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 [...]
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 [...]
Pulling Weeds Now Saves Work Next Year
September is crunch time if weeds have sprouted in lawns or shrub beds. Chemical control or tilling is often the most practical solution, but 100% control is rarely possible. Pulling weeds is always best for small-scale weeding. Most of next years weed seeds are being produced right now. Some of the worst weeds in our [...]
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 [...]
Choose Grass Seed Wisely
Most lawn problems can be easily repaired, but the use of the wrong seed can ruin your lawn like nothing else. It is extremely important to choose grass seed wisely by: Never buying grass seed unless the label says it has at least an 80% germination rate, 0.0% weeds, and 0.0% other crop. Weed and [...]
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 [...]
Mark Utilities
It is easy to forget that most of our lawns and landscapes hide a maze of underground utilities that are critical to the function of our homes. These lines are easily damaged and can pose a very real danger if disturbed. Always call before you dig in your lawn and mark utilities. Utility Lines All [...]