Burlington News

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Why Won’t My Grass Seed Grow?

It’s not an uncommon Burlington yard maintenance issue – people struggling to get their newly planted lawn to germinate. Yet, a lush, green lawn is a major element in most landscape designs. While it is important to understand that lawn growth takes time, new grass seeds may fail to germinate for a variety of reasons. Here are four reasons.

Your Timing is a Little Off

It’s not uncommon for homeowners to want to plant their grass seed in the spring after they rake up their yards and find bare spots. Likewise, spring is also a popular choice for those looking to start new lawns since people think that the lawn will have the whole season to grow. That is true in theory, but Mother Nature may have other ideas for your Burlington lawn maintenance.

Spring can be fraught with cool and wet weather. Worse yet, spring can have false starts – we are all familiar with random frosts in late April. If your soil is below 10 degrees, it inhibits the grass seed’s ability to grow. Grass seed likes to germinate more in the warmer summer months.

You Have Issues With Watering

Some people just like the weather to take care of watering for them. You know what they say about April showers… Other people go all out with their watering, irrigation systems blazing. Both have their drawbacks.

It’s well known that less frequent, deep watering is good for your Burlington lawn maintenance. But what about establishing your lawn? Young seedlings can’t dry out, so grass seed does best with shallow and frequent watering. Basically, keep the soil moist until the seeds are about 1” in height. At that time, you can commence maintenance watering.

Keep in mind that your grass can rot with too much water and that heavy watering can cause the seed to be moved, which may result in a patchy look for your lawn.

Always Keep Your Grass on the Bright Side of Life

Grass needs sunlight to grow, plain and simple. Without sunlight, chlorophyll cannot be produced during photosynthesis. If your lawn receives only 1-2 hours of sunlight per day, grass growth will be compromised.

In addition, if you plant your grass seeds too deep, it can block out available light. Moral of the story: for best results for your Burlington yard maintenance, seedlings need at least 2 hours of sunlight per day.

Prevent Damage with Burlington Yard Maintenance

You could have perfect lawn habits, but your seedlings can still be damaged. Some factors are out of your control, such as extreme temperatures damaging the seeds before they’re even planted. Other examples are diseased seeds that become infected during processing and packaging. One way to guard against seed damage includes having a professional lawn care company provide your Burlington slit-seeding services.

Also be careful with attempting to do too much at once with your lawn. It’s only natural to want only grass to germinate in your lawn, however some weed-preventers also prevent your grass from germinating and growing for quite a while after application. Ask your Nutri-Lawn expert about balancing grass growth and weed prevention.

Don’t leave your lawn up to chance or the weather. Instead, request a consultation with Nutri-Lawn to find out how to maximize the growth of your grass seed. Our professionals are experts making lawns their absolute best.

Spring Critter Control: Managing Pet Damage in Your Lawn

It's finally time to get some serious outdoor work and play underway. Your pets are probably getting excited, too, since the walking leash is likely to be clipped onto the collar a little more often.

But admit it; how many of us found it easier on those frigid mornings to send Fido out into the backyard to do his business rather than brave the elements ourselves? For pet owners, spring Burlington lawn maintenance includes repairing winter pet damage. If you don't keep any furry friends, this is also the time of year when wild critters are waking and looking for food, possibly harming your lawn in the process.

Here are a few Burlington lawn maintenance tips for dealing with mischief by critters of any stripe (or spot).

Encourage Good Soil Drainage

One of the best ways of repairing and preventing animal damage is to simply follow your Burlington lawn maintenance spring checklist. A hardy lawn supported by healthy soil will better withstand abuse. New sod or overseeding will be required to fix severe burn spots. If the soil contains significant clay or has suffered from compaction during the winter, now is the time for core aeration to loosen things up. Not only does this give air and nutrients access to the soil, but it also improves water drainage, which will help to move animal contaminants either below or away from the root base of your grass. Making sure your pet is well-hydrated, and spraying down the affected grass with a hose will also help to dilute any damaging elements.

Ask Your Pet for Help With Your Burlington Lawn Maintenance

Well, maybe ask is the wrong word. Aside from constantly exercising your pet off of your property, you can train them to keep their poop and urine to a section of the yard. The key is to mark the appropriate area with something that differentiates it from everything else, much like paper-training a puppy. Many people have had success using small gravel on a bed of sand; again, draining away from the grass roots is the objective.

The exception to this is immediately after your spring fertilizer treatment. This includes nitrogen enrichment, which is a necessary part of greening up the lawn. Pet urine also contains a significant amount of nitrogen as a natural by-product of a protein rich diet. A little has a growth effect, while too much produces burn spots. If your Burlington lawn maintenance includes fertilization, taking walks with your pet for a few weeks will give the nitrogen content of the fertilizer some time to absorb into the soil.

Curb Compulsive Diggers

There are many reasons why pets – dogs especially – will start digging holes in the lawn, including boredom or a need for comfort. For natural rodent hunters, such as terriers and most cats, it can be a compulsion of their breeding. To curb the behaviour:

Play with them more, and try not to leave them alone in the yard for too long. Make sure your pet has a few toys available to keep them entertained.
If the digging area is consistent, leave a few peels of citrus fruit around. Many dogs dislike the odour of oranges or lemons. Commercial sprays are also available that safely mimic the scent.
If you catch them in the act, fire up the sprinkler for a minute. It's a harmless way to associate their undesirable behaviour with an undesirable result, and can be very effective with both dogs and cats.
Keep your pet inside while doing any of your own digging in the garden to prevent them from learning by example.

Tame the Wild

Once you notice a couple of cute bunnies in your yard, it won't be long before dozens of them will be munching on your plants and digging nests in the grass. Some urban neighbourhoods can also have high populations of raccoons. To keep them at bay:

Make sure fences extend right to the ground, or up to ten inches underneath in the case of chicken wire fencing. Also, seal off hiding spots under decks and trim bushes a few inches from the ground to eliminate protective enclosures.
Keep the lawn properly mowed and raked. Rabbits love tall grass and plant debris for eating and nesting.
To make the yard less attractive to raccoons, secure any outdoor compost bins and garbage storage. If possible, store garbage bins in a garage or shed.
Some nurseries and sporting goods stores carry rabbit repellents, such as those made from fox urine. Reapplication will be required after a rainfall.

Contact our Nutri-Lawn staff for help in repairing animal damage, and for further advice on keeping your lawn critter-free.

Burlington Pest Control: Ticks

While ticks may not damage your lawn to the same extent as some other pests, they can damage something far worse: you. Like Dracula, the preferred food of ticks is your blood, and through sucking it they can give you Lyme disease. Lyme disease can culminate in some pretty alarming neurological symptoms, so it’s definitely not a risk worth taking. The worst part? You can’t kill them with pesticides. Your only plan of attack is to make your lawn as inhospitable to ticks as possible. For the best Burlington pest control tips, read our suggestions below!

How Low Can You Go?

With your lawn, that is. It’s time to clean up your act, up to and including, a neatly trimmed lawn.

Ticks like to hangout in shady, moist areas, and the longer your grass, the more leaf litter or brush you have, the more inviting your lawn looks.

As such, it’s a good idea to trim your lawn a littler shorter to let the sunlight in. Not to the point where you’re scalping your lawn, however. Ask your Nutri-Lawn expert the best mowing-height for your lawn. Instead of leaving your grass clippings on your lawn to add nutrients to the lawn, try composting them into nutrient-rich soil instead. Also, be sure to clean up any additional leaves from the lawn and trim any bushy plants back.

Make the Borders Inhospitable

Ticks don’t originate in lawns. They tend to start in wooded areas and either migrate into your yard or hitch a ride on any of the furry critters that frequent your property. Turn the ticks away at the border by not allowing them safe crossing.

Like humans, ticks don’t like walking on anything that hurts their feet. An excellent Burlington pest control tactic is to line the area between your lawn and your neighbouring wooded area with wood chips or gravel. Aim for about 3 feet of barrier between your lawn and wooded areas. When ticks walk across wood chips or gravel, it feels like walking on glass wood. Ouch!

Have a Meticulous Woodpile

Woodpiles that are stored sloppily and allowed to retain water are the equivalent of a “Welcome” mat for ticks. Think about it, it’s perfect for them – it’s a wooded area, it’s shaded, and moist. It’s a tick paradise.

Try relocating your woodpile to an area where the sun will dry it out (or where it won’t get wet in the first place). Sunny, dry areas are deterrents for ticks, so encouraging dryness on your yard is important for your Burlington pest control.

Fence Ticks Out For Better Burlington Pest Control

As we've said, ticks ride into your lawn on the backs of other animals, such as deer, mice, rabbits, and pretty much any other mobile animal. One method would be to erect a fence in your yard to provide a barrier to tick transporters. It’s not a perfect solution, and some animals will be able to get around it, but it should work wonders in reducing the flow of animals (and ticks) into your lawn.

Take control of ticks and keep Lyme disease away from you, your family, and any family pets. A good lawn is always a worthy effort, but health and safety trump lawn aesthetics. Contact Nutri-Lawn Burlington if you have any concerns about ticks or any other pests invading your lawn.

April Showers Bring May Burlington Weed Maintenance

Spring has sprung and so has your lawn. And then you see it. Swaying between two tufts of perfectly manicured grass, a yellow flower so distinct, there’s no deny that it’s a dandelion. Soon after comes the crabgrass – or, as you we like to call it, the “devil’s spikes.” Yes, weeds are your nemesis. These persistent and problematic plants can make anyone crazy, but not if you have a weed maintenance plan in place. This year, pre-emptively attack these frustrating enemies by stopping weeds in their tracks… before they even start. Read on to learn how you can set up an easy Burlington weed maintenance plan.

Step 1: Crowd the Weeds Out

The first preventative measure to take involves fertilizing your lawn. By fertilizing, you are encouraging a thicker lawn to grow, which results in less room for weeds to establish roots. That said, if you apply fertilizer at the wrong time, your grass won’t be able to respond in time. For best results, apply fertilizer earlier in the spring and give your lawn a solid jumpstart on weeds.

While you’re at it, annual core aeration and overseeding will work hand-in-hand with your fertilizer to help your lawn thicken up and resist future weed infestations.

Step 2: Get Herbicidal With Your Burlington Weed Maintenance

While chemical warfare against weeds has been outlawed in Ontario, you can still take out some of your herbicidal rage with a natural weed deterrent. Nutri-Lawn offers a number of organic weed maintenance options designed specifically to protect your lawn from these pesky invaders.

Let Fiesta Give Your Lawn Some New Zest!

Fiesta is a natural herbicide (its active ingredient is iron). Its method is iron toxicity at the cellular level of weeds. What’s more, while Fiesta may do a number on your weeds, it will leave your lawn intact, as it is simply spot-applied to the weeds (as opposed to doused all over your lawn like chemical herbicides). You can expect to see results in a mere 48 hours with this miracle weed killer.

Prevent Weed Germination With Corn Gluten Meal

Another member of the organic herbicide family, corn gluten meal is applied in the spring and fall and works by preventing weeds from properly germinating. It is particularly lethal with dandelions and crabgrass. Corn gluten meal works specifically by inhibiting the root development of weeds, which causes the weed to become dehydrated and die off before it can even get a foothold in your lawn.

As an added bonus, corn gluten also provides your lawn with an additional source of slow-release nitrogen, so it will ultimately help your lawn grow in lush and beautiful. It is a must for your Burlington weed maintenance!

Step 3: Get ‘em By Their Roots!

When all else fails, call up Nutri-Lawn for a manual weed removal service. Our weed removal tools are effective at pulling up dandelions, thistles, and plantains by the roots. This can help get unwanted weeds out of your entire lawn or in high profile areas. Unfortunately, we cannot manually remove clover, crabgrass, ground ivy, chickweed, wild violet, and knotweed.

This season, stop weeds in their tracks and enjoy a thick, green, weed-free lawn. By performing regular lawn maintenance, as well as using organic fertilizers, such as Fiesta and corn gluten meal, you can prevent weeds before they gain a foothold. Contact Nutri-Lawn to get started on a Burlington weed maintenance plan for you.

A Lawn That's Green in More Ways Than One

How "going native" is both economically and environmentally-friendly

What do you see when you look at your property? Do you see just a stretch of land? Maybe a few well-placed shrubs, beds of colourful annuals and perennials, a shade tree or two and hopefully a lush, healthy lawn? Or do you see a diverse ecosystem that teems with a multitude of life forms working in a complex collaboration, and each of those plant, grass and insect species contributing to a harmony that sustains the beauty of your property? A healthy and well-maintained Burlington lawn is both of these things. It's difficult to have one without the other. An ecosystem that is out of balance, even one as small as your own backyard, will present itself as vegetation that is failing to thrive year after year, weak grass that has a tough time adapting to seasonal conditions, or as infestations of damaging pests.

Non-native Flora Can Impact Successful Lawn Care

We all enjoy having a certain number of exotic varietals around the garden that burst into vibrant blooms and unique shapes. Many Burlington homeowners would also likely admit to rushing out to the local nursery or garden centre to try out some new, imported type of grass seed advertised on T.V., with the hope that it will create a strong lawn that "practically maintains itself". In fact, the introduction of too many non-native and invasive species of plants and grasses can have a damaging effect on the natural biodiversity of your property; causing an unhealthy imbalance in the ecosystem, and a range of challenges for your Burlington lawn care.

Country Gardens in the City

In response to the concerns over the environmental impact of non-native plants and grasses, some homeowners go to the other extreme, and cultivate lawns and gardens that contain only those wild species that match the biological and climate profiles of southern Ontario and the Burlington area specifically. While there are a few advantages to this approach, some people regard this style of landscaping as messy-looking and lacking in curb appeal within developed residential neighbourhoods. However, there is a happy medium that every homeowner can achieve, by making informed choices about what they put into their garden to create a desired crisp and manicured look.

Appropriate Grasses for Burlington Lawn Care

Of the hundreds of grass species that are indigenous to Ontario, there is just a few that are ideal for establishing a healthy residential lawn. A cultivar of the cool climate grass varieties is essential for the climatic conditions that we experience in Burlington. We also experience very hot and sometimes very dry conditions during the summer, so the choice of grass must also be a hardy, drought-resistant type, which can help control the amount of irrigation necessary to keep it looking healthy.

Kentucky bluegrass is an excellent choice for high-traffic lawns that get a lot of sun. While it can tolerate dry conditions, it does require more watering than other varieties and it does not do well in shade. Mixing Kentucky bluegrass with a fine fescue grass seed, which does not need as much watering and thrives in shaded areas, is an excellent way to ensure that all of your yard conditions are covered while minimizing the overall maintenance required.

Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses, Trees and Shrubs

Punctuating your property with landscaping that incorporates wild, indigenous plant life is not only an attractive option, but also low-maintenance since the plants are already adapted to the climate and soil conditions. This means less watering, and little need for extra fertilization or pest control. That saves you time and effort in your Burlington lawn care, and encourages a positive biodiversity in the environment. The Ontario Invasive Plant Council offers an excellent guide to native, non-invasive plant and grass species in southern Ontario to help you get started.

Going completely native with plant and grass choices is not everyone's taste, but being aware of the benefits and adding a touch of local plant life to your garden will help to encourage a healthy lawn, not to mention encouraging visits from wonderful local species of birds and butterflies. When you book your Nutri-Lawn Burlington lawn care, ask us for further advice on the use of native plant life in your garden.

Be Wary of Wireworms

If you are an avid gardener, one who enjoys getting down and dirty in the soil, or likes to maintain home compost bins, you are used to seeing all kinds of creepy-crawly critters as you work the earth. A typical Burlington lawn and garden is absolutely teeming with all kinds of insect species at various stages of their life cycles. Many of these are beneficial to the healthy ecosystem of the soil and the lawn, or at the worst, are benign creatures that simply go about their business. There are, however, a number of buggy intruders that can challenge your efforts toward a lush and green lawn. The worst of the worst? That would be the dreaded wireworm.

What is a Wireworm?

Wireworms are the larval stage of the insect family Elateridae, or more commonly known as the click beetle. Of the hundreds of species of wireworm across North America, most are fairly harmless to turf grass, although a number of them do pose a serious threat to Burlington lawns. And unlike typical fly larvae, these are no ordinary soft-bodied pests. Wireworms can be 1 to 2.5 centimetres in length and have a tough, wiry exterior that is dark yellow to rusty brown in colour. One of the more detrimental aspects of the wireworm--and what makes it challenging for Burlington lawn services to fight back their infestation--is the extraordinary length of their larval stage. They are most damaging to lawns, garden and crops during this phase of their life cycle, which can last from three to six years.

Wireworm Life Cycle and Habitat

Wireworms can infest a lawn through a click beetle migration or from a home flowerbed or vegetable garden where they are already present.

Click beetles will lay eggs from April to June, once the soil is thawed and moist.
The eggs take only about three weeks to hatch and proceed to the larval wireworm stage.
Wireworms will immediately begin to feed on grass roots and germinating seed within the top ten centimetres of the soil, as long as the temperature is roughly between 10 and 26 degrees Celsius and the soil is moist. They will feed this way for the three to six years of the larval phase, depending on the species of wireworm.
If temperatures become too hot or the soil dries out, wireworms will burrow down to a depth of up to 60 centimetres and resurface when conditions are right, or when a more consistently cool and damp climate returns in early fall.

Detecting the Wireworm Threat

Many people mistake wireworm damage for other causes, since the affected areas will result in weak, brown or dead patches of grass as the pests feed on the roots.

Wireworms are attracted to the natural carbon dioxide emissions of germinating plants and organic rot. To test areas of your lawn for infestation, you can bury a handful of compost or an overripe potato 10 to 15 centimetres below the surface, ensure the soil is moist, and mark the spot. Within a few days, if wireworms are present they will be attracted to the bait.

Defeating the Wireworm

Because wireworms thrive in moist soil, the irrigation necessary for your grass in the warmer months unfortunately helps to sustain the pests. And in Ontario, most chemical pesticides are banned and cannot be used to attack the problem.

One potential treatment is spreading diatomaceous earth--a naturally occurring, food-grade soil and a natural pest defence--around the affected area at a volume of 6 to 9 kilograms per 100 square metres. Another strategy is to spread a small amount of pyrethrum diluted in four litres of water up to four times between spring and fall. This permitted, low toxicity pesticide does not kill off the wireworms, but it does flush them out and make them vulnerable to natural predators such as birds. The downside of this treatment is that beneficial insects are also vulnerable to the process.

How can Burlington lawn services help?

A strong and healthy lawn is the best natural defence against most types of invasive insect species. Our Burlington lawn service experts recommend staying on top of a consistent watering and fertilization schedule. Also, loosening the ground with core aeration in the spring and possibly in the fall will make the lawn less hospitable to wireworm larvae, since they prefer harder, compacted soil.

Nutri-Lawn's Burlington lawn care service also includes nematode application as an organic pest treatment, which has been proven effective in the fight against wireworms. If you suspect that your spring lawn is under attack, contact our experts and let us help you launch a defence.

A Burlington Lawn Care Month-by-Month Playbook

Knowing how to ride a bicycle may be something that one never forgets, but how often do you go from one year to the next struggling to remember exactly what you did to achieve a successful lawn and garden?

While our Burlington lawn care service is available to provide you with helpful reminders, why not keep your own calendar or journal record? Having this handy will give you the opportunity to plan ahead in the future and help you to recreate a beautiful lawn and garden, year-after-year. Here are some of our favorite month-to-month suggestions to get your gardening calendar started:

Get a Jump in January

Go shopping. Now is a great time to hit hardware stores and garden centres for sales on new outdoor tools and equipment.
Sharpen up. Make sure that your mower blades are sharp and ready for the first spring mow. Check any other equipment to ensure that it is clean and properly lubricated.
Build the team. Now is the perfect time to arrange your Burlington lawn care service for the coming season. Call and book your aeration and pH testing today.

February and March are Inspection Months

Little can be done during these months to actively repair winter damage, since the ground is usually still frozen or too wet. However, the early thaw that we often experience is an opportunity to check for excessive thatch, mould or dead patches that will need to be treated in early spring. Now is also a good time to remove any debris that was left behind the previous fall.

Help Your Lawn Wake Up in April

It's time to rake. Raking the entire lawn is a great way to loosen the soil and any excessive thatch that has built up at its surface. This will also allows for closer inspection of any winter damage. Be careful to only rake once the lawn is relatively dry or there's a danger of pulling up roots.

M is for May and Maintenance and Mowing

Core aeration will reduce soil compaction, and prepare the lawn for irrigation and the introduction of new seed.
Testing for pH will determine the amount of soil acidity and allow for a lime treatment to reduce acidity to optimal grass-growing levels.
Begin mowing the established areas of the lawn every four to seven days, while being careful not to cut below six to seven centimetres in height.
A rich top-dressing and fertilization will add nutrients to the soil to support robust root development.
30 days after a fertilizer application is the best time for overseeding any weak areas.

Pest Inspection Happens in June and July

Watch for moss development, especially after a particularly damp spring.
Continue to spot weed, or arrange Burlington lawn care services such as mechanical weed removal and organic treatment.
Be aware of weak or discoloured areas that might indicate the presence of Chinch bugs or grubs underneath the sod.
If temperatures are beginning to rise, increase your watering schedule as required. The best time for watering is prior to sunrise to avoid sunburn or rot.

Hazy, Lazy Days of August

Avoid causing brown, dormant grass by maintaining a good watering schedule.
If you or your family spend a lot of time on the lawn, this is a good time for late-summer aeration to reduce compaction caused by heavy use. It also prepares the lawn for overseeding with drought-resistant seed.
August is a perfect time to attack grubs with Nutri-Lawn's nematode treatment.

September Seed

Cooling temperatures and light rains in late summer and early fall create the perfect opportunity for overseeding or planting a new lawn. Young roots have the chance to establish before colder temperatures move in.
Continue to spot weed as necessary.

Prepare for Winter Sleep in October and November

Clear the leaves and any other debris from the surface of the lawn.
Give the lawn a final mow or two. Cut shorter than usual to reduce the chance of too much thatch or mould development.
Schedule a winter fertilization treatment for late October or November.

December

Finish your holiday shopping, go to festive parties and be merry! True, this month has little to do with your lawn and garden, but if you took care in preparing your lawn for winter dormancy, you can relax and remember that tool-sharpening time is only a month away!

Your calendar should remind you that the New Year is a great time to book your Burlington lawn care service. Mark a day in January to contact Nutri-Lawn Burlington for more advice on the timing of your lawn and garden calendar.

Five Reasons Why a Well-Manicured Lawn is Good for the Environment

If you have a lawn or planning to acquire one (hopefully attached to a house), you're far better off taking care of it than not because believe it or not, a well-manicured lawn is actually a good thing – both for you and the environment. Just think of the worst lawn you can imagine – one that looks like a drab pile of dirt with no grass or any real plant life. Is that what you want our environment to look like? Probably not.

So, take a good look at your lawn and ask yourself if it's actually helping the environment. If the answer is “no,” then you should consider fixing it or contacting a professional to do it for you. If the latter is the case, then you should consider getting in touch with Nutri-Lawn for Burlington lawn maintenance.

But before you do that, let's take a look at some of the reasons to have a well-manicured lawn.

5. Healthy Grass Absorbs and Retains Carbon

In case you didn't know, it is believe that carbon is single-handedly responsible for global warming, which means that reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere should be our number one priority. One of the ways to do so is by owning a well-manicured lawn because grass can absorb and retain carbon. In fact, some studies suggest that an average-sized and well-maintained lawn can absorb as much carbon as a forested area. So, the next time you think about saving the environment, think about taking care of your lawn first. If you don't want to do it yourself, then contact Nutri-Lawn for Burlington lawn maintenance.

4. Healthy Grass Absorbs and Cleans Water

Surface runoff is one of the main sources of pollution in Canadian waterways, so it would make sense to prevent them. A very reasonable solution would be to have a well-maintained lawn with healthy grass growing on it because grass has the ability to absorb and clean water. According to recent studies, a well-manicured lawn can filter more rainwater than a wheat field. So, more grass means more clean water, and we all need water, don't we?

3. Healthy Grass Keeps the Air Cool During Summers

During summer, temperatures tend to rise high enough to cause smog, which isn't just harmful to the environment, but also to us. In the ideal world, we would probably just get rid of smog altogether, but unfortunately our world is not so ideal. As such, our best option is to take care of our lawns. Believe it or not, grass can cool down the air by releasing water, which is a process known as “transpiration.” There is no better remedy for smog than cool air, so keep your lawn well maintained. Contact Nutri-Lawn Burlington if you need some help.

2. Healthy Grass Protects Soil From Erosion

Erosion is the process by which soil becomes scattered around and essentially turned useless. While it is certainly a natural process, human activities have considerably increased the rate at which erosion is occurring around the world. By neglecting our lawns, we are contributing to this process. So, if we continue to maintain our loans, we can stave off erosion because grass can keep soil intact. If you care about the environment, then this is definitely something to think about.

1. Freshly-cut Grass Reduces Stress

One of the most important parts of the environment is you. Human beings belong to this planet as much as any other life form, so we must keep ourselves healthy too. Numerous studies have proven that the smell of freshly cut grass can significantly reduce our stress levels and even slow down memory loss that comes with old age. So, the next time you cut your grass, think about yourself and the benefits your lawn can have on your body. If you don't want to cut your grass yourself, you can contact Nutri-Lawn Burlington for your lawn maintenance program. But be sure to stick around to catch that lovely scent of freshly cut grass!

So, if you love this planet and your lawn, then definitely consider contacting Nutri-Lawn Burlington for your lawn care. In fact, why not go ahead and request a consultation right now!

Rolling Stones and Healthy Lawns: Ensuring That Your Grass Gathers No Moss

Did you know that there are over 12,000 types of moss? Amazingly, this fuzzy flora has earned just about as much attention throughout history as the majestic rose. North American tribes used it for everything from bedding to basketry to log cabin insulation. And if you enjoy certain kinds of Scotch whiskey on a cold winter evening, moss is used to achieve that smoky flavour. Spanish moss is a common feature of Christmas decor in Mexico. And as a component of peat, it even has a necessary use in gardening. It would seem that the only time when moss is a dreaded menace is when it infests your lawn.

Moss is a type of non-vascular plant that has no real roots or leaves – at least, not among the 515 species of moss that are present in Ontario. This characteristic means that the plant is typically small and susceptible to our cold and dry winters. It doesn't mean that it isn't capable of spreading over large areas relatively easily, given the right conditions. Fern, Rock, Haircap and Cushion mosses are among the most common in southern Ontario, and there are many more exotically-named types that grow here.

Causes of Moss in Burlington lawns

The reason that moss is so undesirable in lawns is that it is extremely invasive, and quickly discourages healthy grass growth.

There is one easy-to-spot garden characteristic that could promote moss infestation: the combination of overly moist and shaded areas. Mosses thrive in this environment, and some types will even tolerate direct heat and sun in the summer as long as they enjoy damp and humid conditions.

Signs of a Sick Lawn

The presence of moss in your lawn could also be a symptom of less visible conditions that are affecting its health, which make the permanent removal of moss a more involving task requiring specific Burlington lawn care services.

Most mosses favour acidic earth, in which case the pH balance of the soil is probably below the optimal condition for healthy grass growth. This also means that grass and other plants are not absorbing the necessary nutrients from the soil, which will result in a weak lawn and brown or dead patches over time. Unlike grass, moss is highly tolerant of under-nourished soil.

Of the more visible causes of dampness, low-laying areas and gullies in your garden landscape will allow water to pool and could contribute to moss growth. Clay or silt-based soils, however, are especially prone to compaction due to high traffic or excessive snow and ice build-up. While not as easily detected, compaction will affect proper drainage of the surface layer and promote the damp conditions that mosses prefer.

The Cure is in Treating the Symptoms

Moss can be removed in two ways: by scraping it from the soil, or working the infected area with a heavy-duty rake. Trimming back foliage and removing other causes of excessive shade will reduce the area where moss might grow. Our Burlington lawn care services also offer a chemical treatment that will kill off the existing moss. But preventing its reoccurrence usually means treating the deficiencies in the soil that are encouraging moss growth in the first place:

If slopes and low-laying areas are causing water to pool, re-landscaping those areas for better drainage may be necessary. In extreme cases, installing weeping or drainage tile could be an option.

Core aeration is one of our most popular lawn care services, which will reduce the amount of soil compaction allowing air to reach the grass roots and also promote proper drainage.

A test of the soil acidity will determine if the pH level needs to be raised to prevent moss and encourage the nutrient uptake of the grass. Treatment involves an application of lime or the combination of another type of soil that has a naturally higher alkaline content.

If your lawn is infected with moss that you just can't get rid of, find out about our Burlington lawn care services form Nutri-Lawn for a more permanent solution.

Sowing the Seeds of Spring

The yard is still covered with snow and ice and it's tough to imagine yourself gardening, not to mention thoughts of sprucing up the lawn to its former glory. But the start of the growing season is only a couple of months away, so now is the perfect time to be thinking about your Burlington lawn maintenance and fixing those patches of weak grass as part of your springtime clean-up.

Spring fever and the need to seed

The first signs of thawing soil excite those of us that spend a lot of time and care on Burlington lawn maintenance. We start our list of gardening to-dos and hit the stores to stock up on seed, fertilizer and topsoil. And we say to ourselves, "This spring, I'm finally going to have that perfect lawn." While the spring rain and temperatures are just right for germinating new grass, the fall season is really the more ideal time for re-seeding or planting new turf.

New vs. mature roots

Burlington summers can provide many days of very hot and dry conditions. Seeding in the very late summer or early fall allows the seed to become exposed to levels of rain and moderate temperatures that are similar to the spring, but for a longer period of time before the grass must contend with potential summer dormancy. Despite the winter conditions, newly established roots continue to mature though at a slower rate than in warmer months. Roots that begin to grow in the spring are less mature and not as capable of sustaining periods of heat or drought.

However, that's not to say that spring seeding is a bad idea. With the right preparation, seed selection and lawn maintenance program, those weak patches will have good potential for transforming into a thick carpet of green.

Lay the groundwork

Bare soil or areas in which you will be over-seeding need a little work before new seed can be spread. The ground should be relatively dry and level, and not suffering from compaction after the weight of snow and ice. Planted areas will need a thorough raking to loosen the thatch and soil, and core aeration is highly recommended to allow air and nutrients to penetrate to the roots.

A layer of good topsoil in the planting area is also recommended, along with a fertilizer treatment that will help the new roots to establish themselves.

Which seeds to sow for Burlington lawn maintenance?

Cool season grasses are ideal for Burlington's harsh winters and hot and often dry summers. Varieties such as fescues, bluegrass and ryegrass are hardy enough to do well in drought conditions, and can also stand up to long periods of winter dormancy. If you have a family that spends a lot of time in the yard, the stress of high traffic on the lawn should be a consideration. Tall fescue is a sturdy choice in this case.

Time to plant

Once the ground has been prepared, another light raking will loosen the soil for the seedbed. Spreading seed by hand over a small area is fine, but a mechanical spreader is best for larger sections. Ensure an even distribution by overlapping the spread by one or two feet, and then repeat the process by walking the area at right angles to the first application.

Once the seed application has been completed, roll or press the topsoil to make sure that the seed is properly embedded. Between spring rains and manual watering, the topsoil must be kept moist to a depth of about 2.5 cm until the new grass is visible to a length of 3 to 4 cm.

Even if you decide to handle spring seeding yourself, our Nutri-Lawn Burlington experts are ready to support your lawn maintenance program with follow-up services that will have your lawn looking robust and weed-free. Contact us now to find out more.

Ants: Are They a Help or a Hindrance?

Ants get a bad rap. They are feared as the scourge of picnic blankets everywhere. You probably have a friend with a story of being swarmed by so-called "fire ants" while innocently sunbathing in the back yard. And what child doesn't have memories of attacking these six-legged insects with a magnifying glass? Ants have even appeared as giant, mutated monsters in Hollywood B-movies. The truth is; your property contains a far greater number of ants than you might imagine, and they are far more beneficial to a healthy ecosystem than you might think.

Ants That are Typically Found by Our Oakville Lawn Services

The majority of ant species found in the Oakville-Burlington area quietly nest underneath the soil, although some prefer to colonize under rocks, concrete or wood.

Canada is home to over 100 different ant species. Ants will be attracted to just about any food source, especially if it's sweet or rich in protein – hence the picnic ambush or occasional home invasion. This is when they begin to earn their reputation as pests. For the most part, ants will feed on the sweet excretions of plants or other insects, such as the honey-dew produced by aphids. Omnivorous species of ants will also feed on insects, alive or dead, and even other ants. Among the most common types of ant found in gardens of this area are:

Little Black Ants: This tiny species ranges in size from 1.2mm to 2mm and most often nest in soil. While they are attracted to almost any kind of food, they also feed on a large number their fellow garden insects. When they do surface, a recognizable anthill surrounded by fine dirt identifies their nest.
Carpenter Ants: Larger, but also black in colour with highly segmented bodies, these ants can become noticeable during bursts of hot and humid weather. Occasionally, they will present as swarms of winged ants and their colonies can be detected by a crackling sound in the soil or underneath concrete slabs.
Pharaoh Ants: These are the ones that are usually mistaken for Fire ants in southern Ontario because of their yellowish-red colour. In fact, true Fire ants rarely exist in North America outside of the southern U.S. Similar in size to the Little Black ant, Pharaoh ants also usually nest in the soil and feed on a wide variety of garden pests. Rather than fleeing when disturbed, they do have a tendency to swarm and inflict a painful bite.

The Good and the Bad

The greatest benefit that ants hold for lawn maintenance is the fact that most of them eat other insects that can be far more harmful to plants, root systems and the overall health of your lawn. Living or dead, larvae or adult, most other pests are fair game to the ant.

The downside is that, when a colony becomes disturbed or its population not properly controlled, ants can become a nuisance. It's not uncommon for Oakville lawn services to find very large mounds forming in a yard where the soil is dry. Not only unsightly, the excavation of these ant mounds can smother the grass and cause damage to the roots as the colony digs channels through the earth.

Getting Back on Friendly Terms

Ants prefer dry soil conditions, so keeping the lawn properly watered is a good deterrent and helps to keep the grass roots healthy. If large mounds appear, they can be flooded with water but you may find that the colony simply moves to another area of the yard.

In just about every case, an ant infestation in the garden is considered by the Government of Ontario to be a cosmetic issue, and therefore falls under the Pesticide Ban of 2009. Certain kinds of bio-pesticides and organic treatments can be very effective in stemming the tide of out of control ant colonies. A spot treatment of accessible problem areas is usually enough to solve the issue.

Ideally, you and your ant friends could co-exist. However, if you find that they're becoming more foe than friend, contact us about our Nutri-Lawn lawn care services that can help bring a peaceful balance back to your property.

Spring into Action! 5 Tips for Lawn Clean Up

Now that we're well into the New Year and the daylight is slowly increasing, spring will be here before you know it. Perhaps you're already thinking about the day you will be able to dust off the window screens and freshen up your home, organize all that winter clutter and maybe even give the carpets and upholstery a good steam cleaning.

Of course, the best thing about the arrival of spring is being able to get out of doors and enjoy that intoxicating air. So while you're looking forward to casting off your cabin fever, we have some tips for Oakville winter lawn maintenance that will get you out there and help to ensure a spectacular spring yard. Canadian author Margaret Atwood once wrote, "In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt," and we couldn't agree more!

1. Stay sharp

Give the lawn mower a little TLC to make sure it's ready to go. If you own a gas-powered model, clean or replace the filters and make sure you have a clean fuel mix handy. Most importantly, check the blades and sharpen or replace them if necessary. Dull blades can rip and tear the grass, which not only causes a rusty discolouration of the grass blades but can also weaken the lawn and lead to harmful infection.

2. Stoop and scoop

During the early thaw, your Oakville winter lawn maintenance can prevent any further pressure stress to the grass by spreading around some of the snow piled up from months of shovelling. Also, if you read some of our earlier information on fall lawn maintenance, hopefully you removed the fallen leaves and any other debris. If not, you may discover patches of pink or grey snow mould around the property once all the snow and ice has melted, which can be damaging if left untreated. If the grass was left uncut in the fall, an early spring mowing might be needed as part of your Oakville winter lawn maintenance, as long as the grass is dry.

3. Spa treatment

Who doesn't like a good massage to relax and revitalize? Your Oakville winter lawn maintenance should include a thorough raking of the property. This helps to loosen the top layer, remove any dead grass and reduce the amount of thatch build-up. An excessive amount of thatch can prevent proper water drainage and stop much needed nutrients from reaching the roots. Raking also helps to stop the spread of snow mould by freeing up matted grass.

4. Squashed soil

As you're raking, pay attention to how firm the earth feels underfoot. High traffic and icing during the winter can cause soil compaction over time. When compaction occurs, air pockets in the soil are removed, resulting in noticeably hard earth. This causes weak, browning patches in the lawn and lessens the chance that new roots can properly establish themselves. One effective remedy is core aeration--a mechanical process that digs plugs of soil out of the lawn, allowing air, moisture and nutrients to reach the roots.

5. Services from the Oakville winter lawn maintenance experts

Once your lawn is cleaned up and recovering from winter slumber, it's a good time to survey the condition of the grass and decide what's needed to encourage robust growth and to repair any winter damage. Talk to our expert Nutri-Lawn staff now about our range of overseeding, fertilizing and weed control programs, and let us help you and your lawn enjoy a fabulous spring.

8 Steps to a Greener Lawn This Spring

At Nutri-Lawn Burlington, we believe that it is never too early to begin planning for a green lawn. These lawn care tips will make sure your grass is lush and healthy, all season long.

1. Make a plan for seasonal lawn care

Before you get out the rake or mower, make a plan and budget for your spring and summer lawn care. Ask yourself how much you're willing to spend on landscaping, and set aside funds for equipment and repairs. Planning ahead and making a budget in advance will reduce headaches and give you more time to relax. Also, take the time to investigate local lawn care services so you can enjoy your lawn while trusted professionals do the work for you.

2. Prepare your equipment

Make sure your mower is in working order and is easily accessible for the summer mowing season. If your equipment needs to be replaced or repaired, this should be done well before it's time to begin cutting your grass. Throughout the spring and summer months, it's important to keep the blades on your mower sharpened so that dull blades don't damage your grass.

3. Weed and dethatch

You'll need to rake your lawn in order to get rid of thatch, which is the top layer of weeds. If the thatch is more than ½ inch thick, your lawn will not be getting enough nutrients from fertilization and watering. A thick layer of thatch may also invite unwanted pests and disease. To eliminate extensive thatch, our Nutri-Lawn lawn care experts recommend using a professional service to do the job for you. For more information on available services, visit Nutri-Lawn's dethatching service page.

4. Aerate your lawn

Aeration is another important way to make sure your lawn is receiving enough nutrients. Core aeration creates small holes in your lawn through which soil can receive nutrients and water. This process helps create strong roots and has many other beneficial effects. For more information on Oakville lawn care services, visit Nutri-Lawn's core aeration service page.

5. Water responsibly

In the spring and summer months, be mindful of how often you water your grass. Although it may make sense to do it every day in the warmer months, it's actually best to only do it once or twice a week, and never during the hottest part of the day. Water deeply, not often.

6. Eliminate heavy traffic

One important way to keep grass green is to eliminate heavy traffic from your lawn. Our Nutri-Lawn lawn care experts recommend never leaving equipment or toys outside, since these obstacles can smother your grass, leading to long-term damage.

7. Be proactive about fertilizer

If you've already applied fertilizer in the fall, you may not need to do it again in the spring. It's important not to over-fertilize lawns, which can actually decrease the quality of your grass. Consider using a slow-release product, which releases nutrients into your grass on a delayed schedule, rather than releasing them all at once. Find the right product for your type of grass, or go organic and use compost as a fertilizer.

8. Stock up on herbicide

Spring is also an excellent time to apply herbicides to your lawn. If you're not planning on aerating your lawn, you can use pre-emergent herbicides, which will protect your grass from weeds before they even begin to sprout. Be sure to read the instructions on any product you use. If you are ever in doubt, ask a lawn care expert.

To learn more about your Burlington lawn care, request a consultation with Nutri-Lawn Burlington today. Begin your seasonal lawn care as soon as the ground thaws, and you'll be on your way to greener grass and a healthier lawn.

Causes of a Lumpy Lawns

Upon closer inspection, does your lawn look like a miniature replica of the Rocky Mountains? If so, you may find yourself with a lumpy lawn on your hands. These areas can be annoying, difficult to mow, or even dangerous for anyone running across them. But what causes these bumps? How do you get rid of them? Nutri-Lawn's Burlington Lawn Care service has some answers.

From the Experts at Nutri-Lawn Burlington: What Causes a Bumpy Lawn?

There are several reasons for lumpy lawns. Sometimes the repeated freezing and thawing conditions of early spring can move the soil up and down.

Or if your lawn is older, it can become rough and uneven as turf grass gradually thins out. This can be due to shade, insect damage, or poor lawn maintenance. Combat this by creating healthy turf with some these tips.

When Earthworms Attack

Okay, this may not sound particularly exciting, but it can have an impact on your lawn according to the experts from Nutri-Lawn: earthworms.

The movement of earthworms in the soil and the castings they leave behind on the soil surface can cause the roughness. What are castings? They are the result of ingestion and excretion of soil and plant litter.

Earthworms are more active in the spring and fall, when temperature and moisture conditions are conducive to their activity. And while earthworms are healthy and act as natural lawn aerators, if the bumps in your lawn become a hazard, you need to take action. However, you must do so kindly, as the last thing you want to do is to completely eradicate earthworms. They contribute a lot to healthy lawns.

Dealing With a Bumpy Lawn

If you're suffering from a bumpy lawn, then you can help smooth things over by engaging in good lawn care practices, which can be achieved throughout the season. These include:

A basic lawn fertilization schedule.
Aerating your lawn, followed by power raking, which will break down some of the bumps in the lawn
Overseeding your lawn to fill in thin patches (just make sure you use good lawn irrigation practices to keep the soil moist and the germination even).

As your lawn becomes healthier and thicker, the surface will become less bumpy. Avoid going over the lawn with a heavy roller. It will remove some of the roughness, but it will also compact the soil, which can choke off nutrients from the lawn.

How Irrigation Plays a Role in Preventing a Lumpy Lawn

A basic lawn care practice that can control the bumpiness caused by earthworms is proper lawn irrigation.

Earthworms can get annoyed when the lawn is extremely moist, forcing them to surface for air (which is why you always see a ton of earthworms on the pavement after a heavy rainstorm). By employing good watering practices, including irrigating less frequently but more deeply, you can keep the earthworm population of your lawn in the soil where they belong.

Keep your lawn smooth and lush with the help of Nutri-Lawn Burlington's lawn care services. Contact Nutri-Lawn to request a free, no obligation quote today!

Raise the Bar: What to Look For in a Commercial Burlington Lawn Care Provider

Lawn care services are a dime a dozen. And while most companies focus on the bottom line, like most services, you'll get what you pay for with your lawn care company. But how do you tell if you're getting a good bang for your buck or if the prices suffer from over-inflation? Here's how to measure the quality of your potential Burlington lawn care provider.

Do They Have a Reputation for Providing Quality Lawn Care?

When it comes to results-based services such as lawn care, there is such a thing as bad publicity. If they can't provide photos or testimonials or are not willing to give you an example of landscapes they've worked on, beware.

In addition, if you've heard through neighbours that their customer service or their lawn care service is subpar, then it's not worth the risk. Wait it out for someone who's willing to go the extra mile.

Do They Know What They're Talking About?

We've all had that experience when we go to an "expert" looking for guidance on something, and they waffle their way through an answer.

Does your potential Burlington lawn care provider know how to fix any dead spots or lawn diseases that may arrive? Or are they just good at using a lawn mower and edger? Sure, you may be thinking that all you need are some basic lawn cutting services, but if your lawn turns yellow or gets hit by grubs, you'll want someone who knows what's wrong and how to get rid of the problem.

Do They Offer Services that Will Meet Your Lawn Care Needs?

Businesses know all about providing products and services that cover all potential needs. While all you may ever need is a basic lawn cutting service, you never know what the future may bring. Here are some common, unforeseen services:

Core aeration, which help dethatch the lawn and improve air circulation.
Burlington lawn irrigation is a great solution for those whose lawns may not receive adequate moisture.
Overseeding, which should be done seasonally, can improve the overall thickness and lushness of your lawn.
Our Fiesta Weed Control is an organic and legal method of weed killer in Ontario.
Our Burlington commercial lawn care services will do wonders in increasing your curb appeal.

Can You Trust Them?

As a business, you'll want to ensure that the lawn care company you work with employs the same standards of professionalism that you do. After all, you are letting these people come on to your property and tend to your landscaping. Not only does this give them access to areas that most others won't have, but you are trusting the company with the visual first impression people will have of your home or business. Do they project that level of trust upon first impression? While first impressions aren't always accurate, they are important when it comes to business.

Don't let just anyone do the landscaping for your home or business. Be sure you choose a company that offers a high-quality, professional standard of lawn care. Our Nutri-Lawn experts are at the top of their field. Contact Nutri-Lawn to book your 2013 Burlington lawn care. Be sure to act quickly, our appointments always fill up fast in the spring. You will be glad you did!

Damage Control: Tips for Burlington Winter Lawn Maintenance

Like us, you're probably getting excited to see the return of NHL hockey. All over Burlington, kids and adults alike are pulling out the gear and mimicking their hockey heroes on snow-covered streets. Some of the most dedicated fans might even be pounding a giant rectangle into the back lawn and cultivating a nice smooth rink surface for some real blade action. Sounds like a lot of fun, but we really wish you would head to a local arena instead! That is, assuming that you want to avoid too much winter lawn damage control when the spring thaw finally arrives.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

It only takes a week or two of snow cover for many of us to forget what our lawns even looked like, much less be thinking about Burlington winter lawn maintenance. In actual fact, now is the perfect time to be thinking about the winter stresses affecting your lawn, how to return it to its lush condition in the spring and lining up the services you may need to help get it there. Our Nutri-Lawn experts tend to get busy fast in the early growing season, so January is a great time to book a consultation.

Burlington Winter Lawn Maintenance Begins in the Fall

Ideally, your fall lawn maintenance included a good overseeding and fall fertilization combined with maintaining a two-inch height on the grass until it neared dormancy. Raking and bagging the fallen leaves or mulching them into the soil, along with clearing any other sorts of debris is also an important part of getting the lawn ready for winter sleep. All of this helps to prevent or reduce a build-up of pink or grey snow mould--those fuzzy patches of matted grass that are typical in early spring but also potentially damaging.

Even with these preparations, the harsh conditions of a Burlington winter can cause turf damage that can be reversed with proper spring lawn care if you know what to watch for.

Now, About That Backyard Hockey Rink...

With the usual heavy snow and ice build-up of a Burlington winter, soil compaction is one of the most common threats to effective winter lawn maintenance. Compaction occurs when the soil is under pressure for a sustained period, causing air to be removed from pockets between the soil granules. This can result in brown or dead patches because the soil becomes too dense for grass roots to establish themselves. It also affects proper moisture drainage. Excessive snow, heavy ice and foot traffic can all contribute to compaction, which can be easily detected by walking the property and feeling for areas that are especially hard underfoot.

Part of countering the effects of compaction is core aeration in the early spring. This process loosens the soil and allows air and nutrients to reach the grass roots. It also controls excessive thatch build-up, which can smother the roots or cause mold to spread.

It's a Desert Out There

That's not to say that some snow is necessarily bad for your dormant lawn. As a matter of fact, it helps to insulate it and maintains a certain level of moisture. Trouble happens during the inevitable mid-winter thaw followed by re-freezing that traps the grass under a layer of ice (or a hockey rink!) This can contribute to severe drought conditions in the soil caused by the cold, dry conditions.

The root death that occurs is referred to as winterkill, and can sometimes be difficult to recover from. However, a good spring lawn maintenance program from Nutri-Lawn will certainly help to revitalize your lawn and return it to its former glory. For more about Burlington winter lawn maintenance and to arrange your spring lawn care service, contact us now for a consultation.

Understanding the Emerald Ash Borer

Are you finding that your sprinkler system in Burlington seems to have no effect on the health of your ash trees? Proper irrigation might not be at the heart of your problem. You may be struggling with an infestation of Emerald Ash Borers. Don't let your sprinkler systems waste water unnecessarily on these pests. Find out about Emerald Ash Borers and how you can protect your trees today.

What is the Emerald Ash Borer?

An Emerald Ash Borer is a variety of beetle that sucks nutrients and water that your sprinkler systems in Burlington provide to your ash trees. Originating in Southeast Asia, it has been known to inhabit North America since 2002. Easily recognized by its metallic green-blue colour, the Emerald Ash Borer can be up to 26 – 32 mm in length. Emerald Ash Borers have flat heads. You'll recognize the larvae by their creamy white colour and brown heads. Emerald Ash Borers are speedy travelers and can often infect your tree before you've even had a chance to notice they're present.

How do they destroy ash trees?

EABs inhabit ash trees by burrowing deep beneath the bark of the tree. The adult EAB then deposits her eggs into the centre of the trunk. Once the larvae hatch, they create burrows through the tree in S-shaped patterned galleries. These galleries are used to suck up the nutrients and water from your sprinkler system away from your trees. These larvae are what you have to fear as they are in the more forceful and destructive phase of the Emerald Ash Borer's life cycle. Their burrows obstruct the tree's circulation of water and nutrients, causing the efforts of your sprinkler systems in Burlington to go to waste rather than benefit your trees. Adult Emerald Ash Borers only feed off the leaves of the ash tree.

How to tell if your tree is infected

You will recognize that you have an infestation of Emerald Ash Borers by:

The notches in the leaves
Decreased foliage
Yellowed and dying leaves
D-shaped exit holes in the bark
Branch growth at the base of the tree trunk

Remember that it's difficult to catch Emerald Ash Borers. Because of the fact that a majority of the death-inducing damage is created beneath the tree's bark, EAB infestations are difficult to spot. Sometimes infestations aren't even discovered until much later, even years after the Emerald Ash Borer invasion. You'll need to hire a professional to diagnose an Emerald Ash Borer infestation. Nutri-Lawn Burlington will be happy to provide quality service in a timely manner.

If you don't have an Emerald Ash infestation and you still see some issues with your sprinkler system, contact one of our experts to take a look. It may be time for an adjustment or repair.

How to treat Emerald Ash Borer infestations

Nutri-Lawn can provide treatments to help rid your trees of infestations. Our program ensures the health of your surrounding lawn and trees while applying treatment. With careful use of your sprinkler system after treatment, you can bring your ash tree back to health in no time!

For the best services and sprinkler system design and installations in Burlington, contact Nutri-Lawn today for your free quote!

Sprinkler Systems Help Conserve Water: Here's How

Nutri-Lawn provides customers with the most advanced irrigation technology available and prides itself on being a leader in water preservation. Our Burlington sprinkler systems are in the ground and designed to maximize your watering efficiency. Compared to manually watering, Burlington inground sprinklers will not only be more capable of maintaining your property, but also more capable of conserving water.

Quality Products and Installation

Nutri-Lawn offers a number of major sprinkler brands, all of which are considered leaders in water irrigation systems:

Hunter - known as one of the most innovative irrigation companies that manufacture water saving devices, this company is known for the Hunter Solar Sync and Hunter Wireless Rain Clik.
Toro – this renowned company uses innovative concepts to reduce outdoor water consumption
Rain Bird – known for weather smart irrigation, the Rain Bird ET Manager helps manage water usage

Quality components are only part of a successful Burlington sprinkler system; proper instillation is also required. Whether it is for a residential or commercial property, Nutri-Lawn has over 20 years of experience installing and servicing Burlington inground sprinklers.

It's All in the Timing

The time of day you water your lawn holds a lot of influence over how green and full your lawn will be. Unfortunately for people who work all day, watering a lawn at the correct time cannot always be a top priority. When you have a Burlington sprinkler system however, simply making a monthly change to the irrigation operation times can save more water and money.

Irrigation controllers, also called “Smart Controllers”, can automatically alter your sprinkler system's watering time depending on the needs of your plants; programming your timer so that it waters in 2-3 short cycles rather than one long period of time is a great example of how Burlington inground sprinklers can efficiently and effectively manage water output.

Water Saving Techniques

Every Nutri-Lawn Burlington inground sprinkler system includes a rain sensor, which will mechanically shut off your irrigation when Mother Nature has taken care of the watering for you. In addition, new satellite controlled timers and moisture sensors are designed to provide even more advanced and nuanced water conservation. Ask a Nutri-Lawn inground irrigation specialist for more information on these advanced systems.

Water can also be squandered via “low head drainage.” This occurs when a sprinkler system has been installed on an uneven area. After the sprinklers are turned off, the water in the pipes drains and is wasted as it often flows into the gutter or creates a muddy area around the lowest sprinkler head. The air that replaces the water will cause your sprinklers to spew air mixed with water for a short period every time they are turned on, causing stress to your system. Utilizing the professional and experienced installation crew from Nutri-Lawn Burlington means these issues will be considered before installment in order to prevent such water waste from ever occurring.

Using a Burlington inground sprinkler system is a great way to keep your lawn properly watered without being wasteful. At Nutri-Lawn, we use top quality products to assure optimal performance, manage inground irrigation, and utilize water saving innovations. Contact Nutri-Lawn today in order to learn more about our Burlington sprinkler systems. You can reach us by phone at 905-632-2077.

How To Care For A Dormant Lawn

Are you struggling with a dormant lawn this summer? Worried that your lawn isn't responding to your lawn sprinkler system? Sounds like you could be dealing with a dormant lawn. If that's the case, be careful how often you turn on your sprinkler. Follow these tips for dealing with a dormant lawn.

What is a dormant lawn?

Dormant lawns are easy to spot thanks to their yellowish-brown colour and dry texture. Your yard may also be thinner, with bald patches sporadically appearing throughout. These are signs that your grass died in the winter, yet refused to revive with the coming of spring and careful use of your lawn sprinklers.

How to tend your dormant lawn

There are a few things you can do to prevent further damage to your lawn when it's in a dormant state.

1. Don't fertilize

Remember that when your lawn is in its dormant state it's not absorbing any nutrients. Not only are you wasting fertilizer, but over-fertilization could cause even more damage.

2. Don't walk on it

Resist the urge to mow your lawn, and don't allow too many people to walk across your fragile grass. When the grass is dry and brown the roots can be easily harmed by excess pressure.

3. Let it grow

It's better to allow a dormant lawn to grow in order to keep moisture from your lawn sprinkler systems in the roots. Longer blades will provide some shade to the roots, and will be improve your turf's ability to fend off weed infestations.

4. Put the weed killers away

You should use preventative weed treatments in the spring and fall, rather than attacking your yard with herbicides during the taxing summer season.

Use your lawn sprinklers infrequently

Grass actually only requires an inch of water a week to stay healthy. Remember that deep, infrequent and long watering in the early morning will encourage strong and healthy root system growth. Short, frequent watering will create a weak root system that will not be able to withstand dry weather or diseases. Talk to one of our specialists about adjusting your lawn sprinkler system accordingly.

How to bring your lawn back to life

While leaving a dormant lawn to it's own devices is important, there are still a few measures worth implementing during this difficult time.

1. Aerate

Core aeration can help loosen the compacted soil of your yard and get rid of some unwanted thatch. The combination of compacted soil and thick thatch can actually prevent nutrients from entering your lawn over time. So loosen up – contact Nutri-Lawn today for more information. We provide high-quality core aeration services that will ensure you are getting the most out of your Burlington lawn sprinklers.

2. Overseed

It's time to refill those bald spots. Overseeding is a technique that involves adding fresh seed to your lawn in areas that are thin or balding. This again is something that should be done as a preventative measure in either spring or autumn. It will encourage thick, healthy grass, while also discouraging weeds.

For the best lawn sprinkler system assistance, request your complimentary quote from Nutri-Lawn Burlington today!

How to Treat Heat Stress in Your Burlington Lawn

Are you worried about heat stress harming your lawn this summer? Hot summer conditions can cause some serious problems to a nutrient-deprived lawn. Luckily, an inground irrigation system can help take some of the strain off of your lawn and enable long-lasting growth.

As the barometer begins to rise, here are some lawn care tips and tricks to keep in mind.

What Is Heat Stress?

Heat stress is most prevalent on lawns that are made up mainly of cool season grasses. These grass types find it extremely difficult to handle hotter temperatures. Exposure to heat and humidity causes stress, wilting, and diseases to spread in cool season grasses. What's more, these conditions are sometimes worsened with too much watering. (Worried that your sprinkler system is causing more harm than good? Nutri-Lawn’s quality maintenance inground irrigation guarantee can help you adjust your system to ensure you’re not overwatering your lawn.)

One of the biggest problems created by heat stress is the eventual degeneration of your turf's root system. The warmer the weather, the quicker your grass will deplete its nutrient storehouse, located in the roots. To create a healthy lawn, you want to make sure that your grass’s roots remain strong and well nourished.

Not sure what's plaguing your Burlington lawn? Our disease page will help you diagnosis your problem quickly and efficiently.

How To Prepare For Heat Stress

Your Burlington inground irrigation system, as well as your fertilizer treatments will work together to help protect your yard from unwanted diseases and stress. But there are other steps you can take to improve the health of your property. For starters, you can cut your grass slightly longer in order to prevent the spread of disease and improve the strength of your root structure.

The more you work towards root depth and stability, the more prepared your lawn will be to handle heat stress and humid conditions. Check out Nutri-Lawn Burlington’s maintenance services for more details on summer lawn care services. The sooner you book your appointment, the healthier your lawn will be!

How To Treat Heat Stress

Has heat stress left your lawn a little crispy? Here are some lawn maintenance routines that can easily be incorporated into your lawn maintenance routine.

1) Mowing: Less is more. Mow less frequently, avoid activity on a stressed lawn, and cut off less. A higher cut is better.
2) Inground irrigation systems: This is much like mowing, in that infrequent deep watering is better. Set your Burlington inground irrigation system to run early in the morning so that the hot afternoon sun can’t steal the water away from your yard. Make sure to watch for any wilting that may occur. For more tips, go to our watering tips page.
3) Fertilizing: If your lawn is suffering from heat stress, it’s better to refrain from fertilizing or using herbicides. It’s also best to stay away from de-thatching or core aeration, which will only stress your lawn out further.

Tips for Inground Irrigation Systems

When it comes to irrigation, long, deep, infrequent watering treatments are usually the best recipe for success. However, this isn't always the case when your lawn is suffering from extreme heat stress.

In that case, allow the first watering to be short and slow. This will moisten the lawn enough to allow the next deep and long watering to better penetrate the soil. Every watering after this should follow the rule of infrequent, long, and deep treatments.

Are you ready for another scorching summer in Burlington? Request a quote from Nutri-Lawn to learn more about our Burlington inground irrigation systems today!

What Should I Do About Lawn Drainage Issues?

Does your lawn look like Lake Huron? Sounds like you've got drainage issues! If you're interested in adjusting your Burlington lawn maintenance services to improve your lawn drainage, you may be interested in the following tips. Because, let's be honest, your lawn should look less like a riverbed and more like a yard.

Why Is This Happening?

Yards overflow simply because the water has nowhere else to go. This isn't always as simple as not having a route to drain off of – your soil could be the issue too. If you have a solid soil, like clay, the water may not be able to soak into the yard as quickly as it would with a softer soil, like loam.

It's best to figure out what kind of soil you have before you jump right into digging a drainage system. Once you know what type your soil is it will be easier to find solutions to your lawn drainage issues.

What Can I Do If It Is the Soil?

There are a few steps you can take to help drainage if your soil isn't soaking up moisture quick enough:

1) Aerate your yard. Core aeration will help your yard absorb the water quicker, as well as take in more air. Nutri-Lawn offers a core aeration service as part of their Burlington lawn maintenance programs. Aeration will loosen up the soil, making it easier for water to filter through.
2) Build up the soil. This should be done in the most problematic area. The only issue with this is that the water could then drain to another spot in your yard. Be sure that if you take this route, the rest of your yard has proper lawn drainage to support some extra water.
3) Create a pond or rain garden. This provides a space for the water to run off to, while also adding a beautiful new feature to your yard.
4) Create an underground drain or drainage well. This method works well for compacted soils that aren't accepting water. Contact Nutri-Lawn for advice or for a quote to create one of these today.
5) Add top dressing. This is the method in which compost is spread across your entire lawn to reintegrate a softer, organic aspect that will allow your yard to soak up water. Nutri-Lawn provides high quality top dressing services that will bring your soil back to health.

Other Options for Improving Lawn Drainage

If soil isn't your only problem, you may need to find other options that will work for your yard. The follow tips, when coupled with the appropriate Burlington lawn maintenance service, can work well without subtracting from the overall aesthetic of your lawn.

1) Build storm chambers on your home. By attaching these units to your roof you are allowing water to be carried away from your house underground. This will prevent the need to change the outward layout and appearance of your yard.
2) Get a rain barrel. If you place these in strategic areas where the water seems to collect most, you can prevent a build up on the ground. This also provides you with a reusable source of water, which is great for avid gardeners.

Don't try to improve your lawn drainage without first asking an expert. Contact Nutri-Lawn today for your complimentary quote.

Watering Tips for the Halton Region

For many people, a lush, green lawn is more than just a symbol of proud home ownership; it's also a pleasant place to relax or play. The downside is that, in order to achieve such a lawn, you'll need to invest in some residential lawn irrigation. However, not all watering schedules and systems are created equally; there's certainly a technique to giving your grass the Burlington lawn irrigation it needs. In addition, the Burlington and Halton region has some restrictions on when and how much you can water your grass. Read on for tips and regulations concerning your Burlington lawn irrigation

When You Can Water Your Lawn

The Halton region has regulations on when you can water your lawn during the peak summer season. However, grass does not require daily watering, so this will not adversely affect your lawn.

If your address number ends in an odd number, you can water your lawn on odd calendar days.
If your address number ends in an even number, you can water your lawn on even calendar days.

"Outdoor Water Use Restrictions" in the Halton Region

There are two types of "Outdoor Water Use Restrictions" in place in the Halton region:

Mandatory odd/even water restriction: residents are to fully cease their residential lawn irrigation while the restriction notice is active. This means no watering at all.
Voluntary odd/even water restriction: this is when Halton asks its residents to restrict their Burlington lawn irrigation and to refrain from washing driveways or sidewalks. You can choose whether you comply with this.

How Much Residential Lawn Irrigation Does My Grass Need?

When it comes to your lawn, it's best to water deeply but infrequently, as this will allow your roots to grow further down into the soil. However, there is always the risk of overwatering. If you water too much, it can create poor growing conditions and even cause common turf diseases.

That being said, there are exceptions to this rule. If your grass is growing on compacted soil or on slopes, you may need to water more frequently. Conversely, compacted soil isn't a death-sentence for your lawn. Improve air circulation in your soil by contacting Nutri-Lawn and booking a dethatching service.

The Best Time to Water Your Lawn

Early morning is the ideal time to take care of your Burlington lawn irrigation. The temperatures are cooler during this time of day, so this will minimize the risk of evaporation. While the temperature also falls in the evening, watering your grass at night could increase the risk of contracting a disease in your turf.

If your grass is growing near a tree, you may need to water that section more frequently, as the tree roots may absorb much of the soil's water.

Water when the grass needs it. Rainfall can reduce the need to water. Improve the efficiency of your residential lawn irrigation system by installing a "smart" sprinkler system. Review our water conservation tips for more information.

Other Tips to Save Water and Save on Your Water Bill

A residential lawn irrigation system can go a long way to lowering your irrigation costs. Here are a few additional tips to improve your daily watering treatment:

Position your sprinkler strategically in order to avoid watering the road or driveway. Nutri-Lawn's irrigation department can customize a residential lawn irrigation system to suit any lawn and provide optimum moisture distribution and retention. Visit our Burlington lawn irrigation department for more information on our irrigation services.
Place mulch on garden and flower beds to keep soil cool and limit moisture lost to evaporation.
Use a rain barrel to collect rainfall and use it to water your garden and flowerbeds.

Mayday Mayday! Lawn Care Tips for the Month of May

Those beautiful spring blooms decorating your shrubbery aren't the only plants that flourish during the month of May. From dandelions to crabgrass, May is a critical month for Burlington weed care and spring lawn maintenance practices. Failure to treat your lawn now could cause some serious lawn care issues down the line. So what are you waiting for? Now is the perfect time to determine how your landscape will look for the remainder of the summer.

Keep It Trim

Keeping your lawn mown helps your grass more than you may realize. This is because mowing reminds the grass to come out of winter hibernation, and it helps your turf focus its energy on blade growth, rather than just root growth.

Also, while many people believe bagging the mower helps to keep a yard neat, it's actually better to leave the clippings after a spring cutting. Grass clippings are approximately 85% water. When left to decompose on your grass, these clippings release nutrients and water back into the soil. Just be careful: if your yard becomes spongy, it could mean that you're mowing the lawn faster than the clippings can decompose. Put the bag on your mower until your grass has caught up.

One important tip to keep in mind in regards to your spring lawn maintenance is the height at which you set your lawn mower blade. Try not to cut off more than 1/3 of your grass. Never go any lower than 2 inches or 3 inches; if you mow the grass too short, you are encouraging weeds to infiltrate your lawn. This is because the root system becomes weaker if your turf is cut too short. For more details on mowing height, review our mowing tips.

Watering For Spring Grass

Contrary to popular belief, your lawn doesn't need to be watered that frequently. In fact, to encourage deeper roots - deep, long, and infrequent watering is better than short, repeated irrigation treatments.

Areas of your yard that generally get fewer than 4 hours of direct sunlight will need less watering than sunnier areas. Usually the rule of thumb is 1 inch of water, though sloping lawns may need more. Try to always water in the early morning to avoid evaporation from heat, or water being carried away with the wind. For more watering tips, go to Nutri-Lawn's watering tips page.

Remember that how much your yard needs to be watered will vary based on the soil type. To help discover what type of soil and grass you have, go to our "Your Lawn" page on our website.

Keep Those Weeds Off Your Yard

If you've fertilized, you will likely have fewer weeds to worry about than your neighbours. If you spot a few popping up on your property, and you're looking for effective Burlington weed care, try these methods:

1) Pull each out individually. While this may seem time consuming, it is the most effective and eco-friendly way to de-weed your yard. Remember to get them at the roots!
2) Pull the head off and drench it in boiling water. This method causes slightly less back pain, but is just as effective and eco-friendly.
3) Nutri-Lawn's weed removal products. You may be interested in one of our organic weed management products, such as our corn gluten meal or our Fiesta Lawn Weed Killer.

For more Burlington weed care tips, or to get your complimentary quote from Nutri-Lawn today, contact us. We'd be happy to provide you with an efficient and effective spring lawn maintenance schedule.

The Benefits of Applying Mulch to Your Lawn | Nutri-Lawn Burlington

Mulching, the technique of using dried leaves and organic matter for fertilization, is a great way to reintroduce nutrients and microbes into your Burlington property. So, instead of throwing away dead leaves, get mulching! Here are some mulching lawn maintenance tips from the experts at Nutri-Lawn Burlington.

Benefits of Including Mulch in Your Burlington Lawn Maintenance Regiment

Mulch can have a big impact on your Burlington property. For example,

Mulch suppresses weeds: mulch can inhibit weeds in two ways.
1. It covers the soil and deprives weed seeds of the light they need to germinate.
2. Bare dirt is what weeds need to germinate. If the dirt is covered with mulch, most weeds will never come in contact with the soil. For more information about how you can control weeds, check out these detailed resources on Fiesta, Corn Gluten Meal, and Mechanical Weed Removal.

Mulch helps retain moisture: maintaining a consistent level of moisture is key in any residential lawn maintenance program. A properly irrigated lawn will be less stressed and more capable of warding off insects and diseases. Mulch can also keep the soil cool during periods of hot weather. This will help keep plants alive longer during humid conditions and improve the overall health of your turf. To get yourself set up for regular watering, ask us about our Irrigation services.

Mulch feeds the soil: organic mulch breaks down over time, which will in turn add nutrients to the soil.

Popular Types of Mulch

The following types of mulch are all organic, so they will not harm the environment. Each type will bring something different to your Burlington lawn maintenance application. Here's a breakdown:

Shredded or Chipped Bark: this doesn't break down as easily, so it won't provide as much nutrition to your soil; however, this also means that you won't need to replace it as often. Some popular woods are cedar, pine, and cypress. These are useful around trees, shrubs, and on pathways.;

Chopped Leaves: if you have trees on your property, these will be plentiful and free. Simply shred them by running over them a couple of times with a lawn mower. These are ideal for perennial beds, vegetable gardens, and in mixed borders. They break down fairly quickly, so they will give your soil plenty of nutrition.

Straw: this is a popular option for vegetable gardens as well as informal paths. It breaks down fairly quickly.

Grass Clippings: another option that's both plentiful and free. The only stipulation is that the grass cannot have been treated with chemicals. Just be careful - grass tends to break down quickly, which can actually cause the soil to heat up. Grass clippings also work well in vegetable gardens.

Cocoa Hulls: this is the most expensive mulching option. With that being said, it looks very natural. Just remember to be vigilant – cocoa hulls can develop mold in humid, wet weather if left untreated.

Pine Needles: if you happen to have a pine tree in your yard, you're in luck! Pine needles are great mulching material. One word of warning: pine needle can be a bit acidic, so avoid using them near plants that don't tolerate acid soils well.

Compost: this is possibly the best natural option for your residential lawn maintenance. It has a natural look to it, provides plenty of nutrients to the soil, and increases microbial activity. You will need to replenish it at least once per year, but if you already use compost on your own, you'll have a steady supply on hand to incorporate into your Burlington lawn maintenance program.

How to Apply Mulch

When applying mulch as part of your residential lawn maintenance regiment, go crazy! Most people are far too conservative with their mulch applications, so don't hold back – pile it on! The goal is to smother weeds and retain soil moisture. Usually, a two to three inch layer of mulch is necessary.

In addition, don't push mulch up against your plants. Give plants about an inch or so of space, or else the moisture the plant holds on to could cause it to rot.

Since organic mulches break down, you will need to schedule a replenishing treatment as part of your Burlington lawn maintenance program. Plan on adding an additional inch every year, either in the spring or fall.

Make the most of your mulch! Contact Nutri-Lawn Burlington for more details on proper mulching procedures and applications.

Aerate vs. Slit Seeding – Which Should I Choose? | Nutri-Lawn Burlington

When trying to improve your lawn, do you understand the differences between, and purposes of, core aeration and slit seeding? If you don't, it's ok – you're not alone. Here's the difference between the two and how to tell which service is right for you.

How Will Aeration Help Your Burlington Turf Maintenance?

It's a common misconception that aerators simply poke holes in the surface of your turf – holes that you can then fill with grass seed in order to create a beautiful lawn. There is actually much more to the process.

Using an aerator for your residential turf maintenance actually serves more than one purpose for your lawn. The most obvious one is that it helps alleviate the compaction of your soil. Soil compaction prevents strong roots from growing in the grass and is caused by things such as construction, parked cars, heavy traffic, or anything that crushes the soil. Effects of soil compaction can last for quite some time, so if you suspect your soil is compacted, you will want to book a core aeration treatment with Nutri-Lawn to learn more about this beneficial turf maintenance service.

Once you relieve your soil of compaction, moisture (either from rainfall or Nutri-Lawn's irrigation services) will have an easier time penetrating the soil, which in turn will allow nutrients to infiltrate and mix with the soil. This results in well-nourished grass and easier residential turf maintenance.

Aeration also allows air to enter the soil. When air enters your soil, it helps improve bacterial functions, which are critical to the breakdown of organic matter. In other words, aeration helps things like grass clippings and dead or dying plants to decompose, creating food for the roots of your grass. Air is also necessary in order to transform minerals into foods that can be used by your growing grass.

How Will Slit-Seeding Help Your Residential Turf Maintenance?

Simply put, a slit-seeder creates little slits in the soil and drops seeds into the slits it makes. It operates the same way a reel-type lawnmower would. Attached to the slit-seeder are knives, which cut into your Burlington turf. The depth of the slits can be determined by adjusting the machine. How deep you can slit is also related to the hardness of the soil, which in turn is related to the soil's moisture content.

When to Use Which Service?

If your grass is already thick, all you'll need is an aerator. This will help maintain your lawn and improve nutrient distribution. Follow up this residential turf maintenance treatment with Nutri-Lawn's fertilization services.

If your soil is fine, but the grass is thin, Nutri-Lawn's slit-seeding services will bring back the thick, green lawn you remember.

If your lawn is both spotty and the soil is compacted, then only using either the aerator of the slit-seeder won't completely solve your problem. As such, a great idea for healthier grass is to first aerate and allow some moisture to penetrate the soil. After that, contact Nutri-Lawn about their slit-seeding services to give your grass a lush look.

Worried that your Burlington turf is beyond repair? Then consider an overseeding treatment. This new turf maintenance treatment is specially designed for resurrecting a lane in bad shape.

When it comes to lawns, we've seen it all – contact a turf maintenance representative today from Nutri-Lawn Burlington for a personal consultation.

Tips to Keep in Mind When Watering Your Turf | Nutri-Lawn Burlington

Grass is a living thing that needs water. As such, watering should be an important part of your Burlington lawn maintenance and irrigation plan. However, if your watering techniques are wrong, your residential irrigation could be doing more harm than good – to the extent that it could kill your grass. To keep your lawn vibrant, green, and healthy, keep these points in mind.

Your Lawn Type Will Determine Your Burlington Irrigation System Needs

Different species of grass have different watering needs and you need to adjust your residential irrigation accordingly. Some grasses will need a more intense watering schedule, while too much moisture may harm other types. To ensure that you are watering your lawn correctly, talk with the lawn care experts at Nutri-Lawn. Contact them today to find out more!

The Best Residential Irrigation Techniques

In order for your grass to develop healthy roots, you will need the right type of watering technique. If you time your residential irrigation so that you water in frequent, yet short intervals, your lawn will grow shallow roots, resulting in a weak root system. Your grass will benefit the most from less frequent, but deeper watering schedules. This will thoroughly soak the root beds and contribute to strong root development.

Your Burlington Irrigation System Schedule

The time of day can make a big impact on the effectiveness of your watering application and the health of your lawn. Watering late in the evening or at night will conserve water, but it can also result in an unhealthy fungal growth to occur on your property.

Afternoon watering is convenient, but any water will quickly evaporate due to the warm weather, as opposed to being absorbed by the lawn.

By process of elimination, the best time to water your yard is thus early in the morning. Early morning watering conserves water, reduces the fungal growth that comes with evening watering, and it allows your grass time to soak up the water before the afternoon heat can cause it to evaporate.

How to Conserve Water

When implementing your Burlington irrigation systems, remember to keep water conservation in mind. This will not only help you reduce your utility bill, but it will also help your prepare for potential irrigation limits during the hot summer months. While watering, aim for early morning and remember to equip your Burlington irrigation system with a weather-smart gauge.

The Best Quality

If you have a well system, it might be a good idea to have your water quality checked. If your water has too much mineral content or an alkaline pH, it could have an impact on the water and moisture requirements for your property.

The Ultimate Solution

Nutri-Lawn's irrigation systems are the ideal solution for your watering needs. Our inground irrigation systems feature an automatic sprinkler design that can be installed directly into your property. Efficient, effective and economical, these inground sprinkler systems are designed to streamline your daily irrigation requirements. Simply set it and forget it! Your sprinkler system can be programmed to come on only when necessary, and will distribute only as much water as your lawn requires.

Inground irrigation can really improve your Burlington lawn care practices. For more information on a custom Nutri-Lawn irrigation system, please contact our offices directly.

How to Develop a Lawn Maintenance Schedule that Works | Nutri-Lawn Burlington

Lawns that are as lush, green, and as well-kept as golf course turf requires a regular lawn maintenance program in order to keep the grass healthy. Starting in the spring and ending in the late fall, there are a few things you can do to improve your Burlington lawn maintenance and ensure that it stays attractive all season long. These things include watering, fertilizing, mowing, dethatching, and aeration. The following are some hints that will help you develop a lawn maintenance program will leave your grass looking fresh all year long.

Your Burlington Lawn Maintenance Starts With Mowing

Mowing is the most essential lawn care service you can have. The grass blade is the area in which photosynthesis happens (where the plant turns sunshine into food) so it is important that you pay close attention to this area. The key is to mow frequently and leave the grass longer so it can access those nutrients. Aim for once per week.

Food for Thought

Another ritual that's fairly basic and easy to establish is fertilizing. Fertilizing gives your lawn the nutrients it needs; however there can be too much of a good thing. Over-fertilizing will do more harm than good. Aim for bi-annual feedings in the spring and fall.

Ditch that Hose – Get an Inground Sprinkler System!

For those who live in dry areas or whose soil doesn't hold water well, irrigation could be an essential part of their Burlington lawn maintenance. Regular water – whether it's Mother Nature or an in-ground irrigation system doing it – will help your lawn stay strong and equip it to better withstand drought and disease. If your soil has a tough time hanging on to water, that doesn't mean you're doomed to brown, dried out grass. It just means that you need to have one of our experts install some inground irrigation in your lawn.

Once installed, you'll want to set the sprinklers so that they water the grass for longer periods of time, but less frequently. If you go for frequent shallow waterings, your turf's root system won't be able to dig in deep, which could cause issues down the line.

Make Aeration a Part of Your Springtime Lawn Maintenance Program

If your grass is planted in clay soil or is subject to a lot of foot traffic, it will become compacted and cut off the root system from nutrients and oxygen circulation. This, in turn, makes water absorption more difficult. The solution is to ask the experts at Nutri-Lawn Burlington about aeration. This process will remove plugs of soil to give your grass room to grow. Aim to keep your aeration schedule in line with your fertilizing schedule: bi-annually and in the late spring and early fall.

Get Rid of the Thatch

Over the season, your lawn will accumulate dead plant matter, otherwise known as " thatch." When it builds up enough, it smothers your grass, foiling any of your Burlington lawn maintenance efforts. A solution to the thatch problem is to remove the thatch annually using Nutri-Lawn's dethatching services. Typically this is integrated into the lawn maintenance program in the early spring or late fall.

Need help establishing a lawn maintenance schedule that works with your Burlington property? Then give us a call at 905-632-2077 – one of our Burlington lawn care experts will be happy to assist you.

Diagnosing and Treating Soil Compaction

Imagine trying to plant a garden on top of cement. Sounds impossible, right? Well, that's exactly what you'll be trying to do this spring if you spread grass seed on compacted soil. Soil that is heavily compacted can be a potentially deadly problem for your property, especially if left untreated this spring. Don't let a rock solid lawn ruin your chances at a lush, vibrant yard this summer. Contact Nutri-Lawn and book your spring Burlington lawn care services now.

What is Soil Compaction?

To answer this question, we must first take a closer look at soil itself. The soil in your lawn is made up of many different elements, including air, water, mineral particles, organic matter, insects, and more. Your grass relies on each of these elements in order to grow properly. As such, whenever one of these elements is out of balance, the entire system falls apart. The soil becomes disrupted, along with the health of any of the plants growing within it. Soil compaction is one of the main reasons a soil can become unbalanced. When the soil particles are squished together, or compacted, the structure becomes compromised. Compaction removes spaces for air and water, making it more difficult for plants to grow.

How to Tell If Your Lawn is Suffering from Compaction

Does your lawn feel hard? If the answer is yes, it's likely suffering from compaction issues. Soil that is not compacted will have a springy feel to it. Furthermore, lawn grass will not grow in compacted soil, so scan your property for patchy spots. If you find any, try and dig a small hole. If your shovel has difficulty penetrating the soil, it's probably compacted. Finally, if the infected space is in an area of high traffic, there's no doubt about it – your soil is definitely compacted.

How to Loosen Up Your Soil

Luckily, alleviating soil compaction is relatively easy. The best treatments involve the following Burlington lawn care services:

Aerating: Lawn aeration involves the removal of small soil plugs, better known as "cores" from your lawn. Core aeration can benefit your lawn by increasing water, nutrient and oxygen movement within compacted soil. Aeration will also improve lawn rooting, enhance infiltration of rainfall or irrigation, and increase microorganism activity within the soil.
Applying an Organic Top Dressing: An organic top dressing application will provide your turf with a wide variety of essential nutrients vital to overall plant health. An organic top dressing will also improve your turf's ability to retain water, which will help loosen up compacted soil even more.

What Not to Do

If you're suffering from a compacted soil issue don't, under any circumstance, simply add a layer of topsoil to the affected area. While this will provide you with a temporary fix, it will only lead to future lawn care issues. The differing soil textures will only cause more problems by interfering with water movement and root spread.

Adding sand to compacted soil is another big mistake. Adding sand to clayey soil could actually cause your soil to compact even more. The more sand you add, the harder your soil will become, creating a slew of future lawn care problems.

Finally, avoid adding gypsum (also known as calcium sulphate) to hardened soil. Continually adding sulphur to your lawn could cause the pH to become extremely unbalanced, creating even more lawn care maintenance issues.

Long-term landscape management and ongoing Burlington lawn care services will help protect your lawn from soil compaction both now and in the future. For more information, or to book your spring Burlington lawn care services, please call 800.599.7509.

Benefits of a Well-Maintained Lawn

Now that spring is right around the corner, you're probably wondering whether or not you should renew your Burlington lawn maintenance services for another year. While you love the results that Nutri-Lawn provides, you're probably wondering if it's really worth the added upkeep. Take it from our staff of professional lawn care providers: the answer is yes! Having a well-maintained lawn does more than simply improve the appearance of your property. A lush, green, even, and healthy lawn will improve the value of your home and provide a better environment for you and your family to live.

When it comes time to renew your Burlington lawn maintenance contract, remember these important benefits:

It's less expensive to maintain a well-cared-for lawn.
Continual lawn care maintenance is the secret to lower upkeep costs. From core aeration in the spring to dethatching and power raking in the fall, these regular lawn care practices will help reduce the potential for common lawn care issues. Not only will you end up with fewer weeds, your Burlington lawn will also be protected from harmful diseases, insects and pests. Investing in consistent lawn maintenance saves you from spending exorbitant amounts on emergency treatments.

It increases the look and value of your home.
Thinking about putting your home on the market this summer? Ongoing lawn maintenance could be the icing on top of a great purchase offer! A healthy lawn is one of the first things potential homebuyers will see when they visit your property, so make sure you're giving a great first impression. Statistics have shown that fixing your lawn can help increase the value of your property by upwards of 14% and speed the sale up by 6 weeks.

It improves air quality.
Healthy grass doesn't just look good; it also does great things for the environment. A beautiful green lawn traps carbon and releases oxygen, helping to improve the air quality of your neighbourhood. Healthy grass will also help improve the health of your soil, which supports other oxygen producing plant and tree life.

It reduces harmful erosion.
Regular lawn maintenance prevents topsoil from being carried away through wind and water erosion. A thick and healthy lawn will improve water retention and prevent topsoil from being washed or blown away. A strong, dense root network is able to hold the soil in place.

It reduces noise pollution.
Did you know that planting grass on the rooftop of an urban building will not only help cool the building, but it will also cut down on the surrounding noise? If you live in a high traffic area, keeping a well-maintained lawn could help inspire some peace and calm in your neighbourhood.

There are many benefits to continual lawn care maintenance. From quality of life to sound financial investments, there's no denying the potential of a pristine lawn. For more information on Burlington lawn maintenance services, contact a Nutri-Lawn representative now. But don't delay – our spring lawn maintenance calendar is already starting to fill up!

Start Thinking About Spring Lawn Care

You've got to admit, it's hard to argue with the weather we've been having here in Burlington this winter. The unusually warm temperatures have been wonderful, which probably has you thinking about your lawn and the upcoming spring lawn care season. While it's still quite early for actual lawn care services, it's always good to plan ahead. Early season lawn care will have a big impact on how your lawn will look for the rest of the year. Just don't be hasty. The key to spring Burlington lawn care is that your lawn must have plenty of opportunity to come back to life during the early spring months.

Begin With the End

Believe it or not, the best time to start your Burlington lawn care is in late fall, just before your turf goes dormant. During the winter, the grass will germinate itself and get itself in good shape to grow like a weed when the temperature starts climbing. With that being said, just because you serviced your lawn in fall doesn't mean you're off the hook when the spring maintenance season arrives. If you're unsure whether or not your lawn received proper treatment last fall, it's best to proceed as if it had no winter preparation at all.

Don't Start Too Early on Your Burlington Lawn Care

Now that you're thinking about your lawn care requirements, you might be eager to take advantage of the warm weather and get started right away. Try to control your excitement! If you tear out the door with a rake and fertilizer in hand now, you could risk killing new grass shoots before they mature. It's always best to wait until your lawn is mostly green before you try aerating or resume mowing.

If you simply must be proactive with your grass now, then why not learn more about our core aeration services? Come spring, our services book up pretty quickly, so the sooner you make an appointment, the better!

Kick Off Your Burlington Lawn Care with Raking

You probably put your lawn to sleep for its long winter's nap in the fall with a good, solid raking. In the spring, it's good to begin your Burlington lawn care with the exact same treatment. By raking, you can pull up any thatch that has accumulated over the winter when the grass was less springy. This also allows you to identify any dead spots or compacted areas. When lawns become compacted, you need to perform core aeration to loosen the soil. This will allow the soil to breathe and the turf to grow easily again.

If you're looking to give your lawn the royal treatment, take a look at our power raking services. It's like a spa treatment for your grass!

Make Sure the Soil is Properly Balanced

You can find do-it-yourself soil pH tests at most home improvement stores and garden centres. This test is a valuable tool, as winters can cause the pH levels of your soil to dip into danger levels of acidity. Grass has difficulty thriving in acidic soil, so make sure after raking, you including a pH test in your Burlington lawn care regiment.

Fertilize Your Lawn

If you fertilized your lawn in the fall, you likely won't need to treat it again this spring. Most grasses usually do a good job of holding on to the nutrients during the cooler months. If you neglected to feed your lawn in the fall, make sure you book an organic top-dressing treatment with Nutri-Lawn for early April. This will provide your property with the essential nutrients it needs to make a full and speedy recovery.

Spring lawn care season is just around the corner. Contact Nutri-Lawn Burlington today to book your spring lawn care maintenance services now.

What To Do If Your Lawn Has Winterkill

It doesn't take a lot of snow to hurt a healthy Burlington lawn. Winter can be unforgiving to even the healthiest turf, so don't be shocked if you notice some dead patches on your property come spring. Winterkill can occur under a variety of conditions, wreaking havoc on what was once a hearty lawn.

What is Winterkill?

Winterkill refers to any severe damage or death sustained by your turf during the winter months. While winterkill is worse following extreme winter conditions, it's not uncommon to see similar damage following a period of unseasonable warmth. If your lawn has experienced prolonged periods of stress prior to the dormant winter season (i.e. drought or malnutrition in the fall) it will be far more susceptible to the devastating effects of winterkill

What Causes Winterkill?

Winterkill is most likely to appear under the following circumstances:

Icy conditions – Winterkill loves to spread and fester beneath icy patches. If the weather forecast calls for snow, followed by warm temperatures, then freezing temperatures, expect to see plenty of ice coverage on your Burlington property. If the ice persists for more than 30 days, your lawn could be in jeopardy.

Snow cover – As counterintuitive as it may seem snow is actually a great insulator. As such, a persistent snow cover can easily create warmer, insulated conditions along the grass line. This could result in the development of grey or pink mould, a common symptom of winterkill.

Unprotected grass – Grass that is left bare during the winter can become desiccated or dried out when exposed to blustery winter winds and extremely cold temperatures.

Hard Soil Can Contribute to Winterkill

One of the main contributing factors to winterkill is hard soil. Grass roots require moist, nutrient-rich soil to grow. Hard, compacted soil makes it difficult for turf roots to take hold. As a result, your grass cannot flourish in the spring.

Soil can compact for any variety of reasons, including heavy foot traffic, parked cars, or prolonged periods of construction. Unfortunately, the effects of compacted soil can be long-term – in some cases, it can take as long as 40 years for the turf to fully recover.

To combat a compacted lawn, first contact the professionals at Nutri-Lawn Burlington. Their team of professionals will likely recommend an aeration treatment for your rock-solid turf. This will help loosen up the soil and improve airflow. Following the aeration, make sure to "feed" your lawn with a nutrient-rich topcoat. This will help replenish the soil and speed up the recovery process.

A little proactive planning can also help you avoid the onset of hard soil. The trick? Setting your Burlington inground sprinkler system properly. Insufficient water during the months of July-October can greatly increase how susceptible your lawn will be to winterkill. Maintaining a vigorous watering schedule during the late summer and autumn months will help keep your lawn hydrated and healthy during the long winter season.

Worried your lawn might fall victim to winterkill? Now's the time to contact Nutri-Lawn Burlington to book your spring lawn care services and cure for winterkill.

We Nourish Lawns and Lives

Building a better future

As part the Re:nourish program, a volunteer group of dedicated individuals from Nutri-Lawn traveled to San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic for the second time, where, in accordance with Nutri-Lawn philosophy, they continued their efforts to improve the environment and lives of village residents.

Read the mississauga.com article.

How to Sow Grass Seed for the Best Results | Nutri-Lawn Burlington

How to Sow Grass Seed for the Best Results

Patchy lawns are always problematic. Not only do they look bad, but they can also be a hotbed for disease, pests, and other common lawn care problems. If you have trouble with sparse grass coverage, or are considering grassing in an old garden area on your property, now's the time to act. Fall (beginning in mid-August and continuing until the end of September) is often the best time to sow new grass seed, as the seedbed is less likely to dry out at this time of year, and there is still plenty of time for your lawn to become established before winter. Not sure how to properly sow grass seed in your Burlington lawn? Don't worry! The following tips and tricks for sowing lawn seed are provided by the lawn care and residential sprinkler system experts at Nutri-Lawn and apply to bother overseeding applications and new lawn installations.

Four Things to Consider Before Sowing Grass Seed

The automatic sprinkler system installation experts at Nutri-Lawn always advise their lawn care clients of four important factors when sowing grass seed:

Drainage
Soil quality
Seedbed preparation
Choice of seed, fertility and moisture

Drainage and Soil Quality

Poor drainage can cause major problems for new grass seed, so always make sure that you properly level the area prior to spreading any seed. If possible, try and spread the soil so that it has a gentle slope away from any buildings. In order to avoid soil erosion, try and stay away from any steep slopes or terraces. The automatic sprinkler system installers at Nutri-Lawn also recommend investing in a hearty helping of topsoil to spread across the surface of the seedbed. For best results, try and spread a layer that is between 12 and 15 centimetres deep.

Prepping the Area for Planting

The seedbed will need to be well raked and levelled prior to spreading any seed. This will help remove any depressions that could hold surface water, drowning the fragile seeds. Once everything looks to be nice and flat, apply a good quality fertilizer, preferably one that is high in phosphorus. This will assist in the development of a healthy root system. Grab your rake one more time to ensure that the fertilizer is evenly distributed.

Choosing and Planting the Proper Grass Seed

It pays to select a good quality grass seed, so don't just grab any old bag off the hardware shelf! The residential sprinkler system experts at Nutri-Lawn recommend selecting a variety with at least two different kinds of seed. The type of seed to look for will depend on the sun and shade conditions of your yard (for more help with this selection, contact a lawn care technician at Nutri-Lawn). When spreading your seed, it's always best to use a mechanical spreader. This will help ensure that your coverage is even. Apply half of the seed travelling back and forth. Reposition yourself at a 90 degree angle prior to distributing the balance of the seed. Once the seeds have been sown, make sure that you keep the seedbed dark with moisture until the grass is growing out of the soil. This may require you to bump up the watering settings on your automatic sprinkler system.

Tending Your Grass Seed

The residential sprinkler system installers at Nutri-Lawn recommend avoiding cutting your new lawn until it has grown to a height of 6 to 8 centimetres. When it is time to cut it, don't go any lower than 4 centimetres. If you have been careful to put down good topsoil, weeds should not be a big problem in your lawn. Some careful hand weeding may be required for the first few weeks. After the new lawn has become established, you may wish to contact Nutri-Lawn for more information on environmentally-friendly weed treatments.

Sowing new grass seed can sometimes seem like an exact science. To ensure that your lawn makes the grade, contact a lawn care and automatic sprinkler system specialist at Nutri-Lawn for more tips and advice.

Get a Handle on Your High Maintenance Lawn

Remember when you first installed your lawn, how lush and beautiful it looked? Your yard was the envy of the neighbourhood and the best part – you didn't have to do anything about it! Your lawn looked perfect. And then reality hit and you learned that your seemingly simple yard was actually a high maintenance monster. In order to keep it green, manicured, and homogenous, you spent hours behind the mower. You weeded, edged, fertilized, and watered. In fact, you spent more time taking care of your lawn than you did enjoying it! Caring for a high maintenance law is time-consuming, costly, and resource intensive – so ditch your yard diva with some low maintenance alternatives from Nutri-Lawn.

What is a Low Maintenance Lawn?

Conventional lawns are typically made up of a small number of fine turf grasses. These grasses are normally selected primarily for their attractiveness. Unfortunately, keeping these grasses looking luxurious requires constant attention and irrigation from your inground sprinkler system. A low maintenance lawn, on the other hand, is made up of a more diverse mix of hardy, drought-tolerant, and slow-growing turf grasses and fescues. These species are great because they require less mowing, fertilizing, and watering.

High or Low – Which Way Should You Go?

High maintenance lawns look amazing, but at what cost? The following are few of the problems associated with conventional lawns:

They require an awful lot of water to look good. Municipal water consumption doubles in the summer months, mainly as a result of lawn and garden watering. High maintenance lawns require constant attention and irrigation from an inground sprinkler system. This excess consumption lowers water tables and reduces stream flows, which affects fish and aquatic life. Low maintenance lawns, on the other hand, require less water from your inground sprinkler system.

They produce more air and noise pollution thanks to constant mowing. A meticulously manicured lawn can often require mowing at least once a week. If you use a gasoline or electric powered motor, you're responsible for a variety of air and noise pollutants. Low maintenance lawns grow slower than conventional lawns and thus require significantly fewer mowing treatments.

Increased fertilizer requirements. High maintenance grasses don't always adapt well to Burlington soil types. As such, homeowners need to invest in multiple fertilizer treatments in order to keep their yard looking lush. Low maintenance lawns include a mix of grasses that are best suited to the soil type on your property, so you won't have to spend extra time or money keeping it alive.

Watery Benefits of Low Maintenance Lawns

Low maintenance lawns can help reduce your inground irrigation system use dramatically. When you first install a low maintenance lawn, make sure that your automatic sprinkler system is set to come on regularly. This will help ensure that the grass seeds are well saturated and capable of becoming established. Once the lawn is rooted, and if you have selected species well-suited to your site's moisture conditions, your lawn should only require small doses of water throughout the summer.

While low maintenance lawns typically appear less uniform than conventional lawns, they require only a fraction of the effort and cost to take care of. If you're interested in learning more about the irrigation and maintenance benefit of this alternative lawn covering, contact the automatic sprinkler system installers and lawn care experts at Nutri-Lawn. Low maintenance lawns are a snap to care for when paired with a high-efficiency inground sprinkler system, so what are you waiting for? Ditch your diva lawn for an affordable alternative with help from the experts at Nutri-Lawn.

Five Steps to Natural Lawn Care in Burlington | Nutrilawn Burlington

Five Steps to Natural Lawn Care in Burlington

Keeping your lawn looking healthy can be tough, especially since the Ontario-wide ban on pesticides was put into place in 2009. Luckily, the lawn care experts at Nutri-Lawn know exactly how to keep your property looking lush naturally. Good planning, efficient irrigation, and frequent monitoring will help you establish a beautiful lawn even without the use of pesticides. The following are five simple tips that every homeowner can follow in order to improve the look of their lawn.

Get Your Mow On

Did you know that your lawn should be mowed at a height of 6 1/4 to 7 1/2 centimetres (2 1/2 to 3 inches)? Raising your mower blade even the tiniest bit will help encourage the development of a deeper grass root system. This will naturally help crowd out weeds and prevent the germination of weed seeds. Hate raking your lawn clippings after an afternoon of mowing? Then leave 'em! Leaving the grass clippings on your lawn will help return nitrogen to the soil, a nutrient that's vital to your lawn's health.

Make the Most of Your Fertilizer Treatments

No two lawns are the same, so why treat your lawn with a generic fertilizer treatment? The lawn care and residential sprinkler specialists at Nutri-Lawn Burlington recommend checking the pH levels of your soil regularly and applying a fertilizer treatment that helps balance the nutrient needs of your property. Remember, just like you and I, lawns need regular meals (fertilizer) throughout the April to October growing season.

Enhance Your Irrigation

A residential sprinkler system is your best defence against many common lawn diseases. Simply set your system and forget about it! For optimum irrigation, set your residential sprinkler system to come on in the early morning before the heat of the day sets in. Remember, your lawn requires 2.5 centimetres of water per week. Pay close attention to how much water you're applying to your property. Under-watering will promote shallow root growth and weaken your lawn. Over-watering can promote the development of many lawn diseases and will leach nutrients from the soil. Grass grows best on well-drained soil or in partial shade. Consider including shrubs and trees in your landscaping to help add an extra layer of protection in areas that receive direct sunlight.

Improve Your Aeration

Aerating compact soil in the spring and fall will help improve root development. Aeration will also make things easier on your residential sprinkler system as moisture will have no trouble getting deep into the soil. The lawn care and irrigation specialists at Nutri-Lawn also recommend adding a nutrient rich top dressing shortly after aerating your lawn. The organic matter will quickly seep into the soil and improve the health of your lawn.

Utilize Approved Biopesticides

Nutri-Lawn offers a number of environmentally-friendly weed and insect controls that are perfectly formulated for Ontario properties. Top treatments from Nutri-Lawn include Fiesta Weed Killer, corn gluten meal, beneficial nematodes, and kelp biostimulants.

Having trouble understanding the wide variety of natural lawn care treatments currently on the market? We can help! Contact a representative from Nutri-Lawn today to schedule your complimentary lawn care consultation.