anything as Mother Nature can be uncooperative at times. Our goals are this, snowfall accumulations that reach 2” by 1AM during night snowfalls should allow for clearing to be complete on all properties by 8:30AM. Daytime snowfalls commence once 2” of accumulation has been reached and will continue throughout the day into the evening. Snow clearing is a 24 hour service.

Lawn and Garden Tips

Tips for a Healthy Lawn and Watering Recommendations

• Water Early! Watering early in the morning means less water is lost to evaporation. Avoid watering at night as the lawn remains wet for a long period of time which can increase the incidence of fungal disease.
  
• Water 2.5 cm (1 inch) per week including rainfall. A lot of people over-water. Experts agree that you only need 2.5 cm of water including rainfall to maintain a healthy vibrant lawn. Watch the weather and use a rain gauge or cup to measure how much water your lawn has received. Free rain gauges are available from most municipalities.
  
• Water less frequently and for longer periods of time. This will reduce the risk of lawn disease, encourage deeper lawn roots and reduce the ideal growing conditions for most weeds. Try to water twice a week using a sprinkler that allows the lawn to slowly soak up the water.
  
• Don't forget to water garden plants and new trees as well. Hand watering works best for gardens and planters while new trees need the equivalent of two buckets of water each week. Applying mulch to gardens is an excellent way to stop the soil from drying out between waterings as it helps avoid evaporation.
  
• If you have an inground sprinkler make sure it is set to water just before dawn and don't have it come on every day, only once or twice a week. Also make sure the heads are aimed correctly to avoid wasting water on driveways or the road.
  

Watering Recommendations

• Apply 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water, once per week in early morning (vs. mid-day or evening).
  Avoid watering in the afternoon because a large percentage of the water is lost to evaporation. Avoid evening watering because the lawn will remain wet for 12 to 15 hours, until the following morning sun dries off the lawn. This prolonged wet period can increase fungal disease incidence.
• With sandy soils apply 3/4 inch (2 cm) once every 5 days.
  Sandy soils cannot retain as much water as clay loam soils, and require more frequent watering of smaller volumes.
• Increase watering frequency during hot periods.
  To maintain a lush lawn during the hot periods of the summer more frequent applications are required. Generally one application of water every 4 to 5 days is adequate. Sandy soils may require an application of water every 3 to 4 days.
• It's important to remember that you can over-water a lawn also, so allow the surface 1 inch (2.5 cm) of soil to dry out between watering.
  By allowing the surface to dry out, any disease fungi will die back, and any newly germinated weed seeds will die off. This also encourages the grass plants to grow roots deeper into the soil, making your lawn more drought-tolerant. By allowing the surface of the lawn to dry out between waterings, insect eggs such as those of the leatherjacket (european cranefly larvae) will die off.
• An alternative method is to wait for the lawn to tell you it needs water.
  Prior to dormancy (browning) the following occurs :
  Footprinting - Footprints and lawnmower tracks do not bounce back
  Premature Wilt - The lawn takes on a smoky blue colour.
  If these symptoms occur, this is a sign that your lawn needs water immediately in order to avoid drought dormancy (long term browning).
• Raise Your Mower Height
  Set your mower blade up an extra setting from where you normally cut. The higher cut creates a thicker canopy of grass that shades the soil and protects the grass plants' growing points. By cutting higher during heat and drought stress you will see a remarkable improvement in your lawns health.
• Measure the Water with a Cup
  Due to the variables in each home such as water pressure, pipe size and sprinkler types, you need to measure your system in order to determine the amount of time required to apply the necessary water. Place a flat bottomed, straight sided cup, like a coffee cup, under the water sprinkler and measure the time it takes to collect 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water in the bottom of the cup. You can use this time to determine how long your sprinkler needs to run to apply the necessary amount of water.
  
• Watering on Slopes
  If you have lawn area on a slope, it is important to use a low-volume water sprinkler in order to allow the water time to be absorbed by the lawn. If the water is applied too quickly much of the water will not be absorbed by the lawn and will run off down the slope. Soil aeration greatly enhances water penetration on slopes and is recommended as an annual service in these areas.
• Watering Near Trees
  Trees take up an enormous amount of water every day, pulling the soil moisture away from the surface via an extensive network of fibrous roots. Because of this, the surround grass is often the first to show signs of drought stress. It's important to remember that when watering grass around large trees you need to increase the frequency of watering in order to prevent the grass from turning brown.

Fertilizing Recommendations
Apply a spring fertilizer before the first mowing to promote a healthy green lawn that will ward off weeds naturally and, with proper watering throughout the summer, will continue to stay green and healthy throughout the summer months. Most lawns need either two (spring and fall) or three (spring, summer and fall) applications of fertilizer per year to stay vibrant and healthy.

Avoiding Thatch Build-up
Over time your soil can become compacted, contributing to a buildup of thatch which interferes with your lawn's ability to absorb water and reduces the effectiveness of fertilizer. Some of the ways to reduce thatch are, core aerating and de-thatching. The core aeration should be done once a year and reduces thatch and soil compaction by removing small plugs from the lawn which in turn allow water, nutrients and air to access the grass roots. De-thatching is done as part of a spring cleanup and allows for a healthy green lawn which will ward off insects and weeds naturally.

Seeding
Apply grass seed in either the spring or fall by itself or with a top dressing soil to help thicken the lawn. A thick and healthy lawn reduces the natural hiding places for insects and fungi and prevents weed seeds from reaching the soil. Use a good quality grass seed that is a proper mix for the conditions of your lawn, either sun, shade or mixed.

Mowing
Weekly mowing is essential as by mowing regularly less of the grass blades are removed each cut so as not to shock the lawn. Also raise the cutting height as the temperature rises to prevent the lawn from drying out. Sharpen blades regularly, bag the clippings during times of heavy growth and mulch otherwise to avoid thatch buildup. By doing this the lawn will be thick and healthy.

Lawn Mowing Techniques
Proper cutting techniques are absolutely essential to an Ecology Friendly Lawn. As the intensity of summer heat changes during the growing season, so will the rate at which your lawn grows; therefore, it's necessary to change the frequency of cutting.

There are few other pointers below that will help you manage your lawn like an expert.

• Mow Frequently (every 4 to 7 days).
  Springtime requires more frequent cutting because a large percentage of total growth occurs in the springtime.
• Never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade, otherwise stress will result in browning.
• Cut at a height of 2.5 to 3 inches. (6 to 7 cm).
  Bentgrass is an exception and is best cut at 1 to 1.5 inches. (3 to 4 cm). Mowing at these hieghts allows your lawn to shade out newly germinated weed seeds, and forces weeds like dandelions and plantain to grow more upright, resulting in more removal of weed leaf area when the lawn is mowed. Turfgrass root depth is also deeper in lawns that are mowed high.
• Make your last cut before winter short - cut when the lawn is dormant, at 1.5 inches high to remove summer building up. By raising the mower back up to 2.5 inches (6 cm) in the spring, the top 1 inch of growth will be beautiful new grass. Remember to raise the cutting again before spring.
  Bentgrass lawns can be cut at 0.75 inch or lower for final cut. Bag & compost the clippings if cuttings pile up on lawn.

Heat Stress and Dormant Lawns
During extended dry periods, a lawn may turn brown and go dormant. A lawn can survive from 4–6 weeks in a dormant state during summer dry periods. Once the rains return the lawn will green up in 7–10 days. If the lawn is dormant:

• Check regularly for insect pests
• Keep traffic off
• Stop mowing
• Water early morning
• Do not fertilize