Lawn Care Archive

What to Do to Your Yard After Winter

May 30, 2019 by

A midwest winter can really take a toll on your yard. Heavy snow will kill your grass and create unsightly patches on your lawn. You can restore the appearance of your yard and make it beautiful for the spring season with the following tips.

Eliminate Dead Turf

Getting rid of any dead turf is the first step to restore your lawn to its former glory after winter. Inspect your yard for dead turf. To eliminate the dead turf, simply pull any dead grass from the soil. The dead grass doesn’t have any roots bound to the soil, so removing it should be a fairly easy task. You can remove the dead turf with your hands or use a rake to save time if you have a large yard. Eliminating the dead turf will allow water, fertilizer, and oxygen to reach the roots of your grass.

Reseed

Reseeding is the next step to restore your lawn after winter. You should wait for the frost to thaw before you begin this process. Ideal soil temperatures for reseeding are between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to till the soil on your lawn up to four inches deep. After tilling, rake the top of the soil in order to remove debris and weeds. If weeds are a big problem for you, you can apply a pre-emergent weed killer before your lawn resumes growth. Finally, scatter your seeds onto the soil. Be sure to do this evenly, using either your hands or a mechanical seeder. Rake the soil lightly, covering the seeded areas with a quarter-inch area of soil. Water the seeded areas regularly until the seeds begin germinating.

Irrigation

As mentioned, watering your newly seeded lawn is important. You should irrigate your lawn either daily or weekly depending on the amount of rain you are receiving. Deep watering helps greatly in the germination process, which is vital to restore your lawn. You want to supply enough water to your lawn so that it is moist, up to six inches deep, allowing the grass to form deep and strong roots. Irrigation stops your grass from drying and keeps it vibrant and beautiful.

Fertilize

If you want to restore the health of your lawn after winter, you must fertilize. The soil and roots of your lawn need nutrients in order to prosper and stay healthy. You can use either high-phosphorus fertilizer or organic manure to improve your soil’s fertility. You may want to consult with a professional to choose the right fertilizer for you and your lawn. The knowledgeable team at Central Services is happy to help.

Caring for your yard properly post-winter will leave it looking beautiful and refreshed. Once your yard is properly restored, consider implementing some of our Spring landscaping ideas.

Filed Under: Lawn Care

When Is the Best Time to Plant Trees in Milwaukee?

October 17, 2018 by

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a big oak tree in the yard to provide shade in the summer? If you’ve been thinking about planting a tree to spruce up the garden or yard, you’ve come to the right place!

But when is the best time to plant trees? Plant the wrong tree or at the wrong time and your tree may not take root. Read on to find out more about planting trees in Milwaukee.

graphic of tree showing three different seasons

Best Time to Plant Trees in Milwaukee

Generally, we recommend to people to plant trees in the spring or fall. But to understand which season is better, you must understand what type of tree you want to grow.

Deciduous Trees

Deciduous trees are characterized by the fact that they lose their leaves in the fall. What this means is that they require less water to grow in the fall. This makes fall the best time to plant them because there will be more water for the roots to develop.

You can plant a deciduous tree in the spring or summer, but keep in mind that it might not grow as fast or as strong because all the other trees in the area will be competing for water to grow their leaves.

Common types of deciduous trees in Milwaukee:

  • Sugar maple
  • Norway maple
  • Silver maple
  • Shagbark hickory
  • Dogwood
  • Hawthorn
  • Birch
  • Box elder
  • Tree of Heaven
  • Alder
  • Eastern redbud

Evergreen Trees

Evergreen trees hold onto their leaves all winter but they brown due to less water. Once the ground becomes frozen, the roots cannot absorb water as well. For this reason, you want to avoid growing them when the grounds are still frozen.

The best time to grow an evergreen tree is during the beginning of fall. This will give the tree sufficient time to grow roots before the winter arrives and continue growing during the spring. If you plant one right before winter, make sure you wrap it up to keep it warm and prevent frost from growing on it.

Common types of Evergreen trees in Milwaukee:

  • Fir trees
  • Junipers
  • Spruces
  • Pines
  • Taxus, yew
  • Arborvitae

Get Planting

When figuring out when is the best time to plant trees in Milwaukee, the most important thing to remember is that trees grow best in the spring and the fall. The second thing to remember is that roots cannot grow when there is frost and that any trees you plant will grow best in cool soil. Fall is when the soil is not too hot or too cold.

In Milwaukee, the last frost usually ends in late April to Mid May, and then it begins again in late October. If you plan on growing a tree in the fall, make sure you do it at least a month before frost beings. If you plan on growing one in the spring, make sure you plant it at least a few weeks after the last frost.

Now you know when to plant, but do you know what types you want? For expert landscape design advice, give us a call or visit our website for more information. And remember: It’s not to late—fall is a great time to spruce up your property with some new trees!

Filed Under: Landscape Design, Landscaping, Lawn Care Tagged With:
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