After a long winter, your lawn in Frederick, MD needs TLC. Lawn Squad® wants to help your lawn thrive. As temperatures change, days get longer, and your grass begins to grow, it is time to schedule integral lawn services.
Proper aeration, overseeding, and fertilization will prepare your lawn to thrive throughout spring, summer, and early fall. We are here to walk you through the services to bring your lawn back to life after winter.
Aeration: Improving Compacted Soil
Winter’s cold temperatures, ice, and snow can cause your lawn to suffer from compaction. Compacted soil restricts air and water flow, hindering growth and making your lawn susceptible to pests and diseases.
Early to mid-spring is an excellent time for aeration. The soil is thawing, making aeration much easier. Core aeration is the most common treatment. A specialized tool removes small plugs of soil, creating openings for water and nutrients to reach your lawn’s roots.
Overseeding: Filling in the Gaps
Overseeding involves sewing seeds over an existing lawn to create density and fill gaps. Enhancing your lawn’s color, depth, and growth is affordable without a complete lawn renovation.
While spring overseeding is possible, fall is typically the best time in Frederick due to cooler temperatures, fewer weeds, and ideal growing conditions for seed establishment. If you choose to overseed in spring, timing and proper watering are key to success. You should complete aeration before overseeding. The soil is softer in the spring, and aeration prepares it for overseeding.
We can recommend the best grass seed for your lawn, including Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, or perennial ryegrass. Selecting the right grass for Maryland’s unique climate will help you have a beautiful and colorful lawn.
Lawn Disease Control: Prevent Springtime Problems
Rising temperatures and spring rains create the ideal conditions for many lawn diseases. Taking proactive steps now can help prevent diseases in the future.
Watch for Signs of Diseases
It is essential to watch for signs of diseases in your lawn to prevent widespread damage. These are the most common lawn diseases in Frederick:
- Red Thread
- Dollar Spot
- Brown Patch
Brown patch is a fungal disease that affects perennial rye and tall fescue. The Rhizoctonia solani fungus causes it to develop.
Clarireedia jacksonii causes Dollar Spot to develop. It thrives in warm, humid environments with cooler nights and heavy dew. The signs of Dollar Spot are small, round, bleached lawn areas.
Red thread is also a fungal disease that impacts Frederick’s lawns. Laetisaria fuciformis causes reddish-pinkish thread-like growths on grass blades.
Improving air circulation is the best way to prevent fungal lawn diseases. You need to aerate your lawn, mow it at the right height, and ensure proper drainage. These steps help prevent excessive moisture, which provides ideal conditions for fungi to grow.
When lawn fungus becomes a problem, we can help. Lawn Squad® has many years of experience diagnosing and treating various lawn diseases. We offer tailored treatment plans to combat your lawn’s fungal growth. Our team also provides ongoing monitoring to protect your lawn.
Fertilization: Boosting Growth After Winter
Grass goes into a dormant state during the winter. Lawns need awakening after winter for growth in spring.
The right fertilizer provides your grass with valuable nutrients that help stimulate new growth. A balanced nitrogen-rich fertilizer can lead to strong, green blades of grass growth.
Fertilize only after the last danger of frost, usually around April 27. Fertilizing during the active growth period will help ensure success. We can help you develop a fertilization schedule that meets your lawn’s unique needs for consistent growth.
Weed Control: Early Prevention
Weeds detract from the beauty of your lawn, and some can be dangerous to your furry friends. Spring in Frederick brings weeds along with grass growth. Weed control is critical for a thriving lawn because weeds can steal nutrients from your grass and crowd out healthy growth.
Pre-emergent treatments are the first line of weed control. We usually apply pre-emergent treatments in early spring, before the soil temperature rises above 55. A pre-emergent herbicide can help prevent crabgrass from forming.
If the weeds have already grown, you will need post-emergent herbicides. Spot treatment with these herbicides kills the weeds without harming the grass growth.
Keeping your Frederick lawn mowed to the correct height, usually 3 to 4 inches, is also helpful. Grass at this height can help prevent weed growth by denying emerging weeds the sunlight they need, choking their growth. Our lawn experts will happily plan a lawn mowing schedule for you to create the most beautiful lawn possible.
Grub Control: Stop the Damage
Grubs are a menace to lawns that typically go unnoticed until they cause severe damage. Spotting these early signs can help you take immediate action to protect your lawn.
- Brown patches
- Loose grass
- Soft, spongy ground feel
- Increased wildlife activity
Grubs emerge in the spring. They are the larvae of insects such as Japanese beetles, European chafers, southern masked chafers, and June beetles. These pests feed on lawn roots and can cause severe damage.
We include grub control in our VitaminLawn Program. Prevention is the best defense. For effective control, products containing chlorantraniliprole can be applied in spring. Imidacloprid is typically applied in early summer to target young grubs before significant damage occurs. We can assess your lawn and determine the best course of action.
Fire Ants and Mole Crickets: Protect Your Lawn and Household
If a fire ant has ever bitten you, you know how they got their name! These venomous ants are aggressive and will attack when their nest is disturbed. They can swarm a human in seconds, biting in quick succession. Although they usually produce only temporary trouble, the painful welts and blisters they leave behind cause intense pain and itching.
Fire ants can also destroy your lawn. Their mounds can extend up to 20 feet deep into the ground and 8 feet across in all directions, making them damaging and difficult to destroy. Early detection and treatment are critical to protecting your home and lawn.
While not dangerous to humans or pets, mole crickets can destroy lawns. These pests burrow into the ground like moles and feed on roots and seedlings, creating bare patches. If you notice yellowing grass, spongy turf, and disturbed soil, you could have a mole cricket problem. A professional assessment can help us identify your pests and create a tailored treatment plan.
Bring Your Lawn Back to Life
Setting your lawn up for success requires a multistep approach. Aeration, overseeding, and fertilization are the hallmarks of a beautiful lawn. Still, seeking treatment for fungal diseases and pests is essential because they can destroy your lawn one root at a time.
Early spring is the best time to take action to protect grass growth during the summer months. It is also essential to seek professional lawn services throughout the year. Ongoing lawn care can give you a beautiful, protected lawn. From the dormant phase to active growth, Lawn Squad® offers the lawn care services Frederick home and business owners need.
Lawn Squad® crafts stunning landscapes that are healthy and full of vibrant growth. We provide various lawn care services, including aeration, overseeding, weed treatment, and pest control. Our lawn techs are highly experienced and certified. We understand that landscapes differ, so we tailor our services to meet your needs. We can help you keep your yard looking beautiful all year long!
Call our technicians at Lawn Squad® to schedule lawn care services in Frederick.
