Whether you have purchased a new construction home or a resale, you have just purchased a lot of responsibility when it comes to home maintenance, particularly lawn care maintenance!
The key to setting yourself up for success in lawn care is to arm yourself with knowledge, the right products and equipment and perhaps the right company to help you maintain it all. Regardless of whether or not you plan to manage the lawn care yourself or hire a company to help, a few simple tips will go a long way to help you protect your investment.
It may sound simple, but many homeowners actually do not know what kind of turf is on their property. The way that you should maintain your lawn can greatly vary depending on your grass type. Cool season grasses and warm season grasses behave differently and thus need to be cared for in different ways. Fescue, a cool season grass, for example, should be cut at a taller mower height than a warm-season grass like Bermuda. Cool season grasses should also be aerated and overseeded in the fall, while warm season grasses should be aerated in the late spring / early summer and do not require overseeding.
Depending on the time of year you purchase your home, the grass type may be dormant. If the entire lawn looks brown during the winter, it is likely warm season turf. If it is late summer and the grass looks like it is struggling bit, you may have cool season grass.
For resale home purchases, be sure to find out from the current homeowners what grass variety you are purchasing. They also may have some useful care tips for you! If you are purchasing a new construction home, your builder should disclose the sod type that has been laid down, the installation company and whether or not a warranty has been provided.
Knowing what types of plants you are purchasing along with your home is just as important as understanding your grass type. This is particularly true when it comes to maintaining your curb appeal. If the border and bed plants that have been planted are high maintenance, you will need to account for more time to manage plant care, whether it be water management, pruning or proper fertilization.
Understanding what plant varieties that you have can also be helpful in identifying potential problems. If you see one of your ornamental trees or shrubs struggling, it is possible that it has been planted in the wrong location for the type of care it requires.
When you are aware of all of your property’s plant varieties, you can create a care plan that will ensure all of your plantings continue to look great!
Has your new lawn ever received any fertilization and weed control treatments? Have the previous homeowners had problems with grubs or turf disease in the past? When was your new sod laid? Has an irrigation system been installed?
It does not matter if your lawn is brand new or has been established over 20 years, knowing the history can help better prepare for the future. For example, if the lawn was recently treated with chemicals, you need to be aware of that so that you do not re-treat too soon and risk damaging the lawn. Or, if grubs have been an issue in the past, you can proactively treat to prevent an issue in the future.
If your property has an irrigation system, you should ensure that you know how it works, what watering schedules may have been used in the past and what the optimal time of year to shut off and restart the system may be.
Canopy Lawn Care specializes in residential lawn care maintenance. We make serving homeowners our priority and strive to provide not only excellence in lawn care but outstanding communication as well. Our knowledgeable Canopy Pros and Apprentices know the proper way to care for your lawn and landscape. If there are any questions that we may answer for you, we would love to help!
