Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect following lawn care treatment?

After lawn care treatment, expect your lawn to darken and thicken. Weeds will begin to struggle and then die within 7-14 days. Some tougher to control weeds, like wild violet, may require more than one treatment for total eradication. Lawns that have been treated previously will respond faster than lawns that are being treated for the first time. Brand new lawns will improve gradually with each visit but also may require a full year of treatment to achieve total nutrient and weed control for most issues.

Can I achieve the same results using store-bought lawn care products?

No. Store-bought lawn care products will only yield 40-50% of the results that Green Image Lawn Care will achieve. Before application, our team of professional will diagnose and then recommend treatment with professionally developed and expertly formulated products. To combat tough weeds, we have access to professional use only products that will eradicate the issue. Products are just a part of great results. Product application must occur at the seasonally appropriate time using properly calibrated equipment in an environmentally friendly manner. Hiring Green Image Lawn Care will protect your investment in your lawn.

Why is soil testing so important and what does it tell us?

The pH plays an important part of the solubility of nutrients or minerals in the soil. Did you know that 14 out of the 17 plant needed nutrients are more readily available in the soil at the correct pH? In the world of Turf Grass Science, we prefer to have a slightly acidic soil pH. Usually in the range of 6.6-6.8 for our area and grass types utilized. When your soil pH is in this range, you will have unlocked the potential for your soil chemistry to work at the highest level. Also, it will allow our balanced fertilizer nutrient inputs to be utilized to their highest ability giving you the most value out of your seasonal scheduled feedings. It is important to pull a soil test every couple of years. If you have not performed one yet, we highly recommend that you start with a soil test. The soil pH will change over time from rain events that leach away basic ions such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. Also, root respiration will have an effect over time too on the soil pH on your property. The process of taking a soil sample is simple but most be done correctly to receive the correct results. The process will start with your lawn care company pulling various plugs throughout your property. It is important to take samples throughout the entire property at roughly a six-inch soil depth to get a general reading of what is occurring in your soil. Your soil can have slightly different chemistries from one location then other. Any reputable lawn care company will follow this practice and by doing so, will a lot the correct results from the soil testing lab. If you notice this practice is not being followed, it can be a warning sign that your current lawn care provider does not have the correct understanding on how to pull soil samples and potentially interrupt the results correctly to give you the correct analysis. To summarize our discussion, for the small cost of soil test, it provides a wealth of knowledge to get your outdoor living space optimized to its highest potential for you and your family to enjoy. Since you are already making a yearly investment in your lawn care, why not have it firing on all cylinders available in your complex soil ecosystem!

Does my lawn really need fertilizer to be healthy?

Yes. Lawns are a living organism. Much like humans need to eat right, drink water, and exercise frequently, lawns need fertilizer to stay healthy. Properly timed fertilization reduces weeds and wards off disease. A healthy lawn absorbs carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and collects and filters pollution. Strong roots also prevent erosion by channeling rainwater. It even absorbs heat, reducing the effect of hot weather. Turf will also reduce pollution by absorbing dust and dirt from the air. Investing in your lawn is investing in the environment.

Do I need a preventative grub treatment?

A preventative grub treatment is an insurance policy for your lawn. Applications are started in mid-June, the treatment guards against potential grub damage later in the season. Pair the treatment with a summer stress fertilizer. In most cases, because grubs feed on the roots, a problem cannot be detected until damage is observed. This results in costly corrective treatments plus repair to the damaged areas

How much time does the average lawn care application take?

On average, it takes 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the property. While our technicians complete the schedule service, they also look for additional issues that may be affecting your lawn, such as insects, disease, and cultural practices. Before leaving the property, the technicians make note of any concerns or recommendations that are instantly accessible to you on the online portal through our website.

Are there any mowing restrictions before a treatment?

No. You can mow the day before a scheduled treatment.

How long should I stay off my lawn after a lawn care application?

Stay off your lawn for about an hour after treatment to make sure any weed control applications have dried. Once the material is dry, it is tightly bound to the applied surface. Over time, microbes naturally break down the product. After an hour, the only restriction is not to mow for a day. If you want to err on the side of caution, stay off your lawn for a full 24 hours.

How soon can I mow after a lawn care application?

This is a common question we are asked. They good news is that you do not want to mow the day of the application. There is no restrictions to mow the day before or after our visit.

What is the proper mowing height?

Change your mowing height according to the season. In spring and summer, set your lawn mower height at three and a half (3.5) to three and three-quarter (3.75) inches. This height maximizes your grass’s natural ability to produce energy and to manage drought stress. The lower you mow, the greater the stress is on your lawn because of the shorter roots. A stressed lawn is more susceptible to disease. When the temperatures drop in the fall and winter, it is safe to reduce your mowing height to three (3) inches. Lowering the height facilitates leaf cleanup and reduces the risk of winter disease. Whatever the season, never cut more than one-third (1/3) of the height of the grass when mowing. Cutting off more than this could damage the growing point of the turf grass blade.

Should I bag or mulch my grass clippings?

Mulch grass clippings. Mulching is recycling. It returns valuable nutrients to the soil—free fertilizer for your lawn. Mulching also prevents another garbage bag from taking up space in a landfill. Mulch, mulch, mulch!

How much water does my lawn need?

Principles of Turfgrass Irrigation – A practical watering program embodies four basic concepts. Each concept may be set forth as a question: When water should be applied? How often should water be applied? How should water be applied? And how much water should be applied? While the basic concepts of a good watering program may appear simple, in actual practice there are many and varied problems associated with the successful application of each.

Water should be applied in the morning hours just prior to sunrise through sunrise. The goal is to allow the most time for the water to absorb into the soil while evaporation rates are low, but at the same time reduce the amount of time the leaf blades of the turf remain wet. Prolonged leaf wetness will greatly increase the chances of diseases developing, which feed on the turf causing brown patches. During period of overcast and humid weather diseases naturally occur for this vary reason, the leaf blades do not get a chance to dry off. Watering a lawn at the improper time, can exaggerate the problem and make the disease worse.

The frequency of irrigation depends on the type of grass, the soil’s physical properties, and the climatic condition — especially rainfall, humidity, temperature, and wind movement. It is often said that many turfgrass problems may be attributed to improper watering. Perhaps one of the most important factors contributing to improper watering is frequent irrigation — watering too often. In general, it is an excellent idea to let the condition of the grass determine when to apply moisture. On most general turfgrass areas the time to apply moisture is the morning just as the plants begin to wilt. As a matter of fact, with one possible exception, this could become a rule of thumb for watering turfgrass. The exception is on newly seeded areas which must be kept moist during the period the seed is germinating and seedlings are becoming established. Frequent, shallow watering tends to keep the upper layers of soil near a point of saturation most of the time. This encourages shallow rooting and promotes weak turf which is susceptible to disease and insect attack as well as damage from traffic. The practice of watering deeply only when plants show signs of wilting is for most turfgrass areas a practical approach to a sound watering program and it is a big step forward in the development of healthy, vigorous turfgrass.

Manner of applying water should never be applied at a rate faster than it can be absorbed by the soil. The ability of a soil to absorb moisture at a given rate depends upon several factors, most of which are directly or indirectly associated with certain physical soil problems. Soil properties that govern water infiltration (movement of water into the soil) are texture, structure, and the degree of compaction. Texture (size of soil particles) and structure (arrangement of soil particles) influences not only the infiltration of water, but also water-holding ability and soil drainage.

The amount of water to apply at any one time will depend upon the water-holding capacity of the soil, the amount of moisture present when irrigation is started, and drainage. The water-holding capacity of the soil will, to a large extent, determine how much water will be needed at any one time. Loams and clay loams are generally considered to have desirable water-holding capacity, whereas sands display very little water-holding capacity. Enough moisture should be applied to ensure that the entire root zone will be wetted. Turf needs roughly 1” of water per week during the growing season. This equals 6,242 gallons of water per week on an average sized, 10,000ft2, lawn.

Why am I having an issue in one part of my lawn but not in the other?

Lawn conditions vary from front to back and from side to side because of micro-climates within the property. Micro-climates can originate from different topsoil’s, sun exposure, or varying topographies to name a few causes. Our experts can test your soil chemistry to make sure it falls within the appropriate ranges and recommend a quality lawn care program to make our lawn more uniform.

Is there anything I can do to eliminate or minimize the brown spots caused by my dog?

Yes. Brown spots are most prevalent in the summer when there is not as much rain. A lack of rain means that moisture levels are reduced, and grass is more susceptible to the salt content in dog’s urine, causing these unwanted brown spots. To eliminate or minimize the brown spots, irrigate the area your dog uses, rotate the usage area, and/or apply gypsum to strip the salt from the turf grass rootzone. Your veterinarian may also be to prescribe medicine to reduce the amount of salt in your dog’s urine, which reduce the number of brown spots you see in your lawn.

Understanding drought stress?

If your outdoor living space is not getting enough water, the grass will naturally go into a state of dormancy as a temporary survival mechanism until adequate moisture is present. Though dormant grass turns brown, the crown and the roots are still alive. When your lawn becomes dormant, don’t panic. Wait for rain or make your own by watering with your oscillating sprinkler.

How often can irrigate during drought stress?

Water management is one of the most important cultural practices for your lawn. With its deep and infrequent watering capabilities, an irrigation system offers the best and most controlled watering for your outdoor living space. A deep watering hydrates the entire root zone and trains the grass to dig deeper for water. Set your system to run early in the morning to reduce the amount of time that moisture is present on the turf. Avoid over-watering, as it can cause anaerobic or oxygen-deprived conditions in the soil that cause the turf grass to decline. Most outdoor living spaces require about one to one-and-a-half inches of water per week to maintain health.

How often do I need to sharpen my blades?

Sharp mowing blades allow for a clean cut in the outdoor living space. They also minimize stress to your blades of grass and prevent browning. Dull mowing blades shred your grass, damaging the tips and permitting diseases to enter. Avoid shredding your lawn. Sharpen your mowing blades at the beginning of the spring, summer, and fall seasons for a clean cut in your outdoor living space.

Do you treat mosquitoes?

Yes. Our Mosquito program provides a barrier against mosquitoes, prior to a special outdoor event or for the entire summer.