Get to Know Your Grass Type
We get a lot of interesting questions about lawns and grass types. These are some of the most common grasses for our area: Why seed a tall fescue lawn with bluegrass? More efficient with water than fescue Resistant to most of the diseases of tall fescue such as brown patch Spreads to fill in the [...]
Benefits of Native Plants
There are so many reasons to find an area for native plants in your lawn. Native plants create beautiful garden areas with less work and cost. Facts about Native plants: Help conserve water Reduce mowing, labor, fertilizer and pest management costs Provide a habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife Protect and enrich the soil [...]
Train Your Dog Outside
You can eliminate burned grass and reduce the odds of stepping in dog poop if you train your dog outside. Teaching a dog to go in one area is relatively easy with a little patience and consistency. Follow these steps to train your dog outside: Identify a high area that is not prone to water [...]
Oak Mites Descends Upon Kansas City
The oak mite has people and their pets scratching. Native to Europe, this pest was first detected in the Kansas City area in 1994. The mites cause itchy, red welts that have small blisters in their center Unlike chiggers that mostly concentrate in restricted areas around waste bands and socks, oak itch mite bites are [...]
The Truth about Nutsedge
When it comes to nutsedge (commonly called nutgrass), there are usually only three kinds of lawns in Kansas City: Lawns with nutsedge Lawns that will have nutsedge Lawns grown in very heavy shade Nutsedge facts: Nutsedge reproduces both by seed and by underground tubers. One single nutsedge plant, allowed to reproduce, can create many thousands [...]
Verticutting and Core Aeration for Seed Preparation
There is no better time to improve, repair, or rebuild a lawn than late August through September. While seed selection and watering are critical (seed care instructions), seed preparation is the key to maximizing germination and roots. Stated simply, the goal of soil preparation is to provide good seed to soil contact. CORE AERATION Used [...]
Seed Care Instructions
Now that you have scheduled your lawn renovation. Its time for proper seed care. The success of your investment depends upon what happens after the seed is down. WATER IS VITAL! Follow these seed care instructions for optimal results: The soil surface must be continuously moist prior to, during, and after seed germination. On a [...]
No Need to Worry About Tree & Lawn Mushrooms
The Kansas City summer is coming to a rainy ending. Continuously wet soil has promoted more tree and lawn mushrooms than usual this year. Mushrooms are the fruiting body of a much larger fungus. Tree Trunk Mushrooms grow on tree trunks from fungi feeding on the dead wood of the tree. The only way to [...]
Bug Repellent Recipe
Insect bites are a problem this time of year, especially when mosquitoes carry viruses like zika and west nile. Over the counter bug repellents have unnecessary chemicals. Try this homemade bug repellent recipe for a natural alternative that also has a more pleasant aroma than the store bought options. Homemade Bug Repellent Recipe 6 oz. [...]